Michelle Manning is an American film director, television director, and producer best known for producing Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club. She served as the President of Production for Paramount Pictures from 1997 to 2005. In 2017, she became an executive producer on the Disney Channel series Andi Mack along with several Disney Channel original films, such as Adventures in Babysitting and Maleficient.
Career She began her career with Zoetrope Studios, where she was production supervisor of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders and Rumble Fish. Manning worked as an executive for Ned Tanen’s Channel Productions, where she produced The Breakfast Club and was associate producer of Sixteen Candles. Manning made her feature directorial debut in 1986 with Blue CityMills, Nancy (November 19, 1986). Women Directors: Door Opens — Los Angeles Times for producers Walter Hill and William Hayward as well as musical sequences for Hill's Another 48 Hrs. In television, Manning directed episodes of Miami Vice and Paramount's Friday the 13th: The Series.
Manning was Vice President of Production at Orion Pictures in the early 1990s, where she served as a production executive on Academy Award-winning Best Pictures The Silence of the Lambs and Dances with Wolves as well as Little Man Tate, and The Addams Family, which was then distributed by Paramount.
In 1991, Manning began working for Paramount Pictures as Senior Vice President of Production. In 1994 she was promoted to Executive Vice President of Production and was promoted again in 1997 to President of Production replacing John Goldwyn.Hindes, Andrew (June 26, 1997). "Par film ups Manning to prez of production Michelle Manning Promoted to President, Production of Paramount Pictures' Motion Picture Group" – Variety As President, she oversaw all aspects of the studio's film development and production in addition to supervising the group's production executives. During her time at Paramount, she was involved in over 20 Paramount classic films such as Forrest Gump which won six Academy Awards including Best Picture; The Hours, which was nominated for nine Oscars; as well as Titanic, The Firm, Nobody’s Fool, Clueless, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Braveheart, and Saving Private Ryan, among many others.
After leaving Paramount Pictures, Manning launched the production company MM Productions in 2005. Manning went on to produce Cruise/Wagner Productions' The Eye starring Jessica AlbaCatsoulis, Jeannette (February 2, 2008). "It’s Enough to Make Anyone Blink" — The New York Times Movies and Chloë Grace Moretz, and Mary Agnes Donoghue’s Jenny's Wedding, starring Katherine Heigl and Tom Wilkinson.Thompson, Anne (June 6, 2015). "Why ‘Jenny’s Wedding’ Went Indiegogo" — IndieWire She also executive produced Prosecuting Casey Anthony starring Rob Lowe for Lifetime, as well as both Teen Beach 2 and Adventures In Babysitting for the Disney Channel.
From 2017 to 2019, Manning was an Executive Producer on the groundbreaking Disney Channel series Andi Mack. The show was produced by her production company, MM Productions. Manning directed eight episodes between its second and third seasons. It was the Disney Channel’s first serialized show, its first series centered around an Asian-American family, and its first to feature an LGBTQ character who spoke the words "I'm gay."Petski, Denise (April 29, 2019). "‘Andi Mack’ To End With Season 3 On Disney Channel" — Deadline Hollywood Andi Mack was nominated for a Peabody Award and won both the inaugural GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family ProgrammingGLAAD (April 11, 2018). "Disney Channel’s Andi Mack wins inaugural GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming at the GLAAD Rising Stars Luncheon" — GLAAD and the Television Academy Honor which recognizes programming that educates and enlightens audiences.Haring, Bruce (May 4, 2018). "‘Andi Mack’, ‘13 Reasons Why’ Among Recipients Of 11th Annual Television Academy Honors" — Deadline Hollywood
In 2019, Manning executive produced Netflix’s The DirtGleiberman, Owen (March 22, 2019). "Film Review: ‘The Dirt’" — Variety as well as Come Away,Calvario, Liz (May 11, 2016). "Paramount Will Have Its First Female Director Since 2014 With Brenda Chapman’s ‘Come Away’" — IndieWire starring Angelina Jolie and David Oyelowo.
Personal life Manning attended USC Film School.Gora, Susannah (2010). You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried. — Three Rivers Press. p. 22.
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