Laura Terruso (b. 1980/1981) is a film director, screenwriter, cinemetographer, and producer. Terruso got her big break by co-writing the screenplay and producing Hello, My Name is Doris (2015) starring Sally Field.[1] Moving into directing, Terusso recently directed About My Father (2023) with Robert Di Nero.[2][3]

Early Life and Education

Growing up in Brooklyn, Terusso graduated from New York University as an undergraduate in the early 2000s. After graduation, Terusso worked on independent films and projects. She got accepted to Tisch School of the Arts for graduate school, where she met Michael Showalter and started collaborating with him as a screenwriter and producer.[4]

Career

2010 - 2016 - Emerging screenwriter and director

In the 2000s, Terusso started producing Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks the Same with Madeleine Olnek. While a student at Tisch, Terusso connected with Showalter, who adapted her short film as the full screen version of Hello, My Name is Doris.

2017 - 2022 - Emerging director

Terusso had her directorial debut in Fits & Starts (2017) starring Wyatt Cenec and Greta Lee. Also credited as the writer of the script, Terusso debuted the film at South by Southwest.

The next major director credit was Work It! (2020), a high school musical about a dance competition that debuted on Netflix. The film starts Sabrina Carpenter, Liza Koshy, Keiynan Lonsdale, Michelle Buteau and Jordan Fisher. It was produced by Alicia Keys.

In directing About My Father, Terusso took heart to Sebastian Maniscalco's script as the daughter of a 2nd generation immigrant. When she read the script, she had a close connection with the storyline of Sicilian family relationships. She's the youngest woman ever to direct Robert Di Nero.

Terusso cites Penny Marshall, Herb Ross, Hal Ashby, Tamara Jenkins, and Nancy Meyers as influences.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Laura Terruso (HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS) | OnWriting". Writers Guild of America East. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  2. ^ Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and. "'About My Father' Director Laura Terruso Reveals What It's Like Directing Robert De Niro (Exclusive) | Academy Newsletter". A.frame. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  3. ^ Vega, Nicolas (2023-05-31). "40-year-old director never thought she could have a film career—now her latest movie stars Robert De Niro". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  4. ^ Lead, The Female (2023-06-01). "Breaking Barriers: Laura Terruso and the Rise of Female Directors in Hollywood". The Female Lead. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  5. ^ Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and. "Laura Terruso: 5 Movies I Watch Again and Again and Again". Academy Newsletter. Retrieved 2024-09-29.