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Ryan Murphy Biography

Birth Name:Ryan Murphy

Birth Place:Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Profession Producer, Writer, Director, Music department, Soundtrack, Actor

Fast Facts

  • Was awarded the Distinguished Artisan Award at the 2017 Makeup Artists and Hair Stylist Awards
  • Studied journalism at Indiana University
  • Began his career as a newspaper journalist
  • Quote: "People always say when you have a child it brings you back to when you were a kid, and I'm excited to do that․ I had a very rocky, difficult, emotional childhood with my parents․ And then I'm excited to have somebody or something come in and say: 'Really? I don't care what you think․ I'm going to do what I want․'"
  • Quote: "As a showrunner, you can never be a maybe․ When I do movies, there is a lot of 'maybe' and 'let's investigate that․' But for TV, it has to be yes or no․ I'm very black and white about what I like or don't like, and I've always been that way․"
  • Best known for creating the series "Nip/Tuck," "American Horror Story" and "Glee․"
  • Sold his first ever script to director Steven Spielberg

Awards

  • 2004Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2005PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2006Hollywood Breakthrough Award-Breakthrough Directing: winner
  • 2010DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2010Gold Derby TV Award-Comedy Episode of the Year: nominated
  • 2010Gold Derby TV Award-Comedy Episode of the Year: nominated
  • 2010Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: winner
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: winner
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2010TV Quick Award-Best New Drama: winner
  • 2010WGA Award (TV)-Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2010WGA Award (TV)-New Series: nominated
  • 2011BAFTA TV Award-Best International: nominated
  • 2011DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2011Grammy-Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: nominated
  • 2011National Television Award-Digital Choice: nominated
  • 2011OFTA Television Award-Best Direction in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2011PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy: nominated
  • 2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2011Rondo Statuette-Best TV Presentation: nominated
  • 2011TV Quick Award-Best Drama Series: nominated
  • 2011WGA Award (TV)-Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2011Yoga Award-Worst Foreign Film: winner
  • 2012Grammy-Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: nominated
  • 2012OFTA Television Award-Best Direction in a Drama Series: winner
  • 2012OFTA Television Award-Best Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2012PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy: nominated
  • 2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Main Title Design: nominated
  • 2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Miniseries or Movie: nominated
  • 2013OFTA Television Award-Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
  • 2013OFTA Television Award-Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
  • 2013PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: nominated
  • 2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Miniseries or Movie: nominated
  • 2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Main Title Design: nominated
  • 2014OFTA Television Award-Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
  • 2014OFTA Television Award-Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries: winner
  • 2014PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: nominated
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Television Movie: winner
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Miniseries: nominated
  • 2015CinEuphoria-Best Director - Audience Award: winner
  • 2015CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - Audience Award: winner
  • 2015CinEuphoria-Freedom of Expression - Honorary Award: winner
  • 2015DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series: nominated
  • 2015Dorian Award-TV Director of the Year: nominated
  • 2015Stanley Kramer Award-: winner
  • 2015PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: nominated
  • 2015PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: nominated
  • 2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Main Title Design: nominated
  • 2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Limited Series: nominated
  • 2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2015TLA Gaybie-Best Director: nominated
  • 2015TLA Gaybie-Best Gay Drama: nominated
  • 2016PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: nominated
  • 2016Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Limited Series: winner
  • 2016Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2016WGA Award (TV)-Long Form - Original: nominated
  • 2017BAFTA TV Award-Best International: winner
  • 2017DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series: nominated
  • 2017PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: winner
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Main Title Design: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Limited Series: nominated
  • 2018BAFTA TV Award-Best International: nominated
  • 2018Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Series - Longform: nominated
  • 2018PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: winner
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Limited Series: winner
  • 2018WGA Award (TV)-Long Form - Original: nominated
  • 2018WGA Award (TV)-Long Form - Original: nominated
  • 2019Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, Drama Series: nominated
  • 2019UZETA Award-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
  • 2019Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Episode of the Year: nominated
  • 2019Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Episode of the Year: nominated
  • 2019INOCA TV-Best Writing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2019PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television: winner
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2019WGA Award (TV)-New Series: nominated
  • 2020Black Reel-Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
  • 2020Black Reel-Outstanding Drama Series: winner
  • 2020Black Reel-Outstanding Writing, Drama Series: nominated
  • 2020Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Episode: nominated
  • 2020GMS Award-Best Music Supervision for Television Drama: nominated
  • 2020Truly Moving Picture Award-: winner
  • 2020Humanitas Prize-Drama Teleplay: nominated
  • 2021Black Reel-Outstanding Music (Comedy, Drama, TV Movie or Limited Series): nominated
  • 2021Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Episode: nominated
  • 2021GMS Award-Best Music Supervision for Television Drama: nominated
  • 2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music Supervision: nominated
  • 2021WGA Award (TV)-Original Long Form: nominated
  • 2022Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Nonfiction Series: nominated
  • 2022HCA Award-Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Movie: nominated
  • 2022Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series: nominated
  • 2022WGA Award (TV)-Original Long Form: nominated
  • 2022WGA Award (TV)-Adapted Long Form: nominated
  • 2023BAFTA TV Award-International: winner
  • 2023PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television: nominated
  • 2023Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: nominated
  • 2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: nominated