Will Reiser is an American screenwriter and producer. He is best known for writing the 2011 film ''
50/50'', which was based on his own experience with cancer.
Early life
He is the cousin of actor and comedian
Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser (; born March 30, 1956) is an American actor, comedian, and television writer. He is known for his roles as Michael Taylor in the 1980s sitcom ''My Two Dads'', Paul Buchman in the NBC sitcom ''Mad About You'', Modell in the 1982 fi ...
.
Reiser attended
Hampshire College
Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...
in
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst () is a New England town, town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County (althoug ...
, graduating in 2003.
Career
Reiser first worked as a producer in a number of TV productions, such as ''
Da Ali G Show
''Da Ali G Show'' is a British Satire, satirical television series created by and starring English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. In the series, Baron Cohen plays three unorthodox journalists: faux-streetwise poseur Ali G, Kazakh reporter Borat Sag ...
''. In 2005, during his time working as an associate producer, he was diagnosed with a form of
spinal cancer
Spinal tumors are neoplasms located in either the vertebral column or the spinal cord. There are three main types of spinal tumors classified based on their location: extradural and intradural (intradural-intramedullary and intradural-extramedullar ...
at the age of 25.
After he underwent surgery, he was urged by
Seth Rogen
Seth Aaron Rogen (; born April 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and filmmaker. Originally a stand-up comedian in Vancouver, he moved to Los Angeles for a part in Judd Apatow's series ''Freaks and Geeks'', and then got a part on ...
and
Evan Goldberg
Evan D. Goldberg (born September 15, 1982) is a Canadian-American filmmaker and comedian. He has collaborated with his childhood friend Seth Rogen on the films '' Superbad'', ''Pineapple Express'', ''This Is the End'', ''The Interview'', and ''Go ...
, who also worked on ''Da Ali G Show'', to write a screenplay based on his experiences.
In 2008 Reiser completed his first draft of ''
50/50'',
[ his first screenplay. With Rogen and Goldberg producing the film, the script was bought by ]Mandate Pictures
Mandate Pictures was a full-service film production company acquired by Lionsgate in 2007.
History
In 2005, Mandate Pictures was officially formed when the Los Angeles–based Senator International completed a management buyout from German indie ...
with Rogen also attached to star in the film as the best friend of the protagonist, Adam (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt (; born February 17, 1981) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his leading performances ...
), and the film was released in September 2011.[ At the time of the film's release, Reiser had been cancer-free for six years.][ He won numerous awards for ''50/50'', including the ]Independent Spirit Award
The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glas ...
for Best First Screenplay and the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...
award for Best Original Screenplay.[ He was also honored at the 2012 Annual OMG! Cancer Summit for Young Adults for his "courage, irreverence and creativity in achieving meaningful and impactful change on behalf of the young adult cancer survivorship movement".
In September 2011 it was reported that Reiser was working on an American version of the German comedy film '' Men...'']Jonathan Levine
Jonathan LeVine is an American art dealer, instrumental in the proliferation of lowbrow and street art on the East Coast of the United States.
About
LeVine grew up in Trenton, New Jersey. As a teenager, he encountered punk rock music and the p ...
, who directed ''50/50'', was attached to direct the film.[
]
Filmography
Film
TV
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reiser, Will
American male screenwriters
Living people
American television producers
Place of birth missing (living people)
Year of birth missing (living people)