Cynthia Mort
Born
Cynthia Ann Mort

(1956-06-18) June 18, 1956
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Years active1994–present

Cynthia Mort (born June 18, 1956) is an American director, screenwriter, and producer. Mort has worked primarily in television since beginning her career in 1994, writing for the sitcom Roseanne. Her notable works include the HBO series Tell Me You Love Me as a creator and executive producer, the revenge film The Brave One (2007) as a screenwriter, and the biopic Nina (2016) as a director.

Biography

Mort was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan.[1]

Career

Television

Mort began her career as a screenwriter in 1994. She wrote multiple episodes for the sitcom Roseanne, and was later a producer on the show. She continued in television as a writer and producer for the program Will and Grace.[2]

In 2007, Mort created and produced the drama Tell Me You Love Me, which aired on HBO, and starred an ensemble cast including Jane Alexander and Adam Scott. The plot of the program closely examines various struggles that may arise in a committed marriage.[3] The series gained notoriety for including highly graphic simulated sexual sequences, to the point that audiences asked whether the actors actually engaged in sexual intercourse on camera.[4] The series ended after one season.[1]

Mort co-wrote a pilot episode for HBO called Tilda in 2011, but experienced conflicts with her co-writer Bill Condon. The project was not picked up as a series.[5]

Writing in film

Mort, along with Roderick Taylor and Bruce A. Taylor, wrote the screenplay for the 2007 film The Brave One. The film features Jodie Foster as a woman seeking revenge on the men who killed her fiancé.[6]

Nina, controversy, and lawsuit

In 2016, Mort released her first film as a director, Nina, a biopic chronicling the life of singer Nina Simone. The film elicited a strong negative response from both critics and audiences alike as a result of Mort's choice to cast actress Zoe Saldana in the title role, despite discrepancies between the two women's skin colours. The film and its creators were accused of perpetuating blackface by darkening Saldana's skin to play the role.[7]

Furthermore, the film underwent another controversy in which Mort filed a lawsuit against the producers of Nina in 2014, after finding that choices made by the company compromised her long-standing artistic vision of the film.[2] As a result, the film was not released for another two years, and while Mort has expressed her support for the project, she maintains that the final result does not properly reflect her work.[8]

Personal life

Mort is a lesbian.[9][10][11] She was involved in a long-term relationship with actress Melanie Mayron and helped raise Mayron's children until their separation in 2008.[10] Mort's personal life garnered attention after the release of The Brave One for her rumoured adulterous romance with actress Jodie Foster, who starred in the film.[11] Both Foster and Mort broke up with their partners and began dating each other, but ended their relationship the following year.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2007 The Brave One No Yes No
2016 Nina Yes Yes Yes
2020 When We Kill the Creators Yes Yes Yes

Television

Year Title Writer Producer Notes
1994-1997 Roseanne Yes Yes
1998 Even the Losers Yes No unsold pilot
2001-2002 Will & Grace Yes Consulting
2007 Tell Me You Love Me Yes Executive also creator
2011 Tilda Yes Executive unsold pilot

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Aurthur, Kate (April 14, 2016). "How 'Nina' Became A Disaster Movie". BuzzFeed Entertainment. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Gardner, Eriq (May 14, 2014). "Director of Nina Simone Film Sues Over Production Company's Highjacking (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  3. ↑ Rochlin, Margy (July 12, 2007). "Honest Look at Marriage? You Mean That Sex Show?". The New York Times. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  4. ↑ Navarro, Mireya (September 30, 2007). "It Isn't a Real Sex Scene? I Still Need a Cigarette". The New York Times. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  5. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 25, 2011). "HBO Not Going Forward With 'Tilda' Comedy". Deadline.
  6. ↑ Chang, Justin (September 3, 2007). "THE BRAVE ONE". Variety. Vol. 3, no. 408 – via FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals Database.
  7. ↑ Sterritt, David (2016). "Blackface, Bamboozled, and Zoe Saldana". Quarterly Review of Film and Video. 6 (33).
  8. ↑ Coggan, Devan (March 3, 2016). "Nina Director Responds To Casting Controversy". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  9. ↑ Lo, Malinda (May 30, 2008). "Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. (May 30, 2008)". AfterEllen. Archived from the original on October 11, 2015.
  10. 1 2 Gilchrist, Tracy E. (May 22, 2008). "Tabloids speculate about Jodie Foster's "other woman"". PinkNews.
  11. 1 2 Staff (May 25, 2008). "Jodie Foster dumps long-time girlfriend for screenwriter Cindy Mort". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
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