Katja Blichfeld | |
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| Born | Long Beach, California, U.S. |
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Katja Blichfeld (born 1979) is an American writer, director, producer and casting director. She is known for co-creating and directingHigh Maintenance, aVimeo web series andHBO television series. She won a PrimetimeEmmy award for Outstanding Casting on a Comedy Series for her work on30 Rock.[1]
Blichfeld was born inLong Beach, California in 1979. She was raised as anevangelical Christian and attendedChristian schools until graduating.[1] Her parents arefirst-generation immigrants fromDenmark, who moved to the United States in 1970.[2]
Blichfeld was briefly enrolled inLong Beach City College before dropping out and moving toChicago.[1] In 2004, she moved toNew York to pursue a career in casting.[3]
When Blichfeld was nine years old she wrote, filmed, and starred in a short film about the dangers ofmarijuana.[4]
In 2005, Blichfield began her casting career onComedy Central's Roast of Jeff Foxworthy as an assistant. The next year, she worked as a casting associate on the mystery-thrillerFreedomland.[5] In 2010, she transitioned from film to TV by joiningJennifer McNamara as a casting director forNBC’s30 Rock.[1] She won an Emmy in 2013 and was nominated for two more in 2010 and 2011 for her work on 30 Rock.[6]
Blichfeld is the co-creator and director of theVimeo andHBO television seriesHigh Maintenance. Blichfeld and her co-creator,Ben Sinclair, initially started the show as a passion project.[7] The pair were the sole writers for 18 of the 19 webisodes, which they produced for less than $1,000 apiece before it was picked up byHBO.[4] Prior to meeting Sinclair, Blichfeld had never professionally written or directed.[3]
In 2009, Blichfeld met aspiring actorBen Sinclair at a barbecue inLos Angeles.[8] They began writing together only days after becoming a couple and moved in together in the span of months.[2] In 2010, the pair married.[4] While on a bike ride across theWilliamsburg Bridge in New York City, the couple devised the idea forHigh Maintenance.[2] They launched the show together in 2012.
The couple separated in 2016 following Blichfeld's admission of infidelity with a woman.[2] Their divorce was finalised prior to the commencement of season two ofHigh Maintenance.[4] The pair continued to collaborate on three more seasons ofHigh Maintenance, until the 2021 announcement of the show's indefinite hiatus.[9]
At 37, Blichfeld came out as alesbian and began to openly date women.[1]
Blichfeld has been open about her struggles withanxiety anddepression. A few years intoHigh Maintenance's production, Blichfeld sought therapy and began takingantidepressants.[2] Following her coming out, Blichfeld’s struggles with anxiety began to subside. She no longer takes antidepressants, but still regularly goes to therapy.[2]
| Year | Title | Role | Media |
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| 2005 | Comedy Central Roast of Jeff Foxworthy | Casting Assistant | TV Special |
| 2006 | Freedomland | Casting Associate | Movie |
| 2007 | Conviction | Casting Associate | TV Series |
| 2008 | Kath & Kim | Casting Coordinator | TV Series |
| 2009 | Warehouse 13 | Casting Department | TV Episode |
| 2010–2013 | 30 Rock | Casting Director | TV Series |
| 2012–2020 | High Maintenance | Creator, Writer, Director, Producer | Web Show/TV Series |
| 2015 | Nasty Baby | Casting Director | Movie |
At the 2010Primetime Emmy Awards, Blichfeld was nominated alongside Jennifer McNamara for Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series for their work on30 Rock. They were nominated for the same award in 2011 before finally winning in the same category in 2013.[6]
Blichfeld was awarded Stareable Fest's inaugural Creator Achievement Award in 2020 for creatingHigh Maintenance.[10]
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