Marielle Heller

Marielle Stiles Heller (born October 1, 1979) is an American actress, director, and screenwriter. She is best known for directing the films The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018), and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019), as well as acting in The Queen's Gambit (2020).

Early life Heller was born in Marin County, California, to Steve Heller, a chiropractor, and Annie Stiles-Heller, an artist and art teacher. She grew up in nearby Alameda, along with her younger brother and sister, Nate and Emily. Her father hails from a Jewish family in New York. Heller started off as an actor, calling acting her "first love."

With time, she graduated to community theater, as well as productions at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School. She studied theatre at UCLA and then at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Additionally, she was honored with a Lynn Auerbach Screenwriting Fellowship and The Maryland Film Festival Fellowship.

Career After returning to the US, she worked as an actor at the Magic Theatre, the American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and the La Jolla Playhouse.

The Diary of a Teenage Girl was Heller's debut film, that she both wrote and directed. It is based on the 2002 graphic novel titled The Diary of a Teenage Girl: An Account in Words and Pictures by Phoebe Gloeckner, which she received as a Christmas present from her sister in 2006. The film stars Bel Powley as Minnie. Previously, Heller was selected as a 2012 Sundance Screenwriting Fellow and 2012 Sundance Directing Fellow, where she had submitted the script for the Sundance writer and director workshop. She then proceeded to direct a teaser for the film using grant money from the writer's workshop. The film received critical acclaim at Sundance, and was in competition in the U.S. Dramatic category. The film also won the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2015. In 2016, the film was named best first feature at the Independent Spirit Awards. With a limited budget, filming a movie set in the 1990s was a challenge. She cast Melissa McCarthy in the title role based on the actress's performance in the 2014 film St. Vincent. It was released on October 19, 2018, by Fox Searchlight.

In January 2018, it was announced that Heller would direct A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, a film that chronicles an interview Tom Junod conducted with child entertainer Fred Rogers for Esquire magazine, and how the encounter impacted the journalist's life. Tom Hanks, who portrays Mr. Rogers, agreed to join the project once Heller signed on as director, as they had met previously through Hanks' son, Colin. Heller is friends with the director Scott Frank and was going to play the part of Beth's biological mother, until the original actress fell out.

Filming days for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood adhered to a shooting schedule of ten-hour days that did not break for lunch so that Heller and other cast and crew members could potentially still have nights with their children. She believes sustainable working hours on film sets will allow more female directors to continue working after they have families.

Personal life Heller is married to comedian Jorma Taccone, having met at UCLA while studying acting. and a daughter born in August 2020. They live in Brooklyn, New York.

Filmography Film Year Title Director Writer Producer 2015 The Diary of a Teenage Girl 2018 Can You Ever Forgive Me? 2019 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood 2024 Nightbitch

Acting roles YearTitleRoleNotes 2004 The Liberation of Everyday Life Flora Short film 2010 MacGruber Clocky 2014 A Walk Among the Tombstones Marie Gotteskind2016 Paper Anchor Caroline Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping Documentary Crew Member

Television Year Title Notes 2015 Transparent Episode: "New World Coming" 2016 Casual 2 episodes 2020 What the Constitution Means to Me Filmed playAlso executive producer

Acting roles YearTitleRoleNotes 2001 White Power Party People Short 2002 Spin City Carrie Episode "Eyes Wide Open" 2005 Awesometown Waitress Short 2008 All-for-nots Heather 2 episodes 2009 Single Dads Jill Episode "Meeting Girls in the Park" 2020 The Queen's Gambit Alma Wheatley 2021 MacGruber MacGruber's mother

Theatre This list is adapted from her biography on The Nervous Breakdown:

Crystal Bear for the Best Film of the Generation 14plus

Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus Boston Society of Film Critics Best New Filmmaker Chicago Film Critics Association Most Promising Filmmaker

Best International Feature Film

Audience Award Gijón International Film Festival Best Film

Best Feature

Breakthrough Director Best Screenplay Audience Award IndieWire Critics Poll Best First Feature Palm Springs International Film Festival Directors to Watch San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Best Screenplay – Adapted Sundance Film Festival U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic Women Film Critics Circle Best Movie by a Woman Zurich Film Festival Best International Feature Film

Best Woman Director

Best Woman Screenwriter Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directing – First-Time Feature Film

Best Film

Best Director

Best First Screenplay

Best First Feature

Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Woman Director

Dorian Awards Director of the Year Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Woman Director

GMA Dove Awards Inspirational Film of the Year Independent Spirit Awards BONNIE Award Herself

Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Limited/Movie Supporting Actress The Queen's Gambit Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directing – Variety Specials What the Constitution Means to Me Dorian TV Awards Best Supporting TV Performance

Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Streamed or Televised Motion Pictures What the Constitution Means to Me

Montclair Film Festival Director Award

Chicago International Film Festival Visionary Award Sitges Film Festival Best Motion Picture Directed Academy Award performances

Under Heller's direction, these actors have received the Academy Award nominations for their performances in their respective roles.