Photo: Steve Granitz © WireImage.com

Born in New York City. Avid reader Charlie Kaufman wrote plays and made short films as a young student. He moved from Massapequa, New York to West Hartford, Connecticut in 1972 where he attended high school. As a comedic actor he performed in school plays and after graduation he enrolled at Boston University but but soon transferred NYU to study film. Charlie worked in the circulation department of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in the late 80s and moved to Los Angeles in 1991 where he was hired to write for the TV sitcom "Get a Life" (1990). He went on to write comedy sketches and a variety of TV show episodes ("Ned and Stacey" and "The Dana Carvey Show"). Between writing assignments, he wrote the inventive screenplay BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999), which created Hollywood interest and the attention of producer Steve Golin. Charlie works at home in Pasadena, California, where he lives with his wife Denise and children. Other notable credits include HUMAN NATURE (2001, writer & producer), CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND (2002, screenplay), ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004, writer), and SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK (scheduled for release in 2008: writer, producer & director). He also was executive producer of ADAPTATION (2002).  Nominated for Achievement in Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen) 1999: BEING JOHN MALKOVICH  Nominated for Achievement in Writing (Adapted Screenplay) 2002: ADAPTATION (w. Donald Kaufman)  Best Achievement in Writing (Original Screenplay) 2004: ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Screenplay); (Story w. Michel Gondry & Pierre Bismuth) 3 nominations, 1 Award