# Michael Lehmann

Michael Stephen Lehmann (born March 30, 1957) is an American film and television director known for directing the dark comedy Heathers.

## Early life and education

In 1978, Lehmann graduated from Columbia University.
Lehmann is of Jewish descent.

## Career

Lehmann's first job in the film industry was answering phones at Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope film company. Later he supervised cameras on films that included 1983's The Outsiders. Lehmann attended film school at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and graduated in 1985. While at USC he made a student film, The Beaver Gets a Boner, the title of which he believes helped get the attention of film executives who would later hire him.
A short film by Lehmann, titled "Ed's Secret Life (An Unauthorized Biography)", was shown on Saturday Night Live. Purportedly about Mister Ed's post-career life, William Schallert, Mick Fleetwood, and Heather Locklear appeared in it.
Lehmann is most known for directing the dark comedy Heathers. He also directed 40 Days and 40 Nights, The Truth About Cats & Dogs, Hudson Hawk, Meet the Applegates, Airheads and Because I Said So.
Lehmann directed his first television commercial through the Leo Burnett Company in June 1996 for McDonald's. Lehmann also directs for television, and has worked on The Comeback and The West Wing. Lehmann directed episodes of The Larry Sanders Show, Watching Ellie, Century City, Big Love, True Blood, Californication, Wonderfalls, White Famous, Betas, American Horror Story, Snowfall, Veronica Mars, and 68 Whiskey.
Lehmann said that he never would make a sequel to Heathers and that Winona Ryder wanted to do Heathers set in Washington, D.C., but he saw no potential for the project.

## Filmography

Film
* Heathers (1989)
* Meet the Applegates (1990) (Also writer)
* Hudson Hawk (1991)
* Airheads (1994)
* The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996)
* My Giant (1998)
* 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
* Because I Said So (2007)
* Flakes (2007)
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer | Notes |
| 1993 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Yes | No | Episode "Night of the Dead Living" |
| 1994-1997 | The Larry Sanders Show | Yes | No | 5 episodes |
| 1995 | Fallen Angels | Yes | No | Episode "Good Housekeeping" |
| 1999 | The West Wing | Yes | No | Episode "Five Votes Down" |
| 2002 | Watching Ellie | Yes | No | Episode "Aftershocks" |
| 2002 | Pasadena | Yes | No | Episode "Run Lily Run" |
| 2003 | Trash | Yes | No | TV movie |
| 2004 | Century City | Yes | Co-executive | Episodes "Pilot" and "The Face Was Familiar" |
| 2004 | Wonderfalls | Yes | No | Episode "Caged Bird" |
| 2005 | The Comeback | Yes | No | 4 episodes |
| 2006-2009 | Big Love | Yes | No | Episodes "The Baptism", "Good Guys and Bad Guys" and "Outer Darkness" |
| 2007 | Family of the Year | Yes | No | Episode "Pilot" |
| 2008 | Miss Guided | Yes | No | Episodes "Rebel Yell" and "Pool Party" |
| 2008 | 12 Miles of Bad Road | Yes | No | Episode "Moon-shadow" |
| 2008-2009 | Worst Week | Yes | No | Episodes "The Wedding" and "The Sex" |
| 2008-2013 | True Blood | Yes | No | 15 episodes |
| 2008-2014 | Californication | Yes | No | 7 episodes |
| 2009 | The Beautiful Life | Yes | No | Episode "The Beautiful Aftermath" |
| 2009-2010 | Bored to Death | Yes | No | 7 episodes |
| 2010 | Outsourced | Yes | No | Episode "Bolloween" |
| 2010 | The Big C | Yes | No | Episodes "Divine Intervention" and "New Beginnings" |
| 2011 | Nurse Jackie | Yes | No | Episodes "Play Me" and "Mitten" |
| 2011-2012 | Dexter | Yes | No | Episodes "Ricochet Rabbit" and "The Dark… Whatever" |
| 2011-2013 | American Horror Story | Yes | No | Episodes "Smoldering Children", "Unholy Night" and "The Name Game" |
| 2012 | Cassandra French's Finishing School for Boys | Yes | No | Episode "Pilot" |
| 2013 | Go On | Yes | No | Episodes "Win at All Costas" and "Double Down" |
| 2013 | Betas | Yes | Yes | 4 episodes |
| 2014-2016 | Tyrant | Yes | Yes | 4 episodes |
| 2015 | House of Lies | Yes | No | Episode "Praise Money! Hallowed be Thy Name" |
| 2015 | The Brink | Yes | No | 4 episodes |
| 2015 | Scream Queens | Yes | No | Episode "Thanksgiving" |
| 2015-2016 | Blunt Talk | Yes | No | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | Chance | Yes | Yes | Episodes "Hiring It Done", "Unlocking Your Hidden Powers" and "Fluid Management" |
| 2017 | White Famous | Yes | No | Episodes "Wolves" and "Make Believe" |
| 2017-2019 | Snowfall | Yes | No | Episodes "A Long Time Coming", "The Offer" and "The Bottoms" |
| 2018 | Deception | Yes | Yes | Episodes "Forced Perspective", "Getting Away Clean" and "Transposition" |
| 2019 | Jessica Jones | Yes | No | Episode "A.K.A. The Perfect Burger" |
| 2019 | Veronica Mars | Yes | Yes | Episode "Spring Break Forever" |
| 2019 | The Terror | Yes | No | Episodes "Gaman" and "The Weak Are Meat" |
| 2020 | 68 Whiskey | Yes | Yes | 5 episodes |
| 2022 | The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window | Yes | Yes | Miniseries |
| 2023 | Heels | Yes | No | Episodes "Discord" and "Heavy Heads" |
| 2024 | American Rust | Yes | No | Episodes "Iron Sky" and "The Hand You're Delt" |
| 2024 | Will Trent | Yes | No | Episode "Have You Never Been to a Wedding?" |
| 2024-2025 | Dexter: Original Sin | Yes | Yes | 6 episodes |