Patty Jenkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patty Jenkins
Jenkins at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	Patricia Lea Jenkins (1971-07-24) July 24, 1971 (age 53) Victorville, California, U.S.
Education	Cooper Union (BFA) AFI Conservatory (MFA)
Occupation	Film director screenwriter film producer
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Sam Sheridan ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	1

Patricia Lea Jenkins (born July 24, 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. She is famous for directing big movies like Monster (2003), Wonder Woman (2017), and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020).

For Monster, she won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. She also won the Franklin J. Schaffner Award from the American Film Institute (AFI). She was nominated for an Emmy Award for directing the first episode of the TV series The Killing in 2011. She also won a Directors Guild of America award for that episode. In 2017, Time magazine placed her seventh on their list for Person of the Year.

Early life and inspiration

Patty Jenkins was born in Victorville, California. Her father, William T. Jenkins, was a U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot. Her mother, Emily Roth, later worked as an environmental scientist. Patty has two sisters, Elaine and Jessica.

Because her father was in the military, her family moved often. They lived in Thailand and Germany before settling in Lawrence, Kansas. When Patty was seven, her father sadly passed away.

During a road trip, her mother took Patty and her sister to see the movie Superman. Patty found the film very inspiring. This experience made her want to become a filmmaker.

She finished most of her schooling in Lawrence, Kansas. Then her family moved to Washington D.C. for her last year of high school. She studied painting at The Cooper Union and earned her degree in 1993. Later, she got a master's degree in directing from the American Film Institute's AFI Conservatory in 2000.

From photography to film

Patty became interested in photography and painting when she was in junior high. At age 20, she started working for free at a company that made commercials. This helped her learn about filmmaking.

She worked for eight years as a cameraperson. While filming a Michael Jackson music video, her director of photography suggested she go to the American Film Institute. There, she could learn how to direct movies.

As a student at AFI, she made a short film called Velocity Rules in 2001. She described it as a mix between a superhero film and the style of director Pedro Almodóvar. This short film helped her meet people in the film industry. One of them was producer Brad Wyman, who later introduced her to Donald Kushner. This led to her directing her first big movie, Monster.

Career highlights

Early films and TV work

Patty Jenkins started her directing career with the short films Just Drives (2001) and Velocity Rules (2001). Velocity Rules was about a housewife who discovers she is a superhero. This film won a special grant from Warner Brothers.

Her first major film was Monster (2003). She originally wanted producer Brad Wyman to direct it, but he encouraged her to write the script herself. Patty felt a strong connection to the story and knew she had to direct it.

Monster was made with a budget of $1.5 million. Charlize Theron starred in the film. It became a huge success, earning $64.2 million. Charlize Theron also won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role. Famous film critic Roger Ebert called Monster the best film of 2003. Patty Jenkins won several awards for this film, including the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.

After Monster, Patty Jenkins worked on many TV shows. She directed episodes of popular series like Arrested Development and Entourage. In 2011, she directed a part of the TV movie Five, which earned her an Emmy nomination. She also directed the first episode of AMC's The Killing, receiving another Emmy nomination for her work.

In 2011, she was set to direct Thor: The Dark World, a big superhero movie. However, she left the project because she had different ideas about the film's direction.

Becoming a worldwide sensation

In 2015, Patty Jenkins became the director for the DC Extended Universe film Wonder Woman. The movie starred Gal Gadot as the superhero. It was released in June 2017.

Wonder Woman broke records, becoming the biggest opening weekend for a female director. Patty Jenkins was also the first female director of an American studio superhero film. She was only the third female director to direct a movie with a budget over $100 million.

The film was loved by both critics and audiences. It earned over $800 million worldwide, much more than expected. Wonder Woman became the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman at that time. Later, Frozen II and Captain Marvel surpassed it, but Wonder Woman remains a top film directed by a woman.

Jenkins at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con

After Wonder Woman, Jenkins worked on a horror TV series called Riprore with her husband. She also directed the first episode of the TV drama I Am the Night for TNT. This show also starred Chris Pine, who was in Wonder Woman.

In September 2017, it was announced that Jenkins would direct Wonder Woman 2. She worked hard to make sure she was paid fairly, similar to what male directors would earn for a big movie like this. This was an important step for equal pay in Hollywood.

Wonder Woman 1984 was released in December 2020. It faced delays because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the first Wonder Woman was a huge hit, the sequel received mixed reviews.

Future projects

In October 2020, it was announced that Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot would work together again on a film about Cleopatra, the ancient Egyptian pharaoh. However, in December 2021, Jenkins decided to focus on other projects. She planned to work on a third Wonder Woman film and a Star Wars movie called Rogue Squadron.

A spin-off film set in the Wonder Woman world, focusing on the Amazons, is also being developed. Jenkins helped write the script for this film.

In December 2020, Disney announced that Jenkins would direct Rogue Squadron. This would make her the first female director to lead a Star Wars film. The movie was planned for release in 2023. However, the film's production was delayed and later removed from Disney's schedule. In 2024, Jenkins shared that she is still working on the script for Rogue Squadron.

Style and themes

Patty Jenkins often explores important ideas in her films. In Monster, she looked at themes of right and wrong, and what it means to be a woman.

For Wonder Woman, Jenkins wanted the audience to see the world through the main character Diana Prince's eyes. She believes that Diana represents all humans. Jenkins also suggests that the main message of the film is that humans themselves can be the biggest villains. She has said that the original Superman movie influenced her own superhero film.

Connie Nielsen, who plays Hippolyta in the Wonder Woman movies, said that Jenkins fought to include strong feminist themes. She wanted to show the Amazons as powerful warriors, not as victims.

Patty Jenkins has been influenced by other directors like Kathryn Bigelow. She also finds inspiration in music. Jenkins believes that the way music is organized is similar to how stories are told in movies. She uses this idea of rhythm to help actors deliver their lines.

Personal life

Patty Jenkins married Sam Sheridan in 2007. Sam is a writer and a former firefighter. They have one son and live in Santa Monica, California.

Filmography

Short film

Feature film

Television

Acting credits

Awards and recognition

Patty Jenkins has won many awards for her directing work.

• In 2004, for Monster, she won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. She also received the Franklin J. Schaffner Award from the American Film Institute.
• In 2011, she was nominated for an Emmy for directing the first episode of The Killing.
• In 2012, she won a Directors Guild of America Award for her directing on The Killing.
• In 2018, her film Wonder Woman won a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

See also

• List of female film and television directors