- Born
- Birth nameAnthony Robert Kushner
- Height6′ 1½″ (1.87 m)
- Tony Kushner's play "Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes" earned him the Pulitzer Prize, among many other awards. His other acclaimed plays include "Slavs", "Homebody/Kabul" and "Caroline, or Change". He has collaborated with children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak on several books. In 2003, Kushner married his boyfriend, Mark Harris, editor at large of Entertainment Weekly; they were the first gay couple to be featured in The New York Times' "Vows" column.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous
- SpouseMark Harris(April 27, 2003 - present)
- Brandeis University awarded him an honorary Doctorate in 2006. This decision was the source of some controversy among some conservative members of the Brandeis student body, faculty, staff, and alumni who objected to Kushner because they perceived his co-authorship of Munich (2005) and some of his stated views to be anti-Israel and anti-Semitic. Kushner responded with a letter to the editor of the Jewish newspaper "The Forward" in which he said that he is "a proud Jew, a Jewish-American man" who "love[s] Israel," but whose "opinions about Israel are characterized by a serious ambivalence." Kushner was also quoted in Newsweek as saying that his statements about Israel have been taken out of context and "anybody who thinks there's a simple line to be taken on the Middle East is an idiot." Despite the protests, Brandeis pledged to go ahead and award the honorary degree to Kushner.
- On Wednesday, July 10, 2013, President Obama awarded a 2012 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal to Kushner in the East Room of the White House. The citation said: "Tony Kushner for his contributions to American theater and film. Whether for the stage or the silver screen, his scripts have moved audiences worldwide, marrying humor to fury, history to fantasy, and the philosophical to the personal.".
- Was born in New York City but spent his whole childhood (until college) in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
- Won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches".
- He was awarded the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "Angels in America" Part One-Millennium Approaches.".
- [on Meryl Streep's open-air performance in 'Mother Courage and Her Children'] The set was mostly dirt, so by the end of the evening it was mud, and Meryl incorporated it into her performance. Thinking of her slogging around in the mud singing 'The Song of the Great Capitulation' is one of my favorite memories of any theater that I've had anything to do with.
- [on his Oscar nomination for Munich (2005) screenplay] We had a great time because we sort of knew we weren't going to win anything; we were just there for the fun of it. I got to meet a lot of people whose work I really admire. I was very moved to see) Larry McMurtry and to see him and his partner [Diana Ossana] win for Brokeback Mountain (2005). And we stayed at the Pavilion, and they made a chocolate version of the Oscar and put it in your room, whether you win or lose.
- [on Daniel Day-Lewis] Daniel carries his talents and achievements modestly, charmingly, and generously. Like the president he brought to life in 'Lincoln', he's a deep-sea creature who's unexpectedly approachable and thoroughly delightful company. He's a concerned and active world citizen, a spectacular husband and father. But when Daniel acts, he makes the physical metaphysical, and vice versa. He's an actor-creator whose performances aren't just great - they're essential.
- [on his Oscar nomination for Lincoln (2012)] I'm tremendously honored to be a nominee in the company of so many writers and filmmakers whose work I admire. I'm very grateful to Steven and Kathy, to Daniel, Sally, Tommy Lee and the whole cast, to Rick, Joanna, Janusz, Mike and John and everyone who made Lincoln happen. I'm overwhelmed by the Academy's response to the film. I heard that I'd been nominated while waiting to take off on a plane from JFK to LAX. James Gandolfini, who's sitting in front of me, gave me a hug and a kiss, so I'm about as happy as can be.
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