# Tony McNamara (writer)

Tony McNamara (born 1967) is an Australian playwright, screenwriter, and television producer. He is also an occasional film director and producer. He is known for his work on the scripts for The Favourite (2018) and Poor Things (2023), two films directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay with Deborah Davis for the former and the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the latter. On television, he created the comedy-drama series The Great (2020–2023).

## Early life and education

Tony McNamara was born in 1967 in Kilmore, in the state of Victoria, Australia, and was educated at Assumption College, Kilmore. Following careers in catering and finance, McNamara settled on a career as a writer following a visit to Rome. He studied writing at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and screenwriting at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.

## Career

After writing various television episodes and stage plays, McNamara made his film debut in 2003 directing The Rage in Placid Lake, adapted from his stage play The Café Latte Kid. Following this, he wrote for various television programmes in Australia, most notably The Secret Life of Us, Love My Way, Tangle and Puberty Blues.
In 2015, McNamara directed his second feature film, comedy-drama Ashby, starring Mickey Rourke, Sarah Silverman and Emma Roberts. A year later, he returned to television as creator of medical drama Doctor Doctor.
In 2018, he received critical acclaim for his work in co-writing the historical comedy-drama film The Favourite with Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Emma Stone. Originally a screenplay by Deborah Davis written 20 years prior to the film's release, Lanthimos and McNamara worked together to complete the final script.
McNamara created The Great, a series revolving around the life of Catherine the Great, starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, which premiered on Hulu on 15 May 2020. It is based on his play about Catherine the Great, which premiered at the Sydney Theatre Company in 2008. McNamara also wrote a film adaptation of the play.
McNamara returned to work with Lanthimos as the writer for the 2023 film Poor Things, with Stone as the lead actress once again.

## Personal life

McNamara has a child by a first marriage, and married Australian actress Belinda Bromilow in 2009. They have two children.

## Filmography

Film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
| 1995 | The Beat Manifesto | No | Yes | Short film |
| 2003 | The Rage in Placid Lake | Yes | Yes | |
| 2015 | Ashby | Yes | Yes | |
| 2018 | The Favourite | No | Yes | Also executive producer |
| 2021 | Cruella | No | Yes | |
| 2023 | Poor Things | No | Yes | |
| 2025 | The Roses | No | Yes | |
Television
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1993 | All Together Now | 1 episode; 'Your Cheatin' Heart' |
| 1997 | Big Sky | 3 episodes |
| 2001–2005 | The Secret Life of Us | 12 episodes |
| 2004–2007 | Love My Way | 7 episodes |
| 2008 | Echo Beach | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Moving Wallpaper | 1 episode |
| 2008 | Rush | 1 episode |
| 2009–2012 | Tangle | 7 episodes |
| 2010–2011 | Spirited | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Offspring | 1 episode; 'Complications' |
| 2012–2014 | Puberty Blues | 7 episodes |
| 2016–2018 | Doctor Doctor | Creator, 15 episodes |
| 2020–2023 | The Great | Creator, 30 episodes |

## Accolades

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1995 | Australian Film Institute | Best Screenplay in a Short Film | The Beat Manifesto | Won |
| 2003 | Australian Comedy Awards | Outstanding Comic Screenplay | The Rage in Placid Lake | Nominated |
| 2003 | Australian Film Institute | Best Adapted Screenplay | The Rage in Placid Lake | Won |
| 2003 | AWGIE Awards | Major AWGIE Award | The Rage in Placid Lake | Won |
| 2003 | AWGIE Awards | Best Screenplay Adaptation | The Rage in Placid Lake | Won |
| 2003 | Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | The Rage in Placid Lake | Nominated |
| 2003 | Melbourne International Film Festival | Most Popular Feature Film | The Rage in Placid Lake | Won |
| 2007 | AWGIE Awards | Best Writing for a Television Series | Love My Way | Won |
| 2007 | Australian Film Institute | Best Screenplay in Television | Love My Way | Nominated |
| 2013 | AACTA Awards | Best Screenplay in Television | Puberty Blues | Nominated |
| 2014 | AWGIE Awards | Best Writing for a Television Series | Puberty Blues | Nominated |
| 2015 | AWGIE Awards | Best Screenplay Original | Ashby | Nominated |
| 2018 | Academy Award | Best Original Screenplay | The Favourite | Nominated |
| 2018 | Atlanta Film Critics Circle | Best Screenplay | The Favourite | Won |
| 2018 | BAFTA Award | Best Original Screenplay | The Favourite | Won |
| 2018 | British Independent Film Awards | Best Screenplay | The Favourite | Won |
| 2018 | Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Original Screenplay | The Favourite | Won |
| 2018 | Golden Globe Award | Best Screenplay | The Favourite | Nominated |
| 2018 | Indiana Film Journalists Association | Best Original Screenplay | The Favourite | Nominated |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society | Best Original Screenplay | The Favourite | Runner-Up |
| 2018 | Detroit Film Critics Society | Best Original Screenplay | The Favourite | Nominated |
| 2018 | Gotham Independent Film Awards | Best Screenplay | The Favourite | Nominated |
| 2020 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series | The Great | Nominated |
| 2023 | Capri Hollywood International Film Festival | Best Adapted Screenplay | Poor Things | Won |
| 2024 | Academy Award | Best Adapted Screenplay | Poor Things | Nominated |