Being a television actor is a job that the vast majority of people are not cut out to do. However, writing and producing these shows may be an even more difficult proposition. Writers have to find a way to bring entertaining, moving, and relevant stories to life while also satisfying the demands of Hollywood executives. One of the most talented and decorated writers working today is Javier Grillo-Marxuach.
Grillo-Marxuach has worked on shows like Lost, The 100, and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. He has been widely celebrated as a powerful creative force that has helped these shows reach such tremendous success. For fans of these shows, it can be very interesting to learn more about the person that helped shape them. Here are five of the most interesting facts about the highly skilled Javier Grillo-Marxuach.
5. He’s worked on comic books
Grillo-Marxuach’s work has mainly focused on primetime television shows. However, he as also used his writing skills to contribute to comic book storylines. This has not been a mere hobby; he has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. For Marvel, he wrote a limited series called Annihilation — Super-Skrull. He also wrote The Middleman, his unique series for Viper Comics.
4. He is well educated
Given Grillo-Marxuach’s incredible resume, it’s no surprise that he has had an excellent education. In 1991, he earned a BA from Carnegie Mellon, one of the most respected universities in the country. Interestingly, he was a very active student at the school, working as a writer, director, and actor in a theater club. He later went on to earn an MFA from USC.
3. He gives back to his school
Grillo-Marxuach clearly understands the instrumental role that education has played in his illustrious career. As such, he is devoted to helping other students realise their dreams. For many years, Grillo-Marxuach has sponsored a fellowship at USC, where he earned his MFA. The fellowship is available to students in the MFA program who have a special interest with Hispanic language. Grillo-Marxuach is clearly just as thoughtful in his personal life as he is when writing for television shows.
2. He had to learn how to “play the game” in Hollywood
Television writers are often caught in a moral dilemma. On one hand, they would love to express their ideas and messages fully. On the other, they know that Hollywood has certain demands that are not always fair. Balancing the need to appease executives with the desire to write powerful and genuine scripts is very difficult.
A notable example took place when Grillo-Marxuach was working on the first season of Lost. Apparently, Jack was supposed to be killed off early in the pilot episode. Grillo-Marxuach knew that this would not end well with executives. He was essentially forced to tell J.J. Abrams not to kill the white guy.
1. He owns up to his mistakes
Just because Grillo-Marxuach is educated, talented, and hard working does not mean that he is infallible. While working on The 100, he wrote an episode in which Commander Lexa, a lesbian character, was killed off. This prompted a huge backlash from the LGBT community, as the notion that gay characters are expendable in Hollywood has been highlighted in recent years.
Far from ducking the issue, Grillo-Marxuach stated that the show’s writers (including himself) contributed to this serious problem. This type of honesty is crucial if Hollywood is going to continue to become more inclusive and representative of all people.
Conclusion
Javier Grillo-Marxuach has had an enviable and storied career as a writer for highly acclaimed television shows. He is an exceptionally talented, educated, and honest individual. His work on shows like Lost has earned him fame and fortune, but he has done work in other industries as well. Perhaps most notably, he has penned some remarkable comic books for industry giants like Marvel. Given his incredible resume, television fans can be certain that Grillo-Marxuach will be providing them quality entertainment for years to come.
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