Robert Luketic | |
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![]() Luketic in 2016 | |
Born | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 1 November 1973
Occupation(s) | Film director, producer, screenwriter |
Years active | 1997–present |
Robert Luketic (born 1 November 1973) is an Australian film director. His films include Legally Blonde (2001), Monster-in-Law (2005), 21 (2008), Killers (2010), and Paranoia (2013).
Early life
[edit]Robert Luketic was born in Sydney, Australia, the elder of two children of a Croatian father and Italian mother.[1][2] He is openly gay.[3][4]
Career
[edit]Luketic started making short films as a teenager and went on to study at the Victorian College of Arts – School of Film and Television (VCA).[citation needed]
He first attracted Hollywood's attention with his award-winning short film Titsiana Booberini written by Tania Lacy. After screening to much acclaim at several festivals within Australia, Titsiana Booberini became a hit at many internationally renowned festivals including the Sundance Film Festival.[5] It won "Best Film" at the Aspen Shortsfest.[6]
Luketic directed the comedy Legally Blonde for MGM in the summer of 2001. This film, which grossed close to $100 million domestically and was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, marked Luketic's feature film directing debut.[citation needed]
Next, Luketic directed the DreamWorks Pictures film Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!. The 2003 film, produced by Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher at Red Wagon, stars Kate Bosworth, Nathan Lane, Josh Duhamel and Topher Grace. In 2005, he directed Monster-in-Law, starring Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, and Michael Vartan.[citation needed] At one point, Luketic was attached to direct an adaptation of Donald Hamilton's Matt Helm books as his followup to Monster-in-Law.[7] He was later attached to direct a feature film adaptation of the TV series Dallas.[8]
In 2008, Luketic released 21, based on the book Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich. The film tells the true story of five MIT students who became experts at counting cards and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings. The film stars Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Jim Sturgess, and Laurence Fishburne.[9]
He directed the romantic comedy The Ugly Truth, which opened in July 2009. Starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler, the film follows a morning show producer (Heigl) who sets out to disprove the outrageous relationship theories of her chauvinistic correspondent (Butler). Luketic next directed the action-comedy Killers, starring Heigl and Ashton Kutcher.[citation needed]
Filmography
[edit]Short film
- Titsiana Booberini (1997) (Also writer)
Feature film
- Legally Blonde (2001)
- Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004)
- Monster-in-Law (2005)
- 21 (2008)
- The Ugly Truth (2009)
- Killers (2010)
- Paranoia (2013)
- The Wedding Year (2019)
Television
Year | Title | Episode(s) |
---|---|---|
2006 | Women in Law | "Pilot" |
2015 | Jane the Virgin | "Chapter Nineteen" |
"Chapter Twenty-Five" | ||
2021 | The Baby-Sitters Club | "Kristy and the Snobs" |
"Claudia and the New Girl" | ||
"Jessi and the Superbrat" | ||
"Claudia and the Sad Goodbye" | ||
2023 | Schmigadoon! | "Famous as Hell" |
"Over and Done" |
References
[edit]- ^ "Robert Luketić režira remake 'Barbarelle'" (in Croatian). tportal.hr. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ "vecernji list". www.vecernji.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 11 August 2009.
- ^ Lisotta, Christopher (27 March 2008). "Doubling Down". Out. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "Legally Blonde director to tackle Don't Ask". Advocate. 2 November 2002. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ Mundhra, Smiriti (14 July 2001). "New Kid on the Block". IGN. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
- ^ "Film students make a feature of their shorts". The Age. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
- ^ "True Colors". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ "Luketic Heads to 'Dallas' After Making Money-in-Law". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ Emerson, Jim. "21 movie review & film summary (2008) | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 3 May 2024.