Paul Haggis

Paul Haggis

Born: March 10, 1953
in London, Ontario, Canada
Haggis began to work as a writer for television programs, including The Love Boat, One Day at a Time, Diff'rent Strokes, and The Facts of Life. With The Facts of Life, Haggis also gained his first credit as producer. During the 1980s and 1990s, Haggis wrote for television series including thirtysomething, The Tracey Ullman Show, FM, Due South, L.A. Law, and EZ Streets. He helped to create the television series Walker, Texas Ranger; Family Law; and Due South. Haggis served as executive producer of the series Michael Hayes and Family Law.

He gained recognition in the film industry for his work on the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby, which Allmovie described as a "serious milestone" for the writer/producer, and as "his first high-profile foray into feature film". Haggis had read two stories written by Jerry Boyd, a boxing trainer who wrote under the name of F.X. Toole.

Haggis later acquired the rights to the stories, and developed them into the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby. Clint Eastwood portrayed the lead character in the film. Eastwood also directed the film, and used the screenplay written by Haggis. Million Dollar Baby received four Academy Awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture.

After Million Dollar Baby, Haggis worked on the 2004 film Crash. Haggis came up with the story for the film on his own, and then wrote and directed the film, which allowed him greater control over his work. Crash was his first experience as director of a major feature film. Highly positive upon release, critical reception of Crash has since polarized, although Roger Ebert called it the best film of 2005.

Crash received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, in addition to four other Academy Award nominations. Haggis received two Academy Awards for the film: Best Picture (as its producer), and Best Writing for his work on the screenplay. With Million Dollar Baby and then Crash, Haggis became the first individual to have written Best Picture Oscar-winners in two consecutive years.

Haggis said that he wrote Crash to "bust liberals", arguing that his fellow liberals were not honest with themselves about the nature of race and racism because they believed that most racial problems had already been resolved in American society.

Movies for Paul Haggis...

Title: Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath
Character: Self
Released: November 29, 2016
Type: TV
Leah Remini, along with high level former Scientology executives and Church members, explores individual accounts from ex-Church members and their families through meetings and interviews with Leah. Each episode features stories from former members whose lives have been affected by the Church's harmful practices, even well after they left the organization.
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Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Title: Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Character: Self - Interviewee
Released: January 25, 2015
Type: Movie
GOING CLEAR intimately profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, shining a light on how they attract true believers and the things they do in the name of religion.
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MLE
Title: MLE
Character: Director
Released: January 24, 2015
Type: Movie
MLE ('My Little Eye') is based on a true story - Julie Robert, (nope, not Julia Roberts, as she corrects on a daily basis) is a broke actor who just lost her only gig. Stranded in a new country with her trouble-making friend Camila, and struggling to find a sane new agent, Julie finds herself taking on spy work from a strange family. What seems fun at first turns life belly-up for Julie (spy name, Emily) - the awkward, amateur spy.
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Title: Late Night with Seth Meyers
Character: Self
Released: February 25, 2014
Type: TV
Seth Meyers, who is "Saturday Night Live’s" longest serving anchor on the show’s wildly popular "Weekend Update," takes over as host of NBC’s "Late Night" — home to A-list celebrity guests, memorable comedy and the best in musical talent. As the Emmy Award-winning head writer for "SNL," Meyers has established a reputation for sharp wit and perfectly timed comedy, and has gained fame for his spot-on jokes and satire. Meyers takes his departure from "SNL" to his new post at "Late Night," as Jimmy Fallon moves to "The Tonight Show".
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Casting By
Title: Casting By
Character: Self
Released: November 1, 2012
Type: Movie
This essential new documentary pays tribute to the legacy of the late, legendary casting director Marion Dougherty and shines a light on one of the most overlooked and least understood crafts in filmmaking.
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Miss Representation
Title: Miss Representation
Character: Self
Released: January 20, 2011
Type: Movie
The film MISS REPRESENTATION exposes how American youth are being sold the concept that women and girls’ value lies in their youth, beauty and sexuality. Explores the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America, and challenges the media's limited portrayal of what it means to be a powerful woman. It’s time to break that cycle of mistruths.
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Mulholland Drive - Ein Hollywood-Mythos
Title: Mulholland Drive - Ein Hollywood-Mythos
Character: Self
Released: February 20, 2010
Type: Movie
Documentary about the Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles.
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Ian Fleming's Incredible Creation
Title: Ian Fleming's Incredible Creation
Released: October 21, 2008
Type: Movie
A documentary about Ian Fleming.
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The Road to Casino Royale
Title: The Road to Casino Royale
Released: October 21, 2008
Type: Movie
Documentary that traces the tangled rights to Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale," the first James Bond story, which took over a half century to reach the screen in recognizable form.
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The Business End: Violence in Cinema
Title: The Business End: Violence in Cinema
Character: Self
Released: June 3, 2008
Type: Movie
An unflinching look at the ongoing debate on violence in movies and its effect on the audience.
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The Evolution of Clint Eastwood
Title: The Evolution of Clint Eastwood
Character: Self
Released: June 3, 2008
Type: Movie
Follow Eastwood's career from television star to matinee idol to Oscar-winning director in this wide-ranging documentary.
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Becoming Bond
Title: Becoming Bond
Character: Self
Released: November 7, 2006
Type: Movie
A documentary which shows the creation of Casino Royale (2006).
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The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Paul Haggis
Title: The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Paul Haggis
Character: Himself
Released: June 19, 2006
Type: Movie
Oscar-winning writer, director and producer Paul Haggis (Crash) reflects on his remarkable journey from television to feature film in this lively conversation conducted in the same spirit as "Inside the Actors Studio." The program is part of a series of in-depth talks between industry professionals and more than two dozen successful screenwriters, who candidly discuss their careers and their varied approaches to the writing craft.
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Title: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Character: Self
Released: January 3, 2005
Type: TV
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson, who is the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise. It follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup, airing weekdays in the US at 12:37 a.m. It is taped in front of a live studio audience from Monday to Friday at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California, directly above the Bob Barker Studio. It is produced by David Letterman's production company Worldwide Pants Incorporated and CBS Television Studios. Since becoming host on January 3, 2005, after Craig Kilborn and Tom Snyder, Ferguson has achieved the highest ratings since the show's inception in 1995. While the majority of the episodes focus on comedy, Ferguson has also addressed difficult subject matter, such as the deaths of his parents, and undertaken serious interviews, such as one with Desmond Tutu, which earned the show a 2009 Peabody Award.
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Title: Entourage
Released: July 18, 2004
Type: TV
Film star Vince Chase navigates the vapid terrain of Los Angeles with a close circle of friends and his trusty agent.
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Title: The Oscars
Character: Self
Released: March 19, 1953
Type: TV
An annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially the Academy Award of Merit, that is better known by its nickname Oscar.