Dan Gilroy

Highest Rated: 95% Nightcrawler (2014)

Lowest Rated: 22% Two for the Money (2005)

Birthday: Jun 24, 1959

Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, USA

Screenwriter Dan Gilroy worked steadily in the film industry for nearly two decades, amassing credits on features like "Real Steel" and "The Bourne Legacy" (2012), before scoring his first major hit with the thriller "Nightcrawler" (2014), which also marked his debut as director. The son of playwright and screenwriter Frank D. Gilroy, he initially followed a career in journalism before parlaying his interest in film into a career as a scriptwriter. Gilroy's first produced feature, "Freejack" (1992), was followed by a host of minor efforts, including "Chasers" (1994) and "Two for the Money" (2005) before scoring two substantive hits as story co-writer on "Real Steel" (2011) and co-writer on "The Bourne Legacy" with his brother, fellow screenwriter-turned-director Tony Gilroy. Two years later, Gilroy followed in his sibling's footsteps by writing, directing and raising most of the funds for "Nightcrawler," a lean and suspenseful thriller about a seemingly sociopathic cameraman that earned writing nominations from most of the major award ceremonies, including the Oscars. The critical and box office success of "Nightcrawler" served as proof positive that Dan Gilroy was a multi-hyphenate filmmaker on the rise.