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Adam Shankman

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Adam Shankman
Adam Shankman in 2007
Born
Adam Michael Shankman

(1964-11-27) November 27, 1964 (age 59)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
EducationJuilliard School
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, writer, dancer, author, actor, choreographer
Years active1983–present

Adam Michael Shankman (born November 27, 1964)[1] is an American film director, producer, writer, dancer, author, actor, and choreographer. He was a permanent judge on seasons 6–7 of the television program So You Think You Can Dance. He began his professional career in musical theater and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson. Shankman has choreographed dozens of films and directed several feature-length films, including A Walk to Remember, Bringing Down the House, The Pacifier, and the musicals Hairspray, Rock of Ages and Disenchanted.

His company, Offspring Entertainment (which he co-owns with his sister), produces films and television for various studios and networks.

Shankman is also currently co-writing young adult novels for Simon & Schuster imprint Atheneum Books for Young Readers. The books, co-written with author Laura Lee Sullivan, follow the story of rags to riches Lucille O'Malley as she becomes Hollywood's "it girl", navigating a murder mystery and meeting her match, Frederick van der Waals.[2]

Early life

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Shankman was born in Los Angeles[3] to an upper-middle-class Jewish family.[4] He is the son of Phyllis (née Perper), a licensed practitioner in Gestalt therapy, and Ned Shankman, an entertainment lawyer and manager for such acts as Barry White, the American band X, and Sister Sledge.[5] His sister Jennifer was born when Shankman was four years old. He attended Palisades High School before attending Juilliard School.

Early career

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After graduating from Palisades,[6] Shankman was a performing intern and junior company member of the prestigious Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis. Having been accepted for both dancing and acting at Juilliard, he chose dance as his major without having any previous formal training.[7] He dropped out of college to dance in musical theater and at nineteen he was cast in his first professional show, West Side Story, at the esteemed Michigan Opera Theater.[8]

Shankman moved back to Los Angeles and started dancing in music videos. He was a dancer in Janet Jackson's "Alright" video,[7] as well as in an MC Skat Kat video with Paula Abdul.[9] Shankman broke into professional choreography in a 1989 music video for rapper MC Shan with director Julien Temple. When the hired choreographer fell through, Shankman lied and said that he had done choreography for Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul. He was hired on the spot without his story being verified.[7] As a choreographer, he worked with acts including Tony! Toni! Toné!, The Time, Whitney Houston and Aaron Neville. In 1996 he won a Bob Fosse Award for Best Choreography in a Commercial. On television, he was a go-to choreographer on Friends and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He served as a choreographer and dance consultant on dozens of movies including Addams Family Values, Catch Me If You Can, George of the Jungle and Boogie Nights.

In 1998 Shankman wrote and directed Cosmo's Tale,[10] a non-dialogue short film that appeared at the Sundance Film Festival.[7] Following the short, his sister, Jennifer Gibgot, asked him to read a script that she had already set up with Fine Line Features, entitled The Wedding Planner. He liked the script and this led to a meeting with execs. He was hired for the job of director ten minutes into the meeting. The movie eventually went to Columbia Pictures and was a box office success.[7][11]

Directing career

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Following The Wedding Planner, Shankman went on to direct seven more studio films: A Walk to Remember, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, Bringing Down the House, The Pacifier, the 2007 award-winning film Hairspray, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' Bedtime Stories, and the movie based on the musical of the same name, Rock of Ages. In 2019 he directed What Men Want, starring Taraji P. Henson for Paramount Pictures.

Shankman also helmed Walt Disney Pictures' Disenchanted, the sequel to Enchanted, starring Amy Adams.[12]

Shankman has directed commercial campaigns for Macy's, Marshalls and Schick, as well as primetime television pilots and shows, including Being Mary Jane, Glee, AJ and the Queen, Step Up: High Water and Modern Family. He has directed several shorts for Funny or Die, including "Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black and written by composer Marc Shaiman. According to Time magazine, "Prop 8 - The Musical" was Marc Shaiman's attempt to pick apart the anti-gay marriage lobby's logic. Lending support to the cause were actors Jack Black, John C. Reilly, Maya Rudolph, Craig Robinson, Neil Patrick Harris and Allison Janney.[13]

In 2012, Shankman directed a dual campaign to attract young voters for Rock the Vote and Funny or Die.[14]

In June 2017, he directed the pilot for Step Up,[15] a gritty teen drama series produced by Lionsgate Television and YouTube Red.

Producing career

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In addition to directing, Shankman has produced various studio films with his sister Jennifer Gibgot, through their company Offspring Entertainment. These include Touchstone Pictures' Step Up, which helped launch the careers of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan; Premonition, starring Sandra Bullock; Bedtime Stories for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; 17 Again, starring Zac Efron; The Last Song, starring Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth; and Going the Distance, starring Justin Long and Drew Barrymore. Shankman also served as producer of the Step Up franchise.

In 2009, Shankman produced Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special, with Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe.

With Bill Mechanic, Shankman was one of the two producers of the 82nd Academy Awards, which took place on March 7, 2010.[16][17] The telecast earned a record 12 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including two for Shankman, for Best Choreography and Co-Producing.[18]

Offspring Entertainment, in addition to having several feature films on the development slate, has a deal with Warner Bros. Television and Warner Horizon, and is currently developing television series and events for both network and cable.[19]

Adam Shankman serves as an executive producer on YouTube Premium and Lionsgate Television series Step Up. He also directed the pilot episode. The third season of the series aired on Starz Encore in 2022. In May 2021, Shankman announced that he would serve as an executive producer for Hocus Pocus 2.[20]

Theater and stage

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In August 2014, Shankman directed and choreographed a production of Hair at the Hollywood Bowl. Zach Woodlee assisted Shankman in choreography and Lon Hoyt served as music director. The show presented an all-star cast including Benjamin Walker as Berger, Kristen Bell as Sheila and Hunter Parrish as Claude. Other cast members included Sarah Hyland, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mario, Kevin Chamberlin, Beverly D'Angelo and Amber Riley. As is customary with the annual Bowl musicals, the Hair cast had fewer than 14 days to get the semi-staged show up and running.[21] Shankman and his team had the task of teaching dialogue, choreography, music and lyrics for over forty numbers to a cast of thirty, in just ten days before going on to dress rehearsals. The cast and crew had only two dress rehearsals before going live to a crowd of 11,000 people. The show garnered positive reviews, including one from BroadwayWorld.com: "Overall, Shankman's production of HAIR for the Hollywood Bowl is definitely a must-see event this weekend. Steeped in dazzling visuals, fun music, high-energy choreography, and a cast of talented, staggeringly gorgeous youngsters with giddiness coming out of every pore, this musical celebration of peace, love, and happiness deserves your attention."[22]

In 2015, Warner Bros. Theater Ventures started developing a musical version of the 2009 movie 17 Again, which was directed by Burr Steers and produced by Shankman and Gibgot. The show was workshopped in New York's theater district, with a run planned for the near future. The musical is being produced by Warner Bros. Theater Ventures, Mark Kaufman and Adam Shankman.

So You Think You Can Dance

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Shankman was a judge and choreographer on seasons 3–10 of the Fox Broadcasting reality show So You Think You Can Dance. He used the term "lyrical hip-hop" to describe the dance style associated with the choreography duo of Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo. The term is popularly credited to him, as reported in the May/June 2009 issue of Dance Spirit magazine.[23]

Charitable work

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Shankman has donated time and funds to numerous charitable and political foundations. He actively promotes charitable causes by producing live events and galas, utilizing social media, participating in PSAs, speaking engagements and personal appearances. These charities include AIDS Project Los Angeles, Mountains AIDS Foundation, Feeding America, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Point Foundation, GO Campaign, Special Olympics and Motion Picture and Television Fund. He teaches classes and mentors students for Ghetto Film School[24] and has appeared at events for Operation Smile.

Shankman serves on the board of The Trevor Project and co-founded the DizzyFeet Foundation with his friend Nigel Lythgoe. This was founded in 2009 to support, improve, and increase access to dance education in the United States by providing grants to after school dance and arts programs in low income areas and rewarding scholarships to talented dancers across the country.[25] The foundation is the biggest supporter and trailblazer for National Dance Day, hosting various events every July across the United States.

Personal life

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Shankman is gay.[26][27]

He officiated the wedding of actors Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar, a good friend of his with whom he worked while choreographing Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He got the Buffy job based on Gellar's recommendation to the show's creator, Joss Whedon.[28]

Shankman danced on the Oscars telecast in 1990, and exactly 20 years later was a producer and choreographer at the 82nd Oscars.[29] At the 1989 Oscars, Shankman danced in the number "Under the Sea", where he met his best friend (a dancer in the same number), director and choreographer Anne Fletcher.[30] A star in the Hercules constellation was nicknamed after Shankman in the International Star Registry.[31]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director Executive
producer
2001 The Wedding Planner Yes No
2002 A Walk to Remember Yes No
2003 Bringing Down the House Yes No
2005 The Pacifier Yes Yes
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Yes Yes
2007 Hairspray Yes Yes
2008 Bedtime Stories Yes Yes
2012 Rock of Ages Yes Yes
2019 What Men Want Yes Yes
2022 Hocus Pocus 2 No Yes
Disenchanted Yes Yes

Producer

Television

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Year Title Director Executive
Producer 		Notes
2002 Monk Yes No Episode "Mr. Monk and the Earthquake"
2003 Splitsville Yes No TV movie
2004 Mystery Girl Yes No TV short
2006 Worst Week of My Life Yes No Pilot episode
2009 Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special Yes Yes TV special
2010–2011 Glee Yes No Episodes "The Rocky Horror Glee Show"[34] and "Pot o' Gold"[35]
2011 Modern Family Yes No Episode "Our Children, Ourselves"
2018–2022 Step Up Yes Yes Pilot episode
2020 AJ and the Queen Yes No Episode "Little Rock"
2023 Only Murders in the Building Yes No Episodes "Grab Your Hankies" and "The White Room"[36]

Producer

Acting credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1983 The Wind in the Willows Washerwoman
The Red Shoes Shoe shoppe customer
1990 Rockula Driver
Midnight Cabaret Waiter
1992 The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag Timid man
1995 Monster Mash: The Movie Wolfie
1997 Scream 2 Ghost dancer
2002 A Walk to Remember Medical assistant Uncredited
2003 Stuck on You Waiter
2005 The Pacifier Driving instructor Uncredited
Cheaper by the Dozen 2 Clam bake chef
2006 Step Up Nightclub dancer
2007 Hairspray Talent agent
2013 Hell's Kitchen Red team's chef's table guest Episode "15 Chefs Compete"

Choreographer

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Year Title Notes
1992 The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag
Roundhouse
1993 Weekend at Bernie's II
Heart and Souls Credited as Adam Schenkman
Addams Family Values
1994 The Flintstones
Milk Money
Don Juan DeMarco
1995 Miami Rhapsody
Tank Girl
Casper
Congo
1996 Mrs. Winterbourne
1997 The Relic
Friends Episode "The One with All the Jealousy"
Traveller
George of the Jungle
Boogie Nights
A Life Less Ordinary
Anastasia Credited as Adam M. Shankman
Scream 2
1998 Almost Heroes
Antz
1999 She's All That
Blast from the Past
Forces of Nature
The Out-of-Towners
Inspector Gadget
Dudley Do-Right
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo
2000 Isn't She Great
Mission to Mars Credited as Adam M. Shankman
2001 The Wedding Planner
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode "Once More, with Feeling"
2002 Catch Me If You Can
2003 Stuck on You
2006 Step Up
2007 Hairspray Performer: "Tied Up in the Knots of Sin"
2008 Step Up 2: The Streets
2010 The 82nd Annual Academy Awards [37]
2012 Rock of Ages [37]

Video short

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Year Title Director Producer Notes
2008 Prop 8 – The Musical Yes Yes Also choreographer
2009 Zac Efron's Pool Party Yes Yes

Other credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Casper Animation department and animated ghost sequences
1999 Inspector Gadget Physical comedy consultant
2002 A Walk to Remember Executive soundtrack producer Uncredited
2021 Dear Evan Hansen Special thanks
2023 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Guest Judge Episode: "Joan: The Unauthorized Rusical"
2023 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked! Guest Celebrity Episode: "Untucked! All Stars - Joan: The Unauthorized Rusical"

References

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  1. ^ "Adam Shankman: Biography". TVGuide.com. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  2. ^ "Children's Book Review: Girl About Town by Adam Shankman and Laura L. Sullivan. S&S/Atheneum, $17.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-4814-4787-4". 19 April 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Adam Shankman Biography". Film Reference. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
  4. ^ "Buzz Interview: Hairspray's Nikki Blonsky and Adam Shankman". Sugar Publishing BuzzSugar. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
  5. ^ Kaufman, Amy (7 March 2010). "Adam Shankman: Just call him Oscar's choreographer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Palisades Charter High School". www.palihigh.org. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d e White, Dave (March 4, 2003), "Master of the house". Advocate (884):56–57
  8. ^ "How to Become an Actor".
  9. ^ "10 Things You Didn't Know About SYTYCD's Adam Shankman - Wetpaint". 1 February 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  10. ^ shankyadam (3 November 2008). "Cosmo's Tale Pt.1 of 3". Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 4 September 2017 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ "The Wedding Planner (2001) - Box Office Mojo". www.boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  12. ^ McNary, Dave (6 October 2016). "'Enchanted': Disney Taps Adam Shankman to Direct Sequel". Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  13. ^ Altman, Alex (8 December 2008). "Prop. 8: The Musical". Time. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  14. ^ rockthevote (18 September 2012). "Rock the Vote #WeWill Video". Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 4 September 2017 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ "Ne-Yo, Naya Rivera to Star in YouTube's 'Step Up' Revival". The Hollywood Reporter. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  16. ^ Finke, Nikki. "TOLDJA! Adam Shankman & Bill Mechanic Will Produce 82nd Academy Awards" Deadline Hollywood, Tuesday October 20, 2009
  17. ^ Barnes, Brooks. "Producers Named for Oscars Telecast", The New York Times ArtsBeat (online column), October 20, 2009
  18. ^ "Emmys love for Oscars continues with 12 nominations". Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  19. ^ "Adam Shankman - IMDbPro". pro-labs.imdb.com. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  20. ^ "'Hocus Pocus 2' Finally Gets a Release Date; Cast Confirmed for Disney+ Sequel". Collider. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-20. I am still grateful and proud to help shepherd this ingenious project as executive producer alongside producer Lynn Harris, whom I have loved and admired as a colleague and friend since she helped get me the job choreographing 'Boogie Nights'.
  21. ^ Ng, David (1 August 2014). "Cast gives 'Hair' a quick styling before Hollywood Bowl shows". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  22. ^ Quintos, Michael L. "BWW Reviews: All-Star Cast Brings Lively HAIR to the Hollywood Bowl". Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  23. ^ Levinson, Lauren. (May/June 2009), "Lyrical Hip Hop'" Archived 2009-05-29 at the Wayback Machine. Dance Spirit. 13 (5):48–50 (accessed 2009-04-25)
  24. ^ "ghettofilmschool". ghettofilmschool. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  25. ^ admin (17 April 2014). "Our Mission". Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  26. ^ "Gay directors bring home the bacon". The Advocate. May 13, 2003. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  27. ^ Crabtree, Sheigh (July 8, 2007). "A wholehearted effort to keep 'Hairspray's' sheen". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  28. ^ Cunneff, Tom; McCarten, Hugh; Laudadio, Marisa (February 11, 2002), "insider". People. 57 (5):47
  29. ^ "Shankman's Winning Job: Producing The Oscars". NPR.org. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  30. ^ "From Dancer to Director". dancespirit.com. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  31. ^ "Adam-Shankman-blog".
  32. ^ "New Miley Cyrus Disney Feature Film "The Last Song" Auditions and Casting Calls". Movie Industry Today. April 11, 2009. Archived from the original on June 24, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  33. ^ "The Last Song Goes into Production". Movieweb.com. June 16, 2009. Archived from the original on June 29, 2009. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  34. ^ O'Connell, Mikey (September 17, 2010). "'Glee': Adam Shankman directing 'The Rocky Horror Glee Show'". Zap2it. Tribune Media Services. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010.
  35. ^ GleeOnFox (November 2, 2011). "GLEE – Directing with Adam Shankman: "Pot 'O Gold"". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2011-11-02. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  36. ^ "Only Murders in the Building". Hulu Press. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  37. ^ a b c Simmons, Abbey (October 20, 2009). "Adam Shankman To Produce Oscars, Direct 'Rock of Ages'". BuddyTV. Archived from the original on 2009-10-23. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
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