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• John Sayles is an American independent film director and screenwriter who tends to make films that are politically and socially conscious .

  He attended Williams College where he met his wife Maggie Renzi, who serves as the producer on all of his films. In 1983 he was the recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Foundation Fellowship Award which gave him tax-free income of $32,000 a year for five years.

  He frequently casts Chris Cooper, Joe Morton, David Strathairn, and Gordon Clapp in his films.

• Fast Facts

  1. Full Name: John Thomas Sayles
  2. Birth Date: September 28, 1950
  3. Birthplace: Schenectady, New York
  4. Height: 6'4"
  5. Spouse: Maggie Renzi
  6. Got his start in film working with Roger Corman
  7. Funds his own films as a writer for hire, having helped pen The Alamo, Apollo 13, The Howling, Piranha, and The Spiderwick Chronicles and Jurassic Park 4
  8. Received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay for Passion Fish and Lone Star

• Notable Films

  1. 1987: Matewan
  2. 1988: Eight Men Out
  3. 1992: Passion Fish
  4. 1994: The Secret of Roan Inish
  5. 1996: Lone Star
  6. 1997: Men with Guns
  7. 1999: Limbo
  8. 2002: Sunshine State
  9. 2004: Silver City
  10. 2007: Honeydripper

• Quotes

  1. "Oh, I've always felt like I was on the margins. Once upon a time that's what independent used to mean."
  2. "I always feel that there are no final victories and no final defeats. But it's true that America is in a hole right now. There are a lot of dead fish in the water."
  3. "Being a screenwriter is a good job. I can make a good amount of money to put back into my own films."

• Trivia

  1. Often plays small roles in his films
  2. Directed the music videos for Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A.", "I'm on Fire", and "Glory days"
  3. He speaks fluent Spanish

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Honeydripper | Danny Glover | Lisa Gay Hamilton | Charles S. Dutton | Stacey Keach | Keb' Mo' | Roger Corman | Joe Dante | Jurassic Park 4 | Steven Spielberg | The Spiderwick Chronicles | Freddie Highmore | Seth Rogan | Mary-Louise Parker | Sarah Bolger | Nick Nolte | Andrew McCarthy | Martin Short | Lone Star | Chris Cooper | Elizabeth Pena | Matthew McConaughey | Kris Kristofferson | Frances McDormand | Passion Fish | Mary McDonnell | Alfre Woodard | Angela Bassett | Nora Dunn | Eight Men Out | John Cusack | Christopher Lloyd | Charlie Sheen | Clifton James | David Strathaim | Richard Linklater | Mike Figgis | Jim Jarmusch | Gus Van Sant | Bruce Springsteen

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