Donald Petrie American film actor and film director Date of Birth: 02.04.1954 Country: USA

Biography of Donald Petri

Donald Petri is an American actor and film director, known for directing popular comedies such as "Mystic Pizza," "Richie Rich," "Miss Congeniality," "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," and "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" He was born into the Petri family, a well-known dynasty in the film industry. His father, Daniel Petri (1920-2004), was a renowned director who made over 50 films, including "The Magnificent Seven," "Cocoon: The Return," and "Lassie." He was nominated for the Palme d'Or and won the Gary Cooper Award at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival for the film "Raisins in the Sun." His mother, Dorothy J. Petri, was a television producer who worked on shows such as "License to Kill," "A Thousand Heroes," and "Song of the Lark," although these shows are not well-known to Russian audiences. His older brother, Daniel Petri Jr., is a screenwriter known for the "Beverly Hills Cop" trilogy and the comedy-action film "Turner & Hooch." His sister, June, worked as a co-producer on the films "Song of the Lark" and "Joy Ride."

Donald Petri began his career at the age of 18, appearing in small roles in various TV series and films. His first credited role is considered to be the character Pete in the TV series "One Day at a Time." Encouraged by his father, Donald attended the American Film Institute and graduated with good results. His graduation project, a short film titled "The Expert," received a special prize. In the 1980s, Donald Petri gained success as a director, helming episodes of popular TV series. He also worked in Steven Spielberg's team, directing an episode titled "Mr. Magic" for the renowned sci-fi series "Amazing Stories." His most notable works during this time were the films "Equalizer" and "L.A. Law." He was nominated for an Emmy Award twice as a director, but luck eluded him.

In 1988, he decided to venture into feature films and directed the romantic comedy "Mystic Pizza" (sometimes referred to as "Fantastic Pizza" in certain sources). The film featured Julia Roberts, who was relatively unknown at the time and had to dye her hair red, which later became part of her image. "Mystic Pizza" marked the beginning of Roberts' successful career and brought recognition to Donald Petri as a comedy film director. He received the Best Debut Feature award at the Independent Spirit Awards in 1989. He followed it up with less successful films like "Opportune Shocks," "Turner & Hooch," and "Grumpy Old Men."

While audiences were interested in Petri's new works, critics gave them lukewarm reviews. Even "Richie Rich" with Macaulay Culkin at the height of his popularity and "The Associate" with Whoopi Goldberg and Tim Daly did not earn the director prestigious film awards. Donald Petri returned to television for a while, where he continued to direct series.

In 1999, he made another attempt to establish himself in the film industry by directing "My Favorite Martian," which also did not achieve significant box office success. The breakthrough came with the film "Miss Congeniality" in 2000, starring Sandra Bullock. With a budget of $45 million, the film grossed $100 million in its fourth week of release, becoming a true triumph.

Building on his success, Petri directed "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" in 2003, starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. He found his niche in romantic "chick flicks" — films that appeal to a predominantly female audience. Continuing in this direction, he directed "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" in 2004 and "My Life in Ruins" in 2009.

His upcoming project is the film "Fashionistas," based on the debut novel of the same name by Lynn Messina. This glamorous comedy will tell the story of a young female designer who tries to outsmart a tough boss with the help of a fake fashion designer.