Lorene Scafaria facts for kids

Lorene Scafaria (born May 1, 1978) is an American filmmaker, writer, musician, and actress. She is known for writing and directing movies like Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012), The Meddler (2015), and ... (2019). She also wrote the movie Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008).

Lorene Scafaria has also directed episodes of the TV series Succession (2018–2023). She was nominated for important awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, for her work on Succession.

Early Life and Education

Lorene Scafaria was born in Holmdel, New Jersey, on May 1, 1978. Her mother is Canadian-American, and her father was an Italian immigrant. She has one brother.

Lorene became interested in writing at a young age. She would write fake book reports every month to win Pizza Hut gift certificates from her school! By the time she was 17, she had already written and put on her first play in Red Bank, New Jersey.

After finishing Holmdel High School in 1995, she went to Lafayette College. Later, she transferred to Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. There, she earned a degree in English with a minor in theater.

Career Highlights

After college, Lorene Scafaria moved to New York City. She wrote and directed a play called That Guy and Others Like Him, where she also acted. She also took on small acting roles in films like Big Helium Dog.

Lorene wanted to focus on her writing career. She moved to Los Angeles to work with a new agent. She teamed up with screenwriter Bryan Sipe to write a children's adventure film. This script was bought by a studio, but the project was later put on hold.

Writing for the Big Screen

In 2005, Lorene Scafaria was hired to turn the book Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist into a movie. This was her ninth screenplay and her first time adapting a book. She felt a strong connection to the characters, especially Norah, because she grew up in suburban New Jersey.

Lorene said that the movie Before Sunrise inspired how she structured her adaptation. She wanted to bring back the feeling of 1980s teen comedies by directors like John Hughes and Cameron Crowe.

In 2012, Lorene and her friends Diablo Cody and Liz Meriwether received an award for their creativity and teamwork. They were known as the "Fempire." Lorene also wrote other scripts, including Sweet Relief and The Mighty Flynn.

Music and Directing Debut

During a writers' strike in 2007–2008, Lorene recorded an album called Garden Party. It featured her own songs, which she sang and played on the piano. One of her songs, "28," was even featured in the closing credits of the 2009 film Whip It!. She released her second album, Laughter and Forgetting, in 2010.

In 2009, a company bought Lorene's script for Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. This romantic comedy was about a man looking for a meaningful connection during the end of the world. This was the first film Lorene also directed, and it came out in 2012. She shared that she loved exploring how people relate to each other, especially in unusual situations.

Directing The Meddler and ...

In 2015, Lorene Scafaria wrote and directed the movie The Meddler. This film tells the story of a mother and daughter trying to move forward after losing their husband and father. Lorene explained that she wanted the film to help people understand what it's like to be an adult child in such a situation.

Lorene also directed the movie ..., which was very successful. She mentioned that she was interested in showing how a big financial event, like the 2008 recession, affected women who worked near Wall Street. She also focused on the friendship between the two main characters, Destiny and Ramona.

Television Directing

From 2021 to 2023, Lorene Scafaria directed three episodes of the HBO series Succession. These episodes included "Too Much Birthday", "Honeymoon States", and "Living+". For her work on Succession, she received nominations for the Directors Guild of America Award and the Primetime Emmy Award.

Personal Life

Lorene Scafaria lives in Los Angeles. She dated comedian Bo Burnham from 2013 to 2022.

Filmography

Films

Television

Awards and Nominations

Lorene Scafaria has been recognized for her work with several awards and nominations.

See also

In Spanish: Lorene Scafaria para niños