Paul Haggis

Writing

Paul Haggis

Born 1953-03-10 · London, Ontario, Canada

Haggis began to work as a writer for television programs, including The Love Boat, One Day at a Time, Diff'rent Strokes, and The Facts of Life. With The Facts of Life, Haggis also gained his first credit as producer. During the 1980s and 1990s, Haggis wrote for television series including thirtysomething, The Tracey Ullman Show, FM, Due South, L.A. Law, and EZ Streets. He helped to create the television series Walker, Texas Ranger; Family Law; and Due South. Haggis served as executive producer of the series Michael Hayes and Family Law. He gained recognition in the film industry for his work on the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby, which Allmovie described as a "serious milestone" for the writer/producer, and as "his first high-profile foray into feature film". Haggis had read two stories written by Jerry Boyd, a boxing trainer who wrote under the name of F.X. Toole. Haggis later acquired the rights to the stories, and developed them into the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby. Clint Eastwood portrayed the lead character in the film. Eastwood also directed the film, and used the screenplay written by Haggis. Million Dollar Baby received four Academy Awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture. After Million Dollar Baby, Haggis worked on the 2004 film Crash. Haggis came up with the story for the film on his own, and then wrote and directed the film, which allowed him greater control over his work. Crash was his first experience as director of a major feature film. Highly positive upon release, critical reception of Crash has since polarized, although Roger Ebert called it the best film of 2005. Crash received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, in addition to four other Academy Award nominations. Haggis received two Academy Awards for the film: Best Picture (as its producer), and Best Writing for his work on the screenplay. With Million Dollar Baby and then Crash, Haggis became the first individual to have written Best Picture Oscar-winners in two consecutive years. Haggis said that he wrote Crash to "bust liberals", arguing that his fellow liberals were not honest with themselves about the nature of race and racism because they believed that most racial problems had already been resolved in American society.

Acting credits

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief poster
7.6

The film profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, shining a light on how they attract true believers and the things they do in the name of religion.

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

2015

Casting By poster
6.9

This essential new documentary pays tribute to the legacy of the late, legendary casting director Marion Dougherty and shines a light on one of the most overlooked and least understood crafts in filmmaking.

Casting By

2012

Becoming Bond poster
6.0

A documentary which shows the creation of Casino Royale (2006).

Becoming Bond

2006

The Evolution of Clint Eastwood poster
7.0

Follow Eastwood's career from television star to matinee idol to Oscar-winning director in this wide-ranging documentary.

The Evolution of Clint Eastwood

2008

Miss Representation poster
6.9

The film MISS REPRESENTATION exposes how American youth are being sold the concept that women and girls’ value lies in their youth, beauty and sexuality. Explores the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America, and challenges the media's limited portrayal of what it means to be a powerful woman. It’s time to break that cycle of mistruths.

Miss Representation

2011

The Business End: Violence in Cinema poster
8.0

An unflinching look at the ongoing debate on violence in movies and its effect on the audience.

The Business End: Violence in Cinema

2008

Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of 'Letters from Iwo Jima' poster
NR

Documentary on the making of Clint Eastwood's film 'Letters from Iwo Jima'.

Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of 'Letters from Iwo Jima'

2007

MLE poster
3.0

MLE ('My Little Eye') is based on a true story - Julie Robert, (nope, not Julia Roberts, as she corrects on a daily basis) is a broke actor who just lost her only gig. Stranded in a new country with her trouble-making friend Camila, and struggling to find a sane new agent, Julie finds herself taking on spy work from a strange family. What seems fun at first turns life belly-up for Julie (spy name, Emily) - the awkward, amateur spy.

MLE

2015

No artwork available
2.0

Documentary about the Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles.

Mulholland Drive - Ein Hollywood-Mythos

2010

The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Paul Haggis poster
NR

Oscar-winning writer, director and producer Paul Haggis (Crash) reflects on his remarkable journey from television to feature film in this lively conversation conducted in the same spirit as "Inside the Actors Studio." The program is part of a series of in-depth talks between industry professionals and more than two dozen successful screenwriters, who candidly discuss their careers and their varied approaches to the writing craft.

The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Paul Haggis

2006

The Road to Casino Royale poster
NR

Documentary that traces the tangled rights to Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale," the first James Bond story, which took over a half century to reach the screen in recognizable form.

The Road to Casino Royale

2008

No artwork available
8.0

The producers of 'Mystic River' discuss the film's origins and development.

The Producers: Round 15

2005

Ian Fleming's Incredible Creation poster
NR

A documentary about Ian Fleming.

Ian Fleming's Incredible Creation

2008

Behind the camera

Casino Royale poster
7.6

Le Chiffre, a banker to the world's terrorists, is scheduled to participate in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro, where he intends to use his winnings to establish his financial grip on the terrorist market. M sends Bond—on his maiden mission as a 00 Agent—to attend this game and prevent Le Chiffre from winning. With the help of Vesper Lynd and Felix Leiter, Bond enters the most important poker game in his already dangerous career.

Casino Royale

2006

Million Dollar Baby poster
8.0

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

Million Dollar Baby

2004

Million Dollar Baby poster
8.0

Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald to enter his life. But Maggie's determined to go pro and to convince Dunn and his cohort to help her.

Million Dollar Baby

2004

Letters from Iwo Jima poster
7.5

The story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it.

Letters from Iwo Jima

2006

Crash poster
7.2

In post-Sept. 11 Los Angeles, tensions erupt when the lives of a Brentwood housewife, her district attorney husband, a Persian shopkeeper, two cops, a pair of carjackers and a Korean couple converge during a 36-hour period.

Crash

2005

Crash poster
7.2

In post-Sept. 11 Los Angeles, tensions erupt when the lives of a Brentwood housewife, her district attorney husband, a Persian shopkeeper, two cops, a pair of carjackers and a Korean couple converge during a 36-hour period.

Crash

2005

Crash poster
7.2

In post-Sept. 11 Los Angeles, tensions erupt when the lives of a Brentwood housewife, her district attorney husband, a Persian shopkeeper, two cops, a pair of carjackers and a Korean couple converge during a 36-hour period.

Crash

2005

Quantum of Solace poster
6.3

Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M interrogate Mr. White, who reveals that the organization that blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

Quantum of Solace

2008

The Next Three Days poster
7.1

Life seems perfect for John Brennan until his wife, Lara, is arrested for a murder she says she didn’t commit. Three years into her sentence, John is struggling to hold his family together, raising their son and teaching at college while he pursues every means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their final appeal, Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible, bearable solution: to break his wife out of prison.

The Next Three Days

2010

The Next Three Days poster
7.1

Life seems perfect for John Brennan until his wife, Lara, is arrested for a murder she says she didn’t commit. Three years into her sentence, John is struggling to hold his family together, raising their son and teaching at college while he pursues every means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their final appeal, Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible, bearable solution: to break his wife out of prison.

The Next Three Days

2010

The Next Three Days poster
7.1

Life seems perfect for John Brennan until his wife, Lara, is arrested for a murder she says she didn’t commit. Three years into her sentence, John is struggling to hold his family together, raising their son and teaching at college while he pursues every means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their final appeal, Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible, bearable solution: to break his wife out of prison.

The Next Three Days

2010

In the Valley of Elah poster
6.8

A career officer and his wife work with a police detective to uncover the truth behind their son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.

In the Valley of Elah

2007

In the Valley of Elah poster
6.8

A career officer and his wife work with a police detective to uncover the truth behind their son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.

In the Valley of Elah

2007

In the Valley of Elah poster
6.8

A career officer and his wife work with a police detective to uncover the truth behind their son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.

In the Valley of Elah

2007

Flags of Our Fathers poster
6.9

There were five Marines and one Navy Corpsman photographed raising the U.S. flag on Mt. Suribachi by Joe Rosenthal on February 23, 1945. This is the story of three of the six surviving servicemen - John 'Doc' Bradley, Pvt. Rene Gagnon and Pvt. Ira Hayes - who fought in the battle to take Iwo Jima from the Japanese.

Flags of Our Fathers

2006

Third Person poster
5.9

An acclaimed novelist struggles to write an analysis of love in one of three stories, each set in a different city, that detail the beginning, middle and end of a relationship.

Third Person

2014

Third Person poster
5.9

An acclaimed novelist struggles to write an analysis of love in one of three stories, each set in a different city, that detail the beginning, middle and end of a relationship.

Third Person

2014

Third Person poster
5.9

An acclaimed novelist struggles to write an analysis of love in one of three stories, each set in a different city, that detail the beginning, middle and end of a relationship.

Third Person

2014

The Last Kiss poster
6.1

Michael has a great job, has his 4 best friends, and is in love with a beautiful girl at 30. He loves Jenna but his life seems predictable until someone else enters his life. It seems that everybody's having relationship problems.

The Last Kiss

2006

Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire poster
6.4

Walker investigates a murder connected with a missing government weapon. In addition, he tries to track down a teen on the run from a crime syndicate.

Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire

2005

Red Hot poster
6.0

In 1959, a young Soviet musician risks everything to pursue his newfound love of American rock 'n' roll.

Red Hot

1993

Red Hot poster
6.0

In 1959, a young Soviet musician risks everything to pursue his newfound love of American rock 'n' roll.

Red Hot

1993

Due South poster
8.7

The movie that the TV series was spun off from. When a legendary Canadian Mountie is murdered, his son (and fellow RCMP) Constable Benton Fraser follows the trail of his killers to Chicago, where he teams up with a local cop to bring them to justice. However, he soon finds that the trail leads closer to home than he ever imagined.

Due South

1994

The Return of the Shaggy Dog poster
3.9

The Return of the Shaggy Dog is a 1987 two-part television movie midquel to the 1959 feature film, The Shaggy Dog, set before the events of The Shaggy D.A..

The Return of the Shaggy Dog

1987