Ron Nyswaner
Encyclopedia
Ronald L. Nyswaner is an American
screenwriter
and film director
.
Nyswaner wrote his first screenplay for the Susan Seidelman
film Smithereens. After two other notable screenplays for Swing Shift
and Mrs. Soffel
, he gave his directorial debut with The Prince of Pennsylvania
in 1988, a film with Keanu Reeves
and Fred Ward
.
Nyswaner, who is openly
gay
and an activist for gay rights, has often worked on movies with the subjects homosexuality
, homophobia
, and AIDS
. Examples are the documentary Celluloid Closet and the television drama Soldier's Girl
, about the homicide of Private Barry Winchell
. In 1993 he came to worldwide prominence for his screenplay to the Academy Award winning movie Philadelphia
, directed by Jonathan Demme
. It earned him nominations for the Academy Award, the Golden Globe and the BAFTA.
After several years of working for television he wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film The Painted Veil
which is based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham
. He received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award and won the award of the National Board of Review in 2006.
In 2004, he published Blue Days, Black Nights: A Memoir, which chronicles his relationship with alcohol, drugs, and hustlers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
Nyswaner wrote his first screenplay for the Susan Seidelman
Susan Seidelman
Susan Seidelman is an American director, producer, writer, and actress.-Career:Susan Seidelman belongs to the first wave of female independent film makers in the American cinema of the 1980s. She graduated Abington Senior High School in 1969 , and went on to study fashion and arts at Drexel...
film Smithereens. After two other notable screenplays for Swing Shift
Swing Shift (film)
Swing Shift is a 1984 feature film directed by Jonathan Demme and produced by and starring Goldie Hawn with Kurt Russell. It also starred Christine Lahti, Fred Ward and Ed Harris...
and Mrs. Soffel
Mrs. Soffel
Mrs. Soffel is a 1984 American film drama based on the true Buck McGovern and the Biddle Boys case of 1901 Pittsburgh, starring Diane Keaton and Mel Gibson. It was filmed on location in and around the Serez family Farm in Mulmer Ontario, as well as Wisconsin and establishing shots in Pittsburgh...
, he gave his directorial debut with The Prince of Pennsylvania
The Prince of Pennsylvania
The Prince of Pennsylvania is a 1988 comedic drama starring Keanu Reeves, Bonnie Bedelia, Fred Ward, and Amy Madigan. The Academy Award-nominated composer Thomas Newman wrote the music...
in 1988, a film with Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor. Reeves is perhaps best known for his roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Speed, Point Break and the science fiction-action trilogy The Matrix...
and Fred Ward
Fred Ward
Freddie Joe "Fred" Ward is an American actor. He began his career in 1979 alongside Clint Eastwood in Escape from Alcatraz. He is best known for his starring roles in the motion pictures Remo Williams, Tremors, Henry & June, Short Cuts, The Right Stuff and Exit Speed...
.
Nyswaner, who is openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and an activist for gay rights, has often worked on movies with the subjects homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Examples are the documentary Celluloid Closet and the television drama Soldier's Girl
Soldier's Girl
Soldier's Girl is a 2003 drama film produced by Showtime. It is based on a true story: the relationship between Barry Winchell and Calpernia Addams and the events that led up to Barry's murder by fellow soldiers. It was written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Frank R...
, about the homicide of Private Barry Winchell
Barry Winchell
Barry Winchell was an infantry soldier in the United States Army, whose murder by a fellow soldier, Calvin Glover, became a point of reference in the ongoing debate about the law known as "Don't ask, don't tell", which required the US military to discharge service members based on sexual...
. In 1993 he came to worldwide prominence for his screenplay to the Academy Award winning movie Philadelphia
Philadelphia (film)
Philadelphia is a 1993 American drama film that was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to acknowledge HIV/AIDS, homosexuality and homophobia. It was written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme. The film stars Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington...
, directed by Jonathan Demme
Jonathan Demme
Robert Jonathan Demme is an American filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. Best known for directing The Silence of the Lambs, which won him the Academy Award for Best Director, he has also directed the acclaimed movies Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married, the Talking Heads concert movie Stop...
. It earned him nominations for the Academy Award, the Golden Globe and the BAFTA.
After several years of working for television he wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film The Painted Veil
The Painted Veil (2006 film)
The Painted Veil is a 2006 Chinese-American drama film directed by John Curran. The screenplay by Ron Nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by W. Somerset Maugham...
which is based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham
W. Somerset Maugham
William Somerset Maugham , CH was an English playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and, reputedly, the highest paid author during the 1930s.-Childhood and education:...
. He received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award and won the award of the National Board of Review in 2006.
In 2004, he published Blue Days, Black Nights: A Memoir, which chronicles his relationship with alcohol, drugs, and hustlers.