Riley Stearns

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Riley Stearns
Born (1986-06-29) June 29, 1986 (age 37)
Austin, Texas, U.S.
Occupation Filmmaker
Years active2008–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2010;div. 2017)​

Riley Stearns (born June 29, 1986) is an American filmmaker best known for directing the films Faults (2014) and The Art of Self-Defense (2019), and Dual (2022). [1]

Contents

Early life

Stearns was born on June 29, 1986, in Austin, Texas, and grew up in Pflugerville, Texas. [2] He attended University of Texas at Austin, but dropped out after being turned down by the film program. [3]

Career

Initially wanting to be a musician, Stearns became involved in filmmaking after visiting various movie sets and after being advised on being a screenwriter by Final Destination 3 director James Wong. [4]

Stearns worked as a writer for Cartoon Network's Tower Prep , and for the television series My Own Worst Enemy and Bionic Woman . [5] His short film The Cub became his first film to be premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and also to be featured by Vice Media. [6] [7]

He released his feature debut Faults in 2014. It was later chosen to be part of the Best Unproduced Scripts Black List of 2013.[ citation needed ] Stearns wrote and directed a second feature, The Art of Self-Defense , which was released in 2019. [1] In 2022, he released his third feature film Dual . [8]

Personal life

In 2010, he married actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, whom he met during an ocean cruise in 2002. [9] She starred in his first two short films, before starring in his feature film debut, Faults in 2014. [10]

The couple separated in 2017, and divorced later that year. [11]

Stearns is a black belt [12] in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and won a bronze medal at the 2022 ADCC Open in the 70kg Masters Pro division. [13]

Filmography

Short film

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducer
2011MagnificatYesYesNo
2012CasqueYesYesYes
2013The CubYesYesYes

Feature film

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducer
2014 Faults YesYesNo
2019 The Art of Self-Defense YesYesNo
2022 Dual YesYesYes

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References

  1. 1 2 "'The Art of Self-Defense' filmmaker Riley Stearns talks toxic masculinity and tattoos". The Arizona Republic . Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  2. ↑ "SXSW Filmmaker Spotlight: Exploring Truths, Lies and Cults in 'Faults'". KUT 90.5. March 15, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  3. ↑ Meet the 2014 AFI Filmmakers #1: ‘Faults’ Director On How Not to Lose Ten Pounds on Set. Indiewire. 7 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Filmmaker Interview: RILEY STEARNS, writer/director of FAULTS". SAG Indie. March 4, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  5. ↑ Interview: Riley Stearns. Film Comment. 23 February 2015
  6. ↑ "The Cub by Riley Stearns: VICE Shorts". Vice Media . Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Director Riley Stearns on his Short Film, 'The Cub'". Vice Media . Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Riley Stearns explains the bizarre performances in his micro sci-fi movie Dual". Polygon. April 24, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Mary Elizabeth Winstead: "Fargo Helped Me Embrace My Sexual Side"". Glamour. April 27, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Filmmaker Interview: RILEY STEARNS, writer/director of FAULTS". SAG Indie. March 4, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  11. ↑ Mary Elizabeth Winstead Splits from Husband Riley Stearns: 'We Are Still Ride or Die'. People. 14 May 2017.
  12. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnu-EktPshX/
  13. ↑ https://arena.flograppling.com/event/b754d945-190c-80a6-8ce4-1c10b0c27f92
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