Josh Singer
Josh Singer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Known for | The Fifth Estate, Spotlight, The Post, First Man, Maestro |
Josh Singer (born 1972) is a prominent American screenwriter and producer, recognized for his work on films such as The Fifth Estate (2013), Spotlight (2015), The Post (2017), First Man (2018), and Maestro (2023). He earned the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Spotlight and garnered Golden Globe nominations for both Spotlight and The Post.
Early life and education
Singer was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a Jewish family; his father was Jewish, and his mother converted to Judaism. He attended Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in various activities including drama and math clubs, served as class treasurer, contributed to the school newspaper, and received several academic honors. Graduating as valedictorian, he was also distinguished as a Presidential Scholar and National Merit Scholar.
He completed his undergraduate studies at Yale University, graduating magna cum laude with honors in mathematics and economics. During his time at Yale, he held the position of business manager for both The Whiffenpoofs and The Yale Alley Cats. Prior to pursuing graduate education, Singer gained experience through internships at Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop), Nickelodeon, and Disney Channel, where he developed an interest in writing scripts. He then worked as a business analyst at McKinsey & Company before obtaining both a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Career
Following his Harvard graduation, Singer was recruited by showrunner John Wells to contribute as a writer on The West Wing. In 2006, he earned a nomination from the WGA.
In 2013, Singer penned the screenplay for a biographical film about Leonard Bernstein, which encountered delays in development. Eventually, Bradley Cooper directed and collaborated with Singer on the script, resulting in an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In 2012, Singer wrote the screenplay for The Fifth Estate. He co-wrote the 2015 film Spotlight, which won him the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Personal life
In 2011, Singer married American author Laura Dave. The couple resides in Los Angeles, California, with their son.
Film
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | The Fifth Estate | |
| 2015 | Spotlight | Co-written with Tom McCarthy; Executive producer Recipient of Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay WGA Award for Best Original Screenplay Golden Globe nomination for Best Screenplay |
| 2017 | The Post | Co-written with Liz Hannah; Executive producer Golden Globe nomination for Best Screenplay |
| 2018 | First Man | Nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay |
| 2023 | Maestro | Co-written with Bradley Cooper; Executive producer Nominated for Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay |
| TBA | Untitled Bullitt reboot |
Television
| Year | Title | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–2006 | The West Wing | Writer and editor |
| 2007–2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Producer |
| 2009 | Lie to Me | Supervising producer |
| 2009–2010 | Fringe | |
| 2010–2011 | Co-executive producer | |
| 2023 | The Last Thing He Told Me | Executive producer |
Awards and nominations
Singer earned the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his work on Spotlight (2015) and garnered Golden Globe nods for both that film and The Post (2018). In 2023, he received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay nomination alongside Bradley Cooper for the film Maestro.