# Vanessa Taylor

Vanessa Taylor (born September 24, 1970) is an American screenwriter and television producer. She is best known for writing the screenplay for the films Hope Springs, Divergent, and The Shape of Water. For her work on The Shape of Water, Taylor was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

## Early life and education

As a child, Taylor wrote fairy tales. From age twelve, Taylor pursued acting and singing. She attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan,$^{:84}$ and later joined The Groundlings for two years.$^{:57}$

## Career

Her television credits include Game of Thrones, Gideon's Crossing, Alias, Everwood, Tell Me You Love Me, and Cupid. She also co-created Jack & Bobby.
Taylor's debut feature film script was Hope Springs (2012), directed by David Frankel, about a marriage therapist who tries to help a couple rekindle their loveless relationship after 31 years of marriage. She then co-wrote the screenplay for the sci-fi action film Divergent (2014).
Taylor co-wrote the screenplay for the fantasy romance film The Shape of Water (2017), along with its director Guillermo del Toro. For her work, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
In 2019, Taylor performed an uncredited rewrite on Disney's live action remake of Aladdin, directed by Guy Ritchie. The following year, Taylor adopted the screenplay for Netflix's Hillbilly Elegy. She continued her relationship with Netflix over the following years, doing uncredited work on The School for Good and Evil (2022) and writing the screenplay for the young adult dystopian film Uglies (2024).

## Awards and nominations

Taylor was nominated for two Primetime Emmy awards for Outstanding Drama Series for Game of Thrones in 2012 and 2013.
She was also nominated for a WGA Award (Drama Series) in 2013 for Game of Thrones.
In 2012, Taylor was nominated for a WIN Outstanding Writer Award (Outstanding Film or Show Written by a Woman) in 2012 for Hope Springs.
Alongside her The Shape of Water co-writer and director Guillermo del Toro, Taylor was honoured with the 2017 PEN Center USA Screenplay Award at the 27th Annual Literary Awards Festival.
She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for The Shape of Water. She was also nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Writing.

## Filmography
### Film

Writer
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 2012 | Hope Springs | David Frankel | |
| 2014 | Divergent | Neil Burger | |
| 2017 | The Shape of Water | Guillermo del Toro | Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay |
| 2020 | Hillbilly Elegy | Ron Howard | Nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay |
| 2024 | Uglies | McG | |
Uncredited writer
* Aladdin (2019)
* The School for Good and Evil (2022)

### Television

Producer
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2012-2013 | Game of Thrones | Co-executive producer (Season 3 and Season 2) |
| 2007 | Tell Me You Love Me | Consulting producer (Season 1) |
| 2004-2005 | Jack & Bobby | Co-creator and co-executive producer (Season 1) |
| 2002-2004 | Everwood | Supervising producer (Season 2) |
| 2001-2002 | Alias | Co-producer (Season 1) |
Writer
| Year | Title | Episode | Notes |
| 2013 | Game of Thrones | "Dark Wings, Dark Words" | |
| 2012 | Game of Thrones | "The Old Gods and the New" | |
| 2012 | Game of Thrones | "Garden of Bones" | |
| 2007 | Tell Me You Love Me | "Episode #1.9" | |
| 2007 | Tell Me You Love Me | "Episode #1.5" | |
| 2005 | Jack & Bobby | "Pilot" | Co-creator |
| 2004 | Everwood | "Do or Die" | |
| 2003 | Everwood | "Burden of Truth" | |
| 2003 | Everwood | "My Brother's Keeper" | |
| 2003 | Everwood | "Home" | |
| 2003 | Everwood | "Episode 20" | |
| 2003 | Everwood | "My Funny Valentine" | |
| 2002 | Everwood | "A Thanksgiving Tale" | |
| 2002 | Everwood | "The Doctor Is In" | |
| 2001 | Alias | "Spirit" | |
| 2001 | Alias | "A Broken Heart" | |
| 2000 | Gideon's Crossing | | |
| 1998 | Cupid | "Botched Makeover" | |