Zoe Kazan

Zoe Kazan
Name	Zoe Kazan
Birth date	9 September 1983
Birth place	Los Angeles, California, United States
Occupation	Actress, Playwright, Screenwriter
Years active	2003–present
Parents	Nicholas Kazan (father), Robin Swicord (mother)
Relatives	Eli Kazan (grandfather), Molly Kazan (grandmother)
Notable works	Ruby Sparks, The Big Sick, The Fabelmans, Frances Ha, The Unbelievable Truth

Zoe Kazan Zoe Kazan (born September 9, 1983) is an American actress, playwright, and screenwriter known for film, television, and stage work. She has appeared in independent and mainstream films and written plays and screenplays produced on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in film, establishing collaborations with filmmakers, theater companies, and actors across the United States and Europe.

Early life and education

Kazan was born in Los Angeles, California, to screenwriters Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord. She is a granddaughter of director Elia Kazan and playwright Molly Kazan, and a descendant of Greek and Jewish immigrant families connected to the American arts scene. She attended Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles and studied drama at Yale University and trained in acting techniques used at institutions such as The Juilliard School, later participating in workshops with companies like Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Mabou Mines.

Career

Kazan began her professional acting career in the early 2000s, appearing in independent films produced by companies such as IFC Films and A24. She worked with directors including Hal Hartley, Whit Stillman, Noah Baumbach, and Alexander Payne in projects staged at festivals like the Sundance Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival. Onstage, she performed in productions at South Coast Repertory, The Public Theater, Lincoln Center, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. She collaborated with playwrights and directors including Anna D. Shapiro, George C. Wolfe, and Sam Mendes in repertory and new works.

Acting credits

Kazan's film roles include leads and supporting parts in The Unbelievable Truth, Frances Ha, Ruby Sparks, The Big Sick, and The Fabelmans. She appeared in television series and limited series on networks and platforms such as HBO, BBC, Amazon Prime Video, and PBS. Her theater appearances featured performances in plays by Tennessee Williams, Anton Chekhov, Lillian Hellman, and contemporary playwrights at venues including Second Stage Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, and Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Playwriting and screenwriting

Kazan wrote the screenplay for Ruby Sparks, which she co-produced and starred in; the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Her plays have been produced Off-Broadway and regionally by companies such as The New Group, MCC Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. She has published plays in collections and worked with dramaturgs associated with New Dramatists, Playwrights Horizons, and The Lark. Kazan's writing has been staged at festivals including Humana Festival of New American Plays and readings at Joe's Pub and The Public Theater workshops.

Personal life

Kazan has collaborated professionally and personally with actors and filmmakers including Paul Dano and worked within creative communities in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. She has participated in benefit readings and initiatives with organizations like Actors' Equity Association, Women in Film, and The Actors Fund. Her family connections include ties to the American Film Institute and archives at institutions such as the Library of Congress and Museum of Modern Art.

Awards and nominations

Kazan has received recognition from bodies including the Obie Awards, Lucille Lortel Awards, and film festival juries at Sundance Film Festival and Venice Film Festival for acting and writing; she has been nominated for awards from critics' circles such as the New York Film Critics Circle and organizations like Screen Actors Guild for ensemble and individual honors. She has been listed in industry year-end lists by publications such as The New York Times, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter.

Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:American actresses Category:American dramatists and playwrights Category:American screenwriters