Angus MacLachlan
Angus MacLachlan | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 1959 (age 66) |
| Education | University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA) |
| Occupation(s) | playwright, screenwriter, director |
Angus MacLachlan is a playwright, screenwriter, and director, best known for writing the screenplay for the 2005 film Junebug. A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, many of his films take place in that region of the southern United States.[1]
Career
[edit]MacLachlan was initially educated as an actor, and graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1980. He started writing monologues as he kept auditioning, and was writing and producing plays through the 1980's and 1990's.[2]
MacLachlan wrote a short film called Tater Tomater which was directed by Phil Morrison, a student at NYU and a childhood friend of MacLachlan; they grew up together in Winston-Salem.[3] The short is based on MacLachlan's stage play Behold Zebulon.[4] It was first screened in 1989 at the Rialto Theater in Raleigh, North Carolina and in 1992, both screened at Sundance and aired on PBS's American Playhouse.[5][6] The short stars Beth Bostic and Mary Lucy Bivins as two servers working in a cafeteria; Bostic continually asks customers if they want "taters" or "tomaters" until she has a mental breakdown.[7] Since its premiere the short has received praise and taken on cult film status.[8] A now-defunct website, tatertomater.com, was launched and allowed fans to take polls, sign a guestbook, or purchase a copy of the short film.[9]
MacLachlan's first feature film screenplay was 2005's Junebug, which was also directed by Phil Morrison in his directorial debut. MacLachlan's screenplay was nominated for Best First Screenplay at the Independent Spirit Awards.[10] The film was also a breakthrough for Amy Adams, who received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
He adapted one of his plays into a screenplay for the 2010 film Stone, directed by John Curran and starring Robert De Niro, Milla Jovovich, and Edward Norton.[11]
In 2014, he wrote and directed Goodbye To All That, his feature film directorial debut.[12] In 2017, he wrote and directed Abundant Acreage Available, which was awarded "Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film" at the Tribeca Film Festival.[13]
In 2023, MacLachlan wrote and directed A Little Prayer, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, his first film premiere at Sundance since 2005’s Junebug.[14] The film was initially picked up by Sony Pictures Classics for global distribution after the festival.[15] After two years with no release, ownership reverted back to the producers, and it was eventually purchased by Music Box Films for a theatrical release in August 2025.[16]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Writer | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Junebug | Yes | No |
| 2010 | Stone | Yes | No |
| 2014 | Goodbye To All That | Yes | Yes |
| 2017 | Abundant Acreage Available | Yes | Yes |
| 2023 | A Little Prayer | Yes | Yes |
References
[edit]- ^ "Angus MacLachlan spotlights success of southern filmmaking". www.uncsa.edu. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ "Interview: 'A Little Prayer' Writer/Director Angus MacLachlan". Cinema Sugar. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ "Phil Morrison". Reverse Shot. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ Henderson, Jenny (2017-07-21). The North Carolina Filmography: Over 2000 Film and Television Works Made in the State, 1905 through 2000. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5545-4.
- ^ Moore, Roger (July 14, 1992). "N.C. Director follows 'Tater Tomater' with Wheaties - and Jordan". The Charlotte Observer (Newspapers.com).
- ^ Lindsey, Craig D (January 28, 2005). "Filmmaker scurries at Sundance". The News and Observer (Newspapers.com).
- ^ Morrison, Bill (July 21, 1989). "Great escape artists". The News and Observer (Newspapers.com).
- ^ Brown, Tony (October 17, 1993). "MacLachlan offers one man guided tour". The Charlotte Observer (Newspaper.com).
- ^ BALASSONE, MERRILL (2005-07-15). "They won't be long, but they may be captivating". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
- ^ McClintock, Pamela (2005-11-29). "'Whale' of a day at Spirits". Variety. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ "Top actors film MacLachlan screenplay". www2.journalnow.com. Archived from the original on 2009-06-30. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ "Goodbye To All That". The Dissolve. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ Nordine, Michael (2017-04-27). "2017 Tribeca Film Festival Awards: 'Keep the Change,' 'Son of Sofia' and 'Bobbi Jene' Take Top Prizes". IndieWire. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ White, Abbey (2023-01-23). "Director Angus MacLachlan on Exploring Patriarchy in the Modern South With 'A Little Prayer'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
- ^ Jr, Mike Fleming (2023-01-25). "Sony Pictures Classics Lands World On 'A Little Prayer' After Rousing Premiere". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (2025-05-08). "Acclaimed Sundance Indie 'A Little Prayer' Sets 2025 Release With Music Box Films (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
External links
[edit]
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