Jay Russell

Birthday: 10 January 1960, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

Best known for Directing critically acclaimed, audience pleasing fare, filmmaker Jay Russell has an impressive track record of telling compelling stories with emotional resonance.Russell got his first ...Show More

Best known for Directing critically acclaimed, audience pleasing fare, filmmaker Jay Russell has an impressive track record of telling compelling stories with emotional resonance.Russell got his first break at the age of 19, filming a series of commercials for the Arkansas Parks and Tourism division. Like his boss at the time, Governor Bill Clinton, Russell would go on to bigger and better things. A native of North Little Rock, Arkansas, Russell won a number of regional honors for his music while in high school and then received a full music scholarship to Memphis University. While in Memphis, Russell's passion for music was supplanted, however, by another longtime passion - namely, filmmaking.Russell continued his post grad studies at Columbia University in New York City, where he studied under the tutelage of Academy Award winning director Milos Forman. After receiving his MFA in Screenwriting and Directing, Russell was invited to attend the Sundance Institute Film Workshop. It was there that Russell began development on what would become his first film, "End of the Line" (1988), a tale of two down and out railway workers named Leo and Will (played by Levon Helm and Wilford Brimley) The cast also included Kevin Bacon and Academy Award winners Mary Steenburgen and Holly Hunter. "End of the Line" was well received at Sundance and won a theatrical release by Orion Classics.After "End of the Line" Russell developed a number of projects for Imagine Entertainment, as well as TriStar Pictures. Russell also found success at that time in the world of reality television and documentaries. In the mid 1990's, Russell produced a number of documentary series and specials for NBC, CBS, The Learning Channel, and the Discovery Channel. In 1997, PBS approached Russell to write, produce, and direct "Great Drives", a five hour miniseries on America's most famous highways.It was during the filming of "Great Drives" that Russell met Pulitzer nominated author Willie Morris. At the time, Morris was working on an autobiographical memoir about his childhood. When the book, "My Dog Skip", became a national bestseller, Russell - who had stayed in regular contact with Morris secured the movie rights to the book. In 2000, Warner Bros. released the Russell Directed film adaptation of "My Dog Skip", which starred Kevin Bacon, Frankie Muniz, Luke Wilson and Diane Lane. The film was a hit with critics and audiences alike and eventually went on to score numerous awards, including the 2001 Critic's Choice Award for Best Family Film.Russell followed up with Walt Disney's "Tuck Everlasting" (2002) - starring Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls) along with Academy Award winners, Sir Ben Kingsley, William Hurt and Sissy Spacek. The well received fantasy was also nominated for a Critic's Choice Award for Best Family Film of 2002.In 2004, Russell tackled his most commercial and adult oriented project yet with Disney/Touchstone Pictures "Ladder 49." The film, an ode to the heroism of firefighters, starred Academy Award nominees John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix as a pair of Baltimore firemen who share a father and son relationship that forges the backbone of this emotionally satisfying film. "Ladder 49" remains as one of the top October weekend openers of all time and went on to make over $100 + million in worldwide box office.Next, Sony Picture's "Water Horse: Legend of the Deep," was one of the best reviewed family films of 2008. Starring Alex Etel and Academy Award winner Emily Watson, the film was also nominated by the Visual Effects Society for the groundbreaking digital work of the world famous New Zealand FX company, Weta Digital. Worldwide, "The Water Horse," became Russell's second $100 + million dollar moneymaker in a row.In 2011, Russell served as a Producer for Academy Award nominee Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) on his Belfast, Northern Ireland based indie comedy, "Whole Lotta Sole," which as released in 2012.In 2014, Russell Directed "One Christmas Eve" for Hallmark Hall of Fame.In 2015, Russell is Producing the World Premiere of the theatrical production of the classic thriller, "Rear Window," adapted for the stage by Keith Reddin and to be directed by Tony Award Winner, Darko Tresnjak, starring Kevin Bacon, McKinley Belcher III, Melinda Page Hamilton, Robert Stanton and John Bedford Lloyd. Hide