Ryan Murphy: 8 Shocking and Interesting Facts About Famed Producer, Writer and Director

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Ryan Murphy is a famed producer, writer, and director best known for television hits such as ‘American Horror Story,’ ‘Glee,’ and much, much more. Ryan has gained a large following over the years for his part in the creation of the unique television shows and movies that he continues to impressively bring to life, sometimes working on several projects at a time.

He has changed what modern television looks like in many ways, including his inclusion of underrepresented and marginalized characters throughout many of the projects and works he has had a hand in over the years. His desire to bring representation through his storytelling has ultimately had a hand in his enormous success as people tend to respect and enjoy stories that they might see a glimpse of themselves in.

Though he has become a well-known producer, writer, and director over the years, there are still many shocking and interesting facts that people may not be aware of. Do you think he went to college for screenwriting or that he always knew he would be creating some of the best shows in modern television history? Keep reading to find out.

He Studied Journalism at Indiana University Bloomington

Being a big-time producer was not always what Ryan Murphy foresaw his future to look like one day. Instead, he attended Indiana University Bloomington and studied journalism, ultimately graduating and landing internships and jobs at places like ‘The Washington Post,’ ‘The Miami Herald,’ ‘Los Angeles Times,’ and more. His experience as a journalist ultimately sparked his interest in screenwriting, and the rest would be history as his writing began to gather interest in the film and television industry.

Music is One of His Passions

As a child, Ryan Murphy was part of a choir where he would be able to express himself through music at a young age. He also was a part of a vocal ensemble, Singing Hoosiers, while attending Indiana University Bloomington. Ryan’s passion for music and his experience as a member of a college vocal ensemble would ultimately reflect in his producing and writing of one of his most popular television shows ‘Glee.’

Married With Children

Did you know Ryan had children and was married? Ryan Murphy is known for enjoying his privacy and keeping his personal life a little bit more to himself, which should definitely be respected. He has shared with the world, though, that he is married to David Miller, a photographer, and how they share three children with their most recent child’s expectancy being announced last year by Ryan, so exciting, I know.

His First Emmy

Ryan Murphy’s first nomination for an Emmy would happen in 2004 for outstanding directing for a drama series for his series ‘Nip/Tuck,’ which was also an extremely popular show, by the way. It was not until they would release the pilot for ‘Glee’ that he would win his first Emmy of his career, signifying the growth and success that was bound to come from Ryan in future years. He has since won a variety of other awards for his part in television shows and movies.

Yes, Ryan Murphy Makes Movies

Most people probably mostly know about Ryan’s various television shows, but did you know he also has created many popular movies? Some movies that come to mind are ‘Eat Pray Love,’ which starred Julia Roberts, ‘Glee: The 3D Concert Movie,’ and more. His documentaries, often tied to his deal with Netflix, are also worth checking out as, of course, Ryan’s ability to tell a story is always unmatched, which makes these documentaries even better.

Several Projects at a Time

With Ryan Murphy’s immense demand from streaming services and big-name platforms to be a part of projects and create new content, it is no surprise that he has been known to work on several projects at a time. He is constantly being asked or coming up with unique ideas, which ultimately leads to a high workload for the producer. Just right now, Ryan Murphy currently has a plethora of television series and projects that he is currently working on, but who truly knows the total amount as he could also be working on the beginnings of unannounced projects as well.

His Fictional Work Often Brings Light to Real-Life Issues

This may not be so much a shocking fact, but rather an analysis of Ryan Murphy’s previous works, but it is seemingly true that Ryan often brings issues into his fictional works that reflect the current climate of the world. This feature, as a part of his storytelling, often is an easy way to bring more attention to issues that are happening in the world to demographics that may not be realizing the issues that are present around them. It is a fascinating but effective way for Ryan to bring awareness to issues that he is passionate about.

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Steven Spielberg Paid Him for a Script

In his early years of screenwriting, Ryan wrote ‘Why Can’t I Be Audrey Hepburn,’ which ultimately led to Steven Spielberg buying the script from Ryan. The script was never used, but it has been said by Ryan that the movie was going to feature upcoming actresses at one point before the project was canceled. Hopefully, one day we will get to see the script come to life.

Ryan Murphy is a Groundbreaker

Overall, it is without a doubt that Ryan Murphy has changed the television and film industry for the better through his inclusiveness, awareness, and above all, that helps bring attention to real-life issues and offers representation where it is often missing. Ryan Murphy continues to change and shape the industry, and I can not wait to see what he will come up with next.

For now, I will be excitedly waiting for his upcoming project, the upcoming season of ‘American Horror Story’ starring Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Lily Rabe. Ryan Murphy is also working on other new projects, one of them being ‘Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ starring Evan Peters.

By Chelsea Black

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Chelsea Black

Chelsea Black is a writer and digital media content creator with a background in public relations and diversity studies. She strives to create and showcase content that emphasizes representation for all communities and overall diversity and inclusion. Her values and beliefs align with The Hollywood Insider as she believes that the power the media holds should be used in meaningful and uplifting ways. She believes in the capabilities of storytelling and that it can promote positive change in many aspects. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys reading and reflective writing.