Aaron Sorkin is an American playwright, screenwriter, actor, television writer, television producer, and film director. Having entered the entertainment industry as a struggling actor, he later decided to pursue writing. As a writer, he has written numerous Broadway plays, television series, and films. Sorkin is best known for writing Broadway plays A Few Good Men, The Farnsworth Invention, and To Kill a Mockingbird, television series Sports Night, The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Newsroom, and films A Few Good Men, The American President, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Social Network, Moneyball, and Steve Jobs.
For his works, Sorkin has won numerous awards and accolades including an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2010 film The Social Network. After his successful career as a writer, Sorkin started directing. He made his feature film debut as a director with the 2017 film, Molly’s Game.
What is Aaron Sorkin Famous For?
- An Academy Award-winning writer.
- Won an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Social Network.
Source: @vulture
Where is Aaron Sorkin From?
Aaron Sorkin was born on 9 June 1961. His birth name is Aaron Benjamin Sorkin. His birth place is in Manhattan, New York City in the United States. He holds an American nationality. He grew up in the New York suburb of Scarsdale. He was born to his father, Bernard R. “Bernie” Sorkin, and his mother, Claire Spector. He has two older siblings, a brother, and a sister (Deborah) who became lawyers. He belongs to white ethnicity and his religion is Judaism. His zodiac sign is Gemini.
Regarding his educational background, he attended Scarsdale High School. With an early interest in acting, he was involved in the drama and theater club in high school. He appeared in numerous high school plays and also served as vice president of the drama club in his junior and senior years. He graduated from high school in 1979.
After graduating from high school, he attended Syracuse University. He graduated from Syracuse with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater in 1983.
Aaron Sorkin Career
- Sorkin grew up with an interest in acting. His parents used to take him to theaters to see several shows.
- Since high school, he became involved in high school dramas.
- After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater in 1983, he moved to New York City to pursue his dreams.
- He spent much of the 1980s as a struggling actor. To support his living, he worked several odd jobs including delivering singing telegrams, driving a limousine, touring Alabama with the children’s theater company Travelling Playhouse, handing out fliers promoting a hunting-and-fishing show, and bartending at Broadway’s Palace Theater.
- He was not near to finding any luck in acting. One day, while house-sitting for a friend, he found an IBM Selectric typewriter. He started typing that gave him joy and confidence.
- He continued writing and wrote his first play, Removing All Doubt. It was later staged for drama students at his alma mater.
- Sorkin later wrote numerous popular plays.
- He sold the film rights of one of his popular plays, a courtroom drama, A Few Good Men to producer David Brown reportedly for six figures. It was also produced on Broadway by Brown.
- Sorkin started writing for Castle Rock Entertainment in the early 1990s.
- The film adaptation of A Few Good Men was directed by Rob Reiner and produced by Brown. It starred Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, and Kevin Bacon. The film grossed $243 million worldwide.
- His last screenplay under Castle Rock was the 1995 American romantic comedy-drama film, The American President. The film was directed by Rob Reiner and grossed $400 million worldwide.
- Sorkin was already writing some of the hit screenplays when he developed an idea about writing a feature film about a sports show. The idea came after he was working late on his scripts while tuning into ESPN.
- Initially, Sorkin wanted to write a feature film about sports. However, he later turned his idea into a television comedy series.
- The Disney-produced series, Sports Night debuted on the ABC network in 1998. ABC canceled the show due to low ratings after two seasons.
- Sorkin next wrote the popular political drama tv series The West Wing. Warner Bros. Television produced the series and debuted in 1999.
- The West Wing went on to garner nine Primetime Emmy Awards for its debut season.
- After completing the second season of The West Wing in 2001, Sorkin suffered a drug relapse. He was arrested at Hollywood Burbank Airport for possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms, marijuana, and crack cocaine.
- Sorkin and fellow executive producer Thomas Schlamme left The West Wing at the end of the fourth season in 2003. They left due to internal conflicts at Warner Bros. Television.
- After a successful film and television series writings, Sorkin returned to theater in 2005.
- He returned with the revise of his play A Few Good Men. Rob Lowe starred in the lead role.
- NBC and CBS went on a bidding war to buy the rights from Warner Bros. Television for a pilot script dubbed Studio 7 on the Sunset Strip, written by Sorkin and produced by Schlamme. It was later renamed Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and premiered in 2006.
- The season was canceled after a season due to low ratings.
- Sorkin-written 2007 biographical comedy-drama film Charlie Wilson’s War earned 5 Golden Globe nominations including Best Screenplay.
- Sorkin wrote the biographical drama film, The Social Network, which won him an Academy Award, BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for the screenplay.
- Sorkin-written political drama series, The Newsroom concluded at the end of the third season.
- Sorkin wrote the screenplay for another popular biographical film, Steve Jobs. The film won him Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay.
- He adapted Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird for Broadway, which opened at Shubert Theater in 2018.
- Sorkin made his directorial debut with the feature film, Molly’s Game. The film garnered him positive reviews. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- He later directed the 2020 historical legal drama film, The Trial of the Chicago 7. The screenplay for the film was started writing in around 2007.
- Besides writing, Sorkin has acting credits in minor roles in several movies and television series.
Source: @thefincheranalyst
Aaron Sorkin Awards
- Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2010 Writers Guild of America Awards for The Social Network.
- Episodic Drama (“In Excelsis Deo” at the 2000 Writers Guild of America Awards for The West Wing.
- 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 Primetime Emmy Awards – Outstanding Drama Series for The Wing West.
- Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (“In Excelsis Deo” & “Pilot”.
- 2011 Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture for The Social Network.
- 2016 Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture for Steve Jobs.
- 2021 Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture for The Trial of the Chicago 7.
- 2011 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Social Network.
- 2012 Critics’ Choice Movie Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay for Moneyball.
- 2011 BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Social Network.
- 2011 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Social Network.
Source: @gettyimages
Aaron Sorkin Wife
Aaron Sorkin married Julin Bingham in 1996. They share a daughter, Roxy. The two divorced in 2005. The reasons for their separation were reported to be his workaholic habits and drug abuse.
Following his divorce from Bingham, he was romantically linked with several women. He dated Kristin Chenoweth for several years. He also reportedly dated Maureen Dowd and Kristin Davis.
He is currently dating former supermodel, Paulina Porizkova. Their affair became official after the two walked the 93rd Academy Award red carpet together.
Sorkin started using marijuana and cocaine in 1987. He sought rehabilitation in 1995. He received the Phoenix Rising Award in 2001 for overcoming their drug abuse. In a 2012 commencement speech at his alma mater, he said he has been sober for 11 years.
Source: @ibtimes
Aaron Sorkin Height
Aaron Sorkin stands around a height of 1.86 m i.e. 6 feet and 1 inch tall. He has a body weight of around 189.5 lbs i.e. 86 kg. He has an average body build. His eye color is hazel and his hair color is light brown. His sexual orientation is straight.
Aaron Sorkin Net Worth
Aaron Sorkin is one of the most famous screenwriters and playwrights. The Academy Award-winning writer has some of the most popular movies and tv series into his account. Having entered the showbiz with an interest of becoming an actor, he later started writing and went on to become one of the most prominent writers in Hollywood who has given several award-winning films. His films are also commercially successful having grossed over a billion worldwide. The majority of his income comes from his writing career. At present, his net worth is estimated at $90 million.
Leave a Reply