Lauren Shuler Donner
Lauren Shuler Donner | |
---|---|
Born | Lauren Diane Shuler[1] June 23, 1949 |
Alma mater | Boston University |
Occupation | Producer |
Years active | 1978–present |
Spouses |
Lauren Diane Shuler Donner (born June 23, 1949) is an American film producer, who specializes in mainstream youth and family-oriented entertainment. She owned The Donners' Company with her late husband, director Richard Donner. Her films have grossed about $5.5 billion worldwide including major contributions from the X-Men film series.[2]
Early life
Donner was born and raised in
Career
As Donner worked in Los Angeles as an assistant editor of educational and medical films, a chance meeting at
Eventually Donner decided to work as an
Feature film production career
While working at Motown, Donner became a personal friend of National Lampoon writer John Hughes, and convinced him to write a script that would become her feature film producing debut, the 1983 comedy hit Mr. Mom, starring Michael Keaton.[3] The following year she persuaded Richard Donner to direct Ladyhawke, and the two fell in love, marrying a year after the film was released, 1985. She produced only two more of her husband's movies, Radio Flyer (1992), and Timeline (2003). She said their professional relationship helped her learn how to work on action films: "if I hadn't seen how he did action movies, I wouldn't have had the wherewithal to even pursue an X-Men or a Constantine."[6]
Her experience with Schumacher and Hughes led them to invite her to produce
Personal life
Donner has liberal political views and likes to work on movies that express her beliefs – Dave for politics, Free Willy for marine life and Hotel for Dogs for animal rights. She donates yearly to Canine Companions. She has served on the advisory boards of Planned Parenthood and TreePeople. She is a long time board member of LupusLA. Donner recently joined the Board of the MPTF, (Motion Picture Film Television Fund). She also supports Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles and UCLA Hospitals, as well as Boston University.
Awards and honors
Donner has received a star on the
Filmography
Producer
- Thank God It's Friday (1978) (associate producer)
- Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill (1979) (TV movie)
- Mr. Mom (1983)
- Ladyhawke (1985)
- St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
- Pretty in Pink (1986)
- Three Fugitives (1989)
- Radio Flyer (1992)
- Dave (1993)
- Free Willy (1993)
- The Favor (1994)
- Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
- You've Got Mail (1998)
- Any Given Sunday (1999)
- X-Men (2000)
- X2 (2003)
- Timeline (2003)
- Constantine (2005)
- She's the Man (2006)
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
- Unaccompanied Minors (2006)
- The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
- Hotel for Dogs (2009)
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
- Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009)
- X-Men: First Class (2011)
- The Wolverine (2013)
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
- Deadpool (2016)
- X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
- Logan (2017)
- Deadpool 2 (2018)
- Dark Phoenix (2019)
- The New Mutants (2020)
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Executive producer
- Free Willy (1994) (TV series)
- Assassins (1995)
- Volcano (1997)
- Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997)
- Bulworth (1998)
- Out Cold (2001)
- Just Married (2003)
- Semi-Pro (2008)
- Legion (2017–2019) (TV series)
- The Gifted(2017–2019) (TV series)
Acting credits
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | Tales from the Crypt | Wife at Bar | Uncredited; Episode "The Ventriloquist's Dummy" |
1992 | Lethal Weapon 3 | Nurse | |
1994 | Maverick | Mrs. D. (Bathhouse Maid) |
References
- ^ "Lauren Diane Shuler (B. 1949) - Ohio Birth Index, 1908-2011". Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ a b Hollywood Star Walk: Lauren Shuler Donner. Los Angeles Times
- ^ ISBN 0-7864-1929-6.
- ^ a b Mr. Mom Press Kit Archived January 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Interview with Producer Lauren Shuler Donner (Part 1 of 2)
- ^ a b c Longwell, Todd. Icons: The Donners. The Hollywood Reporter; October 15, 2008
- ^ "Women in Film Los Angeles Announces the 2010 Crystal Lucy Awards Honorees". Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ "Meet This Year's Honorary Degree Recipients". Boston University. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- ^ Perez, Lexy (January 9, 2020). "Lauren Shuler Donner to Receive American Cinema Editors' Golden Eddie Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
External links
- Lauren Shuler Donner at IMDb