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James Ponsoldt

  • Producer
  • Director
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
James Ponsoldt in Smashed (2012)
James Ponsoldt was born on 5 September 1978 in Athens, Georgia, USA. He is a producer and director, known for The Spectacular Now (2013), The Circle (2017) and The End of the Tour (2015). He has been married to Megan Holloway since 25 September 2010.
BornSeptember 5, 1978
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornSeptember 5, 1978
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys
      • 4 wins & 14 nominations total

    Photos14

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    Known for

    Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller in The Spectacular Now (2013)
    The Spectacular Now
    7.0
    • Director
    • 2013
    Tom Hanks and Emma Watson in The Circle (2017)
    The Circle
    5.4
    • Producer
    • 2017
    The End of the Tour (2015)
    The End of the Tour
    7.2
    • Director
    • 2015
    Aaron Paul and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Smashed (2012)
    Smashed
    6.7
    • Director
    • 2012

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Producer

    • The Altruists
      • executive producer
      • Post-production
      • TV Mini Series
      • 2026
    • Wild City
      • producer
      • Script
    • Sponsor
      • producer
      • Completed
    • Harrison Ford and Jason Segel in Shrinking (2023)
      Shrinking
      8.2
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2023–2026
    • Kate Hudson in Running Point (2025)
      Running Point
      7.3
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2025
    • Tom Wright, Riley Keough, Josh Whitehouse, Sam Claflin, Suki Waterhouse, Camila Morrone, Sebastian Chacon, and Will Harrison in Daisy Jones & The Six (2023)
      Daisy Jones & The Six
      8.1
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Summering (2022)
      Summering
      4.5
      • producer
      • 2022
    • Elizabeth Olsen in Sorry for Your Loss (2018)
      Sorry for Your Loss
      7.3
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2018–2019
    • Justin Chatwin, Joseph Cross, Ellar Coltrane, Victoria Justice, Bill Milner, Callan McAuliffe, Lio Tipton, Ian Nelson, Ella Hunt, Elena Kampouris, Hayden Szeto, Melina Vidler, Lana Condor, and Khris Davis in Summer Night (2019)
      Summer Night
      4.8
      • executive producer
      • 2019
    • Tom Hanks and Emma Watson in The Circle (2017)
      The Circle
      5.4
      • produced by
      • 2017
    • Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)
      Master of None
      8.2
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2015
    • Pat Healy in Mountain Low (2014)
      Mountain Low
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2014
    • Amira & Sam (2014)
      Amira & Sam
      6.2
      • executive producer
      • 2014
    • We Saw Such Things
      Short
      • co-producer
      • 2008
    • Janeane Garofalo and Ramya Pratt in Junebug and Hurricane (2004)
      Junebug and Hurricane
      7.1
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2004
    • Rush Tickets
      Short
      • executive producer
      • producer
      • 2003
    • Porn 'n Chicken (2002)
      Porn 'n Chicken
      4.7
      TV Movie
      • associate producer
      • 2002

    Director

    • The Altruists
      • Director
      • Post-production
      • TV Mini Series
      • 2026
    • Wild City
      • Director
      • Script
    • Untitled Urban Cowboy
      • Director
      • In Development
      • TV Series
    • Sponsor
      • Director
      • Completed
    • Rodham
      • Director
      • In Development
      • TV Series
    • Harrison Ford and Jason Segel in Shrinking (2023)
      Shrinking
      8.2
      TV Series
      • directed by
      • Director
      • 2023–2026
    • Ben Kingsley and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in Wonder Man (2026)
      Wonder Man
      7.4
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 2026
    • Kate Hudson in Running Point (2025)
      Running Point
      7.3
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 2025
    • Tom Wright, Riley Keough, Josh Whitehouse, Sam Claflin, Suki Waterhouse, Camila Morrone, Sebastian Chacon, and Will Harrison in Daisy Jones & The Six (2023)
      Daisy Jones & The Six
      8.1
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 2023
    • Summering (2022)
      Summering
      4.5
      • Director
      • 2022
    • Elizabeth Olsen in Sorry for Your Loss (2018)
      Sorry for Your Loss
      7.3
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 2018–2019
    • Thin Ice (2017)
      Thin Ice
      7.6
      TV Movie
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Tom Hanks and Emma Watson in The Circle (2017)
      The Circle
      5.4
      • directed by
      • 2017
    • The Legend of Master Legend (2017)
      The Legend of Master Legend
      6.2
      TV Movie
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)
      Master of None
      8.2
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 2015
    • The End of the Tour (2015)
      The End of the Tour
      7.2
      • Director
      • 2015
    • William H. Macy, Steve Howey, Cameron Monaghan, Shanola Hampton, Jeremy Allen White, Ethan Cutkosky, and Emma Kenney in Shameless (2011)
      Shameless
      8.5
      TV Series
      • directed by
      • 2014
    • Bonnie Bedelia, Craig T. Nelson, Monica Potter, Joy Bryant, Erika Christensen, Lauren Graham, Sam Jaeger, Peter Krause, Mae Whitman, Dax Shepard, Max Burkholder, Miles Heizer, Tyree Brown, Savannah Paige Rae, and Xolo Maridueña in Parenthood (2010)
      Parenthood
      8.3
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 2013
    • Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller in The Spectacular Now (2013)
      The Spectacular Now
      7.0
      • Director
      • 2013
    • Aaron Paul and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Smashed (2012)
      Smashed
      6.7
      • Director
      • 2012

    Writer

    • Wild City
      • written by
      • Script
    • Untitled Urban Cowboy
      • co-writer
      • In Development
      • TV Series
    • Sponsor
      • written by
      • Completed
    • Summering (2022)
      Summering
      4.5
      • written by
      • 2022
    • Tom Hanks and Emma Watson in The Circle (2017)
      The Circle
      5.4
      • screenplay by
      • 2017
    • Aaron Paul and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Smashed (2012)
      Smashed
      6.7
      • written by
      • 2012
    • Off the Black (2006)
      Off the Black
      6.5
      • Writer
      • 2006
    • Janeane Garofalo and Ramya Pratt in Junebug and Hurricane (2004)
      Junebug and Hurricane
      7.1
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2004
    • Rush Tickets
      Short
      • writer
      • 2003
    • Coming Down the Mountain
      8.7
      Short
      • writer
      • 2003
    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Personal details

    • Born
      • September 5, 1978
      • Athens, Georgia, USA
    • Spouse
      • Megan HollowaySeptember 25, 2010 - present
    • Publicity listings
      • 7 Articles

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      He graduated from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut with a Bachelor's Degree and earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree in directing from Columbia University in New York City.

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