Graham Moore (writer)
Graham Moore | |
|---|---|
 Moore in 2022 | |
| Born | October 18, 1981 Chicago,Illinois,U.S. |
| Occupation | Screenwriter, author, director |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Notable works | The Sherlockian,The Imitation Game,The Last Days of Night |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | |
| mrgrahammoore | |
Graham Moore(born October 18, 1981) is an American screenwriter, author and director known for his 2010 novelThe Sherlockian,as well as his screenplay for the historical filmThe Imitation Game,[1]which topped the 2011Black Listfor screenplays and won the 2014Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay(awarded February 2015).
Early life and family[edit]
Moore was born inChicago, Illinoisand raised on the city'snorth side.[2]He is "the son of two lawyers who divorced and then married two other lawyers";[3]Moore's father, Gary Moore, is an insurancedefense attorneyand his mother,Susan Sher(née Steiner), works for theUniversity of Chicago.His mother was formerly the City of Chicago's chief lawyer and First LadyMichelle Obama'schief of staff.[4][5][6]
Moore's parents divorced when he was young.[2]Moore's stepfather isCook County Circuit CourtJudgeNeil Cohen.[7]Raised Jewish,[2]Moore graduated from theUniversity of Chicago Laboratory Schools[7][8]in 1999 and received a bachelor of arts degree in religious history in 2003 fromColumbia University.
During his Academy Award acceptance speech in February 2015, Moore stated:[9]
When I was 16 years old, I tried to kill myself because I felt weird and I felt different, and I felt like I did not belong. And now I'm standing here, and so I would like this moment to be for this kid out there who feels like she's weird or she's different or she doesn't fit in anywhere: Yes, you do. I promise you do. Stay weird, stay different
This led viewers to believe that Graham Moore was gay and highlighted his own experience as anLGBTQyouth. Many people praised the speech onTwittercomparing it to the openly gay screenwriterDustin Lance Blackwho won an Oscar forMilk(2008). However, Moore has clarified to reporters he is in fact straight and not gay.[10]
The speech has since drawn criticisms for his use of the word "weird" and for misleading audiences. J. Bryan Lowder ofSlatewrote, "without harping on Moore's flustered speech too much, it's worth taking a moment to explain the trouble with that equivalence more generally and to think about why gay people might be so sensitive to it—especially coming as it did from the straight writer of a film that desperately marketed itself to audiences and Academy voters as a gay political statement."[11]Ira Maddison III ofBuzzfeedsharply criticized the language and vaugeness of Moore's speech writing, "We don't need a straight, white male who wrote a straight-washed movie about Alan Turing as our savior. We need diverse women and men who are looking to the future, not people looking to past and crafting a speech that will appeal in its vagueness to anyone who's" weird. ""[12]
Moore lives in Los Angeles, California. He married a woman in 2019 and together they have a child.[13]
Career[edit]
Moore began his writing career working with childhood friend Ben Epstein, who was attendingTisch School of the Artsin New York City.[2]One of his earliest Hollywood jobs was on the writing staff of the short-lived television series10 Things I Hate About You.[14]
Moore's first book,The Sherlockian,was on the New York Times bestseller list for three weeks.[3]
His adapted screenplay for the 2014 filmThe Imitation Game,based on the biographyAlan Turing: The EnigmabyAndrew Hodges,topped the 2011Black Listof the best unproduced scripts inHollywood.[15]The script earned Moore numerous nominations, including the 2014Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay,and ultimately won the 2014Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplayat the87th Academy Awards(awarded February 2015).
Moore's second book,The Last Days of Night,was published by Random House on August 16, 2016. Set in 1888 New York City, the novel focuses on the heated rivalry betweenThomas EdisonandGeorge Westinghouseduring the advent of electricity and is told through the eyes of Westinghouse's attorney,Paul Cravath.[16]Moore has adapted the screenplay forThe Last Days of Nightto be directed by Oscar-nominated director ofThe Imitation GameMorten Tyldum.[17]Moore will write, direct, and produce the sci-fi thrillerNaked Is the Best DisguiseforStudio 8.[18]
Moore's first film as director,The Outfit,premiered at the72nd Berlin International Film Festivalon February 14, 2022. It received positive reviews.
Novels[edit]
- The Sherlockian(2010), published by Twelve[19]
- The Last Days of Night(August 16, 2016), published by Penguin Random House[20]
- The Holdout(February 18, 2020), published by Random House[21]
Filmography[edit]
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Pirates vs. Ninjas | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2008 | The Waiting Room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Executive Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | The Imitation Game | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2022 | The Outfit | Yes | Yes | No |
Awards and nominations[edit]
References[edit]
- ^"Black Bear Pictures Wins Graham Moore Black List ScriptImitation Game",Deadline.com; accessed February 23, 2015.
- ^abcdHanks, E.A. (September 27, 2013)."How Benedict Cumberbatch And Alan Turing Helped A Writer Find Success In Hollywood".BuzzFeed.RetrievedNovember 11,2014.
- ^ab"How" The Imitation Game "Screenwriter Graham Moore Made It In Hollywood".Buzzfeed, Sept. 27, 2013, E.A. Hanks.
- ^Dorning, Mike (July 20, 2009)."Michelle Obama's confidant-in-chief: Susan Sher".chicagotribune.com.RetrievedNovember 12,2014.
- ^"It's all about mom at first-time novelist Graham Moore's book party at the veep's house".The Washington Post.December 2, 2010.
- ^Dornic, Matt (December 2, 2010)."Author Graham Moore's Presidential Perks".Mediabistro. Archived fromthe originalon November 11, 2014.RetrievedNovember 11,2014.
- ^abSweet, Lynn (December 8, 2010).""Sherlockian" author Graham Moore: Sleuthing with Susan Sher, Valerie Jarrett and the Bidens ".Chicago Sun-Times.Archived fromthe originalon February 25, 2015.RetrievedNovember 11,2014.
- ^"RISING STAR PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD".University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Archived fromthe originalon November 11, 2014.RetrievedNovember 11,2014.
- ^Goodman, Jessica (February 22, 2015)."Graham Moore Gives The Oscars' Most Moving Acceptance Speech".The Huffington Post.
- ^"The Murky Gay Politics Surrounding the 'Stay Weird' Oscars Speech".The Atlantic.February 24, 2015.RetrievedJuly 3,2023.
- ^Lowder, J. Bryan (February 23, 2015)."Is It" Weird "to Be Gay? What Graham Moore's Speech Really Means".Slate.RetrievedJuly 3,2023.
- ^"Graham Moore's Oscar Speech Was Not For LGBT Kids".Buzzfeed.February 23, 2015.RetrievedJuly 3,2023.
- ^"Cracking the Code of Scripter Winner Graham Moore's Success".Annenburg Media Center, NeonTommy, Maureen Lee Lenker, February 4, 2015.
- ^Formo, Brian (September 10, 2014)."TIFF 2014 Interview: Graham Moore, Screenwriter of 'The Imitation Game'".Crave Online. Archived fromthe originalon April 26, 2015.RetrievedNovember 12,2014.
- ^Hollywood's 'Black List' of best unproduced scripts of 2011 revealed,theguardian.com; accessed February 23, 2015.
- ^Official Website: "Graham Moore"ArchivedJune 1, 2016, at theWayback Machine,mrgrahammoore.com; accessed April 3, 2016.
- ^"Financiers Spark To Edison-Westinghouse Pic 'The Last Days Of Night'; Graham Moore & Morten Tyldum To Reteam".May 3, 2016.
- ^Kit, Borys (February 27, 2018)."'Imitation Game' Writer Sets Directorial Debut With Female-Led Futuristic Thriller (Exclusive) ".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedApril 13,2019.
- ^Moore, Graham (June 27, 2017).The Sherlockian - Hachett Book Group.Grand Central.ISBN9780446573955.
- ^"The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore".
- ^"The Holdout by Graham Moore".
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1981 births
- Living people
- 21st-century American novelists
- American male novelists
- American male screenwriters
- American audio engineers
- American mystery novelists
- Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award winners
- Columbia College (New York) alumni
- Jewish American novelists
- Jewish American screenwriters
- Jewish American television writers
- Writers Guild of America Award winners
- Writers from Chicago
- American male television writers
- University of Chicago Laboratory Schools alumni
- 21st-century American male writers
- Novelists from Illinois
- Screenwriters from Illinois
- Engineers from Illinois
- 21st-century American screenwriters
- 21st-century American Jews