Eric Roth
{{Short description|American screenwriter}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|3|22}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| alma_mater = University of California, Santa Barbara
UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
| occupation = Screenwriter
| years_active = 1970–present
| notable_works = Forrest Gump
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Dune
Killers of the Flower Moon
Here
| spouse = Anne L. Peters{{cite news |last1=Fleishman |first1=Jeffrey |title=Screenwriter Eric Roth on 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and a life of big scripts |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-10-19/profile-on-screenwriter-eric-roth |access-date=15 December 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=19 October 2023}}
| children = 5, including Vanessa
| relatives =
| awards = Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Forrest Gump (1994)
Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement (2012)
| signature =
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| website =
}}
Eric R. Roth (born March 22, 1945) is an American screenwriter. He has been nominated six times for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay: Forrest Gump (1994), The Insider (1999), Munich (2005), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), A Star Is Born (2018), and Dune (2021) — winning for Forrest Gump; he also earned a Best Picture nomination for producing Mank (2020). Roth also worked on the screenplays for the Oscar-nominated films Ali (2001), Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011), and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).
Early life and education
Roth was born in New York City, New York, into a Jewish family, the son of Miriam "Mimi", a teacher, studio executive, and radio writer, and Leon Roth, a university teacher and film producer.[http://www.filmreference.com/film/2/Eric-Roth.html "Profile: Eric Roth"], filmreference.com{{Cite news |last=Pfefferman |first=Naomi |date=January 26, 2012 |title=Writer's Guild to Honor 'Extremely' Talented Screenwriter Eric Roth |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/the_ticket/item/writers_guild_to_honor_extremely_talented_screenwriter_eric_roth_20120126 |newspaper=The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles |location=Los Angeles |access-date=July 30, 2016}} He grew up in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn in New York.{{Cite news |last=Tallal |first=Jimy |date=April 11, 2015 |title=Salon Series Continues with Screenwriter Eric Roth |url=http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_aad53ea0-de4a-11e4-b985-e705047c5342.html |newspaper=The Malibu Times |location=Malibu, California |access-date=July 30, 2016 |archive-date=January 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127160658/http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_aad53ea0-de4a-11e4-b985-e705047c5342.html |url-status=dead }} He grew up boxing and would credit some of his later successes to habits learned from the sport.
Roth went to college at the University of California, Santa Barbara and graduated in 1966.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hfa.ucsb.edu/news-entries/2022/2/4/dune-a-new-frontier-for-screenwriter-eric-roth |title=DUNE: A NEW FRONTIER FOR SCREENWRITER ERIC ROTH |last=Hildebrand |first=Romy |date=February 4, 2022 |website=hfa.ucsb.edu |accessdate=May 10, 2022}} He later attended UCLA Film School as part of the class of 1973.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
Career
Roth won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Forrest Gump. He is known for writing his scripts in a DOS program without Internet access and distributing the scripts only in hard copy formats.{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/hitfix/did-you-know-forrest-gump-screenwriter-eric-roth-uses-a-dos-program-to-write-scripts/|title=Did You Know: 'Forrest Gump' Screenwriter Eric Roth Uses A DOS Program To Write Scripts|last=Tapley|first=Kristopher|date=September 22, 2014|website=HitFix|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023171604/http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/did-you-know-forrest-gump-screenwriter-eric-roth-uses-a-dos-program-to-write-scripts|archive-date=October 23, 2016|access-date=July 30, 2016}}{{Cite news |url=http://nofilmschool.com/2014/09/oscar-winning-screenwriter-eric-roth-takes-you-tour-his-writing-process |title=Oscar-Winning Screenwriter Eric Roth Takes You on a Tour of His Writing Process |last=Renée |first=V |date=September 24, 2014 |newspaper=No Film School |access-date=July 30, 2016}} He followed his Academy Award win by co-writing screenplays for several Oscar-nominated films, including The Insider, Munich, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and A Star Is Born. While writing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, he lost both of his parents, and as a result views the film as "my most personal movie."{{Cite web |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/rt-interview-eric-roth-calls-benjamin-button-his-most-personal-film-to-date/ |title=RT INTERVIEW: ERIC ROTH CALLS BENJAMIN BUTTON HIS MOST PERSONAL FILM TO DATE |last=Yamato |first=Jen |date=December 22, 2008 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=July 30, 2016}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/interview-benjamin-button-writer-eric-roth/ |title=Interview: Benjamin Button Writer Eric Roth |date=January 28, 2009 |website=GamesRadar |access-date=July 30, 2016}}
Personal life
Roth lives in Santa Monica, California.{{cite web |last1=McClain |first1=James |title='A Star Is Born' Writer Eric Roth Settles in Santa Monica |url=https://variety.com/2019/dirt/screenwriters/a-star-is-born-writer-eric-roth-settles-in-santa-monica-1203312643/ |website=Variety |date=August 23, 2019}} He has five children, including documentary filmmaker Vanessa Roth, and filmmakers Geoffrey Roth and Alec Roth; and six grandchildren.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
Roth was one of the investors defrauded by Bernard Madoff in a Ponzi scheme via Stanley Chais.{{cite news| url = https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hollywood-madoff17-2008dec17,0,4508336.story | title = Hollywood figures snared in Bernard Madoff's alleged fraud |date = December 17, 2008| newspaper = LA Times | first1=E. Scott | last1=Reckard | first2=Rachel | last2=Abramowitz | first3=Claudia | last3=Eller}}{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/05/02/2009-05-02_los_angeles_investment_manager_stanley_chais_sued_for_funneling_cash_to_bernie_m.html | location=New York | work=Daily News | title=Los Angeles investment manager Stanley Chais sued for funneling cash to Bernie Madoff fund | first=Leo | last=Standora | date=May 2, 2009}} He stated that his losses were heavy and he has lost his retirement money, although the full extent is unknown. As a result of the fraud and the associated losses, Roth sued the estate of Chais, who died on September 26, 2010.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
Filmography
=Film=
As writer
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Director ! Notes |
|---|
| 1970
| To Catch a Pebble | James F. Collier | |
| 1974
| |
| 1975
|rowspan=2| Uncredited |
| rowspan=2| 1979 |
| The Concorde... Airport '79
| |
| 1981
| Wolfen |rowspan=2| Uncredited |
| 1985 |
| 1987
| Suspect | |
| 1988
|with Billy Crystal |
| 1993
|with Michael Cristofer |
| 1994
| |
| 1997
|with Brian Helgeland |
| 1998
|with Richard LaGravenese |
| 1999
|rowspan=2| Michael Mann |with Mann |
| 2001
| Ali |with Mann, Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson |
| 2005
| Munich |with Tony Kushner |
| 2006
| |
| 2007
|with Hanson |
| 2008
| The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | |
| 2011
| Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close | |
| 2015
| Ellis | JR |Short film |
| 2018
|with Cooper and Will Fetters |
| 2020
| Mank | David Fincher | Uncredited; also producer |
| 2021
| Dune |with Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts |
| 2023
| with Scorsese |
| rowspan=2| 2024
| Denis Villeneuve | Additional Literary Material |
| Here
| Robert Zemeckis | with Zemeckis |
=Television=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Writer ! scope="col" | Executive ! scope="col" | Notes |
| scope=row|1972
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | TV movie |
|---|
| scope=row|1992
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | Co-creator |
| scope=row|1994
| {{yes}} | {{no}} | TV movie |
| scope=row|2011–2012
| Luck | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | |
| scope=row|2013–2017
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| scope=row|2016–2018
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| scope=row|2018
| {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| scope=row|2020
| The Alienist: Angel of Darkness | {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
| scope=row|2024
| Before | {{no}} | {{yes}} | |
Accolades
=[[Academy Awards]]=
=[[British Academy Film Awards]]=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Nominated work ! Category ! Result |
|---|
| 1995
| rowspan="4" | Best Adapted Screenplay | {{nom}} |
| 2008
| The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | {{nom}} |
| 2018
| {{nom}} |
| 2021
|Dune | {{nom}} |
=[[Critics' Choice Movie Awards]]=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Nominated work ! Category ! Result |
|---|
| 2009
| The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | {{nom}} |
| 2012
| Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close | rowspan=4| Best Adapted Screenplay | {{nom}} |
| 2019
| {{nom}} |
| 2022
| Dune | {{nom}} |
| 2024
| {{nom}} |
=[[Golden Globe Award]]s=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Nominated work ! Category ! Result |
|---|
| 1995
|rowspan="5"| Best Screenplay - Motion Picture | {{nom}} |
| 2000
| {{nom}} |
| 2006
| Munich | {{nom}} |
| 2009
| The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | {{nom}} |
| 2024
| {{nom}} |
=[[Primetime Emmy Award]]s=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Nominated work ! Category ! Result |
|---|
| 2013
| rowspan="5"| House of Cards | rowspan="5"| Outstanding Drama Series | {{nom}} |
| 2014
| {{nom}} |
| 2015
| {{nom}} |
| 2016
| {{nom}} |
| 2017
| {{nom}} |
| 2018
| {{nom}} |
=[[Producers Guild of America Award]]=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Nominated work ! Category ! Result |
|---|
| 2014
| rowspan=4| House of Cards | rowspan=4| Best Episodic Drama | {{nom}} |
| 2015
| {{nom}} |
| 2016
| {{nom}} |
| 2017
| {{nom}} |
=[[Satellite Awards]]=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Nominated work ! Category ! Result |
|---|
| 2008
| The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | rowspan=4| Best Screenplay - Adapted | {{nom}} |
| 2019
| {{nom}} |
| 2022
| Dune | {{nom}} |
| 2024
| {{nom}} |
=[[Writers Guild of America Award]]s=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Nominated work ! Category ! Result |
|---|
| 1995
| {{won}} |
| rowspan="2"| 2000
| rowspan="2"| The Insider | {{nom}} |
| Paul Selvin Award
| {{won}} |
| 2009
| The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | {{nom}} |
| 2012
| | Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement | {{won}} |
| 2019
| {{nom}} |
| 2022
| Dune | {{nom}} |
| 2024
| {{nom}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0744839}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Eric Roth
|list =
{{AcademyAwardBestAdaptedScreenplay 1981-2000}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Adapted Screenplay}}
{{Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay 1980–2000}}
{{Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Adapted Screenplay}}
{{Paul Selvin Award}}
{{TFCA Award for Best Screenplay}}
{{Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roth, Eric}}
Category:20th-century American Jews
Category:20th-century American screenwriters
Category:21st-century American Jews
Category:21st-century American screenwriters
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award winners
Category:Hugo Award–winning writers
Category:Jewish American screenwriters
Category:People associated with the Madoff investment scandal
Category:People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Category:Screenwriters from New York City
Category:UCLA Film School alumni
Category:University of California, Santa Barbara alumni