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IMDbPro

Paul Haggis

  • Writer
  • Producer
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Paul Haggis
A documentary based on Lawrence Wright's book of the same name. Scientology is laid bare by a film that brings together archive footage, testimonials from former high ranking officials and public, and dramatic reconstructions.
Play trailer1:01
Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief (2015)
3 Videos
99+ Photos
Paul Haggis established himself over twenty years with an extensive career in television, before his big break into features arrived when he became the first screenwriter to garner two Best Film Academy Awards back-to-back for his scripts: "Million Dollar Baby" (2004) directed by Clint Eastwood, and "Crash" (2005) which Paul directed himself.

In 2006, among others, Haggis penned two Clint Eastwood productions, "Flags of our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima," for which he earned his third Best Screenplay Oscar nomination. He also co-wrote "Casino Royale," which garnered considerable acclaim for reinvigorating the James Bond spy franchise.

In 2007, Haggis wrote, directed, and produced "In the Valley of Elah." The film starred Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon, and earned Jones a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance.

In 2010, his film "The Next Three Days" was released, starring Russell Crowe, Liam Neeson, and Elizabeth Banks.

And in 2013 he wrote and directed the romantic, personal drama "Third Person," which starred Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Mila Kunis, Adrien Brody, James Franco, and Kim Basinger.

Most recently, Haggis directed and executive produced all six episodes of the HBO mini-series "Show Me A Hero," starring Oscar Isaac, Catherine Keener, Winona Ryder, James Belushi, and Alfred Molina.

Currently, Haggis is co-directing a feature length documentary on the AIDS crisis in San Francisco, called "5B."

Equally committed to his private and social concerns, Haggis is the founder of Artists for Peace and Justice. Under this umbrella, many of his friends in the film business have come forward to major build schools and clinics serving the children of the slums of Haiti (www.APJNow.org).
BornMarch 10, 1953
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMarch 10, 1953
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 2 Oscars
    • 50 wins & 55 nominations total

Photos164

Paul Haggis and David Simon in Show Me a Hero (2015)
Paul Haggis in In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Paul Haggis in The Next Three Days (2010)
Charlize Theron and Paul Haggis at an event for In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Ryan Phillippe, Matt Dillon, Paul Haggis, and Bobby Moresco in Crash (2004)
Paul Haggis
Paul Haggis in Miss Representation (2011)
Russell Crowe and Paul Haggis in The Next Three Days (2010)
Don Cheadle and Paul Haggis in Crash (2004)
Ken Olin and director Paul Haggis on the set of "EZ Streets"
Paul Haggis
Paul Haggis

Known for:

Michael Peña in Crash (2004)
Crash
7.7
  • Writer
  • 2004
Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron in In the Valley of Elah (2007)
In the Valley of Elah
7.2
  • Writer
  • 2007
Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Million Dollar Baby
8.1
  • Writer
  • 2004
Paul Gross and David Marciano in Due South (1994)
Due South
8.0
TV Series
  • Writer

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Writer

  • Ranger's Apprentice
    • adaptation
    • Pre-production
  • The Juliet
    • screenplay
    • In Development
  • Jared Padalecki in Walker (2021)
    Walker
    • based on the series 'Walker, Texas Ranger' created by
    • TV Series
    • 2021–2023
  • Shelter
    • writer
    • TV Movie
    • 2017
  • Liam Neeson and Mila Kunis in Third Person (2013)
    Third Person
    • screenplay
    • 2013
  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
    • writer
    • Video Game
    • 2011
  • Russell Crowe in The Next Three Days (2010)
    The Next Three Days
    • screenplay
    • 2010
  • 007: Quantum of Solace (2008)
    007: Quantum of Solace
    • adapted from the films Casino Royale & Quantum of Solace by
    • Video Game
    • 2008
  • Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko in Quantum of Solace (2008)
    Quantum of Solace
    • written by
    • 2008
  • Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss in Speechless (2008)
    Speechless
    • written by
    • TV Movie
    • 2008
  • Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron in In the Valley of Elah (2007)
    In the Valley of Elah
    • screenplay
    • story
    • 2007
  • The Black Donnellys (2007)
    The Black Donnellys
    • created by
    • story
    • writer (creator) ...
    • TV Series
    • 2007
  • Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
    Letters from Iwo Jima
    • story
    • 2006
  • Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (2006)
    Casino Royale
    • screenplay
    • 2006
  • Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
    Flags of Our Fathers
    • screenplay
    • 2006
  • Zach Braff in The Last Kiss (2006)
    The Last Kiss
    • screenplay
    • 2006
  • Chuck Norris in Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005)
    Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire
    • creator
    • TV Movie
    • 2005

Producer

  • Ranger's Apprentice
    • producer
    • Pre-production
  • 5B (2018)
    5B
    • producer
    • 2018
  • Shelter
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 2017
  • Matthew McConaughey in Gold (2016)
    Gold
    • executive producer
    • 2016
  • Oscar Isaac in Show Me a Hero (2015)
    Show Me a Hero
    • executive producer
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2015
  • Liam Neeson and Mila Kunis in Third Person (2013)
    Third Person
    • producer
    • 2013
  • Russell Crowe in The Next Three Days (2010)
    The Next Three Days
    • producer
    • 2010
  • Dennis Hopper and Eric Roberts in Crash (2008)
    Crash
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2008–2009
  • Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron in In the Valley of Elah (2007)
    In the Valley of Elah
    • producer
    • 2007
  • The Black Donnellys (2007)
    The Black Donnellys
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2007
  • Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
    Letters from Iwo Jima
    • executive producer
    • 2006
  • Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby (2004)
    Million Dollar Baby
    • producer (produced by)
    • 2004
  • Michael Peña in Crash (2004)
    Crash
    • producer
    • 2004
  • Kathleen Quinlan, Julie Warner, Tony Danza, Christopher McDonald, and Dixie Carter in Family Law (1999)
    Family Law
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 1999
  • Ghost of a Chance
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 1998
  • David Caruso, Hillary Danner, Peter Outerbridge, Rebecca Rigg, and Ruben Santiago-Hudson in Michael Hayes (1997)
    Michael Hayes
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 1997–1998

Additional Crew

  • David Caruso, Hillary Danner, Peter Outerbridge, Rebecca Rigg, and Ruben Santiago-Hudson in Michael Hayes (1997)
    Michael Hayes
    • developer
    • TV Series
    • 1997
  • Paul Gross and David Marciano in Due South (1994)
    Due South
    • executive consultant
    • TV Series
    • 1995–1996
  • L.A. Law (1986)
    L.A. Law
    • creative consultant
    • TV Series
    • 1994
  • Valerie Bertinelli, Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington Jr., and Mackenzie Phillips in One Day at a Time (1975)
    One Day at a Time
    • story editor
    • TV Series
    • 1983–1984
  • Diff'rent Strokes (1978)
    Diff'rent Strokes
    • story editor
    • TV Series
    • 1982–1983
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos3

10th Anniversary Trailer
Trailer 1:52
10th Anniversary Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:01
Official Trailer
Miss Representation
Trailer 2:50
Miss Representation

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Paul Edward Haggis
  • Height
    • 6′ (1.83 m)
  • Born
    • March 10, 1953
    • London, Ontario, Canada
  • Spouses
      Deborah RennardJune 21, 1997 - May 11, 2016 (divorced, 1 child)
  • Children
    • James Haggis
  • Parents
      Edward H. Haggis
  • Relatives
    • Jo Francis(Sibling)
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Biographical Movie
    • 2 Interviews
    • 17 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Quit the Church of Scientology in 2009--after 34 years--because he disagreed with the organization about its support of Proposition 8, which outlawed same-sex marriage in California. His public break with the church was profiled in a long piece by Lawrence Wright in the February 14, 2011, issue of "The New Yorker"; the article was unusual in that it shed light on some of the inner workings and controversies of the normally secretive Church of Scientology. In the profile Haggis estimated that he spent more than $100,000 on courses and auditing, and $300,000 on various Scientology initiatives.
  • Quotes
    I agreed to write the pilot because I thought it would just go away, but it became this huge hit and I remember waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning in a cold sweat, dripping wet. I mean, I was drenched. I just pictured my tombstone and it said: "Paul Haggis: Creator of Walker, Texas Ranger (1993)." So the impetus for making these movies is really just to wipe that image from my mind. (on his decision to move from television to films like Crash (2004))
  • Salary
    • Crash
      (2004)
      (writing and directing) $94,000

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