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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
47 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
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • Won 1 Oscar
    • 37 wins & 46 nominations total

Photos47

Tom Selleck and John Ridley in America's Top Sleuths (2006)
Idris Elba and John Ridley in Guerrilla (2017)
John Ridley and Gayle Yoshida
John Ridley
John Ridley in Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)
John Ridley
John Ridley, Babou Ceesay, and Freida Pinto at an event for Guerrilla (2017)
John Ridley
John Ridley at an event for 73rd Golden Globe Awards (2016)
John Ridley
John Ridley and Gayle Yoshida
John Ridley and Gayle Yoshida at an event for The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards (2015)

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, and Eddie Griffin in Undercover Brother (2002)
Undercover Brother
5.9
  • Producer
  • 2002

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Producer

  • Shirley
    • producer
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • Untitled Alicia Keys/Showtime Project
    • executive producer
    • Pre-production
    • TV Series
  • Five Days at Memorial (2022)
    Five Days at Memorial
    • executive producer (showrunner)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2022
  • Orlando Bloom, Leslie Odom Jr., Freida Pinto, and Cynthia Erivo in Needle in a Timestack (2021)
    Needle in a Timestack
    • executive producer
    • 2021
  • Waiting for Godot (2021)
    Waiting for Godot
    • producer
    • 2021
  • Guerrilla (2017)
    Guerrilla
    • executive producer
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2017
  • American Crime (2015)
    American Crime
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2015–2017
  • Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)
    Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992
    • executive producer
    • producer
    • 2017
  • Presence
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2016
  • Toby Kebbell and Jack Huston in Ben-Hur (2016)
    Ben-Hur
    • executive producer
    • 2016
  • Christian Bale in Out of the Furnace (2013)
    Out of the Furnace
    • co-producer
    • 2013
  • Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)
    Jimi: All Is by My Side
    • executive producer
    • 2013
  • Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave (2013)
    12 Years a Slave
    • executive producer
    • 2013
  • John Boyega in Da Brick (2011)
    Da Brick
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 2011
  • The Wanda Sykes Show (2009)
    The Wanda Sykes Show
    • co-executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2009–2010
  • Bobby (2006)
    Bobby
    • co-producer
    • 2006
  • Omar Gooding in Barbershop (2005)
    Barbershop
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2005–2006

Writer

  • Shirley
    • Writer
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • Untitled Alicia Keys/Showtime Project
    • Writer
    • Pre-production
    • TV Series
  • Untitled John Ridley Paranormal Thriller
    • Writer
    • Pre-production
  • Untitled Marvel Cinematic Universe Television Show
    • Writer
    • In Development
    • TV Series
  • Five Days at Memorial (2022)
    Five Days at Memorial
    • developed by
    • written for television by (creator)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2022
  • Orlando Bloom, Leslie Odom Jr., Freida Pinto, and Cynthia Erivo in Needle in a Timestack (2021)
    Needle in a Timestack
    • written for the screen by
    • 2021
  • Certified Black Genius
    • Writer
    • Short
    • 2020
  • Guerrilla (2017)
    Guerrilla
    • created by
    • written by (creator)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2017
  • American Crime (2015)
    American Crime
    • created by
    • written by (creator)
    • TV Series
    • 2015–2017
  • Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)
    Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992
    • Writer
    • 2017
  • Presence
    • creator
    • TV Series
    • 2016
  • Toby Kebbell and Jack Huston in Ben-Hur (2016)
    Ben-Hur
    • screenplay
    • 2016
  • Jimi: All Is by My Side (2013)
    Jimi: All Is by My Side
    • written by
    • 2013
  • Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave (2013)
    12 Years a Slave
    • screenplay by
    • 2013
  • Red Tails (2012)
    Red Tails
    • screenplay
    • story
    • 2012
  • John Boyega in Da Brick (2011)
    Da Brick
    • Writer
    • TV Movie
    • 2011
  • The Wanda Sykes Show (2009)
    The Wanda Sykes Show
    • head writer
    • TV Series
    • 2009–2010
  • Omar Gooding in Barbershop (2005)
    Barbershop
    • creator
    • writer
    • TV Series
    • 2005–2006
  • Justice League: Starcrossed (2004)
    Justice League: Starcrossed
    • teleplay: Part II
    • Video
    • 2004

Additional Crew

  • Script to Screen: Get Out (2018)
    Script to Screen
    • self
    • TV Series
    • 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
    • creative consultant
    • TV Series
    • 2000–2001
  • Trinity (1998)
    Trinity
    • creative consultant
    • TV Series
    • 1998–1999
  • Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
    The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
    • story editor
    • TV Series
    • 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"

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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