Peter Hedges

{{infobox writer | name = Peter Hedges | birth_name = Peter Simpson Hedges | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|7|6}} | birth_place = [[West Des Moines, Iowa]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = {{flatlist| * Novelist * playwright * screenwriter * film director * film producer }} | education = [[University of North Carolina School of the Arts]] ([[Bachelor of Fine Arts|BFA]]) | period = 1984–present | notableworks = ''What's Eating Gilbert Grape'' (novel, 1991)<br />''[[Dan in Real Life]]'' (film, 2007) | spouse = {{marriage|Susan Bruce Titman|1993}}<ref name=ntd>{{cite web |title=WEDDINGS; Susan B. Titman, Peter S. Hedges (Published 1993) |website=[[The New York Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230711024609/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/06/style/weddings-susan-b-titman-peter-s-hedges.html |archive-date=2023-07-11 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/06/style/weddings-susan-b-titman-peter-s-hedges.html}}</ref> | children = 2, including [[Lucas Hedges|Lucas]] | website = {{URL|http://peterhedgeswriter.com/ph/}} }} '''Peter Simpson Hedges''' (born July 6, 1962) is an American [[novelist]], [[playwright]], [[screenwriter]], [[film director]] and [[film producer]].

==Early life == Hedges was born in [[West Des Moines, Iowa]], where he was raised, the son of Carole (Simpson), a psychotherapist, and the Rev. Robert Boyden Hedges, an Episcopal priest.<ref name=ntd/><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/desmoinesregister/obituary.aspx?pid=169861522| title = Robert Hedges Obituary (1925 - 2014) - San Angelo, IA - the Des Moines Register| website = [[Legacy.com]]}}</ref> His mother left when he was young so he was raised by his single father. He attended [[Valley High School (West Des Moines, Iowa)|Valley High School]], where he was involved in the theater department, including the [[improvisational theatre|improvisational]] group and the [[Mime artist|mime]] troupe, [[Valley High School (West Des Moines, Iowa)|The Bakers Dozen]]. He later went to the [[University of North Carolina School of the Arts|North Carolina School of the Arts]], where he studied drama.

== Career == Hedges' novel ''What's Eating Gilbert Grape'' was adapted into a critically acclaimed [[What's Eating Gilbert Grape|movie of the same title]], for which he wrote the screenplay, launching his film career.

In 2002, he was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay]] for ''[[About a Boy (film)|About a Boy]]'', alongside [[Chris Weitz|Chris]] and [[Paul Weitz (filmmaker)|Paul Weitz]]. In the same year, he wrote and directed ''[[Pieces of April]]'', starring [[Katie Holmes]], which he dedicated to his mother.

In 2007, he co-wrote and directed ''[[Dan in Real Life]]''.

He wrote and directed ''[[The Odd Life of Timothy Green]]'' (2012), a film conceived by [[Ahmet Zappa]], produced by Zappa and [[Scott Sanders (producer)|Scott Sanders]], and released by [[Walt Disney Pictures]].<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE55A0MB20090611 Borys Kit, "Hedges on tap for Zappa's 'Odd' movie idea," Reuters.com]</ref> In 2018, he wrote and directed the drama ''[[Ben Is Back]]'', about drug addiction, starring his son [[Lucas Hedges]], and [[Julia Roberts]].

His latest novel ''The Heights'' was published March 4, 2010 by Dutton.

== Personal life == His wife is Susan Bruce (Titman), a poet. They have two sons; Simon, who works in private equity<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gregory |first=Alice |date=2019-02-19 |title=Lucas Hedges Is Hollywood's "Good Egg |url=https://www.gq.com/story/lucas-hedges-is-here-cover-profile |access-date=2025-05-25 |website=GQ |language=en-US}}</ref> in New York, and actor [[Lucas Hedges]].

==Filmography== '''Film''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director ! Writer ! Producer |- | 1993 | ''[[What's Eating Gilbert Grape]]'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |- | 1999 | ''[[A Map of the World (film)|A Map of the World]]'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |- | 2002 | ''[[About a Boy (film)|About a Boy]]'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |- | 2003 | ''[[Pieces of April]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |- | 2007 | ''[[Dan in Real Life]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |- | 2012 | ''[[The Odd Life of Timothy Green]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |- | 2018 | ''[[Ben Is Back]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |- | 2021 | ''[[The Same Storm]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} |}

'''Television''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director ! Writer ! Consulting<br>Producer ! Notes |- | 2021 | ''[[Ordinary Joe]]'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Episode "The Letter" |}

==Plays== * ''Oregon'' (1984) * ''Champions of the Average Joe'' (1985) * ''The Age of Pie'' (1986) * ''Andy and Claire'' (1986) * ''Teddy by the Sea'' (1986) * ''Imagining Brad'' (1988) * ''Baby Anger'' (1993) * ''What's Eating Gilbert Grape (''Musical'')'' (2024)

==Novels== * ''What's Eating Gilbert Grape'' (1991) * ''An Ocean in Iowa'' (1998) * ''The Heights'' (2010)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|373282}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hedges, Peter}} [[Category:1962 births]] [[Category:20th-century American novelists]] [[Category:21st-century American novelists]] [[Category:American male novelists]] [[Category:American male screenwriters]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Writers from Des Moines, Iowa]] [[Category:University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni]] [[Category:20th-century American male writers]] [[Category:21st-century American male writers]] [[Category:Novelists from Iowa]] [[Category:Film directors from Iowa]] [[Category:Screenwriters from Iowa]]