Brook Maurio (previously Busey-Hunt; née Busey; born June 14, 1978), known professionally by the pen name Diablo Cody, is an American writer and producer. She gained recognition for her candid blog and subsequent memoir, Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper (2005). Cody received critical acclaim for her screenwriting debut film, Juno (2007), winning both the Academy Award and the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Diablo Cody | |
|---|---|
 Cody at SXSW 2024 | |
| Born | Brook Busey June 14, 1978 Lemont, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | University of Iowa (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Spouses | Jon Hunt
(m. 2004; div. 2007)Dan Maurio (m. 2009) |
| Children | 3 |
She wrote, produced, and made her directorial debut with the comedy drama film Paradise (2013).[1][2][3] Cody has also written and produced the films Jennifer's Body (2009), Young Adult (2011), Ricki and the Flash (2015), Tully (2018), and Lisa Frankenstein (2024).[4]
Cody created, wrote, and produced the Showtime comedy drama series United States of Tara (2009–2011), and the Amazon Prime series One Mississippi (2015–2017). She made her Broadway debut with the Alanis Morissette musical Jagged Little Pill winning the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical.[5] She has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the Writer's Branch since 2008.[6]
Early life
editDiablo Cody was born Brook Busey on June 14, 1978, in Lemont, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, where she and her older brother Marc were raised. She is the daughter of Pam and Greg Busey.[7] Her mother is of Italian descent and her father is of German ancestry.[8] Cody was raised Apostolic Christian[9] and attended SS. Cyril & Methodius School and Benet Academy, Roman Catholic schools in the Chicago suburbs. At this time, she went by her birth name Brook.[10]
In 2000, she graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in Media.[11] While at the University of Iowa, she worked in the acquisitions department in the main university library.[12] Her first jobs were doing secretarial work at a Chicago law firm and later proofreading copy for advertisements that played on Twin Cities radio stations.
Career
edit2001–2004: Blogging and stripping
editCody began a parody blog called Red Secretary, detailing the (fictional) exploits of a secretary living in Belarus.[13] The events were thinly-veiled allegories for events that happened in Cody's real life, but told from the perspective of a disgruntled, English-idiom-challenged Eastern Bloc girl.
Cody's first bona fide blog appeared under the nickname Darling Girl after she had moved from Chicago to Minneapolis.[13]
In March 2003, Cody started an adult blog called The Pussy Ranch, using a pen name invented while speeding through Cody, Wyoming[14] listening to the song "El Diablo" by Arcadia.[15] On a whim, Cody signed up for amateur night at a Minneapolis strip club called the Skyway Lounge.[11][16] Having enjoyed the experience, and seeing reader interest, she eventually quit her day job to become a full-time stripper.[17] Cody also spent time working peep shows at Sex World, a Minneapolis adult novelty and DVD store.[citation needed]
While still stripping, Cody began writing for City Pages, an alternative Twin Cities weekly newspaper.[11] She left City Pages just before it changed editorial hands, and has since written for the now-defunct Jane magazine. In December 2007,[18] Cody began writing a column for the magazine Entertainment Weekly.
2005–2010: Breakthrough and acclaim
editAt the age of 27, Cody wrote her memoir Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper. The memoir began after Mason Novick, who would soon become Cody's manager, showed interest in her sharp and sarcastic voice. Based on the popularity of her blog, Novick was able to secure her a publishing contract with Gotham Books.[citation needed]
After the completion of her book, Cody was encouraged by Mason Novick to try writing a screenplay.[10] Within months she wrote Juno, a coming-of-age story about a teenager's unplanned pregnancy. The script was completed in February 2005, and was optioned by a producer by that summer.[19] The Jason Reitman-directed comedy stars Elliot Page and Michael Cera.[20]
Juno was runner-up for the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award, won second prize at the Rome Film Festival, and earned four Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture. Cody herself won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for her debut script, which also picked up a Golden Globe nomination and an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. She also won screenplay honors from BAFTA, the Writers Guild of America, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review, the Satellite Awards, and the 2008 Cinema for Peace Award for Most Valuable Work of Director, Producer & Screenwriter (shared with Jason Reitman, John Malkovich, Mason Novick, Russel Smith and Lianne Halfon).[21]
The Juno script was read by many in Hollywood before the film was released, bringing Cody more opportunities. In July 2007, Showtime announced that it would be producing a pilot of Cody's DreamWorks television series, United States of Tara. Based on an idea by Steven Spielberg, Tara is a comedy about a mother with dissociative identity disorder, starring Toni Collette.[22] The series began filming in Spring 2008, and premiered on January 18, 2009.
In October 2007, Cody sold a script titled Girly Style to Universal Studios, and a horror script called Jennifer's Body to Fox Atomic.[23] Released on September 18, 2009, Jennifer's Body starred Megan Fox as the title character and Amanda Seyfried as the supporting character.[24] She revised writer-director Steven Antin's script for his musical film Burlesque.[25]
Cody made a small cameo appearance as herself in a 2008 episode of the television series 90210. She appeared in the same episode that marked the return of Tori Spelling as Donna Martin, in which Cody needed Spelling's character to make a dress for a red carpet event. In 2009, Cody signed on to script and produce a film adaptation of the Sweet Valley High young adult book series.[26]
2011–present: Career expansion
editIn 2011, she was brought in to revise first-time feature director Fede Alvarez's script for the remake of Sam Raimi's 1980s horror film The Evil Dead.[27] In October 2011, Cody began hosting an online celebrity interview program called "Red Band Trailer," on the broadband channel, L-studio.[28] She originally launched the series privately on YouTube in summer 2010, and the Lexus channel picked it up the following year.
In 2011, Cody wrote and produced the comedy-drama film Young Adult. Cody was nominated by awards associations such as the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Writers Guild of America. With Jason Reitman, Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt, she shared the Chairman's Vanguard Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. In 2012, the Fempire, the collaboration of writers Cody, Dana Fox, Liz Meriwether, and Lorene Scafaria received the Creativity and Sisterhood Award from the Athena Film Festival for their support for one another in the competitive film industry.[29]
On the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, on February 24, 2012, she said her next project would be directing her first film, which is about a young woman who abandons religion after surviving a plane crash. In February 2013, she announced that the film was called Paradise (firstly known as Lamb of God). Julianne Hough, Holly Hunter, Octavia Spencer, and Russell Brand starred in the cast. Mandate Pictures produced the film, which was released in October 2013.[30][31]
In May 2013, it was announced that Cody would host her own talk show, Me Time with Diablo Cody, on TBS. The program would tailor "around Diablo’s unique perspective on all things pop culture and told in her very own tongue-in-cheek way," and "reveal a side of Hollywood and celebs that the public very rarely gets to see." Steve Agee was to be presenting and writing with her. Cody was a producer, alongside Mark Cronin and Courtland Cox. The series never materialized or made it to air.[32][33]
Cody had numerous projects that were cancelled or stuck in development hell, including Time and a Half, which was to star Julianne Hough with Ol Parker directing.[34] She also developed a teen drama series with Josh Schwartz for Fox called Prodigy.[35] According to The Hollywood Reporter, it focused on "a 16-year-old genius who through home schooling has been isolated from her peers. Hoping to experience a "normal" teen social life before she enters the adult world of academia, she enrolls in her local high school. Her experiment goes off the rails when she finds herself adopted by a wild crowd, getting caught up in a whirlwind of romance and crime."[36][37] Cody also created and wrote Warner Bros. Television's romantic comedy series pilot Alex+Amy.[38]
Cody is the spokesperson of Barnard College's Athena Film Festival.[39]
In 2015, Cody was hired to write a new screenplay for Barbie with Amy Schumer eyed as the lead, but left the project in 2018 after struggling to produce a draft that she was proud of.[40][41]
Cody wrote and produced the musical comedy film Ricki and the Flash (2015), starring Meryl Streep and directed by Jonathan Demme in his last feature film. She also wrote and produced the comedy drama film Tully (2018), reuniting her with Young Adult star Charlize Theron. The film was directed by Jason Reitman, who previously directed Cody's scripts for Juno and Young Adult.
She wrote the script for the Broadway musical Jagged Little Pill, based on the Alanis Morissette album of the same name. The musical premiered in November 2019.[42]
In August 2020, Cody began working with Madonna on a screenplay of the singer's life.[43] However, she later stepped away from the project in May 2022 after turning in a final draft,[44][45] with the project also later being scrapped in January 2023.[46][47]
In June of 2022, it was announced that Zelda Williams would be making her directorial debut for an adaptation of Cody’s original screenplay Lisa Frankenstein, which Cody produced alongside Mason Novick. The film released in February of 2024 with mixed reviews, though still developing a small cult following.[48][49][50]
Personal life
editIn her memoir, Cody wrote fondly of her boyfriend "Jonny" (Jon Hunt). They were married from 2004 until 2007, during which time she was known in personal life as Brook Busey-Hunt.[11] In 2009, she married Dan Maurio, who worked on Chelsea Lately, on which Cody also appeared frequently as a "roundtable" guest.[51] They have three sons, born in 2010, 2012 and 2015.[52][53][54]
Cody is a friend of screenwriters Dana Fox (What Happens in Vegas, Couples Retreat) and Lorene Scafaria (Hustlers), and they often write their screenplays together in order to get advice from one another.[55]
In light of Georgia's 2019 anti-abortion law, Cody stated that she "would not have written Juno in today's reality", as critics have perceived it as an anti-abortion film.[56]
Cody is a lifelong roller-coaster enthusiast and has a tattoo of the Giant Dipper at San Diego’s Belmont Park on her right arm.[57]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writer | Producer | ||||
| 2007 | Juno | Yes | No | [21] | |
| 2009 | Jennifer's Body | Yes | Executive | ||
| 2010 | Tight | Yes | No | short film | |
| Burlesque | Uncredited | No | script revisions | [25] | |
| 2011 | Young Adult | Yes | Yes | [58] | |
| 2013 | Paradise | Yes | Executive | also Director | [59] |
| The Magic Bracelet | Yes | No | short film | ||
| Evil Dead | Uncredited | No | script revisions | [60] | |
| 2015 | Ricki and the Flash | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2018 | Tully | Yes | Yes | [61] | |
| 2024 | Lisa Frankenstein | Yes | Yes | [62] | |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Credited as | Network | Notes | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creator | Writer | Executive Producer | |||||
| 2009–2011 | United States of Tara | Yes | Yes | Yes | Showtime | 36 episodes | [63] |
| 2010 | Childrens Hospital | No | Yes | No | Adult Swim | Episode: "Show Me on Montana" | |
| 2015–2017 | One Mississippi | Yes | Yes | Yes | Amazon Prime Video | 12 episodes | [64] |
Acting roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sunday Morning Shootout | Herself | Episode: "#5.13" | |
| 2009 | 90210 | Episode: "Okaeri, Donna!" | ||
| 2011 | Robot Chicken | Various voices | Episode: "Catch Me If You Kangaroo Jack" |
Podcasts
edit| Date | Title | Episode |
|---|---|---|
| April 12, 2016 | Straight Talk with Ross Mathews | "Diablo Cody" |
| August 13, 2018 | The Boo Crew Podcast | "Diablo Cody (Jennifer's Body/Juno)" |
| May 12, 2019 | Eli Roth's History of Horror: Uncut | "Diablo Cody" |
| May 14, 2019 | Keep It! | "The Mystery Files of Constance Wu (with Diablo Cody)" |
| August 19, 2019 | The Margaret Cho | "Diablo Cody, Durk Dehner, & S.R. Sharp" |
| January 24, 2024 | Keep It! | "Oscar Noms & Snubs (with Diablo Cody & Common)" |
Awards and nominations
editReferences
editNotes
- ^ Calfas, Jennifer (7 August 2013). "Diablo Cody Celebrates 'Paradise,' Her Directorial Debut, With Hollywood Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (5 October 2011). "Diablo Cody Re-Launches Her 'Red Band Trailer'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ Kira Cochrane (2013-01-08). "2013 preview: the cultural year ahead for women | Life and style". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ "WGA Awards Nominations Announced". Deadline Hollywood. 2012-01-05. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ "Tony Awards: 'Jagged Little Pill,' 'Slave Play' Lead Nominations". Hollywoodreporter.com. 2020-10-15. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
- ^ "Oscar 2008: Academy Invites 105 New Members | Emanuel Levy". 23 June 2008.
- ^ Schaults, Janine (9 December 2007). "From Lemont to Hollywood, with a pole dance in between". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G23CRWNF3IU; stated at 19:55
- ^ "Diablo Cody Says No". (interview), Inked. September 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010.
- ^ a b "Ex-stripper in movie spotlight". CNN. 2008-01-23. Archived from the original on January 18, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ a b c d Desson, Thomson (2007-12-15). "Hollywood takes a shine to 'Juno' writer's body of work". The Washington Post via Boston.com. p. 2. Archived from the original on February 7, 2010. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ "Former Student Assistant Wins Oscar". University of Iowa Libraries. February 26, 2008. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.
- ^ a b Abramowitz, Rachel (2007-12-06). "Diablo Cody: From stripper to screenwriter". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2008-01-03. Retrieved 2008-01-30. Alt URL
- ^ "Ex-stripper in movie spotlight". CNN. 2008-01-23. Archived from the original on January 18, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ Valby, Karen (November 5, 2007). "Diablo Cody: From Ex-Stripper to A-Lister". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ^ Cody, Diablo (28 November 2004). "Pussy Ranch". Archived from the original on 28 November 2004. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- ^ Scott, Megan (2006-03-10). "Unlikely pole dancer tells strippers' story". Orange County Register. Archived from the original on 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ "Diablo Cody: As the Crowe Flies?". EW.com. 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
- ^ Fernandez, Jay A. (25 February 2008). "For Diablo Cody, flirting with success pays off". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ "First Look". Entertainment Weekly. No. 1034. February 13, 2009. p. 7.
- ^ a b Michael Jones (2008-02-12). "Berlin's Peace Awards bring in celebs". Variety. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ Dawson, Jeff (2008-01-20). "Diablo Cody, lap dancer turned ace screenwriter". Times Online. London. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
- ^ Covert, Colin (2007-12-07). "Interview: Diablo Cody: Dancing as fast as she can". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2008-02-09. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ Covert, Colin (2007-12-07). "In Defense Of 'Jennifer's Body'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
- ^ a b Fleming Jr., Michael (October 15, 2007). "Screen Gems enlists Antin for 'Burlesque'". Variety. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
Antin wrote the script, and Diablo Cody ("Juno") revised it.
- ^ McNary, Dave (23 September 2009). "Diablo Cody takes on 'Sweet Valley'". Variety. Archived from the original on November 18, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
- ^ McIntyre, Gina (July 13, 2011). "'Evil Dead' remake: Diablo Cody polishing script for first-time director". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (5 October 2011). "Diablo Cody Re-Launches Her 'Red Band Trailer' Web Talk Show On L Studio". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "2012 Athena Award Winners". Athena Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2015-02-13.
- ^ "Diablo Cody Talks PARADISE, SWEET VALLEY HIGH, and the Athena Film Festival". Collider. 2013-02-05. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ "Diablo Cody Making Directing Debut with Lamb of God". ComingSoon.net. 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2013-06-04). "Diablo Cody Gets Sidekick For Her TBS Talk Show Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ "TBS is Developing a Talk Show With Diablo Cody | Filmmakers, Film Industry, Film Festivals, Awards & Movie Reviews". Indiewire. 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ "Julianne Hough to Star in TIME AND A HALF, Written by Diablo Cody | Collider | Page 187175". Collider. 2012-08-07. Archived from the original on 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ Barrett, Annie (2013-10-04). "Fox picks up Diablo Cody, Josh Schwartz teen drama pilot | Inside TV". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ "Diablo Cody Talks PARADISE, Being "Scared Shitless," PRODIGY, SWEET VALLEY HIGH, and More". Collider. 2013-10-18. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (2013-10-04). "Diablo Cody Teams With Fake Empire for Fox Teen Drama 'Prodigy'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (2011-11-17). "Diablo Cody Developing Romantic Comedy at ABC". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ "Diablo Cody Opens Up About Her Passion Project". Athena Film Festival. 2013-01-28. Archived from the original on 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
- ^ Flemming, Mike (2015-03-04). "Diablo Cody Set To Rewrite 'Barbie'". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Nayman, Adam (2023-07-06). "The Story of the Diablo Cody Barbie Movie We Almost Got". GQ. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ McPhee, Ryan (November 3, 2019). "Alanis Morissette Musical Jagged Little Pill Begins on Broadway November 3". Playbill. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
- ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (August 9, 2020). "Madonna and Diablo Cody Are Working on a Screenplay in Quarantine". IndieWire. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
- ^ Kit, Borys; Galuppo, Mia (24 May 2022). "The Search for Madonna: Inside the Auditions for the Material Girl's Biopic". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ Nolfi, Joey. "Diablo Cody didn't 'quit' Madonna biopic despite reports: studio source". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (24 January 2023). "Madonna Biopic At Universal Not Moving Forward". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (24 January 2023). "Madonna Biopic Starring Julia Garner Scrapped as Singer Embarks on World Tour (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ Bucksbaum, Sydney (2022-06-29). "Zelda Williams to make directing debut with 'bonkers' zombie comedy Lisa Frankenstein". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Lisa Frankenstein | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. 2024-02-09. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
- ^ Emberwing, Amelia (2024-03-13). "We Did Lisa Frankenstein Dirty During Its Theatrical Run". IGN. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Diablo Cody Expecting a Baby!". Celebrity Moms. 2010-04-06.
- ^ "@diablocody". Twitter. 2010-07-27.
- ^ Silverstein, Melissa (October 31, 2013). "Pregnant Lady Can Be in a Position of Power and Crazy Shit Won't Happen - Diablo Cody". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
- ^ "In her own words, Diablo Cody reveals how writing ‘Tully’ saved her". Los Angeles Times. November 8, 2018.
- ^ Slotek, Jim (September 7, 2008). "The Fempire strikes back". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2015-08-28.
- ^ "Diablo Cody Says She Wouldn't Have Written 'Juno' in Today's 'Hellish Alternate Reality'". 16 May 2019.
- ^ Super Into - Diablo Cody Is Super Into Roller Coasters, 30 November 2015, archived from the original on 2021-12-17, retrieved 2021-06-04
- ^ Lovece, Frank (November 30, 2011). "High School Disunion: Charlize Theron, Diablo Cody & Jason Reitman on 'Young Adult'". Film Journal International. Archived from the original on November 30, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
- ^ Calfas, Jennifer (August 7, 2013). "Diablo Cody Celebrates 'Paradise,' Her Directorial Debut, With Hollywood Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ McIntyre, Gina (July 13, 2011). "'Evil Dead' remake: Diablo Cody polishing script for first-time director". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 21, 2018). "Charlize Theron, Jason Reitman & Diablo Cody Reteam 'Tully' Is Sundance Secret Screening". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (June 29, 2022). "Cole Sprouse And Kathryn Newton To Star In Diablo Cody-Scripted 'Lisa Frankenstein' For Focus Features". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
- ^ Cody, Diablo (May 25, 2011). "Diablo Cody on United States of Tara's Cancellation: 'If I Do TV Again, I Would Do It Differently'". Vulture (Interview). Interviewed by Patti Greco. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- ^ Schwindt, Oriana (November 14, 2016). "Diablo Cody-Tig Notaro Comedy 'One Mississippi' Renewed at Amazon". Variety. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
- ^ "Moulin Rouge! Tops 2020 Outer Critics Circle Award Honors". May 11, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Tony Award Nominations: Jagged Little Pill, Moulin Rouge!, Slave Play Lead the Pack". October 15, 2020.
Sources
- Interview with Diablo Cody about JUNO at the Telluride Film Festival, September 10, 2007
- Reitman and Cody, Consorting with 'Juno' - interviewed on NPR's Fresh Air, December 6, 2007
- Diablo Cody for Jennifer's Body, SuicideGirls interview, September 15, 2009
- City Pages interview with Diablo Cody, December 26, 2007
- Off the Stripper Pole and Into the Movies, The New York Times, December 2, 2007
- Overexposed - Salon.com
External links
edit
- Diablo Cody at IMDb