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Shawn Levy

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This article is about the director and actor. For the American film critic, see Shawn Levy (writer).

Shawn Levy
Levy at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Shawn Adam Levy[1]

(1968-07-23) July 23, 1968 (age 56)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, actor
Years active1986–present
SpouseSerena Levy
Children4

Shawn Adam Levy (born July 23, 1968)[2] is a Canadian film director, producer, and actor. His directing credits include Big Fat Liar, Cheaper by the Dozen, the Night at the Museum series, and Stranger Things.

Levy was a producer on the 2016 sci-fi film Arrival, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Since 2016, Levy has been an executive producer on the Netflix original series Stranger Things. He has directed two episodes in each of the show’s three seasons.[3]

Early life and education

Levy in Moscow in 2011.

Levy was born to a Jewish family[4] in Montreal,[5] Quebec. As a teenager, he attended St. George's High School and Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center in New York.[citation needed] Levy graduated from Yale University in 1989 majoring in Performing Arts. He received a MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 1994.[6]

Career

Levy's acting debut was in Zombie Nightmare (1986), a low-budget horror film in which he portrayed the character Jim Bratten, the leader of a group of teenagers. The film is best known for being featured in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. He appeared in the 1988 Liberace: Behind the Music, as a post-Scott Thorson acquaintance of Liberace. His television acting resume consists of a guest spot on 21 Jump Street, a recurring role on Beverly Hills, 90210, and a role on 30 Rock as TV producer Scottie Shofar.

Levy has a production deal with 20th Century Fox. He produced the 2012 Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill comedy The Watch, which was directed by Akiva Schaffer. His television company 21 Laps produces the ABC/Fox comedy series Last Man Standing and the science fiction Netflix series Stranger Things.[7]

Levy was initially announced as the director of the film version of Minecraft,[8] but has since left the project.[9] He is the latest director attached to the film adaptation of the Uncharted video game series, following David O. Russell and Neil Burger.[10] Joe Carnahan worked with Levy to produce the script for the film,[11] but Levy left the project on December 19, 2018.[12] Levy will also direct a film based on long-running children's series Sesame Street, which will be the show's third motion picture following Sesame Street Presents: Follow that Bird and The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, and its first in nearly two decades.[13]

In December 2017, Netflix announced a 4-year contract with Levy. Due to the successful seasons of Stranger Things, he will create TV projects exclusively for the streaming entertainment company.

In March 2018, it was announced that Levy will produce the film adaptation of the slasher novel There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins under his 21 Laps Entertainment label, alongside James Wan's Atomic Monster studio for Netflix.[14][15]

Alongside Eric Heisserer, Levy is set to executive produce upcoming Netflix series Shadow and Bone, an adaptation of the fantasy book series The Grisha Trilogy and the Six of Crows Duology, under Netflix's deal with Levy's 21 Laps.[16]

Personal life

Levy is married to Serena, with whom he has four daughters.[17] Levy is Jewish.[18]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Director Producer
1997 Address Unknown Yes No
Just in Time Yes No
2002 Big Fat Liar Yes No
2003 Just Married Yes No
Cheaper by the Dozen Yes No
2006 The Pink Panther Yes No
Night at the Museum Yes Yes
2009 Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Yes Yes
2010 Date Night Yes Yes
2011 Real Steel Yes Yes
2013 The Internship Yes Yes
2014 This Is Where I Leave You Yes Yes
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb Yes Yes
2020 Free Guy Yes Yes
TBA Starman[19] Yes Yes
The Fall[20] Yes Yes
Crater[21] Yes Yes

Producer only

Year Title Director Notes
2001 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus John Shepphird
2005 Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Adam Shankman
2008 What Happens in Vegas Tom Vaughan
The Rocker Peter Cattaneo
2009 The Pink Panther 2 Harald Zwart Executive producer
2012 The Watch Akiva Schaffer
2013 The Spectacular Now James Ponsoldt
2014 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,
No Good, Very Bad Day 		Miguel Arteta
2016 Arrival Denis Villeneuve Nominated- Academy Award for Best Picture
Nominated- AACTA International Award for Best Film
Nominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film
Why Him? John Hamburg
2017 Fist Fight Richie Keen
Table 19 Jeffrey Blitz
2018 The Darkest Minds Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Kin Jonathan Baker
Josh Baker
TBA The Violent Heart Kerem Sanga Post-production
Untitled third Sesame Street film[22][23][24] Jonathan Krisel
There's Someone Inside Your House[25] Patrick Brice

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Zombie Nightmare Jim Bratten
1987 Wild Thing Paul
1988 Liberace: Behind the Music Glenn
The Kiss Terry O'Connell
1991 Our Shining Moment J.J.
1993 Made in America Dwayne
1997 Address Unknown Cameo
Just in Time Photographer
2002 Big Fat Liar Wolf Party Guest
2003 Cheaper by the Dozen Press/Room Reporter
2005 Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Hospital Intern
2009 Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Guy in Commercial
2013 The Internship Guy in Nap Pod

Television

Year Title Director Executive
Producer 		Notes
1996–1998 The Secret World of Alex Mack Yes No 6 episodes
1997–1998 The Journey of Allen Strange Yes No 3 episodes
1998–1999 Lassie Yes No 4 episodes
1998 First Wave Yes No Episode "Marker 262"
1998–1999 Animorphs Yes No 5 episodes
1998–2003 The Famous Jett Jackson Yes No 47 episodes
1999 So Weird Yes No
2000 In a Heartbeat Yes No 2 episodes
2001 Jett Jackson: The Movie Yes Yes TV movie
2002 Do Over Yes No Episode "The Block Party"
Birds of Prey Yes No Episode "Nature of the Beast"
2006 Pepper Dennis Yes Yes Episode "Pilot"
2011–2016 Last Man Standing No Yes 79 episodes
2014 Cristela No Yes Episode "Pilot"
2016 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Yes No Episode "Kimmy Drives a Car!"
2016–present Stranger Things Yes Yes Directed episodes "Holly, Jolly", "The Body", "The Pollywog", "Will the Wise", “The Case Of The Missing Lifeguard” and “The Sauna Test” while also doing a cameo in the episode "The Body"
2017 Imaginary Mary Yes No Episodes "Pilot" and "The Mom Seal"
2020 I Am Not Okay With This No Yes Post-production
TBA Shadow and Bone TBA Yes In production

Acting roles

Year Title Role Episode(s)
1989 China Beach Lieutenant "Dear China Beach"
1989–1990 Tour of Duty SP4 Budd Sills 2 episodes
1990 21 Jump Street Lance "Awomp-Bomp-Aloobomb, Aloop Bamboom"
Lifestories Luke Conforti "Art Conforti"
1993 Beverly Hills, 90210 Howard Banchek 2 episodes
Step by Step Daniel "Way Off-Broadway"
2000 The Famous Jett Jackson Producer 3 episodes
2009 30 Rock Scottie Shofar "The Problem Solvers"
2016 Stranger Things Morgue Worker "Chapter Four: The Body"

Recurring collaborators

Actor Big Fat Liar
(2002) 		Just Married
(2003) 		Cheaper by the Dozen
(2003) 		The Pink Panther
(2006) 		Night at the Museum
(2006) 		Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
(2009) 		Date Night
(2010) 		Real Steel
(2011) 		The Internship
(2013) 		This Is Where I Leave You (2014) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)
Rose Byrne ☒N ☒N
Steve Coogan ☒N ☒N ☒N
Tina Fey ☒N ☒N
Timmy Fitzpatrick ☒N ☒N
Michael Bryan French ☒N ☒N
John Gatins ☒N ☒N
Ricky Gervais ☒N ☒N ☒N
Amy Hill ☒N ☒N
Taran Killam ☒N ☒N
Ashton Kutcher ☒N ☒N
Steve Martin ☒N ☒N
Mickey Rooney ☒N ☒N ☒N
Ted Rooney ☒N ☒N
Dax Shepard ☒N ☒N ☒N
Ben Stiller ☒N ☒N ☒N
Robin Williams ☒N ☒N ☒N
Owen Wilson ☒N ☒N ☒N ☒N
Rami Malek ☒N ☒N ☒N

References

  1. ^ "Shawn Adam Levy — The Guild / Members". Directors Guild of America. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  2. ^ "Shawn Levy — Biography and Filmography - 1968". hollywood.com. February 20, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  3. ^ "'Stranger Things' Season 3 Starts Filming Monday". April 21, 2018.
  4. ^ Nate Bloom (February 13, 2017). "The tribe goes to the Oscars". J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
  5. ^ Durocher, Sophie (January 25, 2017). "Villeneuve est enfin "arrivé"". Le Journal de Montréal (in French). Retrieved February 17, 2017. Un des producteurs de L'Arrivée, Shawn Levy, est un «ptit gars de Montréal»
  6. ^ "Shawn Levy Gets "Real"". USC Cinematic Arts. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  7. ^ Berkshire, Geoff (July 22, 2016). "'Stranger Things': Shawn Levy on Directing Winona Ryder, Netflix's Viral Model". Variety.
  8. ^ Kroll, Justin (October 16, 2014). "Warner Bros. Taps Shawn Levy for 'Minecraft' Movie". Variety. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  9. ^ Kroll, Justin (December 19, 2014). "Shawn Levy Leaves Warner Bros.' 'Minecraft' Film". Variety. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  10. ^ Fleming, Mike (October 25, 2016). "Shawn Levy To Direct Uncharted Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  11. ^ Fleming, Mike (October 25, 2016). "Shawn Levy To Direct 'Uncharted'; PlayStation Vidgame Movie On Fast Track". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  12. ^ Wade, Jessie (December 19, 2018). "Director Shawn Levy Steps Away from Tom Holland Uncharted Movie". IGN. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  13. ^ Evans, Alan (November 10, 2016). "Sesame Street movie is in the works". The Guardian.
  14. ^ Miska, Brad (March 18, 2019). "Netflix and James Wan Joining Forces for Slasher 'There's Someone Inside Your House'!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  15. ^ Kit, Borys (August 14, 2019). "Shawn Levy-James Wan's Horror 'There's Someone Inside Your House' Sets Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  16. ^ Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (January 10, 2019). "Netflix Orders Shadow And Bone Series Based On Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse Novels From Eric Heisserer & Shawn Levy". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  17. ^ Cannell, Michael (August 2012). "Shawn Levy's Modern Farmhouse in Upstate New York". Architectural Digest. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  18. ^ Bloom, Nate (October 17, 2003). "Celebrity jews". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  19. ^ Kit, Borys (April 1, 2016). "'Starman' Remake In the Works With Director Shawn Levy (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  20. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 17, 2016). "Shawn Levy to Direct Sci-Fi Film 'The Fall'". Variety.
  21. ^ Kroll, Justin (November 8, 2017). "Fox and Shawn Levy Team on Sci-Fi Spec 'Crater' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  22. ^ "Anne Hathaway to Star in Robert Zemeckis' 'The Witches' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  23. ^ "Anne Hathaway Eyes Starring Role in 'Sesame Street' Movie". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  24. ^ "'Sesame Street' Movie's Writer-Director Reveals Plot Details". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 6, 2019. Exactly how big, he can't say — sources say it will be in the $50 million range — but Krisel confirms that Anne Hathaway will star and that shooting could begin in late summer.
  25. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (March 15, 2018). "Netflix Boards Coming-Of-Age Slasher Movie With 'Stranger Things' Outfit 21 Laps And James Wan's Atomic Monster". Deadline. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
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