Kristin Hahn
Born1969 (age 53–54)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Occupations
  • Film producer
  • writer
  • director
Years active1988–present
Children2

Kristin Hahn (born 1969) is an American film and television producer, writer and director. Hahn is the founder and president of production company, Hahnscape Entertainment,[1] and the co-founder of production company Echo Films, alongside Jennifer Aniston.[2] Prior to Echo Films, Hahn co-founded[3]Plan B Entertainment with Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt where she served as executive producer on the Academy Award-winning The Departed, and co-producer on The Time Traveler's Wife.[4] 

Career

Hahn was born in Omaha, Nebraska and later moved to New Mexico. She relocated to Los Angeles to attend USC Film School.

At the age of 15, being raised by her mother, she watched many movies and became interested in becoming a storyteller. At 18, she moved to Los Angeles.[5]

While she was a film student at University of Southern California,[6] she also worked for Bob Ellison as his assistant for 3 years, where she learned about writing.[7]

Hahn began her career as a theater producer, shepherding six productions including Maps for Drowners, the first play in Los Angeles to address the AIDS epidemic.[8]

Hahn co-directed, wrote and produced the documentary feature, Anthem. The film features interviews with Hunter S. Thompson, Willie Nelson, Robert Redford, George McGovern, Studs Terkel and poet laureate, Rita Dove. The doc was dubbed "essential viewing" by Variety, "illuminating" by The Hollywood Reporter, and "one of the most charming and thought-provoking documentaries of the year!" by Chicago Tribune.[9] She also co-wrote the companion book, Anthem: An American Road Story, published by HarperCollins.

In 2002, Hahn published her second book with HarperCollins. In Search of Grace: A Religious Outsider's Journey Across America's Landscape of Faith.[10]

In 2008, Hahn and Jennifer Aniston formed the production company Echo Films. Through Echo Films, Hahn executive produced The Switch starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman. She also executive produced the franchise television projects, Five, and Five: Call Me Crazy. [11]

In 2014, Hahn executive produced Cake, starring Jennifer Aniston as a chronic pain sufferer. Hahn executive produced The Yellow Birds, written by David Lowery and directed by Alexandre Moors, starring Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich and Jennifer Aniston.

Hahn adapted Julie Murphy’s New York Times best-selling novel, Dumplin’, starring Danielle Macdonald and Jennifer Aniston. She also served as Producer. The film was released on Netflix in 2018. It was described by Deadline as "a triumph for all the women behind of and in front of the scenes",[12] and The Atlantic said "The movie itself represents a new, valuable kind of narrative".[13]

Hahn is an executive producer on the Apple TV+ drama, The Morning Show, starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. She was nominated for a Producers Guild of America Award and a Golden Globe for her work on the show.[14]

In 2015, Hahn founded production company, Hahnscape Entertainment.[15] Hahnscape's first feature film release was Tumbledown, starring Jason Sudeikis and Rebecca Hall. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015. Leonard Maltin said "Indie films like Tumbledown deserve all the breaks they can get." This one rewards the viewer with a typically fine performance by Rebecca Hall and a revelatory one by Jason Sudeikis[16] ".

Under her Hahnscape banner, Kristin adapted the Jerry Spinelli novel, Stargirl, for Disney+ and produced the film alongside Gotham Entertainment. Stargirl follows the story of Leo (Graham Verchere) who becomes intrigued by a mysterious and quirky student named Stargirl (Grace VanderWaal), which Deadline described as "a teen movie marching to its own unique beat that probably would have brought a smile to John Hughes".[17]

Hahn co-wrote DreamWorks Animation's Spirit Untamed, released in June 2021. The Los Angeles Times described it as "a sweet film with a moving message about embracing family, heritage and most importantly, yourself, just the way you are.[18]" With Forbes calling it a "colorful and nuanced character play".[19]

From 2021 to 2022, Kristin served as the Kelley School of Business' Poling Chair of Business and Government at Indiana University.[20]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Dear John Production assistant TV series (1 episode)
1993 Ed and His Dead Mother Production assistant & Music supervisor
1997 Anthem Director, Camera Operator, Writer & Producer Documentary
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam – Best First Appearance
2006 The Departed Executive producer
2009 The Time Traveler's Wife Co-producer
2010 The Switch Executive producer
2011 Five Executive producer TV movie
2013 Call Me Crazy: A Five Film Executive producer TV movie
2014 Cake Producer
2015 Tumbledown Producer
2017 The Yellow Birds Executive producer
2018 Dumplin' Producer & writer
2019– The Morning Show Executive producer
2020 Stargirl Producer & writer
2021 Spirit Untamed Co-writer

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 23, 2015). "'Cake' Producer Kristin Hahn Launches Production Company Hahnscape". Variety. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  2. ^ Richardson, Ellen Gamerman | Photography by Gray Sorrenti for WSJ Magazine | Styling by Clare (August 22, 2023). "How Jennifer Aniston Went From Sitcom Star to Hollywood Power Player". WSJ. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  3. ^ Bennett, Jessica (September 10, 2019). "It's a New Morning for Jennifer Aniston". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  4. ^ Bennett, Jessica (September 10, 2019). "It's a New Morning for Jennifer Aniston". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  5. ^ Hahn, Kristin (February 7, 2019). "Ep. 137 – Kristin Hahn". 3rd & Fairfax: The WGAW Podcast (Interview). Interviewed by Josephine Green Zhang – via Listen Notes.
  6. ^ "Running Towards Fear: Talking to Writer/Producer Kristin Hahn". pastemagazine.com. March 31, 2016.
  7. ^ "Interview: Kristin Hahn – From USC to Producing Film". March 5, 2016.
  8. ^ Stayton, Richard (August 4, 1991). "What's So Funny About AIDS? : 'Maps for Drowners,' billed as the first mainstream comedy about the killer disease, will open in West Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  9. ^ Anthem – Movie Reviews, retrieved December 17, 2022
  10. ^ "IN SEARCH OF GRACE: A Religious Outsider's Journey Across America's Landscape of Faith by Kristin Hahn". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  11. ^ Fleming, Michael (April 1, 2008). "Jennifer Aniston forms Echo Films". Variety. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  12. ^ Hammond, Pete (December 5, 2018). "'Dumplin" Review: Jennifer Aniston Shines In Netflix Holiday Comedy That's Also A Shrine To Dolly Parton". Deadline. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  13. ^ Gilbert, Sophie (December 13, 2018). "What 'Dumplin' and 'Queen America' Say About Female Beauty". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  14. ^ "Apple earns four Producers Guild Awards nominations across film and series for "CODA," "Come From Away," "Ted Lasso" and "The Morning Show"". Apple TV+ Press. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  15. ^ Kroll, Justin (March 23, 2015). "'Cake' Producer Kristin Hahn Launches Production Company Hahnscape". Variety. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  16. ^ Friedman, Drew (February 18, 2016). "A Smart Romantic Comedy-Drama: "Tumbledown"". Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  17. ^ Hammond, Pete (March 18, 2020). "'Stargirl' Review: Grace Vanderwaal Makes Magical Acting Debut In Disney+ Teen Musical Charmer". Deadline. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  18. ^ Walsh, Katie (June 2, 2021). "Review: 'Spirit Untamed' a grounded, sweet film with a moving message". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  19. ^ Mendelson, Scott. "'Spirit Untamed' Review: A Reminder Of A Pre-'Shrek' DreamWorks Animation". Forbes. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  20. ^ "'Morning Show' executive producer Kristin Hahn to serve as Kelley School's next Poling Chair". news.iu.edu. Retrieved December 17, 2022.

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