Justin Kuritzkes

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Justin Kuritzkes
Born
Los Angeles
EducationHarvard-Westlake School
Alma materBrown University
Occupations
  • Playwright
  • novelist
  • screenwriter
Years active2011–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2016)​

Justin Kuritzkes is an American playwright and novelist best known for writing the screenplay for the 2024 Luca Guadagnino sports romance Challengers.[1] He has also been the subject of media coverage because of his activities on YouTube, such as the 2011 video "Potion Seller".[2][3]

Personal life[edit]

Kuritzkes was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.[4] In 2008, Kuritzkes graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles.[5] Kuritzkes earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy and literary arts at Brown University, where he studied with playwright Gregory Moss.[4]

Kuritzkes has been married to filmmaker Celine Song since 2016. They live together in New York City.[6][7]

Career[edit]

Kuritzkes' one-act play An Autobiography of my Brother, first written for the 2008 Harvard-Westlake Playwrights Festival, was among the works honored at the 2010 Young Playwrights Competition.[5]

Beginning during his time at Brown University, Kuritzkes uploaded videos recorded using the Photo Booth application to Youtube.[1] The most famous of these videos, Potion Seller, achieved widespread virality online and inspired parodies in publications including The New Yorker.[8]

Kuritzkes received a MacDowell Fellowship in both 2012 and 2016.[4] In 2016, his play The Sensuality Party toured the university circuit of New York state.[9][10] He released the novel Famous People in 2019.[11][12]

Kuritzkes wrote the screenplay for Luca Guadagnino's romantic sports-comedy Challengers.[13] Ahead of the film's release, he was named one of the top 10 screenwriters to watch in 2023 by Variety.[14] He also adapted William S. Burroughs' 1985 novel Queer for a film directed by Guadagnino.[15]

In April 2024, Variety reported that Kuritzkes would write the screen adaptation of the Don Winslow novel City on Fire, set to star Austin Butler.[16]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Notes
2024 Challengers —
TBA Queer † Post-production
City on Fire † Pre-production
Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Reijn, Halina. "What Drove Justin Kuritzkes to Write the Year's Horniest Movie?". Interview Magazine. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  2. ^ "The Creator of the 2011 Viral Video 'Potion Seller' Reflects on the Infamous Meme a Decade Later". Laughing Squid. June 23, 2021. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  3. ^ Sung, Morgan (October 14, 2018). "The 'Potion Seller' guy is still making videos, and it's glorious". Mashable. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Justin Kuritzkes". MacDowell Fellowships. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Rothberg, Daniel. "Long Roads for Short Plays". The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  6. ^ Dalton, Ben (February 19, 2023). "Celine Song talks debut feature 'Past Lives': "It's the script that convinced people I can do this"". Screen. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  7. ^ Rao, Mallika (February 19, 2023). "Celine Song on 'Past Lives', Her Debut Movie". Vulture. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  8. ^ "Your Strongest Potion". The New Yorker. October 26, 2018. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  9. ^ "Discovery: Justin Kuritzkes". Interview Magazine. April 26, 2016. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  10. ^ Clement, Olivia (April 25, 2016). "The Sensuality Party Begins Performances Tonight". Playbill. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  11. ^ Stephens, Christopher John (August 19, 2019). "'Famous People' Splashes in the Puddle of a Shallow Pop Star, PopMatters". PopMatters. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  12. ^ "Summer, by the Book". The New Yorker. July 26, 2019. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  13. ^ Kroll, Justin (February 11, 2022). "Luca Guadagnino Sets Zendaya, Josh O'Connor & Mike Faist To Star In 'Challengers' For MGM And Amy Pascal". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  14. ^ "Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch for 2023 Include Scribes for 'The Marvels,' 'Rustin' and 'The Color Purple'". Variety. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  15. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (April 21, 2023). "Drew Starkey to Star With Daniel Craig in Luca Guadagnino's 'Queer' With Filming Starting This Month in Italy (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  16. ^ Fleming Jr., Mike. "Sony's 3000 Taps 'Challengers' Justin Kuritzkes To Adapt Don Winslow's 'City On Fire' For Austin Butler; 'Barbie's David Heyman Boards Trilogy". Variety. Retrieved April 26, 2024.

External links[edit]

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