Richard Shepard Biography
Date of Birth: 1965
Born and raised in New York City, Richard Shepard is an American film and TV director, screenwriter and producer. His father has an Austro-Hungarian Jewish background and his mother is of Armenian descent.
Richard attended NYU’s film school, but didn’t graduate because he failed the required science class. However, he remains good friends with fellow student, actress Maura Tierney (ER, Liar Liar, The Good Wife).
In 2007, Richard won a Directors Guild of America Award and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for the pilot of ABC’s Ugly Betty. He also directed episodes of the CBS show Criminal Minds, its spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, Ringer and 30 Rock.
When Richard was 24, he co-wrote and directed the romantic comedy The Linguini Incident, starring David Bowie and Rosanna Arquette. However, the film wasn’t a big success.
Later, Richard wrote, directed and produced well-received thrillers Oxygen, starring Adrien Brody and Maura Tierney, and Mercy with Sam Rockwell and John Rubinstein.
His film The Matador, starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear, opened in December 2005 after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Richard won Best Director for the film at the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival and for his performance in the film, Pierce earned a Golden Globe nomination.
Richard’s next film The Hunting Party, starring Richard Gere and Terrence Howard, premiered at the Venice International Film Festival.
Richard’s most recent feature film, the black comedy/crime drama Dom Hemingway starring Jude Law, Richard E. Grant and Emilia Clarke, screened at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.
Filmography:
Dom Hemingway (2014)The Hunting Party (2007)
The Matador (2005)
Mexico City (2000)
Oxygen (1999)
Mercy (1995)
The Linguini Incident (1991)
Cool Blue (1990)