Gavin O'Connor wrote Once Upon A Time In New York, an epic multi-faceted adventure story about a princess and a runaway mute boy who have to travel back in time to alter the course of history to protect the princess‘ fate. Additionally, the comedy-drama Sunny & 68, which he co-wrote, the story of a disgraced poker superstar who is forced to return to his hometown for the first time in 20 years and confront the mother and ex-girlfriend he left behind and the five-year-old daughter he didn‘t know he had. He is also adapting the 1961 acclaimed film The Hustler into a Broadway stage play.
A native New Yorker, O‘Connor began writing while studying at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, he returned to New York, where he began his career writing short films and plays. O‘Connor made his screenwriting debut with the award-winning short film The Bet, which also marked Ted Demme‘s film directorial debut.
O‘Connor then wrote and directed the short film American Standoff.
O‘Connor first garnered attention when he directed the independent feature Tumbleweeds, starring Janet McTeer and Kimberly Brown. O‘Connor also co-wrote the screenplay with Angela Shelton, based on Shelton‘s childhood diaries. The mother-daughter road drama brought O‘Connor the Filmmaker‘s Award at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, and went on to earn widespread critical acclaim. In addition, McTeer earned several Best Actress honors for her performance, including Oscar ® and Independent Spirit Award nominations and a Golden Globe ® Award, while Brown won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress.
O‘Connor‘s directing effort was the critically acclaimed 2004 hit Miracle for Disney/Touchstone, which was also his first major studio feature. The film starred Kurt Russell in the inspiring story of the U.S. Hockey Team‘s Gold Medal triumph at the 1980 Winter Olympics, including a stunning victory over the seemingly invincible Russian team.
Following the success of Miracle, Gavin O'Connor co-wrote and directed the drama Pride and Glory, starring Edward Norton, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight. The film follows a multi-generational police family whose moral code is tested when one son investigates an incendiary case of corruption and murder that involves his brother and brother-in-law, forcing the family to choose between their loyalties to one another and their loyalties to the department.
Gavin O‘Connor resides in Los Angeles.
© 2011 Lionsgate
