Mark Boal (born January 23, 1973) is an American journalist, screenwriter, and film producer. Before he became a prominent figure of cinema, Boal worked as a journalist for such publications as ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'', ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

'', ''

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon ( ...

'', and ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...

''. Boal's 2004 article "Death and Dishonor" was adapted for the film ''

In the Valley of Elah ''In the Valley of Elah'' is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by Paul Haggis. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon. Its title refers to the Biblical valley where the battle between David and Go ...

'', which Boal also co-wrote. In 2009, he wrote and produced ''

The Hurt Locker ''The Hurt Locker'' is a 2008 American war thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. It stars Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Christian Camargo, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, and Guy Pearce. The film follow ...

'', for which he won both the

Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with th ...

and the

Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only categ ...

. In 2012 he wrote and produced ''

Zero Dark Thirty ''Zero Dark Thirty'' is a 2012 American thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. The film dramatizes the nearly decade-long international manhunt for Osama bin Laden, leader of terrorist network Al-Qaeda, after ...

'', teaming again with director

Kathryn Bigelow Kathryn Ann Bigelow (; born November 27, 1951) is an American filmmaker. Covering a wide range of genres, her films include '' Near Dark'' (1987), '' Point Break'' (1991), '' Strange Days'' (1995), '' K-19: The Widowmaker'' (2002), ''The Hurt Loc ...

, about the tracking and killing of

Osama bin Laden Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (10 March 1957 – 2 May 2011) was a Saudi-born extremist militant who founded al-Qaeda and served as its leader from 1988 until his death in 2011. Ideologically a pan-Islamist, his group is designated ...

. The film earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture and a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay. The pair collaborated a third time for 2017's ''

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

''. Boal has won two Academy Awards (with another two nominations), a

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cer ...

, two Writers Guild of America Awards, and a Producers Guild of America Award, and also has four

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

nominations.

Early life

Mark Boal was born on January 23, 1973, in New York City, the son of Lillian Firestone and William Stetson Boal, Jr., a producer of educational films. His half-brother is Christopher Stetson Boal, a playwright and screenwriter. His mother was born to a Jewish family and his father

converted Conversion or convert may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Conversion" (''Doctor Who'' audio), an episode of the audio drama ''Cyberman'' * "Conversion" (''Stargate Atlantis''), an episode of the television series * "The Conversion" ...

to Judaism. Boal attended

Bronx High School of Science The Bronx High School of Science, commonly called Bronx Science, is a public specialized high school in The Bronx in New York City. It is operated by the New York City Department of Education. Admission to Bronx Science involves passing the Sp ...

and was on the high school's Speech and Debate Team. He earned his undergraduate degree in

Philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...

from

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the United States and the second oldest continuously operating coeducational institute of highe ...

in 1995.

Career

Boal has worked as a freelance journalist and screenwriter. He has contributed articles to such magazines as ''

'', ''

'' and ''

''. Boal's 2004 article "Death and Dishonor", about the 2003 murder of

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that h ...

Richard T. Davis after his return to the United States, was published in ''

'' magazine. It inspired writer/director

Paul Haggis Paul Edward Haggis (born March 10, 1953) is a Canadian screenwriter, film producer, and director of film and television. He is best known as screenwriter and producer for consecutive Best Picture Oscar winners ''Million Dollar Baby'' (2004) and ...

, who adapted it for his fictional screenplay as the film ''

'', which he also directed. Boal and Haggis have writing credit for the story. Mark Boal, "Death and Dishonor"
, ''Playboy'' As a journalist, Boal was embedded with troops and bomb squads in 2004 during the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

. He wrote an article about one of the bomb experts, Sergeant Jeffrey S. Sarver, in an article entitled, "The Man in the Bomb Suit", published in September 2005 in ''Playboy'' magazine. Boal went on to write an original screenplay, titled ''The Hurt Locker,'' about a fictional set of characters and events based on his interviews and observations in Iraq. He was also a producer for the 2009 film adaptation set in

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

, about a U.S. Army

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the milit ...

(EOD) bomb squad. The film was directed by

, his business partner and co-producer. In March 2010 (five days before the Academy Awards ceremony), Master Sergeant Jeffrey S. Sarver announced he was suing the producers of ''The Hurt Locker'' because Boal allegedly based the main character and "virtually all of the situations" in the film on events involving him. Sarver also claimed to have coined the phrase "the hurt locker". The producers' spokesperson has reiterated that the screenplay is fictional. Citations for the phrase, "the hurt locker", date back to 1966 during the years of the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. The phrase has been used among military members for decades. In the December 8, 2011 issue of ''The Hollywood Reporter'', it was reported that Sarver's lawsuit was thrown out by the court, and a federal judge ordered him to pay more than $180,000 in attorney fees. In March 2011, Boal published an article in ''

'' about the

Maywand District murders The Maywand District murders were the thrill-killings of at least three Afghan civilians perpetrated by a group of U.S. Army soldiers from June 2009 to June 2010, during the War in Afghanistan. The soldiers, who referred to themselves as the "K ...

titled: ''The Kill Team: How U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan Murdered Innocent Civilians''. Boal wrote the film ''

'', which was released in December 2012. The film opened to much critical acclaim. Some commentators criticized its implication that torture revealed evidence that strongly contributed to the capture of bin Laden. Others, who deemed the production design inaccurate and oversimplified, criticized the film for its depiction of

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

, and found the Arabic-speaking locals in the film (Pakistan's national language is

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with th ...

and the film was nominated for the

. He lost to Quentin Tarantino who was nominated for ''

Django Unchained ''Django Unchained'' () is a 2012 American revisionist Western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson, with Walton Goggins, Dennis C ...

''. Boal was nominated for Writing in a Drama by the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers for his work on '' Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare''. In 2021, it was announced that Boal was in negotiations with

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...

to write a film based on the

GameStop short squeeze In January 2021, a short squeeze of the stock of the American video game retailer GameStop () and other securities took place, causing major financial consequences for certain hedge funds and large losses for short sellers. Approximately 140 ...

of January 2021.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video Games

Awards

*''The Hurt Locker'' (2009) - Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) *''The Hurt Locker'' (2009) -

*''The Hurt Locker'' (2009) - BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay *''The Hurt Locker'' (2009) -

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO * The Writers Gu ...

Award for Best Original Screenplay *''The Hurt Locker'' (2009) -

Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay The Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay is one of the annual awards given by the Chicago Film Critics Association The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) is an association of professional film critics, who wo ...

*''The Hurt Locker'' (2009) - Nantucket International Film Festival - "The Showtime Tony Cox Award" for Screenwriting *''The Hurt Locker'' (2009) - Nominated -

Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay The Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay is an annual award given by the International Press Academy The International Press Academy (IPA) is an American association of professional entertainment journalists, representing both domestic ...

*''The Hurt Locker'' (2009) - Nominated -

Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay The Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture is a Golden Globe Award given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Winners and nominees 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s See also * Ac ...

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Top 10 Film-

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...

Awards *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) -

Alliance of Women Film Journalists The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) is a non-profit organization founded in 2006. It is based in New York City and is dedicated to supporting work by and about women in the film industry. The AWFJ is composed of 84 professional female ...

Award for Best Screenplay, Original *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) -

Award for Best Picture *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) -

Austin Film Critics Association The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) is an organization of professional film critics from Austin, Texas. Each year, the AFCA votes on their end-of-year awards for films released in the same calendar year. A special award, the Austin Film ...

for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Picture *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) -

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - 2nd place-Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) -

National Board of Review Award for Best Film The National Board of Review Award for Best Film is one of the annual awards given (since 1932) by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. Winners * † = Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture * ‡ = Nominated for the Academy Award ...

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - 3rd place-

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film The National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Picture is an annual award given by National Society of Film Critics to honor the best film of the year. History Since it was established in 1966, the Society has only agreed with the Academy Awar ...

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - New York Film Critics Online Award for Best Picture *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - New York Film Critics OnlineAward for Best Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - 2nd place-Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) -

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Runner-up Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Runner-up Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Runner-up Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Runner-up Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Runner-up Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Film *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) -

Writers Guild of America Award The Writers Guild of America Awards is an award for film, television, and radio writing including both fiction and non-fiction categories given by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West since 1949. Eligibility ...

for Best Original Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated —

AACTA International Award for Best Film The AACTA Award for Best International Film is an award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote, and celebrate Australia's greatest achievemen ...

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated —

AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay The AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay is an accolade given by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote, and celebrate Australia's greatest achi ...

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated —

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated —

BAFTA Award for Best Film The BAFTA Award for Best Film is given annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and presented at the British Academy Film Awards. It has been given since the 1st BAFTA Awards, representing the best films of 1947, but until 1 ...

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Picture *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated —

Broadcast Film Critics Association Award The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writt ...

for Best Original Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated —

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated —

Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama The Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama is a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award that has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Since its institution in 1943, the Hollywood Foreig ...

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — London Film Critics' Circle for Screenwriter of the Year *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Screenplay *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture *''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated —

Satellite Award for Best Film The Satellite Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the annual awards given to motion pictures by the International Press Academy. The category was gone through several changes since its inception, specially related to the genre of the film awar ...

*''Zero Dark Thirty'' (2012) - Nominated — St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Picture

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Boal, Mark 1973 births American male screenwriters Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners The Bronx High School of Science alumni Producers who won the Best Picture Academy Award Living people Oberlin College alumni Best Original Screenplay BAFTA Award winners Filmmakers who won the Best Film BAFTA Award Writers Guild of America Award winners Writers from New York City American investigative journalists American male non-fiction writers Screenwriters from New York (state)