{{short description|American film producer and director|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox person | name = Lesley Chilcott | image = Lesley Chilcott on RealTVfilms.jpg | caption = Chilcott in 2009 | occupation = Film producer, Film director | years_active = 2003 - Current | notable_works = An Inconvenient Truth, Watson, Arnold | website = http://www.lesleychilcott.com/ }}
'''Lesley Chilcott''' is an American filmmaker known for her work addressing social and environmental justice, education, gender equality, and pop culture phenomena. In 2019, she directed ''Watson'', an action-adventure documentary about Sea Shepherd founder and eco-activist Paul Watson and his lifelong mission to save the oceans, which the ''Los Angeles Times'' described as “excellent and urgent,” adding that the “riveting documentary should be required viewing for all.”<ref>{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Kate |title='Watson' delivers fierce message from eco-warrior and Sea Shepherd captain |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-10-24/paul-watson-documentary-sea-shepherd |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2019-10-24 |access-date=2025-08-17}}</ref>
Chilcott produced the Academy Award–winning ''An Inconvenient Truth'' (2006), a critical and commercial success that earned the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and the Academy Award for Best Original Song.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 79th Academy Awards (2007) Nominees and Winners |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2007 |website=Oscars.org |access-date=2025-08-17}}</ref>
== Life and career ==
Chilcott was born in Bellflower, California, and developed a love for the outdoors during family trips to the Colorado River. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California and has credited both her appreciation for nature and the 1988 documentary ''Cane Toads: An Unnatural History'' with inspiring her career in filmmaking. “When I saw ''Cane Toads'', I realized this was a different genre than I’d been led to believe,” she told ''Produced By'' magazine. “Not only is this hilarious, but it’s pure craziness… and I thought, That’s what I want to do.”<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=March 2016 Cover Story: Lesley Chilcott |magazine=Produced By |publisher=Producers Guild of America |date=February 1, 2016 |url=https://issuu.com/moontidemedia/docs/pga_feb-mar16_digipub |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
Chilcott was selected as a 2025 Bellagio Center resident by the Rockefeller Foundation. She is scheduled to spend November 2025 in Italy as part of the residency, joining 13 international leaders working on solutions to major climate change challenges.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rockefeller Foundation Announces 2025 Bellagio Residents and Issues Open Call for 2026 Residencies |url=https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/news/rockefeller-foundation-announces-2025-bellagio-residents-and-issues-open-call-for-2026-residencies/ |website=Rockefeller Foundation |date=2025-06-27 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
As a director, Chilcott’s films include ''Watson'' (2019), which won the Zelda Penzel Giving Voice to the Voiceless Award at the Hamptons International Film Festival and Best Feature Film at the International Wildlife Film Festival;<ref>{{Cite web |title=HIFF 2019 Awards |url=https://hamptonsfilmfest.org/features/2019-award-winners |website=Hamptons International Film Festival |date=2019-10-14 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=IWFF 2019 Award Winners |url=https://wildlifefilms.org/2019-festival/award-winners-2019/ |website=International Wildlife Film Festival |date=2019-04-20 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> documentary ''A Small Section of the World'' (2014);<ref>{{Cite news |title='A Small Section of the World': Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/a-small-section-world-film-review-758137/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=2014-12-18 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> and documentary ''CodeGirl'' (2015), the first feature film to premiere exclusively on YouTube before moving to theaters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Kate |title=Review: 'CodeGirl': Documentary looks at bridging the tech gender gap, one app at a time |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/movies/la-et-mn-codegirl-review-20151101-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2015-11-01 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> Selected for the American Film Showcase,<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Film Showcase – Films |url=https://americanfilmshowcase.com/codegirl/ |website=American Film Showcase |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> the documentary follows an annual competition in which teenage girls from around the world design an app to solve a problem in their community. Her television work includes Netflix’s three-part docuseries ''Arnold'' (2023), which examines the life and career of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Roeper |first=Richard |title='Arnold' doc tells Schwarzenegger's amazing story in three acts |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2023/6/6/23748822/arnold-review-netflix-schwarzenegger-documentary |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=2023-06-06 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> and the six-part MGM+ series ''Helter Skelter: An American Myth'' (2020), which explored the decades-long cultural fascination with Charles Manson.<ref>{{Cite news |last=LaSalle |first=Mick |title=Review: 'Helter Skelter' a brilliant dive into Manson and the dark side of '60s counterculture |url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/review-helter-skelter-a-brilliant-dive-into-manson-and-the-dark-side-of-60s-counterculture |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=2020-07-22 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
Chilcott’s directing is marked by immersive storytelling that blends journalistic depth with a strong cinematic style. Writing about ''Helter Skelter: An American Myth'', ''San Francisco Chronicle'' critic Mick LaSalle noted that she “visually and sonically … locks us in this 1969 world,” using archival broadcasts, period footage, and ambient sound in place of narration, and called the series “artful and extraordinary… documentary filmmaking at its best.”<ref>{{Cite news |last=LaSalle |first=Mick |title=Review: 'Helter Skelter' a brilliant dive into Manson and the dark side of '60s counterculture |url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/review-helter-skelter-a-brilliant-dive-into-manson-and-the-dark-side-of-60s-counterculture |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=2020-07-22 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
Similarly, Kate Walsh of the ''Los Angeles Times'', reviewing ''Watson'' (2019), described its “fierce, urgent” tone and its ability to immerse audiences in the activist’s struggle, highlighting Chilcott’s use of her subjects’ voices and intense visuals to create a sense of immediacy. This approach—allowing characters to speak for themselves while anchoring stories in rigorous research—has become a hallmark of her filmmaking.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Kate |title='Watson' delivers fierce message from eco-warrior and Sea Shepherd captain |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-10-24/paul-watson-documentary-sea-shepherd |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2019-10-24 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
Chilcott served as executive producer of Hulu’s three-part series ''Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer'' (2024), about Dr. Ann Burgess, the architect of the FBI’s “mindhunter” method, which earned a 2025 News & Documentary Emmy nomination for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer |url=https://press.hulu.com/shows/mastermind-to-think-like-a-killer/ |website=Hulu Press |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=46th News & Documentary Emmy Awards – Nominees (PDF) |url=https://theemmys.tv/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/46th-Annual-News-Documentary-Emmy-Awards_Nominees_with-namers_2025-07-01-3.pdf |website=The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |date=2025-07-01 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> She also executive produced the four-part series ''Amityville: An Origin Story'' (2023) for MGM+.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rice |first=Lynette |title='Hoodlum' TV Remake & 'The Emperor of Ocean Park' Adaptation From John Wells Leads MGM+ Development Slate |url=https://deadline.com/2023/01/mgm-tv-development-slate-hoodlum-the-emperor-of-ocean-park-1235215010/ |work=Deadline |date=2023-01-10 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
Chilcott produced the education documentary ''Waiting for "Superman"'' (2010), which earned her the Producers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PGA Awards Winners 2011 |url=https://producersguild.org/page/awards-2011 |website=Producers Guild of America |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> Her other producing credits include the Academy Award–winning ''An Inconvenient Truth'' (2006);<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 79th Academy Awards (2007) Nominees and Winners |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2007 |website=Oscars.org |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> the cult rock documentary ''It Might Get Loud'' (2008), which profiles guitarists The Edge, Jimmy Page, and Jack White;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Renner |first=Brian D. |title=It Might Get Loud (2009) |url=https://www.movieinsider.com/m5641/it-might-get-loud |website=Movie Insider |date=2009-11-26 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> and ''An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power'' (2017), which continued former Vice President Al Gore’s campaign to address climate change.<ref>{{Cite web |title=An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/an_inconvenient_sequel_truth_to_power |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref> Her films have screened at major festivals including the Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, and Berlin film festivals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sundance Institute – Film Archive |url=https://festival.sundance.org/program/#film-content |website=Sundance.org |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
She is currently directing ''Howling'', a documentary examining the clash between old and new ideals in the American West through the lens of one of its most misunderstood animals: the wolf.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Campfire Studios Announces 'Howling' |url=https://deadline.com/2025/05/campfire-studios-howling-lesley-chilcott-documentary-123456789/ |website=Deadline |date=2025-05-15 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
==Filmography== {{BLP sources section|date=July 2023}} '''Feature Films:''' * ''An Inconvenient Truth'' (2006) * ''It Might Get Loud'' (2008) * ''Waiting for “Superman”'' (2010) * ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3225948/ Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird]'' (2013) * ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3906440/ A Small Section of the World]'' (2014) * ''CodeGirl'' (2015) * ''An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power'' (2017) * ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10214220/ Maxima]'' (2019) * ''Watson'' (2019) * ''Howling (Status: In Production)''
'''Television Series:''' * ''Helter Skelter: An American Myth'' (2020)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/review-helter-skelter-a-brilliant-dive-into-manson-and-the-dark-side-of-60s-counter-culture/amp | title=Review: 'Helter Skelter' a brilliant dive into Manson and the dark side of '60s counterculture | Datebook }}</ref> * ''Amityville: An Origin Story'' (2022)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nytimes.pressreader.com/the-new-york-times | title=The New York Times Replica Edition }}</ref> * ''Arnold'' (2023)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-arnold-schwarzenegger-documentary-trailer-1235483315/| title=Netflix Releases Arnold Schwarzenegger Documentary Trailer, The Hollywood Reporter | website=The Hollywood Reporter | date=10 May 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-05 |title='Schwarzenegger Jokes That He's Going to Live Forever': The Story Behind Netflix's 'Arnold' |url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a44075563/netflix-arnold-interview/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Esquire |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=D Kumar |date=2023-06-05 |title=Arnold: A must-watch documentary series on the life of a living legend |url=https://showsnob.com/2023/06/05/arnold-documentary-series-on-life-of-living-legend/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Show Snob |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Guest |date=2023-06-05 |title=Review: 'Arnold' Documentary on Netflix |url=https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/review-arnold-documentary-on-netflix/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The Cosmic Circus |language=en-US}}</ref> * ''Mastermind (2024)''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=BreAnna |date=2023-04-28 |title=Hulu Announces 'Mastermind' Documentary from Campfire Studios and Dakota and Elle Fanning's Lewellen Pictures |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/hulu-mastermind-documentary-campfire-studios-dakota-elle-fanning-lewellen-pictures-1235598045/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|2026261}} *{{Twitter}} * [https://www.instagram.com/lesleychilcott/ Lesley Chilcott on Instagram]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chilcott, Lesley}} Category:Living people Category:American documentary film directors Category:American documentary film producers Category:American women documentary filmmakers Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American women