Shonda Rhimes, an American screenwriter and producer, has made a significant impact on the entertainment industry. Best known for creating and producing the long-running TV series ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ she has become one of the most influential African-American women in American television. With her immense success as a writer and producer, Rhimes has solidified her place as one of the most accomplished figures in the industry in just a short span of time.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Shonda Lynn Rhimes
- Age: 53 Years, 53 Year Old Females
- Family: father: Ilee Rhimes, Jr; mother: Vera P. (Cain); children: Beckett Rhimes, Emerson Pearl Rhimes, Harper Rhimes
- Black Writers
- Screenplay Writers
- Height: 5’4″ (163 cm), 5’4″ Females
- City: Chicago, Illinois
- U.S. State: Illinois, African-American From Illinois
- Education: USC School of Cinematic Arts, Marian Catholic High School, Dartmouth College
Childhood & Early Life
Shonda Lynn Rhimes was born on January 13, 1970, in Chicago, Illinois. She is the youngest of six children and was raised in the village of Park Forest South, now known as University Park. Her mother was a university administrator and her father was a university professor. She attended Marian Catholic High School and later went on to study at Dartmouth College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English and film studies. During her time at Dartmouth, she was involved in the Black Underground Theater Association and wrote articles for the college newspaper. She also directed and performed in student plays and wrote fiction. After graduating in 1991, she moved to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles, where she earned her MFA degree in screenwriting from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Career
After completing her studies at USC, Shonda Rhimes worked as an intern for producer Debra Martin Chase, who became her mentor. She then went on to do various jobs to support herself, including working as an office administrator and a counselor at a center for the mentally ill and homeless. She also worked as a research director for the documentary “Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream,” which won a Peabody Award in 1995. In 1998, she directed her first and only film, “Blossoms and Veils,” which starred Jada Pinkett-Smith and Jeffrey Wright. She gained her first major success as a scriptwriter in 1999 when New Line Cinema purchased one of her scripts. She also co-wrote the HBO TV movie “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” which won awards for its lead actor, Halle Berry.
In 2001, Rhimes wrote the script for the film “Crossroads,” which was Britney Spears’ debut film. She also wrote the screenplay for the Disney film “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.” In 2003, she wrote her first TV pilot for ABC, but it was turned down. However, ABC asked her to write another script, and this time she decided to write about something she was personally interested in: doctors and surgical processes. This led to the creation of the series “Grey’s Anatomy,” which premiered in 2005 and has since become one of the longest-running scripted primetime shows on ABC. Rhimes founded her own production company, Shondaland, to produce “Grey’s Anatomy” and it has since become a major TV production house in the US. She has also created and produced other successful series such as “Private Practice,” “Scandal,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” and “Station 19.”
Major Works
One of Shonda Rhimes’ most significant works is the series “Grey’s Anatomy,” which has been both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. It is the longest-running scripted primetime show on ABC and the second-longest scripted primetime medical drama after the series “ER.” Rhimes’ production company, Shondaland, was founded to produce “Grey’s Anatomy” and has grown with the popularity of the series. Other major works include “Private Practice,” “Scandal,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” and “Station 19.”
Awards & Achievements
“Grey’s Anatomy” has won several awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama in 2007. Rhimes herself has won a Writers’ Guild of America Award for her work on “Grey’s Anatomy” and a Laurel Award for TV Writing Achievement for her overall contribution to the field of writing.
Personal Life
Shonda Rhimes is single and has three daughters. She adopted her first daughter in 2002, her second daughter in 2012, and had her third daughter through gestational surrogacy in 2013.
Trivia
In 2015, Rhimes revealed that she had lost 117 lbs through dieting and exercise. Her production company, Shondaland, produces approximately 70 hours of TV content per season. She also suffers from glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking.