Dana Fox

Dana Fox
Born (1976-09-18) September 18, 1976 (age 48)
Brighton, New York, United States
OccupationScreenwriter
Alma materStanford University
Notable worksWhat Happens in Vegas (2008)
Spouse
Quinn Emmett
(m. 2010)

Dana Fox (born September 18, 1976) is an American screenwriter. She is best known as the writer of The Wedding Date (2005), What Happens in Vegas (2008), and the television comedy series Ben and Kate (2012–13).

Career

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Fox graduated from Stanford University in 1998 with a degree in English and art history,[1] and went on to attend the University of Southern California (USC), where she took part in the USC School of Cinematic Arts' Peter Stark Producing Program and graduated in 2000.[2] She had originally intended to become a film producer, but when assigned a homework task at USC to write a 30-page screenplay, she found that she enjoyed writing more and decided to become a screenwriter instead.[1] She became an assistant to writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar while they were creating the Superman television series Smallville, and later worked for writer-director John August.[3]

While represented by Gough and Millar's agent, established screenwriter Jessica Bendinger sought after an unpublished writer who would work inexpensively on a screenplay. Fox had not yet written a sample screenplay, but Bendinger was so impressed with her ideas for the story that Fox was hired to write the script. The produced film was The Wedding Date, which ultimately was panned by critics but a financial success.[1] After The Wedding Date's release, she was attached to three separate writing projects.[1] Her next produced screenplay was What Happens in Vegas, which was bought by 20th Century Fox in a high six-figure deal for the script's first draft, and which stars Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher.[3] After What Happens in Vegas was bought, Fox performed rewrites on 27 Dresses (2008) and Knight and Day (2010), and was named one of Variety magazine's "10 Screenwriters to Watch" of 2007.[3]

In 2012, Fox developed a half hour comedy for FOX based loosely on her older brother. The show, Ben and Kate, premiered on September 25, 2012.

Fox is good friends with fellow writers Diablo Cody (Juno), Lorene Scafaria (Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist), and Liz Meriwether (No Strings Attached) with whom she collaborates in a writing group they call the "Fempire".[4] In 2012, Fox and the "Fempire" received the Athena Film Festival Award for Creativity and Sisterhood.[5]

Personal life

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Fox was born in Brighton, New York, and lives in Los Angeles, California. Fox married Quinn Emmett on October 23, 2010 at Historic Jamestowne in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Writer Producer Notes
2005 The Wedding Date Yes No
2008 What Happens in Vegas Yes No
2009 Couples Retreat Yes No Co-wrote with Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn
2015 Hot Pursuit No Yes
2016 How to Be Single Yes Yes Co-wrote screenplay with Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein
2019 Isn't It Romantic Yes No Co-wrote screenplay with Erin Cardillo and Katie Silberman
2021 Cruella Yes No Co-wrote screenplay with Tony McNamara
2022 The Lost City Yes Yes Co-wrote screenplay with Oren Uziel, Aaron Nee and Adam Nee
2024 Fly Me to the Moon uncredited No Additional Literary Material[6]
Wicked Yes No Co-wrote screenplay with Winnie Holzman
2025 Back in Action uncredited No Additional Literary Material[6]
Wicked Part Two Yes No Co-wrote screenplay with Winnie Holzman

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2010 Children's Hospital Writer Episode: "Show Me on Montana"
2012–13 Ben and Kate Creator
Writer
2020–present Home Before Dark Creator
Writer

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Jesse Oxfeld (2005). "Screen Player". Stanford Magazine. Stanford University. Archived from the original on 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  2. ^ "Alum Dana Fox News". USC School of Cinematic Arts. May 30, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  3. ^ a b c Sharon Swart (June 21, 2007). "10 Screenwriters to Watch: Dana Fox". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  4. ^ Kelly, Kevin (September 2008). "Lorene Scafaria Interview, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Toronto 2008". Spout.com. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  5. ^ The Athena Film Festival: http://athenafilmfestival.com
  6. ^ a b https://directories.wga.org/member/danafox/
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