Ryan Coogler

Ryan Coogler
File:Ryan Coogler Deauville 2013 (cropped).jpg Coogler in 2013
Born	Ryan Kyle Coogler (1986-05-23) May 23, 1986 Oakland, California, U.S.
Alma mater	California State University, Sacramento, USC School of Cinematic Arts
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter
Spouse(s)	Zinzi Evans

Ryan Kyle Coogler (born May 23, 1986) is an American film director and screenwriter. His first feature film, Fruitvale Station (2013), won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. He also wrote and directed the seventh film in the Rocky film saga, Creed (2015).

Early and personal life

Coogler was born on May 23, 1986 in Oakland, California. His mother, Joselyn (née Thomas), is a community organizer, and his father, Ira Coogler, is a juvenile hall probation counselor. Both parents graduated from California State University, Hayward. He has two brothers, Noah and Keenan. His uncle, Clarence Thomas, is a third-generation Oakland longshoreman, and the former secretary treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

Coogler lived in Oakland, California until age eight, when he moved to Richmond, California. During his youth, he ran track and played football. He went to Saint Mary's College High School, a private Catholic school in Berkeley, California, and was good at math and science. He started his college journey at Saint Mary's College of California on a football scholarship as a redshirt wide receiver his freshman semester intending to study chemistry. While he was there, his English professor Rosemary Graham encouraged him to pursue a career in screenwriting. After Saint Mary's canceled its football program in March 2004, he transferred and earned a scholarship to play at and attend Sacramento State, where in his four years he grabbed 112 receptions for 1,213 yards and 6 touchdowns. At Sacramento he majored in finance and took as many film classes as he could fit in with the rigors of college football. He then attended USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he made a series of short films.

Coogler has worked since age 21 as a counselor with incarcerated youth at San Francisco's Juvenile Hall, following in the footsteps of his father, who has long shared the same occupation. He is married to Zinzi Evans.

Career

Short films

File:Ryan Coogler at Sundance 2013, 3.jpg

Coogler accepts the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic with the crew of Fruitvale Station at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

While at USC, Coogler directed four short films, three of which won or were nominated for various awards: Locks (2009), which screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the Dana and Albert Broccoli Award for Filmmaking Excellence. Fig (2011), which was nominated for an Outstanding Independent Short Film by the Black Reel Awards. The Sculptor (2011), and Gap (2011), which won the Jack Nicholson Award for Achievement in Directing, and had a screenplay written by Carol S. Lashof.

Feature films

Fruitvale Station

Main article: Fruitvale Station

Coogler's first feature-length film, Fruitvale (later retitled Fruitvale Station), tells the story of the last 24 hours of the life of Oscar Grant, who was shot to death by a police officer at Oakland's Fruitvale BART station on January 1, 2009. The film was developed and produced by Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker. "I've worked with a number of truly unique voices, true auteurs," Whitaker said of Coogler, "and I can tell when I'm talking to one."

After the film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film, The Weinstein Company acquired the distribution rights for approximately US$2 million. The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for Best First Film (or Un Certain Regard - Avenir Prize). Time named him with Michael B. Jordan one of 30 people under 30 who are changing the world.

In 2013, the film also won the Humanitas Prize at Sundance, a Best First Feature Award from the Independent Spirit Awards, a Best First Film Award from the Austin Film Critics Association, a Rising Star Award from the Black Film Critics Circle Awards, a Best New Filmmaker Award from the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Russell Smith Award at the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards, an Audience Award and a Revelations Award at the Deauville Film Festival, a Breakthrough Director Award at the Gotham Awards, a Breakout Filmmaker of the Year Award at the Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards, a Vimeo Award at the Nantucket Film Festival, a Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review, a Best First Film award from the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, a Best Debut as a Director award from the New York Film Critics Online, a Best Debut Feature award from the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards, the Stanley Kramer Award from the PGA Awards, the Marlon Riggs Award from the San Francisco Film Critics Circle, an Honorary Satellite Award at the Satellite Awards, the Aluminum Horse Award for Best Directorial Debut at the Stockholm Film Festival, and an Audience Award for Best American Film from the Traverse City Film Festival.

Creed

Main article: Creed (film)

In July 2013, it was reported that MGM had offered Coogler to direct Creed, a spin-off-sequel of the Rocky films, which he had written with Aaron Covington. Coogler arrived at the idea after witnessing his father suffer from a neuromuscular disorder; his father was a huge fan of the Rocky films, having made Coogler watch Rocky II before major sporting events that he would participate in, such as important football games. This film, which was released on November 25, 2015 in the United States, reunited Coogler with Michael B. Jordan, who played Apollo Creed's son Adonis. The film was praised across the board by critics.

For the film, Coogler won the "New Generation Award" from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and a Best Director award from the African-American Film Critics Association. The film's star Michael B. Jordan also won the Boston Online Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor and a Breakout Performance award from the African-American Film Critics Association, and Tessa Thompson won a Best Supporting Actress award from the African-American Film Critics Association as well. Sylvester Stallone won a Best Supporting Actor award from the Golden Globes as well as the Best Supporting Actor award from the National Board of Review and the Boston Online Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film has also won one of the "Best or Top 10 Films of the Year" awards from the National Board of Review, the Boston Online Film Critics Association and the African-American Film Critics Association.

Other works and future projects

Coogler also served as an executive producer on the ESPN 30 for 30 film The Day the Series Stopped, about Game Three of the 1989 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics, when a massive earthquake shook the Bay Area to its core.

In January 2013, Coogler said he was working on a graphic novel and a young adult novel about undisclosed subject matter.

In January 2016, Coogler signed on to co-write and direct the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Panther, which will star Chadwick Boseman as the titular character. Coogler will also work with frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan for the third time in the upcoming film Wrong Answer, based on the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal.

Filmography

Feature films

• Fruitvale Station (2013) (director, writer)
• Creed (2015) (director, co-writer)
• Black Panther (2018) (director, co-writer)

Short films

• Locks (2009)
• Fig (2011)
• Gap (2011)
• The Sculptor (2011)

External links

• Ryan Coogler at the Internet Movie Database