Biography

Darren Aronofsky

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Darren Aronofsky was born February 12, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up, Darren was always artistic: he loved classic movies and, as a teenager, he even spent time doing graffiti art. After high school, Darren went to Harvard University to study film (both live-action and animation). He won several film awards after completing his senior thesis film, "Supermarket Sweep", starring Sean Gullette, which went on to becoming a National Student Academy Award finalist. Aronofsky didn't make a feature film until five years later, in February 1996, where he began creating the concept for Pi (1998). After Darren's script for Pi (1998) received great reactions from friends, he began production. The film re-teamed Aronofsky with Gullette, who played the lead. This went on to further successes, such as Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Wrestler (2008) and Black Swan (2010). Most recently, he completed the films Noah (2014) and Mother! (2017).
- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous

Frequently uses a technique known as the hip-hop montage, which is a sequence of images or actions shown in fast-motion with accompanying sound effects, usually shown to simulate a certain action, such as taking drugs.
Fade to white for emphasis, a break in the story, or an end of an Act/Section in the story.
Use of sounds to objects that are not always seen on screen (i.e., a train horn, or slurping liquid).
Uses a string instrument and techno beat combination for the soundtrack to his films.
Use of the Snorricam (a camera device that is rigged to the body of the actor).

Directed 6 actors in Oscar nominated performances: Ellen Burstyn, Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Natalie Portman, Brendan Fraser, and Hong Chau. Portman and Fraser won for their performances in his movies.
His favorite films include Angel Heart (1987), Jacob's Ladder (1990), Brazil (1985), Time Bandits (1981), Once Upon A Time in The West (1968), Saturday Night Fever (1977), Do The Right Thing (1989) and West Side Story (1961).
Attended Harvard University.
Contributed a message to the book Satoshi Anime Zen-Shigoto (Satoshi Kon's Animation Works), a book dedicated to the works of Japanese animation director Satoshi Kon who died in 2011. Kon had personally met Aronofsky in 2001 shortly after the release of Aronfosky's Pi (1998), and before the release of Kon's Millennium Actress (2001).
He routinely does not shave or cut his hair while shooting a film.

I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the road that I have the most passion on because then you can never really blame yourself for making the wrong choices. You can always say you're following your passion.
There's always been a lot of pressure and tension on the line. If Pi (1998) didn't work out, I have no idea what my career would be. I don't think I would have gotten another shot at it. If Requiem for a Dream (2000) didn't work out, they would have called me a 'one-hit wonder with a sophomore slump'.
To me, watching a movie is like going to an amusement park. My worst fear is making a film that people don't think is a good ride.
[on casting The Wrestler (2008)] No one believed in Mickey Rourke... He has no value as a commodity. Well, I sat with him and looked into his eyes. His eyes aren't dead. They're alive, yearning, thinking.
[on Mickey Rourke] When you meet him, he has all this armour on him, but that's because inside he's soft as jelly and he has such a big heart. Technically, he's an incredible actor and completely in control of his craft.