Jessie Nelson (filmmaker)

Jessie Nelson is an American film producer, director, and writer.

Jessie Nelson
EducationUniversity of California Santa Cruz
OccupationFilm director, screenwriter
Spouse(s)Bryan Gordon
ChildrenMolly Gordon

Career

Nelson began her career acting with the theater group Mabou Mines at the Public Theater in New York and she went on to perform in Shakespeare In The Park.

Nelson began her directing career with the award-winning short film To The Moon, Alice (1990), which she also wrote. The film starred Chris Cooper.[1][2] The film was part of a television program for Showtime titled The Showtime 30-Minute Movie.[3]

Her first feature film was Corrina, Corrina (1994) which she wrote, directed, and produced. It starred Whoopi Goldberg and Ray Liotta. The film was suggested by her life.[4][5] She went on to write, direct, and produce I Am Sam (2001) starring Sean Penn.[6]

She received the first Stanley Kramer Award from the Producers Guild for I Am Sam in 2002. [7]

Her most recent film is Love the Coopers (2015), starring a large ensemble cast, including Diane Keaton, John Goodman, and Alan Arkin.

She co-wrote Stepmom (1998) and The Story of Us (1999), and co-wrote and produced Because I Said So and produced Fred Claus based on a bedtime story she would tell her daughter. In 2014 she produced Danny Collins which starred Al Pacino and Annette Bening.

She wrote the Broadway musical adaptation of the movie Waitress with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, directed by Diane Paulus, which premiered on Broadway in April 2016.[8] She co-wrote and directs the musical Alice by Heart with Steven Sater and music by Duncan Sheik, which opened Off-Broadway in February 2019.[9]

Nelson co-authored the 2011 children's book Labracadabra (Penguin, 2011, ISBN 0670012513) with Karen Leigh Hopkins.

Personal life

She is married to director Bryan Gordon. They have a daughter, actress Molly Gordon.[10][11]

She is Jewish.[12]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1991 To the Moon, Alice Yes Yes No Short film
1994 Corrina, Corrina Yes Yes Yes Directorial feature debut
1998 Stepmom No Yes No
1999 The Story of Us No Yes Yes
2001 I Am Sam Yes Yes Yes
2007 Because I Said So No Yes Yes
Fred Claus No Story Yes
2015 Danny Collins No No Yes
Love the Coopers Yes No Yes
TBA Disenchanted No Yes No
Acting roles
Year Title Role
1988 Tucker: The Man and His Dream Woman on Steps
1993 So I Married an Axe Murderer Ralph
1999 The Story of Us Realtor

Television
Year Title Director Writer Executive
Producer		 Notes
1987 Daniel and the Towers No Yes No Television film
1996 Chicago Hope No Story No Episode: ''Women on the Verge''
2005 Earth to America No Yes No Television special
2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm Yes No No Episode: ''Namaste''
2020 Little Voice Yes Yes Yes 9 episodes (directed 5 episodes)
Acting roles
Year Title Role Notes
1993 The Switch Elizabeth Garland Television film
1994 Hoggs' Heaven Poet Television short film
1997 ER Bite Victim's Mother Episode: ''Ambush''

References
  1. To The Moon Alice tcm.com, retrieved May 20, 2019
  2. James, Caryn. "Review/Film; 2 Views of the Homeless, One Aggressive, One Gentle" The New York Times, October 2, 1991
  3. Tucker, Ken. The Showtime 30-Minute Movie ew.com, August 17, 1990
  4. Dutka, Elaine. "The Making of 'Corrina' a Real Labor of Love : Movies: It took Jessie Nelson nine years to get the film made. Its story is taken from her life." Los Angeles Times, September 10, 1994
  5. Corrina, Corrina tcm.com, retrieved May 20, 2019
  6. I Am Sam tcm.com, retrieved May 20, 2019
  7. Goodridge, Sam. " 'I Am Sam' producers win Stanley Kramer PGA prize" screendaily.com, January 31, 2002
  8. Waitress Playbill (vault), retrieved May 20, 2019
  9. Rizzo, Frank. "Off Broadway Review: 'Alice by Heart'" Variety, February 26, 2019
  10. Cormier, Ryan (October 30, 2009). "'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' Delaware-style". DelawareOnline.com. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  11. Nordstrom, Leigh (March 21, 2019). "Molly Gordon, Hollywood's New Comedic Darling". WWD. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  12. "18 Things to Know About Molly Gordon". Alma. 20 May 2019.
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