Darren Aronofsky is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. He is engaged to Rachel Weisz with whom he has a son, Henry Chance, born May 31, 2006.
Aronofsky was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were both public school teachers. He graduated Edward R. Murrow High School early and backpacked around the Middle East and Europe for six months. In 1987 he entered Harvard University and studied anthropology, live action film and animation. His senior thesis film "Supermarket Sweep" starred his fellow student and friend Sean Gullette, who later starred in "Pi." He graduated in 1991 with honors. Next, he attended the AFI Conservatory and graduated with an M.F.A. degree in 1992. His student film, Protozoa (1993) starred Lucy Liu. Protozoa also marks the beginning of the partnership between Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique. Aronofsky didn't make a feature film until five years later, in February 1996, where he began creating the concept for Pi(1998). After Darren's script for Pi(1998) received great reactions from friends, he began production. The film re-teamed Aronofsky with Gullette, who played the lead. This went on to further successes, such as Requiem for a Dream(2000) and, most recently, the American remake of the Japanese film series "Lone Wolf and Cub" (1973).Darren's Pi film is about a mathematical genius, Maximillian Cohen, who narrates much of the movie. Max, a number theorist, theorizes that everything in nature can be understood through numbers, and that if you graph the numbers properly patterns will emerge. He is working on finding patterns within the stock market, using its billions upon billions of variables as his data set with the assistance of his homemade supercomputer, Euclid.
One of Aronofsky's favorite books is Hubert Selbey Jr's Last Exit to Brooklyn.
While editing π, producer Eric Watson convinced Aronofsky to read another Selby book, Requiem for a Dream, which Aronofsky had actually started reading years before but never finished. He was moved by the novel and wanted to film an adaptation, quickly beginning work on the script with Selby. Aronofsky delivered a relentless and disturbing movie of hopes and dreams shattered and lives laid waste by drug addiction. The film was a clinical depiction of the depths to which some people will sink to in the hope of attaining their dreams. The film premiered at the 2000 Cannes and was greeted by a 13 minute standing ovation. It was released in the United States in October, 2000. Ellen Burstyn was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Sara Goldfarb.Aronofsky next commenced writing an original screenplay entitled "The Last Man", later changed to "The Fountain" to star Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. In 2002, days away from the start of filming, Pitt pulled out due to "creative differences", and the film collapsed. Sets were auctioned off once Warner Bros. Productions shut down filming. Warner Bros. however, decided to simply shelve the project and keep it as an option, so long as Aronofsky could find the proper cast. In 2005, The Fountain was resurrected with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. However, the film was not a commercial success, with worldwide box office sales of only $15 million from a $35 million budget.
| VITAL STATS | Darren Aronofsky Information:
| | Eye color: Brown | | Height: 6' (1.83 m) | | Nickname(s): Darren. | | Notable feature(s): Dark eyes. | Education: Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, New York.
Harvard University where he studied film. | Family: His parents and the parents of Vicki Roberts are neighbors, they live one house away from each other in a private community in Florida.
Engaged to British actress Rachel Weisz. | | Resides in: Lives in New York with Weisz. | | Religious affiliations: Open. | | Political affiliation: Open. | | Personal interests/hobbies: Film Making. Philosophy. Art. | | Charities/Causes: Was member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001. | Other: His first computer was a TRS-80.
Turned down the offer to direct Batman Begins (2005). | | |
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