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IMDbPro

John Ridley(I)

  • Producer
  • Writer
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
John Ridley
Trailer for Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992
Play trailer2:29
Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)
2 Videos
48 Photos
John Ridley is the author of seven published novels, the most recent, What Fire Cannot Burn from Warner Books and The Drift from Knopf. His first novel, Stray Dogs, was made into the feature film U Turn (1997) directed by Oliver Stone and starring Sean Penn, Jennifer Lopez, and Nick Nolte. Additionally, Ridley wrote the screenplays for the films Undercover Brother (2002) and Cold Around the Heart (1997) and wrote the story for Three Kings (1999).

He is a playwright as well and in 2005 produced the world premiere of his first play, Ten Thousand Years. Ridley is also a commentator for National Public Radio and a regular contributor to California Connected (2002), an award-winning, news magazine which airs throughout California on 12 Public Television stations. He was the host of Movie Club with John Ridley (2004) on AMC, a unique movie review program with a panel of critics.

Ridley also wrote, directed, and produced the popular TV show, Barbershop (2005) formerly on Showtime.
BornOctober 1, 1964
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornOctober 1, 1964
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 37 wins & 46 nominations total

    Photos48

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    Known for

    Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave (2013)
    12 Years a Slave
    8.1
    • Producer
    • 2013
    American Crime (2015)
    American Crime
    7.7
    TV Series
    • Producer
    George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Ice Cube in Three Kings (1999)
    Three Kings
    7.1
    • Producer
    • 1999
    Denise Richards, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and Eddie Griffin in Undercover Brother (2002)
    Undercover Brother
    5.9
    • Producer
    • 2002

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Producer



    • Untitled Alicia Keys/Showtime Project
      • executive producer
      • Pre-production
      • TV Series



    • Regina King in Shirley (2024)
      Shirley
      6.2
      • producer
      • 2024
    • Five Days at Memorial (2022)
      Five Days at Memorial
      7.7
      TV Mini Series
      • executive producer (showrunner)
      • 2022
    • Orlando Bloom, Leslie Odom Jr., Freida Pinto, and Cynthia Erivo in Needle in a Timestack (2021)
      Needle in a Timestack
      5.3
      • executive producer
      • 2021
    • Waiting for Godot (2021)
      Waiting for Godot
      6.5
      • producer
      • 2021
    • Guerrilla (2017)
      Guerrilla
      5.9
      TV Mini Series
      • executive producer
      • 2017
    • American Crime (2015)
      American Crime
      7.7
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2015–2017
    • Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)
      Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992
      7.8
      • executive producer
      • producer
      • 2017
    • Presence
      TV Movie
      • executive producer
    • Toby Kebbell and Jack Huston in Ben-Hur (2016)
      Ben-Hur
      5.7
      • executive producer
      • 2016
    • Christian Bale in Out of the Furnace (2013)
      Out of the Furnace
      6.7
      • co-producer
      • 2013
    • Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)
      Jimi: All Is by My Side
      5.7
      • executive producer
      • 2013
    • Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave (2013)
      12 Years a Slave
      8.1
      • executive producer
      • 2013
    • John Boyega in Da Brick (2011)
      Da Brick
      3.9
      TV Movie
      • executive producer
      • 2011
    • The Wanda Sykes Show (2009)
      The Wanda Sykes Show
      5.2
      TV Series
      • co-executive producer
      • 2009–2010
    • Bobby (2006)
      Bobby
      7.0
      • co-producer
      • 2006

    Writer



    • Untitled John Ridley Paranormal Thriller
      • Writer
      • Pre-production
    • Untitled Alicia Keys/Showtime Project
      • Writer
      • Pre-production
      • TV Series



    • Regina King in Shirley (2024)
      Shirley
      6.2
      • written by
      • 2024
    • Five Days at Memorial (2022)
      Five Days at Memorial
      7.7
      TV Mini Series
      • developed by
      • written for television by (creator)
      • 2022
    • Orlando Bloom, Leslie Odom Jr., Freida Pinto, and Cynthia Erivo in Needle in a Timestack (2021)
      Needle in a Timestack
      5.3
      • written for the screen by
      • 2021
    • Certified Black Genius
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2020
    • Guerrilla (2017)
      Guerrilla
      5.9
      TV Mini Series
      • created by
      • written by (creator)
      • 2017
    • American Crime (2015)
      American Crime
      7.7
      TV Series
      • created by
      • written by (creator)
      • 2015–2017
    • Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)
      Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992
      7.8
      • Writer
      • 2017
    • Presence
      TV Movie
      • creator
    • Toby Kebbell and Jack Huston in Ben-Hur (2016)
      Ben-Hur
      5.7
      • screenplay by
      • 2016
    • Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)
      Jimi: All Is by My Side
      5.7
      • written by
      • 2013
    • Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave (2013)
      12 Years a Slave
      8.1
      • screenplay by
      • 2013
    • Red Tails (2012)
      Red Tails
      5.9
      • screenplay
      • story
      • 2012
    • John Boyega in Da Brick (2011)
      Da Brick
      3.9
      TV Movie
      • Writer
      • 2011
    • The Wanda Sykes Show (2009)
      The Wanda Sykes Show
      5.2
      TV Series
      • head writer
      • 2009–2010
    • Omar Gooding in Barbershop (2005)
      Barbershop
      6.2
      TV Series
      • creator
      • writer
      • 2005

    Additional Crew



    • Script to Screen: Get Out (2018)
      Script to Screen
      TV Series
      • self
      • 2014
    • Michael Beach, Eddie Cibrian, Kim Raver, Jason Wiles, Coby Bell, Amy Carlson, Molly Price, Anthony Ruivivar, and Skipp Sudduth in Third Watch (1999)
      Third Watch
      8.0
      TV Series
      • creative consultant
      • 2000–2001
    • Tate Donovan, Kim Raver, and Louis Ferreira in Trinity (1998)
      Trinity
      6.7
      TV Series
      • creative consultant
      • 1998–1999
    • Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
      The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
      7.9
      TV Series
      • story editor
      • 1994–1995

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos2

    Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992
    Trailer 2:29
    Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992
    "A Portrait of Solomon Northup"
    Featurette 5:36
    "A Portrait of Solomon Northup"
    "A Portrait of Solomon Northup"
    Featurette 5:36
    "A Portrait of Solomon Northup"

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Born
      • October 1, 1964
      • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
    • Spouse
      • Gayle Ridley(2 children)
    • Other works
      Ten Thousand Years, his first play, was directed by Kipp Shiotani. The original cast was comprised of Jennifer Aquino, Eidan Hanzei, Archie Kao, Matthew Yang King, Blake Kushi, Dana Lee, Reggie Lee, Kipp Shiotani, and Greg Watanabe. (The understudies were Molly Mickelson, Thomas Isao Morinaka, and Don Thai Theerathada.) Ten Thousand Years received its world premiere on February 5, 2005 and was extended until March 3, 2005 at the El Portal Forum Theatre in North Hollywood, California, USA.
    • Publicity listings
      • 3 Interviews

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During the writers' strike of 2007-2008, he chose financial core status with the Writers Guild of America and continued working. He was the only non-soap opera writer to do so.
    • Quotes
      Gay marriage will be universally accepted in time. But if I may be so bold as to say to gays and lesbians, don't wait for that time to arrive. Just as my father and his generation did not 'wait' for their civil rights, nor should you. The toothpaste ain't going back in the tube. The tide has turned.

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