{{Short description|American film director and producer (born 1970)}}
{{Infobox person | name = Liza Johnson | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|12|13}} | birth_place = Portsmouth, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = Williams College | occupation = Film director, producer, writer | years_active = 1997–present | spouse = | partner = | website = }}
'''Liza Johnson''' (born December 13, 1970) is an American film director, producer, and writer.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/1073861%7C0/Liza-Johnson/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508210930/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/1073861%7C0/Liza-Johnson/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 8, 2016 |title=Liza Johnson Biography |work=Turner Classic Movies |access-date=28 April 2016}}</ref>
==Biography== Johnson was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Director Liza Johnson helped bring life to iconic images of ‘Elvis & Nixon’ |url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/entertainment/movies/features/director-liza-johnson-helped-bring-life-to-iconic-images-of-elvis--nixon-30da4be6-ada8-14c6-e053-010-376450671.html |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=www.commercialappeal.com |language=en}}</ref> She attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, graduating with a B.A. in Visual Arts in 1992.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Williams College Prof. Liza Johnson’s Film “In the Air” Premieres at Berlin Film Festival |url=https://today.williams.edu/announcements/williams-college-prof-liza-johnsons-film-in-the-air-premieres-at-berlin-film-festival/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Today |language=en-US}}</ref> She then went to the University of California, San Diego, where she received her MFA<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liza Johnson |url=https://www.tft.ucla.edu/faculty/liza-johnson/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television |language=en-US}}</ref> in 1995.<ref name=":0" />
Her narrative films and experimental videos<ref>{{Cite web |last=STAFF |first=Chris Bergeron/DAILY NEWS |title=DeCordova announces $25K Rappaport Prize winner |url=https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/news/2010/10/06/decordova-announces-25k-rappaport-prize/41207591007/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=MetroWest Daily News |language=en-US}}</ref> have screened in Berlin,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Variety |date=2015-02-05 |title=Berlin’s Top Buzz Titles |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/berlins-top-buzz-titles-1201424239/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McClintock |first=Pamela |last2=Ford |first2=Rebecca |date=2015-02-04 |title=Berlin: See Kevin Spacey as Nixon in First ‘Elvis & Nixon’ Photo (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/berlin-elvis-nixon-kevin-spacey-770118/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-03-06 |title=Williams prof’s film premieres at Berlin Film Fest |url=https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/williams-prof-s-film-premieres-at-berlin-film-fest/article_7684ff7d-9782-51f0-8688-88cba3fde0a6.html |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Bennington Banner |language=en}}</ref> Rotterdam Film Festival,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Macaulay |first=Scott |date=2009-08-01 |title=A FILMMAKER’S GLAMOROUS LIFE: LIZA JOHNSON |url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/4291-a-filmmakers-glamorous-life-liza-johnson/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Filmmaker Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> at the Cannes Film Festival,<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Todd |date=2011-05-14 |title=Return: Cannes Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/return-cannes-review-188453/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> and many other international festivals<ref name=":1" />, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peetz |first=John Arthur |date=2012-02-09 |title=Liza Johnson |url=https://www.artforum.com/columns/liza-johnson-discusses-return-199485/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Artforum |language=en-US}}</ref> and other fine arts venues.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Giuliano |first=Charles |title=MASS MoCA’s Timely Reboot - Charles Giuliano - Berkshire Fine Arts |url=https://berkshirefinearts.com/04-07-2013_mass-moca-s-timely-reboot.htm |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=berkshirefinearts.com}}</ref>
Her video installations have been shown in Artists Space in New York,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Four Promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure |url=https://today.williams.edu/announcements/four-promoted-to-associate-professor-with-tenure/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Today |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Artists |url=https://artistsspace.org/artists |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=artistsspace.org |language=en}}</ref> the Institute of Contemportary Art (ICA) in Philadelphia,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phil |date=2013-08-30 |title=Framing Exposure: Process and Politics - ICA Philadelphia |url=https://icaphila.org/exhibitions/framing-exposure-process-and-politics/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Institute of Contemporary Art - Philadelphia, PA |language=en-US}}</ref> Cineboords in Rotterdam,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liza Johnson |url=https://howlround.com/commons/liza-johnson-0 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=HowlRound Theatre Commons |language=en}}</ref> Mass MoCA<ref name=":4" /> and WCMA in Massachusetts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Williams College Museum of Art Presents Liza Johnson: if then maybe |url=https://today.williams.edu/announcements/williams-college-museum-of-art-presents-liza-johnson-if-then-maybe/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Today |language=en-US}}</ref>
Johnson has also published academic<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last=Johnson |first=Liza |year=2004 |title=Perverse Angle: Feminist Film, Queer Film, Shame |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/422236 |journal=Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society |publisher=University of Chicago Press |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=1361–1384 |doi=10.1086/422236}}</ref> and critical writing on art<ref>{{Cite web |title=e-flux journal issue 58: Quasi-Events - Announcements |url=https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/107298/e-flux-journal-issue-58-quasi-events |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=e-flux |language=en}}</ref> and film,<ref name=":7" /> and has curated a number of museum exhibitions and festival programs, including a Mix NYC Queer Experimental Film and Video Festival at Anthology Film Archives and ''Through Afghan Eyes: Culture in Conflict 1987-1992'' at the Asia Society Museum in New York City.<ref name=":0" />
Along with her collection of short films, Johnson has directed five feature films, including ''Return'' (2011) starring Linda Candellini,<ref name=":3" /> ''Hateship, Loveship'' (2013), ''Elvis & Nixon'' (2016), and ''Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie'' (2024).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liza Johnson {{!}} Director, Producer, Writer |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1637785/?ref_=tt_ov_dr_1 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2025, Netflix released Shondaland's ''The Residence'', of which Johnson served as director for the first four episodes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2023-02-27 |title=Shondaland Netflix Series 'The Residence' Adds 11 to Cast, Including Andre Braugher, Jason Lee, Bronson Pinchot, Susan Kelechi Watson |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/shondaland-netflix-series-the-residence-cast-andre-braugher-jason-lee-susan-kelechi-watson-bronson-pinchot-1235536991/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> That year, Johnson also directed ''The Diplomat'' on Netflix.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />
== Awards and honors == In 2010, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum awarded Liza Johnson<ref>{{Cite web |title=DeCordova names Orly Genger as Rappaport winner - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-art/2011/10/13/decordova-names-orly-genger-rappaport-winner/SJ7tyZLWDwYebzdFzjXtrM/story.html |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=BostonGlobe.com |language=en-US}}</ref> the $25,000 Rappaport Prize, awarded to a contemporary artist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=STAFF |first=Chris Bergeron/DAILY NEWS |title=DeCordova announces $25K Rappaport Prize winner |url=https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/story/news/2010/10/06/decordova-announces-25k-rappaport-prize/41207591007/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=MetroWest Daily News |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2011, Johnson's film, ''Return'', starring Linda Cardellini, was selected for the Director's Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival, the only American film to be honored at the Director's Fortnight that year.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Sanchez |first=John |date=2012-02-15 |title=Director Liza Johnson On Her Feature Debut, Return, Starring Linda Cardellini |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/liza-johnson-return_b_1267489 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref>
In 2026, Johnson was nominated for the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award for Outstanding Achievement in a Dramatic Series for her work directing the Netflix show ''The Diplomat''.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=2026-01-07 |title=‘The Pitt,’ ‘The Bear,’ ‘SNL50’ Lead DGA Awards 2026 TV Nominations |url=https://variety.com/2026/tv/awards/dga-awards-2026-tv-nominations-the-pitt-bear-snl50-1236625461/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Hilary |date=2026-01-07 |title=Directors Guild Awards TV, Documentary, Commercial Nominations: ‘The Pitt’ and ‘The Bear’ Land Two Nods Each |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/2026-directors-guild-tv-documentary-nominations-1236466645/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US|last2=Verhoeven|first2=Beatrice}}</ref>
== Filmography == '''Short film''' * ''Giftwrap'' (1998) * ''Falling'' (2004) * ''Desert Motel'' (2005) * ''South of Ten'' (2006) (Documentary short) * ''In the Air'' (2009) * ''Karrabing! Low Tide Turning'' (2012)
'''Feature film''' * ''Fernweh – The Opposite of Homesick'' (2000) * ''Return'' (2011) * ''Hateship, Loveship'' (2013) * ''Elvis & Nixon'' (2016) * ''Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie'' (2024)
'''Television''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Notes |- | 2015 || ''Good Girls Revolt'' || Episode "Pilot" |- | rowspan="2" | 2017 || ''Feud'' || Episode "More, or Less" |- |''American Horror Story'' || Episode "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" |- | 2018 || ''American Woman'' || Episode "The Heat Wave" |- | rowspan="4" | 2019 || ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' || 2 episodes |- |''Barry''|| Episode "What?!" |- |''Sneaky Pete'' |Episode "The Mask Drop" |- |''Silicon Valley'' |2 episodes |- |rowspan=2|2020 |''What We Do in the Shadows'' |Episode "The Curse" |- |''Dead to Me'' |2 episodes |- |rowspan=2|2021 |''Physical'' |3 episodes |- |''The Sex Lives of College Girls'' |Episode "The Truth" |- |2023 |''The Last of Us'' |Episode "Left Behind" |- |2023-present |''The Diplomat'' |4 episodes |- |2024 |''The Franchise'' |2 episodes |- |2025 |''The Residence'' |4 episodes |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website |https://lizajohnson.wordpress.com/bio/}} * {{IMDb name | id=1637785}}
{{Liza Johnson}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Liza}} Category:1970 births Category:American women film directors Category:Living people Category:Williams College alumni Category:Film directors from Ohio Category:People from Portsmouth, Ohio Category:21st-century American women