Niels Mueller (born 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. His directorial debut film, ''

The Assassination of Richard Nixon ''The Assassination of Richard Nixon'' is a 2004 American drama film directed by Niels Mueller and starring Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, Jack Thompson and Naomi Watts. It is based on the story of would-be assassin Samuel Byck, who plotted to kill Ric ...

'', screened at the

2004 Cannes Film Festival The 57th Cannes Film Festival started on 12 and ran until 23 May 2004. The Palme d'Or went to the American film ''Fahrenheit 9/11'' by Michael Moore. The festival opened with '' La mala educación'', directed by Pedro Almodóvar and closed with ...

Biography

Mueller was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attended

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...

, where he earned a BA. While an undergraduate, he collaborated with fellow student

Gary Winick Gary Scott Winick (March 31, 1961February 27, 2011) was an American filmmaker whose films as a director include ''Tadpole'' (2002) and '' 13 Going on 30'' (2004), and who also produced such films as ''Pieces of April'' (2003) and ''November'' ( ...

on a number of independent film projects. Mueller subsequently attended film school at

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...

where he earned an MFA. His most notable work remains ''

'' (2004), starring

Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...

, which he directed and also co-wrote with Kevin Kennedy. Other writing projects include ''

Tadpole A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found ...

'' (2002), which he co-wrote, ''

13 Going on 30 ''13 Going on 30'' (released as ''Suddenly 30'' in some countries) is a 2004 American fantasy romantic comedy film written by Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith, directed by Gary Winick, and starring Jennifer Garner. It follows a 13-year-old girl in ...

'' (2004), although he lost an initial writing credit on this latter film in a subsequent dispute arbitrated by the

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO * The Writers Gu ...

. A pilot he wrote with Kevin Kennedy, '' The Defenders'', was picked up by

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

television for the fall 2010 season. The series, starring

James Belushi James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Jim on the sitcom ''According to Jim'' (2001–2009). His other television roles include ''Saturday Night Live'' (1983–1985), '' Total Security'' ...

and

Jerry O'Connell Jerry O'Connell (born February 17, 1974) is an American actor and television host. He is known for his roles as Quinn Mallory in the television series '' Sliders'', Andrew Clements in ''My Secret Identity'', Vern Tessio in the film '' Stand by ...

, chronicled the adventures of two defense attorneys in Las Vegas.

Filmography

* ''

Sweet Nothing "Sweet Nothing" is a song by Scottish DJ Calvin Harris from his third studio album, '' 18 Months'' (2012). It features vocals from Florence and the Machine singer Florence Welch. Harris previously worked with the band in a remix of their sing ...

'' (1995) - editor * ''

'' (2002) - writer * '' Swimfan'' (2002) - production consultant * ''

'' (2004) - director/writer * '' The Flock'' (2007) - co-producer * '' Tracks'' (2009) - producer * '' Jessica'' (2016) - executive producer * '' Small Town Wisconsin'' (2020) - director

Television

* '' The Defenders'' (2010) - writer

References

External links

* * American film directors American male screenwriters Tufts University alumni UCLA Film School alumni Filmmakers from Milwaukee Living people Writers from Milwaukee 1961 births Screenwriters from Wisconsin Film producers from Wisconsin {{US-film-director-1960s-stub