# Peter Hedges > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Peter_Hedges > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Peter_Hedges.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Hedges > Source revision: 1299023986 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American novelist and director (born 1962) Peter Hedges Born Peter Simpson Hedges (1962-07-06) July 6, 1962 (age 63) West Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. Occupation Novelist playwright screenwriter film director film producer Education University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA) Period 1984–present Notable works What's Eating Gilbert Grape (novel, 1991) Dan in Real Life (film, 2007) Spouse Susan Bruce Titman ​ (m. 1993)​ [1] Children 2, including Lucas Website peterhedgeswriter.com/ph/ **Peter Simpson Hedges** (born July 6, 1962) is an American [novelist](/source/Novelist), [playwright](/source/Playwright), [screenwriter](/source/Screenwriter), [film director](/source/Film_director) and [film producer](/source/Film_producer). ## Early life Hedges was born in [West Des Moines, Iowa](/source/West_Des_Moines%2C_Iowa), where he was raised, the son of Carole (Simpson), a psychotherapist, and the Rev. Robert Boyden Hedges, an Episcopal priest.[1][2] His mother left when he was young so he was raised by his single father. He attended [Valley High School](/source/Valley_High_School_(West_Des_Moines%2C_Iowa)), where he was involved in the theater department, including the [improvisational](/source/Improvisational_theatre) group and the [mime](/source/Mime_artist) troupe, [The Bakers Dozen](/source/Valley_High_School_(West_Des_Moines%2C_Iowa)). He later went to the [North Carolina School of the Arts](/source/University_of_North_Carolina_School_of_the_Arts), where he studied drama. ## Career Hedges' novel *What's Eating Gilbert Grape* was adapted into a critically acclaimed [movie of the same title](/source/What's_Eating_Gilbert_Grape), for which he wrote the screenplay, launching his film career. In 2002, he was nominated for an [Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay](/source/Academy_Award_for_Best_Adapted_Screenplay) for *[About a Boy](/source/About_a_Boy_(film))*, alongside [Chris](/source/Chris_Weitz) and [Paul Weitz](/source/Paul_Weitz_(filmmaker)). In the same year, he wrote and directed *[Pieces of April](/source/Pieces_of_April)*, starring [Katie Holmes](/source/Katie_Holmes), which he dedicated to his mother. In 2007, he co-wrote and directed *[Dan in Real Life](/source/Dan_in_Real_Life)*. He wrote and directed *[The Odd Life of Timothy Green](/source/The_Odd_Life_of_Timothy_Green)* (2012), a film conceived by [Ahmet Zappa](/source/Ahmet_Zappa), produced by Zappa and [Scott Sanders](/source/Scott_Sanders_(producer)), and released by [Walt Disney Pictures](/source/Walt_Disney_Pictures).[3] In 2018, he wrote and directed the drama *[Ben Is Back](/source/Ben_Is_Back)*, about drug addiction, starring his son [Lucas Hedges](/source/Lucas_Hedges), and [Julia Roberts](/source/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[4] in New York, and actor [Lucas Hedges](/source/Lucas_Hedges). ## Filmography **Film** Year Title Director Writer Producer 1993 What's Eating Gilbert Grape No Yes No 1999 A Map of the World No Yes No 2002 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** Year Title Director Writer Consulting 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 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ntd_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ntd_1-1) ["WEDDINGS; Susan B. Titman, Peter S. Hedges (Published 1993)"](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/06/style/weddings-susan-b-titman-peter-s-hedges.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230711024609/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/06/style/weddings-susan-b-titman-peter-s-hedges.html) from the original on 2023-07-11. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Robert Hedges Obituary (1925 - 2014) - San Angelo, IA - the Des Moines Register"](http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/desmoinesregister/obituary.aspx?pid=169861522). *[Legacy.com](/source/Legacy.com)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Borys Kit, "Hedges on tap for Zappa's 'Odd' movie idea," Reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE55A0MB20090611) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Gregory, Alice (2019-02-19). ["Lucas Hedges Is Hollywood's "Good Egg"](https://www.gq.com/story/lucas-hedges-is-here-cover-profile). *GQ*. Retrieved 2025-05-25. ## External links - [Peter Hedges](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0373282/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e Films by Peter Hedges Written and directed Pieces of April (2003) Dan in Real Life (2007) The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012) Ben Is Back (2018) The Same Storm (2021) Written only What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) A Map of the World (1999) About a Boy (2002) Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States France BnF data Japan Czech Republic Spain Netherlands Norway Korea Poland Israel Academics CiNii Artists FID Other IdRef Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Peter Hedges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Hedges) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Hedges?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.