Jordan Roberts (writer)

Jordan Roberts
Born (1957-06-19) June 19, 1957 (age 67)
Occupations
  • Screenwriter
  • director
Years active1997–present
SpouseMarianne Roberts
Children2
MotherBobbi Jordan

Jordan Roberts (born Bruce Robert Jordan; June 19, 1957) is an American screenwriter and film director, known for co-writing the screenplays for the Academy Award-winning animated Disney film Big Hero 6 (2014), for which he was nominated for the Annie Award for Writing in a Feature Production.[1] He also wrote and directed Around the Bend (2004), 3,2,1... Frankie Go Boom (2012), and Burn Your Maps (2016).

Personal life

Roberts is the son of actress Roberta "Bobbi" Jordan (née Barlett; 1937–2012)[2] and screenwriter and film producer Robert Samuel Jordan, who left the family when Roberts was 3 years old.[3] His stepfather was television screenwriter William "Bill" Jacobson (1919–2011), whom his mother married on October 23, 1968.[4] Roberts had one brother, Scott Jordan, who died in the 1980s of a heroin overdose,[3] and one older stepsister, Jessie Jacobson.[2] Roberts married Marianne Roberts in 1991. They have a son, Cameron Roberts. Roberts also has a nephew, Brandon Jordan.

Career

In 1997, Roberts wrote the script for the comedy film The Debtors, directed by Evi Quaid and starring Michael Caine.[5] However, The Debtors remains unreleased due to legal troubles with the director and her husband, Randy Quaid, who co-starred in the film.[6] Roberts is known for writing and directing the road movie Around the Bend (2004),[7] and the comedy film 3,2,1... Frankie Go Boom (2012).[8]

In 2005, Roberts wrote the narration for the U.S. version of the French documentary March of the Penguins, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and for which Roberts was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Documentary Screenplay.[9] In 2011, he had a minor role as a Maitre d' in the critically acclaimed independent film Fly Away, directed by Janet Grillo. In 2014, he co-wrote the Hilary Swank-starring drama film You're Not You with Shana Feste.[10] He directed Vera Farmiga, Jacob Tremblay and Virginia Madsen in the comedy-drama adventure film Burn Your Maps.[11] He is also the showrunner of John Carpenter's Suburban Screams, a 2023 anthology series produced for Peacock.[12]

References

  1. ^ Gray, Tim (February 14, 2015). "'Big Hero 6' Director Talks Sequel, Key to Film's Success". Variety.
  2. ^ a b "Actress Bobbi Jordan dies". Variety. November 26, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Tallmer, Jerry (October 6, 2004). "A film that's 'hard not to keep thinking about'". The Villager. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  4. ^ Barnes, Mike (August 5, 2011). "Bill Jacobson, Comedy Writer From TV's Golden Era, Dies at 91". The Hollywood Reporter.
  5. ^ "Miramax in talks with 'Debtors'". Variety. July 31, 1997.
  6. ^ Archerd, Army (January 27, 2000). "Quaid's are real-life 'Debtors'". Variety.
  7. ^ Saenger, Diana. "Jordan Roberts on 'Around the Bend'". ReelTalk Reviews. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  8. ^ Barnes, Brooks (October 1, 2012). "New Director Is Outrunning His Hard Luck: Jordan Roberts and His Comedy '3, 2, 1 Frankie Go Boom'". The New York Times.
  9. ^ Vary, Adam B. (February 1, 2006). "Jordan Roberts, 'March of the Penguins'". Variety.
  10. ^ Holden, Stephen (October 9, 2014). "First a Tremor, Then a Wheelchair, Then Some Tougher Choices: 'You're Not You' Stars Hilary Swank as a Pianist With A.L.S." The New York Times.
  11. ^ McNary, Dave (July 23, 2015). "Vera Farmiga, Virginia Madsen Starring in Comedy-Drama 'Burn Your Maps'". Variety.
  12. ^ Petski, Denise (2023-09-15). "'Suburban Screams' Trailer: John Carpenter Returns To Directing After 13 Years With Peacock Unscripted Horror Anthology Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-09-22.