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Peter HedgesAmerican novelist, screenwriter and director
Date of Birth: 06.07.1962
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Peter Hedges
Peter Hedges, an American writer, novelist, screenwriter, and director, was born on July 6, 1962, in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. His father was a minister, and his mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2000, worked as a consultant on issues related to drugs and alcohol. Due to the nature of his father's work, Peter spent much of his youth attending funerals and nursing homes. According to the writer, he gained experience and developed a keen sense of the fragile nature of life, which ultimately led him to choose his career path.
Early Life and Education
After graduating from high school, Hedges continued his education at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, where he focused on studying the theater. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1984. During his time in college, Hedges organized the experimental theater group "Edge Theater" with his friends from the school of arts, Mary-Louise Parker and Joe Mantello. Over the course of four years, he wrote and staged twelve of his own projects, many of which were performed in independent theaters.
Writing Career
While working with the "Edge Theater" group, Hedges also created his off-Broadway play "Imagining Brad" for the Circle Repertory Theatre company. During his studies at Bennington College in Vermont, he wrote a monologue that served as the foundation for his first novel, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," which was published in 1991. In 1993, this novel was adapted into a film by Paramount Pictures. The American drama, directed by Lasse Hallström, starred Johnny Depp and an up-and-coming Leonardo DiCaprio.
Hedges also wrote the screenplay for the 1999 drama film "A Map of the World," adapted from the novel by Jane Hamilton. He returned to theater production during this period, producing the play "Baby Anger" for the Off-Broadway theater "Playwrights Horizons" and directing the play "Good as New" for the theater company "Manhattan Class."
Recognition and Later Works
As a screenwriter, Hedges reached a career peak when he collaborated with Chris and Paul Weitz on the adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel "About a Boy" in 2002. Alongside other screenwriters, Hedges was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Although he did not win the coveted statue, Hedges' work was highly regarded by critics and the film industry as a whole.
In 2003, Hedges not only wrote the screenplay for the comedy film "Pieces of April," starring Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, and Patricia Clarkson, but he also made his directorial debut with the film. The movie tells the story of a carefree 21-year-old girl facing serious troubles when her family comes to dinner for Thanksgiving. With a modest budget of $300,000, the comedy film grossed nearly $3.3 million.
Finally, in 2007, Peter directed and co-wrote the screenplay for the romantic comedy "Dan in Real Life" starring Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche. His son, Lucas Hedges, also appeared in a small role in the film, dancing at a wedding with the main character's youngest daughter.
Through his work, Peter Hedges has demonstrated a talent for narrating stories of strange and even absurd characters, delving into the depths of pain and suffering that ultimately transform into hope, all with a sense of humor.
