Canadian television director and producer
Michelle Maxwell MacLaren
is a Canadian television director and producer. She has directed episodes of
The X-Files
,
Better Call Saul
,
Breaking Bad
,
The Walking Dead
,
Game of Thrones
, and
Westworld
.
MacLaren won two back-to-back
Primetime Emmy Awards
for producing
Breaking Bad
in 2013 and 2014.
Early life
[
edit
]
MacLaren grew up in
Vancouver
,
British Columbia
.
[1]
She graduated from
Queen's University
in
Kingston, Ontario
.
[2]
MacLaren is a cousin of television anchor
Ashleigh Banfield
.
[3]
Career
[
edit
]
"I don't see myself as a female director, I see myself as a director who happens to be a woman."
[4]
MacLaren made her
directorial debut
on the season nine episode of
The X-Files
, "
John Doe
", which was written by her future
Breaking Bad
collaborator
Vince Gilligan
. She approaches shooting action sequences as mathematical deconstruction and likes using multiple cameras and wide lenses.
[4]
She was nominated for six
Primetime Emmy Awards
, all for
Breaking Bad
: one for directing the episode "
One Minute
" (season 3, episode 7) in 2010,
[5]
one for directing the episode "
Gliding Over All
" (season 5, episode 8) in 2013, and the other four in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 for
Outstanding Drama Series
, on which she served as an executive producer,
[6]
winning in 2013 and 2014. She was also nominated for three
Producers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Drama
for
Breaking Bad
, winning in 2014 and 2015. On the tenth anniversary of the premiere of
Breaking Bad
,
io9
singled out MacLaren among the breakout directors on the series as the
MVP
, noting she directed 11 episodes, more than any other director.
[7]
In June 2014, it was announced MacLaren had signed a two-year first-look deal with
HBO
.
[8]
In November 2014, it was announced that MacLaren would develop the script and direct
Wonder Woman
, the iconic character's first solo cinematic appearance and the fourth installment of the
DC Extended Universe
.
[9]
However, in April 2015 MacLaren left the project due to "creative differences".
[10]
[11]
She was the executive producer of and directed the pilot for
David Simon
's
HBO
drama
The Deuce
.
[12]
She was the first director hired and established the overall 1970s tone and style of the show.
[4]
In August 2016, it was announced that MacLaren would direct the film adaptation of
Kristin Hannah
's novel
The Nightingale
.
[13]
She was attracted to the prospect of directing
The Nightingale
because it is a "muscular" project and the female characters are unsuspecting heroes.
[4]
The same year she also directed the ninth episode of the
HBO
series
Westworld
. When the directors of the final season of
Game of Thrones
were announced, several prominent news sites, including
Polygon
and
Nerdist
, expressed disappointment that MacLaren, the only woman to direct on the series, was not included.
[14]
[15]
In December 2017, MacLaren visited the
Dubai International Film Festival
as a guest of
OSN
.
[16]
On January 31, 2018, MacLaren was confirmed as director for the film
Cowboy Ninja Viking
.
[17]
She is developing a miniseries for HBO with
Breaking Bad
co-producer Vince Gilligan called
Raven
, based on the
Jonestown massacre
.
[18]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Credit
|
Notes
|
2024
|
Constellation
|
Director
|
Upcoming series
|
2021
|
Coyote
|
Season 1, episode 1-2: "
Call of the Void
"/"
Silver or Lead
"
|
2019
|
The Morning Show
|
Season 1, episode 8
|
2017?2019
|
The Deuce
|
Director
Executive Producer
|
2 episodes
|
2017
|
Modern Family
|
Director
|
Season 8, episode 20
|
2016
|
Westworld
|
Season 1, episode 9
|
2015?2022
|
Better Call Saul
|
3 episodes
|
2014
|
The Leftovers
|
Season 1, episode 8
|
2013?2014
|
Game of Thrones
|
4 episodes
|
2013
|
Chicks 'n' Guns
|
Director
Executive producer
|
Breaking Bad
bonus scene
|
2012
|
The River
|
Director
|
Season 1, episode 6
|
NCIS
|
Season 9, episode 17
|
2011
|
Hell on Wheels
|
Season 1, episode 7
|
Camelot
|
Season 1, episode 8; TV miniseries
|
2010?2014
|
The Walking Dead
|
3 episodes
|
2010
|
The Event
|
Season 1, episode 9
|
Lie to Me
|
Season 3, episode 3
|
Memphis Beat
|
Season 1, episode 7
|
2009?2013
|
Breaking Bad
|
Director
Executive producer
|
11 episodes
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series
(2013?2014)
Producers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Drama
(2013?2014)
Nominated?
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
(2010, 2013)
Nominated?
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series
(2010, 2012)
Nominated?
Producers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Drama
(2011)
|
2006
|
Kyle XY
|
Director
|
Season 1, episode 6
|
Population 436
|
Feature film debut
|
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
|
Season 7, episode 12
|
2005
|
Night Stalker
|
Executive producer
|
Season 1, episode 1
|
2003
|
John Doe
|
Director
|
Season 1, episode 11
|
2002
|
Without a Trace
|
Season 1, episode 10
|
2000?2002
|
The X-Files
|
Director
Co-executive producer
|
47 episodes
|
1999?2000
|
Harsh Realm
|
Co-executive producer
|
8 episodes
|
1999
|
A Song from the Heart
|
Writer
Executive producer
|
TV movie
|
1998
|
Beauty
|
Producer
|
1997
|
A Child's Wish
|
1995
|
The Other Mother: A Moment of Truth Movie
|
1994
|
Moment of Truth: A Mother's Deception
|
Heart of a Child
|
Moment of Truth: Broken Pledges
|
Moment of Truth: To Walk Again
|
1993
|
Moment of Truth: A Child Too Many
|
For the Love of My Child: The Anissa Ayala Story
|
1992
|
Shame
|
The House on Sycamore Street
|
Production manager
|
Diagnosis Murder
|
1991
|
Omen IV: The Awakening
|
K2
|
Second unit manager
|
1989?1990
|
Booker
|
Production manager
|
22 episodes
|
1989
|
The Ranch
|
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"
'Breaking Bad' conclusion far from certain | Metro"
. Archived from
the original
on 2014-10-24
. Retrieved
2013-09-14
.
- ^
Gunn, Andrea.
"A woman of action: Michelle MacLaren"
.
Queen's University
. Archived from
the original
on September 3, 2014
. Retrieved
August 24,
2014
.
- ^
‘No Mas’ Trivia - Breaking Bad
.
Sony Pictures Television
. October 1, 2020.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"In Conversation With... Michelle MacLaren"
. entertainment.ie. 30 November 2017
. Retrieved
12 February
2018
.
- ^
"2010 Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series"
.
Television Academy
. Retrieved
December 20,
2010
.
- ^
"2010 Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Drama Series"
.
Television Academy
. Retrieved
December 20,
2010
.
- ^
McLevy, Alex (20 January 2018).
"Breaking Bad showcased some of film and TV's most noteworthy directors"
. io9
. Retrieved
21 January
2018
.
- ^
Andreeva, Nellie (11 June 2014).
"Director Michelle MacLaren Inks HBO Deal"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
August 27,
2014
.
- ^
"Michelle MacLaren Signs to Develop and Direct 'Wonder Woman' Movie (Exclusive)"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. 24 November 2014.
- ^
Fisher, Russ (13 April 2015).
"Director Michelle MacLaren Leaves 'Wonder Woman'
"
.
/Film
. Retrieved
April 13,
2015
.
- ^
Kit, Borys (13 April 2015).
"
'Wonder Woman' Movie Loses Director Michelle MacLaren (Exclusive)"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
April 13,
2015
.
- ^
Andreeva, Nellie (24 September 2015).
"Maggie Gyllenhaal To Topline HBO Drama Pilot 'The Deuce'
"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
September 27,
2015
.
- ^
Kroll, Justin (August 11, 2016).
"
'Game of Thrones' Director Michelle MacLaren to Helm TriStar's 'The Nightingale'
"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
August 11,
2016
.
- ^
Alexander, Julia (26 September 2017).
"Game of Thrones showunners to direct series finale as final directors announced"
.
Polygon
. Retrieved
27 September
2017
.
- ^
Lutes, Alicia.
"GAME OF THRONES' FINAL SEASON DIRECTORS ANNOUNCED"
.
Nerdist
. Retrieved
27 September
2017
.
- ^
Newbould, Chris (6 January 2018).
"
'Breaking Bad' director Michelle MacLaren on television's technological game changer"
. The National AE
. Retrieved
12 February
2018
.
- ^
Kroll, Justin (January 31, 2018).
"Chris Pratt's 'Cowboy Ninja Viking' Taps 'Game of Thrones' Director Michelle MacLaren"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
June 2,
2018
.
- ^
Bernstein, Abbie (14 October 2017).
"Director Michelle MacLaren talks THE DEUCE and GAME OF THRONES ? Exclusive Interview"
. Assignment X
. Retrieved
12 February
2018
.
External links
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