Showrunners

1. Ryan Murphy

Producer | Glee

Born November 9, 1965 in Indianapolis, Indiana, US as Ryan Patrick Murphy, he is an American writer, director, and producer, responsible for creating such hits as Nip/Tuck (2003), Glee (2009) and American Horror Story (2011). His mother, J. Andy Murphy, was a writer and communications worker and ...

netflix 300 mil deal

2. Shonda Rhimes

Producer | Grey's Anatomy

Shonda Lynn Rhimes is an African-American producer, author and screenwriter. She is known for working on the Britney Spears and Zoe Saldana film Crossroads, Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice, the Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and the Halle ...

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3. David Benioff

Producer | Game of Thrones

David Benioff was born on September 25, 1970 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Game of Thrones (2011), The Kite Runner (2007) and 25th Hour (2002). He has been married to Amanda Peet since September 30, 2006. They have three children.

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4. D.B. Weiss

Producer | Game of Thrones

D.B. Weiss was born on April 23, 1971 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Game of Thrones (2011), 3 Body Problem (2024) and Metal Lords (2022). He is married to Andrea Troyer.

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5. Ava DuVernay

Writer | Queen Sugar

A director, producer, writer, marketer and film distributor, Ava DuVernay made her feature film debut with the documentary This is the Life (2008), a history on hip hop movement that flourished in Los Angeles in the 1990's. This was followed by series of television music documentaries which ...

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6. Vince Gilligan

Producer | The X Files

George Vincent Gilligan Jr. (born February 10, 1967) is an American writer, producer, and director. He is known for his television work, specifically as creator, head writer, executive producer, and director of Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul. He was a writer and producer for The ...

7. David Chase

Producer | The Sopranos

Born in Mt. Vernon, New York, and raised in New Jersey, David Chase (born David DeCesare) dreamed of being a star drummer in a rock band! He spent many years playing drums and bass trying to be part of a successful rock band in the 1960s East Coast music scene. He also loved movies, such as The ...

8. Howard Gordon

Producer | 24

Howard Gordon was born on March 31, 1961 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for 24 (2001), Homeland (2011) and The X-Files (1993).

9. Mike White

Writer | School of Rock

Mike White was born Michael Christopher White on June 28, 1970 in Pasadena, California. He is a writer, director and producer, mostly acknowledged for his award-winning HBO series The White Lotus (2021). He wrote and produced the HBO series Enlightened (2011), and wrote and co-produced Year of the ...

10. Doug Ellin

Writer | Entourage

Doug Ellin was born on April 6, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Entourage (2004), Entourage (2015) and Ramble On. He has been married to Andy Adler since September 18, 2017. He was previously married to Melissa Hecht.

11. Tom Kapinos

Producer | Californication

Kapinos was born in 1969, raised in Levittown, New York and graduated from Island Trees High School in 1987. Kapinos then moved from New York to California in the mid-1990s, working in Los Angeles for Creative Artists Agency as a script reader, until Fox Studios purchased his first screenplay The ...

12. Ian Edelman

Writer | Entergalactic

Ian Edelman is known for Entergalactic (2022), Puerto Ricans in Paris (2015) and I Am Sam (2001).

13. Larry David

Producer | Curb Your Enthusiasm

Lawrence Gene David is an American comedian, writer, actor, director, and television producer. He and Jerry Seinfeld created the television sitcom Seinfeld, on which David was head writer and executive producer for the first seven seasons. He gained further recognition for the HBO series Curb Your ...

14. Louis C.K.

Writer | Louie

Louis C.K. was born on September 12, 1967 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Louie (2010), American Hustle (2013) and Horace and Pete (2016). He was previously married to Alix Bailey.

15. Ricky Gervais

Writer | The Office

Ricky Dene Gervais was born in a suburb of Reading, Berkshire, to Eva Sophia (House) and Lawrence Raymond Gervais, who was a hod carrier and labourer. His father was born in Ontario, Canada, of French-Canadian descent, and his mother was English. He was educated at Ashmead Comprehensive School and ...

16. Scott Silveri

Producer | Friends

Scott Silveri is known for Friends (1994), Speechless (2016) and Perfect Couples (2010). He has been married to Shana Goldberg-Meehan since October 7, 2006.

17. Ilene Chaiken

Writer | Barb Wire

Ilene Chaiken was born on June 30, 1957 in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Barb Wire (1996), The Handmaid's Tale (2017) and Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021). She has been married to LouAnne Brickhouse since 2013. She was previously married to Miggi ...

18. Lee Daniels

Producer | Precious

Lee Daniels gave his parents an early Christmas present when he entered the world on December 24, 1959; unfortunately, the Philadelphia native was to have a difficult relationship with his police officer father who later reacted violently to his son's sexuality. Despite the brutality of his ...

19. Beau Willimon

Writer | The Ides of March

Beau Willimon is known for The Ides of March (2011), House of Cards (2013) and Andor (2022).

20. Damon Lindelof

Producer | Lost

Damon Lindelof was born on April 24, 1973 in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Lost (2004), The Leftovers (2014) and Watchmen (2019). He has been married to Heidi Fugeman since May 28, 2005. They have one child.

21. Alex Gansa

Producer | Homeland

Alex Gansa is known for Homeland (2011), Beauty and the Beast (1987) and Maximum Bob (1998). He is married to Lauren White (IX).

22. Michelle King

Writer | The Good Wife

Michelle King was born on May 11, 1962 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a writer and producer, known for The Good Wife (2009), Evil (2019) and The Good Fight (2017). She is married to Robert King.

23. Sarah Treem

Producer | The Affair

Sarah Treem is a television writer, producer and playwright. Treem is the co-creator and showrunner of the Golden Globe-winning Showtime drama The Affair. Previously, Treem was a co-executive producer on the inaugural season of House of Cards. She also wrote on all three seasons of HBO's In ...

24. Bill Lawrence

Producer | Scrubs

Bill Lawrence was born on December 26, 1968 in Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Scrubs (2001), Ted Lasso (2020) and Shrinking (2023). He has been married to Christa Miller since November 27, 1999. They have three children. He was previously married to Megyn Price.

25. Chuck Lorre

Writer | Two and a Half Men

For the past twenty years, award-winning creator, executive producer and writer Chuck Lorre has conquered the entertainment industry with hit shows like Grace Under Fire (1993), Dharma & Greg (1997), Roseanne (1988) and Cybill (1995) as well as the number 1 comedy on television and four year ...

26. Greg Berlanti

Director | Love, Simon

WGA, DGA and Golden Globe nominated writer, director, and producer, Greg Berlanti, is the force behind several of the most inventive and acclaimed works of film and television.

He is the writer, director and producer behind several of the most creative and lauded television series, including ABC's "...

27. Melissa Rosenberg

Producer | Jessica Jones

Melissa Rosenberg was born on August 28, 1962 in Marin County, California, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Jessica Jones (2015), Dexter (2006) and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010). She has been married to Lev L. Spiro since 1995.

28. Steven Levitan

Producer | Modern Family

Steven Levitan was born on April 6, 1962 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Modern Family (2009), Just Shoot Me! (1997) and Stark Raving Mad (1999). He has been married to Krista Schmuck since November 28, 1992. They have three children.

29. Seth MacFarlane

Writer | Family Guy

Seth Woodbury MacFarlane was born in the small New England town of Kent, Connecticut, where he lived with his mother, Ann Perry (Sager), an admissions office worker, his father, Ronald Milton MacFarlane, a prep school teacher, and his sister, Rachael MacFarlane, now a voice actress and singer. He ...

30. Dick Wolf

Producer | Law & Order

Dick Wolf was born on December 20, 1946 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Law & Order (1990), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001). He has been married to Noelle Lippman since June 17, 2006. They have two ...

31. Michael Schur

Producer | The Good Place

Michael Schur was born on October 29, 1975 in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA as Michael Herbert Schur. He is a TV series creator, a writer, and producer known for series such as The Office (2005), Parks and Recreation (2009), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013) and The Good Place (2016). He has been married...

32. Warren Littlefield

Producer | The Handmaid's Tale

Warren Littlefield was born on May 11, 1952 in Montclair, New Jersey, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for The Handmaid's Tale (2017), Fargo (2014) and Dopesick (2021).

33. Anthony Hemingway

Director | Red Tails

Anthony Hemingway is known for Red Tails (2012), Underground (2016) and American Crime Story (2016).

34. Courtney A. Kemp

Producer | Power Book II: Ghost

Courtney A. Kemp was born on May 4, 1977 in Westport, Connecticut, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Power Book II: Ghost (2020), The Good Wife (2009) and Power (2014).

35. Kenya Barris

Writer | Black·ish

Kenya Barris was born on August 9, 1974 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Black-ish (2014), #BlackAF (2020) and You People (2023). He has been married to Rainbow Barris since December 3, 1999. They have six children.

36. Marti Noxon

Producer | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Marti Noxon was born on August 25, 1964 in California, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), Sharp Objects (2018) and To the Bone (2017).

37. Shawn Ryan

Producer | The Shield

Shawn Ryan was born on October 11, 1966 in Rockford, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for The Shield (2002), S.W.A.T. (2017) and Timeless (2016). He has been married to Cathy Cahlin Ryan since April 25, 1998. They have two children.