Paul Haggis

Description:

Paul Haggis established himself over twenty years with an extensive career in television, before his big break into features arrived when he became the first screenwriter to garner two Best Film Academy Awards back-to-back for his scripts: "Million Dollar Baby" (2004) directed by Clint Eastwood, and "Crash" (2005) which Paul directed himself.

In 2006, among others, Haggis penned two Clint Eastwood productions, "Flags of our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima," for which he earned his third Best Screenplay Oscar nomination. He also co-wrote "Casino Royale," which garnered considerable acclaim for reinvigorating the James Bond spy franchise.

In 2007, Haggis wrote, directed, and produced "In the Valley of Elah." The film starred Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon, and earned Jones a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance.

In 2010, his film "The Next Three Days" was released, starring Russell Crowe, Liam Neeson, and Elizabeth Banks.

And in 2013 he wrote and directed the romantic, personal drama "Third Person," which starred Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Mila Kunis, Adrien Brody, James Franco, and Kim Basinger.

Most recently, Haggis directed and executive produced all six episodes of the HBO mini-series "Show Me A Hero," starring Oscar Isaac, Catherine Keener, Winona Ryder, James Belushi, and Alfred Molina.

Currently, Haggis is co-directing a feature length documentary on the AIDS crisis in San Francisco, called "5B."

Equally committed to his private and social concerns, Haggis is the founder of Artists for Peace and Justice. Under this umbrella, many of his friends in the film business have come forward to major build schools and clinics serving the children of the slums of Haiti (www.APJNow.org).

Overview

Birthday March 10, 1953

Born In London, Ontario, Canada

Alternative names Paul Edward Haggis

Height 183 cm

Spouse/Ex- Deborah Rennard June 21, 1997 - May 11, 2016 (divorced),Diane Christine Gettas April 9, 1977 - 1997 (divorced)

Parents Edward H. Haggis

Children James Haggis

Relatives Jo Francis (Sibling)

Did you know

Trivia Quit the Church of Scientology in 2009--after 34 years--because he disagreed with the organization about its support of Proposition 8, which outlawed same-sex marriage in California. His public break with the church was profiled in a long piece by Lawrence Wright in the February 14, 2011, issue of "The New Yorker"; the article was unusual in that it shed light on some of the inner workings and controversies of the normally secretive Church of Scientology. In the profile Haggis estimated that he spent more than $100,000 on courses and auditing, and $300,000 on various Scientology initiatives.

Quotes I agreed to write the pilot because I thought it would just go away, but it became this huge hit and I remember waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning in a cold sweat, dripping wet. I mean, I was drenched. I just pictured my tombstone and it said: "Paul Haggis: Creator of Walker, Texas Ranger (1993)." So the impetus for making these movies is really just to wipe that image from my mind. (on his decision to move from television to films like Crash (2004))

Salaries (writing and directing) $94,000