Mark Boal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Boal
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Boal in 2012
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| Born | January 23, 1973 New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Oberlin College (1995) |
| Occupation | Journalist, screenwriter, film producer |
| Relatives | Christopher Stetson Boal (half-brother) |
Mark Boal (born January 23, 1973) is an American journalist, screenwriter, and film producer. He is known for writing and producing movies about important real-life events.
Mark Boal first worked as a journalist, writing for popular magazines like Rolling Stone. One of his articles, "Death and Dishonor," was later turned into the movie In the Valley of Elah. He also helped write the script for this film.
In 2008, he wrote and produced The Hurt Locker. This movie won him two big awards: the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (for writing) and the Academy Award for Best Picture (for producing). He worked again with director Kathryn Bigelow on Zero Dark Thirty in 2012. This film was about finding Osama bin Laden. It earned him more Academy Award nominations. They also worked together on the 2017 film Detroit.
Mark Boal has won many awards for his work. These include two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and two Writers Guild of America Awards. He has also been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards.
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Early Life & Education
Mark Boal was born in New York City on January 23, 1973. His mother was Lillian Firestone, and his father, William Stetson Boal Jr., made educational films. Mark's half-brother, Christopher Stetson Boal, is also a writer.
Mark went to Bronx High School of Science. He was part of the school's Speech and Debate Team. After high school, he studied Philosophy at Oberlin College, graduating in 1995.
Mark Boal's Career in Film
Mark Boal started his career as a freelance journalist and screenwriter. He often writes about real-world events.
Reporting from the Iraq War
As a journalist, Mark Boal spent time with U.S. troops in 2004 during the Iraq War. He was "embedded" with soldiers and bomb squads. This means he lived and worked alongside them to report on their experiences.
His time in Iraq gave him ideas for a movie. He wrote a screenplay called The Hurt Locker. This film tells a fictional story based on his interviews and observations in Iraq. He also helped produce the movie, which was released in 2009. It was directed by Kathryn Bigelow, who is also his business partner.
A soldier named Jeffrey S. Sarver claimed that The Hurt Locker was based on his life. He sued the filmmakers. However, the producers said the movie was fictional. The phrase "the hurt locker" has been used by military members for many years. In 2011, a federal judge dismissed Sarver's lawsuit.
Writing About Important Events
In 2011, Mark Boal wrote an article for Rolling Stone magazine. It was called The Kill Team: How U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan Murdered Innocent Civilians. This article was about serious events that happened in Afghanistan.
Mark Boal then wrote the film Zero Dark Thirty, which came out in December 2012. The movie received a lot of praise. It showed the search for Osama bin Laden. Some people discussed how the film showed certain events, like the use of torture. Others pointed out that the film's details about Pakistan and the local languages were not fully accurate.
Zero Dark Thirty earned Mark Boal nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and Academy Award for Best Picture. He also worked on the story for the video game Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.
In 2021, it was announced that Mark Boal was talking with Netflix about writing a movie. This film would be based on the GameStop short squeeze, a big event in the stock market that happened in January 2021.
Mark Boal's Filmography
Movies
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
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| 2007 | In the Valley of Elah | Story by | Co-wrote story with Paul Haggis |
| 2008 | The Hurt Locker | Writer Producer |
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| 2012 | Zero Dark Thirty | ||
| 2013 | After Earth | Script consultant | |
| 2017 | Detroit | Writer Producer |
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| 2019 | Triple Frontier | Screenwriter Story by Executive producer |
Co-screenwriter with J. C. Chandor |
Television Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Class of Lies | Executive producer | |
| 2022 | Echo 3 | Creator, writer, director | Wrote 6 episodes, directed 3 episodes |
Video Games
| Year | Game | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | Story by |
Awards and Recognition
Mark Boal has received many awards for his work in film:
- The Hurt Locker (2009) – Won the Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
- The Hurt Locker (2009) – Won the Academy Award for Best Picture
- The Hurt Locker (2009) – Won the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
- The Hurt Locker (2009) – Won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
- The Hurt Locker (2009) – Won the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Named a Top 10 Film by American Film Institute Awards
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Won the Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best Screenplay, Original
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Won the National Board of Review Award for Best Film
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Nominated for Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Nominated for Academy Award for Best Picture
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay
See also
In Spanish: Mark Boal para niños
