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J.J. Abrams

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J.J. Abrams
J.J. Abrams
Birth name Jeffrey Jacob Abrams
Born June 27, 1966 in New York, New York, USA
Notable Shows Alias
Awards

Jeffrey Jacob Abrams, more commonly known as J.J. Abrams, is an American film and television producer, director and writer.

Contents

Biography

J.J. Abrams was born on June 27, 1966 in New York, New York and raised in Los Angeles, California. Abrams attended Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York before attending Sorbonne at the University of Paris in France. He is married to Katie McGrath and the two have a daughter, Gracie, and two sons named August and Henry. He and his family divide their time between Los Angeles and Maine.

During his senior year at Sarah Lawrence College, J.J. Abrams co-wrote a feature film treatment. Purchased by Touchstone Pictures, the treatment became the basis for the comedy Taking Care of Business (1990), which starred Charles Grodin and James Belushi, and was Abrams' first produced film. Abrams' next film was Regarding Henry (1991), starring Harrison Ford, which Abrams wrote and co-produced. A much bigger hit for Abrams was Forever Young (1992), starring Mel Gibson, which Abrams wrote and executive produced. Later, Abrams formed Abrams/Katims/Webster Productions with writer Jason Katims and producer Paul Webster. The company produced the romantic comedy The Pallbearer (1996). Abrams went on to write Gone Fishin' (1997), collaborated with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay on Armageddon (1988), and write Joy Ride (2001). In 2006, Abrams wrote and directed Mission: Impossible III, starring Tom Cruise. Abrams is currently slated to both write and direct the next Star Trek feature film. In July 2006, Abrams signed a 5 year contract with Paramount Pictures and a 6 year contract with Warner Bros.

Outside his work in film, Abrams moved to the small screen and worked with his childhood friend Matt Reeves on a new series for The WB, Felicity (1998-2002). He served as the show's executive producer, co-wrote the theme song, and made his directorial debut in Felicity's first season. Abrams moved on and created ABC's Alias in 2001, serving as the series' executive producer and writing several episodes. Alias became a huge hit, winning the People's Choice Award for Favorite New Drama and received 11 Emmy nominations in its first season, including a nod to Abrams for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the pilot of Alias. In addition to writing and directing both the pilot and season finale, Abrams composed the series theme music.

In January 2004, Abrams was approached by the (now former) chairman of ABC, Lloyd Braun, with the idea of a show about a group of people stranded on an island after a plane crash. Abrams took this initial idea and, a week later, co-created Lost with Jeffrey Lieber and Damon Lindelof. He serves as Lost's executive producer, and has written and directed the pilot. The pilot garnered an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series and a win for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.

Producer

Series Produced

Series Year(s) Credit Season(s)
Felicity 1998 –2002 Executive Producer 1 2 3 4
Alias 2001 –2006 Executive Producer 1 2 3 4 5
Lost 2004 –2010 Executive Producer 1 2 3 4 5 6
What About Brian 2006 –2007 Executive Producer 1 2
Six Degrees 2006 –2007 Executive Producer 1
Fringe 2008 –2013 Executive Producer 1 2 3 4 5
Undercovers 2010 Executive Producer 1
Person of Interest 2011 –2016 Executive Producer 1 2 3 4 5
Alcatraz 2012 Executive Producer 1
Revolution 2012 –2014 Executive Producer 1 2
Almost Human 2013 –2014 Executive Producer 1
Believe 2014 Executive Producer 1
11.22.63 2016 Executive Producer limited series
Roadies 2016 Executive Producer 1
Westworld 2016 –2022 Executive Producer 1 2 3 4
Castle Rock 2018 –2019 Executive Producer 1 2
Lovecraft Country 2020 Executive Producer 1
Little Voice 2020 Executive Producer 1

Films Produced

Title Credit Airdate Series/Banner
Star Trek Producer May 7, 2009

Writer

Series Created

Series Premiere Date Creation Credit
Felicity September 29, 1998 Co-Creator
Alias September 30, 2001 Creator
Lost September 22, 2004 Co-Creator
Fringe September 9, 2008 Co-Creator
Undercovers September 22, 2010 Co-Creator

Episodes Written

Series Episode Airdate Credit
Felicity 1x01 - Pilot September 29, 1998
Felicity 1x02 - The Last Stand October 6, 1998
Felicity 1x03 - Hot Objects October 13, 1998
Felicity 1x07 - Drawing the Line (1) November 10, 1998
Felicity 1x08 - Drawing the Line (2) November 17, 1998
Felicity 1x10 - Finally December 15, 1998
Felicity 1x13 - Todd Mulcahy (1) February 9, 1999
Felicity 1x14 - Todd Mulcahy (2) February 16, 1999
Felicity 1x16 - The Fugue March 2, 1999
Felicity 1x19 - Docuventary May 4, 1999
Felicity 1x21 - The Force May 18, 1999
Felicity 1x22 - Felicity Was Here May 25, 1999
Felicity 2x01 - Sophomoric September 26, 1999
Felicity 2x04 - The Depths October 17, 1999
Felicity 2x06 - The Love Bug November 7, 1999
Felicity 2x11 - Help for the Lovelorn January 23, 2000
Felicity 2x12 - The Slump (2) February 6, 2000
Felicity 2x17 - Docuventary II April 12, 2000
Felicity 2x20 - Ben Was Here May 3, 2000
Felicity 2x23 - The Biggest Deal There Is May 23, 2000
Felicity 3x01 - The Christening October 4, 2000
Felicity 3x06 - One Ball, Two Strikes November 8, 2000
Alias 1x01 - Truth Be Told September 30, 2001
Alias 1x02 - So It Begins October 7, 2001
Felicity 4x01 - The Declaration October 10, 2001
Felicity 4x06 - Oops...Noel Did It Again November 14, 2001
Felicity 4x07 - The Storm November 21, 2001
Felicity 4x08 - The Last Thanksgiving November 28, 2001
Felicity 4x09 - Moving On December 5, 2001
Felicity 4x10 - Fire December 12, 2001
Alias 1x10 - Spirit December 16, 2001
Felicity 4x11 - A Perfect Match December 19, 2001
Alias 1x11 - The Confession January 6, 2002
Alias 1x15 - Page 47 March 3, 2002
Alias 1x17 - Q & A March 17, 2002
Felicity 4x12 - Future Shock March 20, 2002
Felicity 4x13 - Kiss and Tell March 27, 2002
Felicity 4x14 - Raising Arizona April 3, 2002
Felicity 4x15 - The Paper Chase April 10, 2002
Alias 1x22 - Almost Thirty Years May 12, 2002
Alias 2x01 - The Enemy Walks In September 29, 2002
Alias 2x13 - Phase One January 26, 2003
Alias 2x22 - The Telling May 4, 2003
Alias 3x01 - The Two September 28, 2003
Alias 3x02 - Succession October 5, 2003
Alias 3x06 - The Nemesis November 2, 2003
Lost 1x01 - Pilot (1) September 22, 2004
Lost 1x02 - Pilot (2) September 29, 2004
Alias 4x01 - Authorized Personnel Only (1) January 5, 2005
Lost 3x01 - A Tale of Two Cities October 4, 2006
Fringe 1x01 - Pilot September 9, 2008
Fringe 1x02 - The Same Old Story September 16, 2008
Fringe 1x04 - The Arrival September 30, 2008
Fringe 1x07 - In Which We Meet Mr. Jones November 11, 2008
Fringe 1x11 - Bound January 20, 2009
Fringe 2x01 - A New Day in the Old Town September 17, 2009
Undercovers 1x01 - Pilot September 22, 2010
Undercovers 1x02 - Instructions September 29, 2010
Undercovers 1x03 - Devices October 6, 2010

Director

Episodes Directed

Series Episode Airdate Credit
Felicity 1x12 - Friends January 26, 1999
Felicity 1x13 - Todd Mulcahy (1) February 9, 1999
Alias 1x01 - Truth Be Told September 30, 2001
Alias 1x22 - Almost Thirty Years May 12, 2002
Alias 2x22 - The Telling May 4, 2003
Lost 1x01 - Pilot (1) September 22, 2004
Lost 1x02 - Pilot (2) September 29, 2004
The Office 3x17 - Cocktails February 22, 2007
Undercovers 1x01 - Pilot September 22, 2010

Talk Show Appearances

Series Episode Airdate
Jimmy Kimmel Live May 25, 2005
Jimmy Kimmel Live May 31, 2005
Dinner for Five Show 412 June 17, 2005
HypaSpace February 17, 2006
HypaSpace May 2, 2006
HypaSpace May 4, 2006
Howard Stern on Demand J.J. Abrams and the Film Festival Winner May 31, 2006
Howard Stern on Demand Best of 05/01-05/05, 2006 May 31, 2006
The Colbert Report Shashi Tharoor (February 15, 2007) February 15, 2007
Entertainment Tonight January 17, 2008

Awards and Accolades

ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards

(2 Nominations, 2 Won)

  • Nominated: Top TV Series (2005)
Lost
  • Nominated: Top TV Series (2006)
Lost

BAFTA Awards

(1 Nomination)

  • Nominated: Best International (2007)
Lost

Directors Guild of America Awards

(1 Nomination)

  • Nominated: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series - Night (2007)
Lost: 1x01 - Pilot (1)

Primetime Emmy Awards

(4 Nominations, 2 Won)

  • Nominated: Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (2002)
Alias: 1x01 - Truth Be Told
  • Won: Outstanding Drama Series (2005)
Lost
  • Won: Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (2005)
Lost: 1x01/1x02 - Pilot (1) & (2)
  • Nominated: Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (2005)
Lost: 1x01/1x02 - Pilot (1) & (2)

Producers Guild Awards

(3 Nominations, 1 Won)

  • Nominated: Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic - Drama (2004)
Lost
  • Won: Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic - Drama (2006)
Lost
  • Nominated: Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic - Drama (2007)
Lost

Writers Guild of America Awards

(2 Nominations, 1 Won)

  • Won: Dramatic Series (2006)
Lost
  • Nominated: Dramatic Series (2007)
Lost

Trivia

  • J.J. Abrams is 5' 7" tall.