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Martha De Laurentiis

Martha De Laurentiis

After graduating from Ball State University, producer Martha De Laurentiis began her film career, which spans over 30 years, in New York as an assistant auditor on the NBC miniseries, THE DAIN CURSE for Martin Poll. Producer Frank Marshall recognized her talent and hired her as his assistant for Paramount's WARRIORS and for the next three years she continued working in New York production. Martha met Dino De Laurentiis in 1980 while working as his New York Production Accountant on RAGTIME, directed by Milos Forman.

After the completion of RAGTIME, Martha became the head of administration for Dino De Laurentiis Productions where she oversaw the financing of Stephen King's DEAD ZONE, AMITYVILLE II and AMITYVILLE III. FIRESTARTER marked her arrival as associate producer, which led her to producing more films including: Stephen King's CAT'S EYE and SILVER BULLET, DATE WITH AN ANGEL, BEDROOM WINDOW, Stephen King's MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE and RAW DEAL with Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with three CBS mini-series-Stephen King's SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK, SOLOMON AND SHEBA and SLAVE OF DREAMS.

In 1983, Martha established her company, the Dino De Laurentiis Company (DDLC) and in 1984, together with Dino, built the North Carolina Film Studios in Wilmington, NC of which she was president through 1988. In the five years as president, twenty-seven films were shot locally in Wilmington, establishing North Carolina as the second leading filmmaking state in the country. In 1986, they expanded to the Gold Coast in Australia building a studio complex which is currently the Warner Bros/Village Roadshow Studios. In 2003, Martha and Dino began construction on a major film studio in Ouarzazate, Morocco, which is now completed and operational, including vast back-lot and sets from Ridley Scott's KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Together with Dino, DDLC has produced more than thirty films including: the Oscar-nominated CRIMES OF THE HEART, David Lynch's BLUE VELVET, Michael Mann's MANHUNTER, Michael Cimino's YEAR OF THE DRAGON and DESPERATE HOURS, BREAKDOWN starring Kurt Russell, the critically acclaimed BOUND, U-571 starring Matthew McConaughey, HANNIBAL directed by Ridley Scott and RED DRAGON starring Ed Norton and Anthony Hopkins.

Earlier this year saw the release of HANNIBAL RISING directed by Peter Webber (GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING) and starring Gong Li, Gaspard Ulliel and Rhys Ifans.

Martha has one other film ready to hit theatres: VIRGIN TERRITORY, directed by David Leland and starring Hayden Christensen, Mischa Barton and Tim Roth.

Together with Dino, Martha is presently at work on an all-new filmic reinvention of BARBARELLA, to be directed by Robert Rodriguez.

Martha is President of the West Coast Advisory Board for the Jason Foundation, whose mission is the prevention of teenage suicide. She is currently serving on the boards of Ball State University Advisory Board Alumni Association, The North Carolina School of the Arts Board of Visitors, The Los Angeles Women's Leadership Council, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Women's Leadership Board and the international organisation, Save the Children.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2007.

Martha De Laurentiis Facts

OccupationProducer
BirthdayJuly 10, 1954 (69)
SignCancer

Selected Filmography

Once Upon A Crime
Stephen King's Silver Bullet
Hannibal
Red Dragon
Virgin Territory
Breakdown
Date With An Angel
Bedroom Window
Unforgettable
Desperate Hours
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