Peter Simpson Hedges (born July 6, 1962) is an American novelist , playwright , screenwriter , film director and film producer .

Early life [ edit ]

Hedges was born in West Des Moines, Iowa , where he was raised, the son of Carole (Simpson), a psychotherapist, and the Rev. Robert Boyden Hedges, an Episcopal priest. ^{[1] [2]} His mother left when he was young so he was raised by his single father. He attended Valley High School , where he was involved in the theater department, including the improvisational group and the mime troupe, The Bakers Dozen . He later went to the North Carolina School of the Arts , where he studied drama.

Career [ edit ]

Hedges' novel What's Eating Gilbert Grape was adapted into a critically acclaimed movie of the same title , for which he wrote the screenplay, launching his film career.

In 2002, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for About a Boy , alongside Chris and Paul Weitz . In the same year, he wrote and directed Pieces of April , starring Katie Holmes , which he dedicated to his mother.

In 2007, he co-wrote and directed Dan in Real Life .

He wrote and directed The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012), a film conceived by Ahmet Zappa , produced by Zappa and Scott Sanders , and released by Walt Disney Pictures . ^[3] In 2018, he wrote and directed the drama Ben Is Back , about drug addiction, starring his son Lucas Hedges , and Julia Roberts .

His latest novel The Heights was published March 4, 2010 by Dutton.

Personal life [ edit ]

His wife is Susan Bruce (Titman), a poet. They have two sons; Simon, who works in private equity ^[4] in New York, and actor Lucas Hedges .

Filmography [ edit ]

• What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) (writer)
• A Map of the World (1999) (writer)
• About a Boy (2002) (writer)
• Pieces of April (2003) (writer and director)
• Dan in Real Life (2007) (co-writer and director)
• The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012) (co-writer and director)
• Ben Is Back (2018) (writer, director and producer)
• The Same Storm (2021) (writer and director)

Plays [ edit ]

• Oregon (1984)
• Champions of the Average Joe (1985)
• The Age of Pie (1986)
• Andy and Claire (1986)
• Teddy by the Sea (1986)
• Imagining Brad (1988)
• Baby Anger (1993)
• What's Eating Gilbert Grape ( Musical ) (2024)

Novels [ edit ]

• What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1991)
• An Ocean in Iowa (1998)
• The Heights (2010)

References [ edit ]

External links [ edit ]

• Peter Hedges at IMDb