by Ed Zwick
First published 2024
Ed Zwick opens his career memoir by warning readers he will drop names. After four decades directing films like Glory, The Last Samurai, and Blood Diamond, plus creating thirtysomething and producing My So-Called Life, he has stories to tell. His projects earned eighteen Oscar nominations and sixty-seven Emmy nominations. Zwick worked with future stars before they became famous, including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Claire Danes. He also directed established actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, and Anthony Hopkins. The director shares behind-the-scenes tales about these collaborations, revealing his method for drawing out actor performances by finding their vulnerability and connection to characters. He recounts his legal battle with Harvey Weinstein over Shakespeare in Love, which he won. Written with affection and occasional regret, the memoir doubles as a meditation on creative work, offering practical advice for aspiring screenwriters, directors, and producers while exposing both the beauty and absurdity of making films and television.
Genres: memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, film
Vibes: affectionate, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: memoir, practical-advice
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
304 pages · Hardcover · Gallery Books