Justin Kuritzkes

Last updated

Justin Kuritzkes
Born (1990-05-05) May 5, 1990 (age 34)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education Brown University (BA)
Occupations
  • Playwright
  • novelist
  • screenwriter
Years active2011–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2016)​

Justin Kuritzkes (born May 5, 1990) is an American playwright, novelist, and screenwriter best known for writing the scripts for two of Luca Guadagnino's films, Challengers and Queer . [1] He has also been the subject of media coverage because of his activities on YouTube, such as the 2011 video "Potion Seller". [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Kuritzkes was born and raised in Los Angeles, California to a Jewish family. [4] [5] His father is a gastroenterologist and his mother practiced real estate law. [6]

In 2008, Kuritzkes graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. [7]

Kuritzkes attended Brown University where he studied philosophy and literary arts. At Brown, Kuritzkes studied with playwrights Gregory Moss, Lisa D'Amour, and Erik Ehn, participated in Production Workshop, [8] and was involved in local protests affiliated with the Occupy movement. [5] [9] Kuritzkes graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2012. [10]

Career

Kuritzkes' one-act play An Autobiography of my Brother, first written for the 2008 Harvard-Westlake Playwrights Festival, was among the works honored at the 2010 Young Playwrights Competition. [7]

Beginning during his time at Brown University, Kuritzkes uploaded videos recorded using the Photo Booth application to Youtube. [1] The most famous of these videos, Potion Seller, went viral online and inspired parodies in publications including The New Yorker . [11]

Kuritzkes received a MacDowell Fellowship in both 2012 and 2016. [5] In 2016, his play The Sensuality Party toured the university circuit of New York state. [12] [13] He released the novel Famous People in 2019. [14] [15]

In 2021 Kuritzkes' spec script Challengers was featured on the annual edition of The Black List, which was then adapted into a feature film directed by Luca Guadagnino. [16] Ahead of the film's release, he was named one of the top 10 screenwriters to watch in 2023 by Variety. [17] He also adapted William S. Burroughs' 1985 novel Queer for a film directed by Guadagnino. [18]

In April 2024, Variety reported that Kuritzkes would write the screen adaptation of the Don Winslow novel City on Fire , set to star Austin Butler. [19]

In June 2024 he was announced to be developing an untitled film with Jude Law, reportedly inspired by the works of Mike Nichols. [20]

In November 2024, it was announced he had penned a feature film based on the DC character Sgt. Rock, which would reunite him with Queer collaborators Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig. [21]

Personal life

Kuritzkes has been married to filmmaker Celine Song since June 11, 2016. They live together in New York City. [22] [23]

Filmography

Key
†Denotes films that have not yet been released
YearTitleNotes
2011Potion SellerWeb short video
2024 Challengers —
Queer
TBACity on Fire†
Sgt. Rock†

Awards and nominations

AwardYearCategoryWorkResultRef.
Astra Film Awards 2024 Best Original Screenplay Challengers Nominated [24]
Astra Midseason Movie Awards 2024 Best ScreenplayWon [25]
Chicago Film Critics Association 2024 Best Original Screenplay Nominated [26]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2025 Best Original Screenplay Pending [27]
San Diego Film Critics Society 2024 Best Original Screenplay Runner-up [28]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2024 Best Original Screenplay Nominated [29]
Winter IndieWire Honors 2024Impact Award [a] Won [30]

Notes

  1. ↑ Shared with Luca Guadagnino, Amy Pascal, and Rachel O'Connor

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References

  1. 1 2 Reijn, Halina. "What Drove Justin Kuritzkes to Write the Year's Horniest Movie?". Interview Magazine. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  2. ↑ "The Creator of the 2011 Viral Video 'Potion Seller' Reflects on the Infamous Meme a Decade Later". Laughing Squid. June 23, 2021. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  3. ↑ Sung, Morgan (October 14, 2018). "The 'Potion Seller' guy is still making videos, and it's glorious". Mashable. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ "'Past Lives' Director Celine Song and Greta Lee Talk Endings and Beginnings (Exclusive)". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . February 8, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024. seated between her husband, the Jewish-American writer Justin Kuritzkes
  5. 1 2 3 "Justin Kuritzkes". MacDowell Fellowships. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  6. ↑ Coleman, Madeline Leung (April 23, 2024). "With Challengers, Justin Kuritzkes Serves an Ace". Vulture. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Rothberg, Daniel. "Long Roads for Short Plays". The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  8. ↑ "PW drama draws the audience in 'Closer'". The Brown Daily Herald . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Occupiers see lack of campus engagement with movement". The Brown Daily Herald . Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Brown University: The Two Hundred and Forty-Fourth Commencement" (PDF). Brown University. May 27, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Your Strongest Potion". The New Yorker. October 26, 2018. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Discovery: Justin Kuritzkes". Interview Magazine. April 26, 2016. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  13. ↑ Clement, Olivia (April 25, 2016). "The Sensuality Party Begins Performances Tonight". Playbill. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  14. ↑ Stephens, Christopher John (August 19, 2019). "'Famous People' Splashes in the Puddle of a Shallow Pop Star, PopMatters". PopMatters. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Summer, by the Book". The New Yorker. July 26, 2019. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  16. ↑ Kroll, Justin (February 11, 2022). "Luca Guadagnino Sets Zendaya, Josh O'Connor & Mike Faist To Star In 'Challengers' For MGM And Amy Pascal". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch for 2023 Include Scribes for 'The Marvels,' 'Rustin' and 'The Color Purple'". Variety. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  18. ↑ Vivarelli, Nick (April 21, 2023). "Drew Starkey to Star With Daniel Craig in Luca Guadagnino's 'Queer' With Filming Starting This Month in Italy (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  19. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. "Sony's 3000 Taps 'Challengers' Justin Kuritzkes To Adapt Don Winslow's 'City On Fire' For Austin Butler; 'Barbie's David Heyman Boards Trilogy". Variety. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  20. ↑ Bergeson, Samantha (June 7, 2024). "Jude Law Is Developing a Mike Nichols-Inspired Film with 'Challengers' Scribe Justin Kuritzkes". IndieWire. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  21. ↑ Kroll, Justin; D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 20, 2024). "Daniel Craig & Luca Guadagnino Eyeing Post 'Queer' Reteam In DC Studios' 'Sgt. Rock' – The Dish". Deadline. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  22. ↑ Dalton, Ben (February 19, 2023). "Celine Song talks debut feature 'Past Lives': "It's the script that convinced people I can do this"". Screen. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  23. ↑ Rao, Mallika (February 19, 2023). "Celine Song on 'Past Lives', Her Debut Movie". Vulture. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  24. ↑ Pond, Steve (November 25, 2024). "'Wicked' Leads Nominations for Astra Film Awards". TheWrao. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  25. ↑ Neglia, Matt (July 3, 2024). "The 2024 Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Midseason Astra Award Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  26. ↑ https://chicagofilmcritics.org/
  27. ↑ "FILM NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 30TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS HOSTED BY CHELSEA HANDLER – Critics Choice Awards" . Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  28. ↑ Critics, San Diego Film (December 6, 2024). "2024 San Diego Film Critics Society Nominations". San Diego Film Critics Society. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  29. ↑ "2024 WAFCA Award Winners". WAFCA. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  30. ↑ Jones, Kate Erbland,Marcus (November 14, 2024). "Denis Villeneuve, Pamela Anderson, Steve McQueen, and More to Be Celebrated at IndieWire Honors". IndieWire. Retrieved November 15, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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