Mimi Leder American director Date of Birth: 26.01.1952 Country: USA

1. Biography of Mimi Leder
2. Early Career
3. Success with "ER"
4. Transition to Film
5. Continued Success
6. Television Work and Recent Projects
7. Personal Life

Biography of Mimi Leder

Mimi Leder, an American director, was born in 1952 in New York City. She was raised in a family involved in the film industry, with her father being a producer, director, and writer, and her mother being his wife, Ethel Leder. Mimi's achievements include being the first woman to be accepted and graduate from the American Film Institute.

Early Career

Leder started her career in the film industry as a cinematographer before moving on to working on television scripts. After several years, she made her directorial debut. She initially directed a couple of episodes for the TV series "L.A. Law" before moving on to other television projects such as "A Year in the Life" and "China Beach." Leder then focused on directing television films and pilot episodes for different projects.

Success with "ER"

In 1994, Leder worked on a project called "ER," which was not expected to have a significant impact. However, her skillful direction of several episodes led to a successful start for the series, earning her an Emmy Award for directing. Leder also received three nominations from the Directors Guild of America for "Best Director of a Dramatic Series." "ER" continued to gain popularity among viewers, and Leder won her second Emmy for the series.

Transition to Film

Throughout the late 1990s, Leder primarily worked in television. In 1997, with Steven Spielberg's support, she directed her first feature film, "The Peacemaker," which was an unexpected genre choice for a female director - an action thriller. The film starred George Clooney and Nicole Kidman and was based on real events revealed through declassified archives. Leder became the second female director, following Kathryn Bigelow, to work in the action-thriller genre.

Continued Success

In 1998, Leder's film "Deep Impact" achieved great success, surpassing the more anticipated film "Armageddon" directed by Michael Bay. The box office revenue reached around $350 million, solidifying Leder as one of the most promising female directors. In 2000, she directed the drama film "Pay It Forward," which received positive reviews from both critics and audiences. The film's concept, revolving around the idea of "paying it forward," resonated with viewers and gained attention from charitable organizations and foundations.

Television Work and Recent Projects

During the early 2000s, Leder took a break from filmmaking and focused on directing television series. She worked on shows such as "John Doe," "Jonny Zero," and "Vanished." Leder returned to the big screen in 2008 with the crime film "The Code," starring Antonio Banderas and Morgan Freeman. The film featured the Russian duo Tatu's song "Not Gonna Get Us" as its soundtrack. Leder's latest project, the adventure-action film "Jax of Heart," is scheduled for release in 2010. The movie follows the story of a brilliant magician who is unexpectedly involved in a CIA operation.

Personal Life

Mimi Leder is married to actor and producer Gary Werntz, and they have a daughter together. Today, she is one of the few female directors known for creating high-quality, commercially successful films.