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Gene Stupnitsky

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Gene Stupnitsky
Гена Ступницький
Born
Hena Stupnitsky

(1977-08-26) August 26, 1977 (age 47)
Alma materUniversity of Iowa
Occupations
  • Writer
  • producer
  • director

Gene Stupnitsky[a] (born August 26, 1977) is a Ukrainian-born American film and television writer, producer, and director. He usually works with Lee Eisenberg, with whom he founded Quantity Entertainment. From 2005 to 2010, he served as a writer, director and producer of the NBC sitcom The Office for which he earned three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He served as a co-creator, writer, and producer of the HBO comedy series Hello Ladies (2013-2014). In 2023 he co-created the Peabody Award-winning seriesJury Duty with Eisenberg.

Stupnitsky worked on comedy films writing Year One (2009), and Bad Teacher (2011) and directing Good Boys (2019) and No Hard Feelings (2023).

Early life and education

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Stupnitsky was born in Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (present-day Kyiv, Ukraine) to Jewish parents. He grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. He attended Stevenson High School and graduated from the University of Iowa in 2000.

Career

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2005–2011

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In 2005, Eisenberg and Stupnitsky joined the staff of the NBC comedy series The Office, where they remained from seasons 2 to 6. In addition to writing, he served as a co-executive producer and directed two episodes with Eisenberg, "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "The Lover". Although he is not credited for directing "The Lover", similarly Eisenberg is not credited for directing "Michael Scott Paper Company", as only one person can be credited with directing the episode. They directed The Outburst, a webisode series for The Office. He acted as Leo, one of the Vance Refrigeration delivery people, along with Eisenberg, present in several episodes of The Office. Stupnitsky, alongside Eisenberg, co-wrote two of the most critically acclaimed episodes, including "Dinner Party" and "Scott's Tots".

Eisenberg and Stupnitsky have worked together on several screenplays, many of which they have produced as well. Alongside Harold Ramis, they wrote the screenplay for Year One, which starred Jack Black and Michael Cera, and was released in 2009. Following that, they wrote and produced the film Bad Teacher, which starred Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. They were to serve as producers of a proposed sequel. Eisenberg and Stupnitsky wrote a screenplay for Ghostbusters III, but it was never produced.

2013–present

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In 2013, Eisenberg and Stupnitsky were listed as two of Deadline Hollywood's "Overachievers" of the pilot season. Along with Stephen Merchant, they created, executive produced, and wrote for the HBO series Hello Ladies, which ran for one season and concluded with a feature-length special. That same year, they wrote a pilot for ABC based on the BBC series Pulling, in addition to serving as executive producers on the series Trophy Wife, which aired for one season on ABC. They also executive produced the TV series Bad Teacher for CBS, which is based on their original screenplay. Stpunitsky and Eisenberg co-created the hit television series Jury Duty, which won a 2023 Peabody Award.[1]

Stupnitsky made his directorial debut with the 2019 comedy film Good Boys.[2][3][4] He co-wrote and directed No Hard Feelings, which stars Jennifer Lawrence and was released June 2023.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director Writer Executive
Producer
2009 Year One No Yes No
2011 Bad Teacher No Yes Yes
2019 Good Boys Yes Yes No
2023 No Hard Feelings Yes Yes No

Television

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Year Title Director Writer Executive
Producer
Notes
2005–2010 The Office Yes Yes Yes 15 episodes (writer);
Directed episodes "The Lover" (uncredited) and "Michael Scott Paper Company"
2013–2014 Hello Ladies No Yes Yes Also creator
2014 Bad Teacher No No Yes
Trophy Wife No Yes Yes Episode "Mother's Day"
2016 Gorgeous Morons No Yes Yes TV movie
2017 Downward Dog No No Yes Episode "Pilot"
SMILF No No Yes 9 episodes
2023 Jury Duty No No Yes Also creator

Awards and nominations

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Year Nominated work Award Category Result
2008 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series The Office Nominated
2008 Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Nominated
2009 Outstanding Comedy Series Nominated
2015 Outstanding Television Movie Hello Ladies Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or Movie Nominated
2006 Writers Guild of America Awards Best New Series The Office Nominated
2006 Best Comedy Series Nominated
2007 Won
2008 Nominated
2009 Nominated
2010 Nominated
2011 Nominated
2018 Master of None Nominated
2019 Peabody Awards Entertainment Honoree Good Boys Nominated
2023 SXSW Film Festival Audience Award Jury Duty Won

Notes

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  1. ^ Ukrainian: Гена Ступницький, romanizedHena Stupnytskyi

References

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  1. ^ https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/jury-duty/
  2. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (20 July 2018). "Universal R-Rated Kids Comedy 'Good Boys' From Seth Rogen's Point Grey Adds Four". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  3. ^ Earp, Catherine (3 August 2018). "Seth Rogen apologises for use of blackface on his new film Good Boys". Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  4. ^ McNary, Dave (20 March 2018). "Jacob Tremblay to Star in Comedy 'Good Boys' for Universal". Variety. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
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