Ron Nyswaner | |
|---|---|
 James Schamus (left) and Nyswaner (right), 2009 | |
| Born | (1956-10-05)October 5, 1956 (age 69) |
| Education | University of Pittsburgh (BA) Columbia University (MFA) |
| Occupations | Film director, writer |
Ronald L. Nyswaner (/ˈnaɪswɑːnər/NY-swahn-ər ; born October 5, 1956) is an American screenwriter and film director.[1] He is aPeabody Award[2] winner, and has been nominated for numerous awards including anAcademy Award,BAFTA Award, and twoPrimetime Emmy Awards.
He is known for his screenplaysSmithereens (1982),Philadelphia (1993),The Painted Veil (2006),Freeheld (2015), andMy Policeman (2022). He is also known as a writer and producer of theShowtime seriesRay Donovan (2013–2015),Homeland (2017–2018), and the historical drama seriesFellow Travelers (2023).
Nyswaner was born inClarksville, Pennsylvania. He later attended theUniversity of Pittsburgh andColumbia University.[3]
Nyswaner wrote his first screenplay for theSusan Seidelman filmSmithereens. After two other notable screenplays forSwing Shift andMrs. Soffel, he gave his directorial debut withThe Prince of Pennsylvania in 1988, a film withKeanu Reeves andFred Ward.
Nyswaner, who is openly gay[4] and an activist for gay rights, has often worked on movies dealing with subjects such as homosexuality,homophobia, and AIDS. In 1993, he came to worldwide prominence for his screenplay to theAcademy Award-winning moviePhiladelphia, directed byJonathan Demme. It earned him nominations at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs.
After several years of working for television, he wrote the screenplay for the 2006 filmThe Painted Veil, based on the novel byW. Somerset Maugham. He received a nomination for theIndependent Spirit Award and won the award of theNational Board of Review in 2006.
From 2015 to 2017, he was an executive producer for theShowtime TV seriesHomeland.
In 2015, Nyswaner directed the documentary filmShe's the Best Thing in It, featuringMary Louise Wilson, which he coproduced along withJeffrey Schwarz and Neda Armian.[5]
Nyswaner created the historical drama miniseriesFellow Travelers in 2023, which won aPeabody Award[6] at the 84th ceremony in 2024.
As a director
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Prince of Pennsylvania | also written |
| 2012 | Why Stop Now? | co-directed with Phil Dorling; also written |
| 2015 | She's the Best Thing in It | documentary |
As a writer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Smithereens | |
| 1984 | Mrs. Soffel | |
| 1989 | Gross Anatomy | |
| 1990 | Love Hurts | |
| 1993 | Philadelphia | |
| 2006 | The Painted Veil | |
| 2015 | Freeheld | |
| 2022 | My Policeman |
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Soldier's Girl | Television movie | |
| 2006 | Filthy Gorgeous | Television movie | |
| 2013–2014 | Ray Donovan | Wrote 4 episodes; also co-executive producer | |
| 2015–2018 | Homeland | Wrote 9 episodes; also co-executive producer | |
| 2020 | Murder on Middle Beach | Co-executive producer only | |
| 2023 | Fellow Travelers | Screenwriter and executive producer | [7] |
| Year | Award | Category | Project | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Deauville Film Festival | Critics Prize | The Prince of Pennsylvania | Nominated |
| 1989 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best First Feature | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Academy Award | Best Original Screenplay | Philadelphia | Nominated |
| 1993 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Screenplay | Nominated | |
| 1993 | British Academy Film Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Nominated | |
| 2006 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Screenplay | The Painted Veil | Nominated |
| 2006 | National Board of Review | Best Adapted Screenplay | Won | |
| 2014 | Writers Guild of America Awards | New Series | Ray Donovan | Nominated |
| 2015 | SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Documentary Prize | She's The Best Thing in It | Nominated |
| 2015 | Woodstock Film Festival | Audience Award | Won | |
| 2016 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | Homeland | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Fellow Travelers | Nominated | |
| 2024 | Peabody Awards | Chronicling LGBTQ+ History Over 50 Years | Fellow Travelers | Won |
In 2004, he publishedBlue Days, Black Nights: A Memoir, which chronicles his relationship with alcohol, drugs, and hustlers.
