Patty Jenkins is an award-winning writer and director best known for directing Warner Bros. Pictures and DCs’ 2017 blockbuster Wonder Woman and her debut Oscar-winning feature Monster. Additionally, Jenkins is responsible for casting, building and helming the pilot and finale episodes of AMC’s hit show The Killing, garnering her the 2012 DGA Award for Best Director of the Year along with a Primetime Emmy nomination.
Jenkins began her career as a painter at The Cooper Union in New York City. Upon transitioning to filmmaking, she spent eight years as an Assistant Camera Person/Focus Puller for various commercials and then attended the AFI in Los Angeles. In 2003, Jenkins wrote and directed her debut feature film Monster, starring Charlize Theron. The film garnered Jenkins numerous awards, including Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards, AFI’s Movie of the Year and Roger Ebert’s Best Film of 2004 and Third Best Film of the Millennial Decade. Additionally, Theron went on to sweep the awards circuit amongst every acting award of the year, including winning the Academy Award in the Best Actress category.
After the success of her debut feature, Jenkins went on to direct many commercials and TV programs. In addition to her award-winning work on the pilot and finale of The Killing, she directed episodes of Fox’s Arrested Development and HBO’s Entourage, and the pilot episodes of ABC’s Betrayal and Exposed.
In 2017, Jenkins became the first woman in history to helm a live action film with a budget over $100 million with her global and critical hit Wonder Woman. The film opened to raved reviews and became one of Rotten Tomatoes’ highest-rated superhero films of all time. Additionally, it smashed box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film of the summer and third-highest-grossing film of the year domestically, and the highest-grossing live-action film directed solo by a woman – domestic and worldwide. To date, Wonder Woman has grossed more than $822.1 million at the global box office. Most recently, Jenkins executive produced and directed the first two episodes of TNT’s six- episode limited drama series I Am the Night, which premiered to critical acclaim in January of this year. Up next for Jenkins is the highly anticipated sequel Wonder Woman 1984, which she is directing, producing and co-writing. The film is currently in post-production and slated for a June 2020 release.
