CALLIE KHOURI
Date of Birth: 1958
Though writer-director Callie Khouri was born in Texas, she was raised in
Kentucky by her father, a doctor, and mother. While attending Purdue
University to study landscape architecture, she switched her major to
drama. After college, Khouri moved to Nashville to be with her family before
heading to Los Angeles in 1982 to study at the Strasburg Institute, and
later with Peggy Fuery.
In 1985, she began working in film production as a receptionist before
taking a position with them as a commercial and music video production
assistant. While holding down her office job, she began work on what would
eventually become Thelma & Louise (1991), writing the script in longhand at
home and then retyping it on the job.
Her script was produced and released in 1991 sparking nationwide debate over
the characters and events in the film, as well as earning her an Academy
Award for Best Screenplay. Thelma & Louise also garnered Khouri honours from
the Writers Guild of America for Best Original Screenplay, a Golden Globe
Award, a PEN Literary Award and she was nominated for Best Original
Screenplay by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Khouri's second picture was Something to Talk About (1995), starring Julia
Roberts, Dennis Quaid, Gena Rowlands and Robert Duvall. A slight
disappointment, the film had mediocre reviews from critics looking for
another Thelma & Louise-calibre film and viewers gave little notice. In
2001 she decided to take the reins for the first time and made her directing
debut with her script, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002).
Khouri currently serves on Board of Directors of the Writers Guild and
resides in the Los Angeles area with her writer/producer husband, David
Warfield.
Filmography (director):
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
Filmography (writer):
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
Something to Talk About (1995)
Thelma & Louise (1991)