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Shonda Rhimes

American television producer and screenwriter (born 1970)

American television producer and screenwriter (born 1970)

FieldValue
nameShonda Rhimes
imageShonda Rhimes at the 75th Annual Peabody Awards (cropped).jpg
captionRhimes in 2016
birth_nameShonda Lynn Rhimes
birth_date
birth_placeChicago, Illinois, U.S.
alma_mater
occupation{{flatlist
years_active1995–present
children3
  • Television producer
  • screenwriter}}

Shonda Lynn Rhimes (born January 13, 1970) is an American television producer and screenwriter, and founder of the production company Shondaland. Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Rhimes became known as the first showrunner–creator, head writer, and executive producer–of the medical drama Grey's Anatomy (2005–present), its spin-off Private Practice (2007–2013) and the political thriller Scandal (2012–2018), becoming the first woman to create three television dramas that have achieved the 100 episode milestone.

Rhimes has served as the executive producer of the ABC thriller series How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020), the Netflix period series Bridgerton (2020–present) and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023), and drama Inventing Anna (2022). She has been nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award, won a Golden Globe Award and a Daytime Emmy Award, and received special honors at the British Academy Television Awards and International Emmy Awards.

In 2017, she was inducted as a Chair's Appointee of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences‘s executive committee. She is also part of the USC Film Council and the Writers Guild Inclusion Committee.

In 2007, 2013, and 2021, Rhimes was named by Time to the Time 100, their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. As of 2023, she is one of the richest women entertainers in America, with a net worth of $250 million. In 2015, she published her first book, a memoir, Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person. In 2016, Rhimes formed The Rhimes Family Foundation whose mission is to support arts, education, and activism.

Early life and education

Rhimes was born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of six children. Her mother, Vera P. (née Cain), was a college professor who earned a PhD in educational administration in 1991 while raising the family. Her father, Ilee Rhimes Jr., served as a university administrator and later became the chief information officer at the University of Southern California, a position he held until 2013.

Rhimes lived in Park Forest South (now University Park, Illinois), with her two older brothers and three older sisters. She has said she exhibited an early affinity for storytelling. While in high school, she served as a hospital volunteer, which inspired an interest in hospital environments.

Raised Catholic, Rhimes attended Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois. At Dartmouth College, she majored in English and film studies and earned her bachelor's degree in 1991. At Dartmouth, she joined the Black Underground Theater Association. She divided her time between directing and performing in student productions, and writing fiction. She also wrote for the college newspaper.

After college, she relocated to San Francisco with an older sibling and worked in advertising at McCann Erickson. She subsequently moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California and study screenwriting. Ranked at the top of her USC class, Rhimes earned the Gary Rosenberg Writing Fellowship. She obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

While at USC, Rhimes was hired as an intern by Debra Martin Chase. Rhimes credits her early success, in part, to mentors such as Chase, a prominent African-American producer. Chase later again served as a mentor to Rhimes on The Princess Diaries 2. Rhimes also worked at Denzel Washington's company, Mundy Lane Entertainment.

Career

Career beginnings: 1995–2004

After graduation, Rhimes was an unemployed scriptwriter in Hollywood. To make ends meet, Rhimes worked at a variety of day jobs, including as an office administrator and then a counselor at a job center that taught job skills to people with housing instability and mental illness. During this period, Rhimes worked as research director on the documentary Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream (1995), which won the 1995 Peabody Award. In 1998, Rhimes made a short film, Blossoms and Veils, starring Jada Pinkett-Smith and Jeffrey Wright, which is her only credit as a film director. New Line Cinema purchased a feature script of hers. Rhimes received an assignment to co-write the HBO movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999), which earned numerous awards for its star, Halle Berry.

In 2001, Rhimes wrote Crossroads, the debut film of pop singer Britney Spears. Despite being panned by critics, the film grossed more than $60 million worldwide.

Rhimes next worked on writing Disney's sequel to its popular movie The Princess Diaries (2001). Although The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) did not score as well at the box office, Rhimes later said that she treasured the experience, if only for the opportunity to work with its star, Julie Andrews. In 2003, Rhimes wrote her first TV pilot for ABC about young female war correspondents, but the network turned it down.

''Grey's Anatomy'', ''Private Practice'', ''Scandal'' and other projects with ABC

Rhimes is the creator and currently executive producer and head writer of Grey's Anatomy. The series debuted as a mid-season replacement on March 27, 2005. The series features the surgical staff at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital (later to be named Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital), in Seattle, Washington. The series features an ensemble cast with Ellen Pompeo serving as titular character Meredith Grey, who provides narration for a majority of the series' episodes.

In 2007, Rhimes created and produced the Grey's Anatomy spin-off series Private Practice, which debuted September 26, 2007, on ABC. The show chronicles the life of Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) as she leaves Seattle Grace Hospital for Los Angeles to join a private practice. The series also features an ensemble cast, including Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman, Audra McDonald and Taye Diggs among others. The first season was shortened because of a writers' strike; it has nine episodes. In May 2012, ABC picked up Private Practice for the 2012–13 television season with 13 episodes. The series finale aired January 22, 2013.

In 2010, Rhimes created a new pilot for ABC called Inside the Box, a female-centric ensemble drama set in a Washington, D.C. network news bureau. The lead character is Catherine, an ambitious female news producer who, with her colleagues, pursues "the story" at all costs while juggling their personal animosities and crises of conscience. It was not picked up by the network.

In 2011, Rhimes served as executive producer for the medical drama, Off the Map, which was created by Grey's Anatomy writer, Jenna Bans. It focuses on a group of doctors who practice medicine at a remote clinic in the Amazon jungle. The series was officially cancelled by the ABC network on May 13, 2011.

In May 2011, ABC ordered Rhimes' pilot script Scandal to series. Kerry Washington starred as Olivia Pope, a political crisis management expert. The character is partially based on former Bush administration press aide Judy Smith. The series debut aired on April 5, 2012.

In 2012, Rhimes developed a pilot for a period drama, Gilded Lilys, but it was not picked up to series.

In December 2013, ABC ordered a pilot for a new Rhimes series, How to Get Away with Murder. Actress Viola Davis joined the cast as the lead character in February 2014. It was officially picked up to series on May 8, 2014.

In March 2016, ABC premiered The Catch, a comedy-drama led by Rhimes based on a treatment by British author Kate Atkinson. It stars Mireille Enos and Peter Krause. Later that month, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Grey's Anatomy were respectively picked up for their sixth, third and 13th seasons. The following year, it was announced that Scandal would conclude after its upcoming seventh season, while The Catch was cancelled after its second.

Netflix deal

On August 14, 2017, Netflix announced that it had entered into an exclusive multi-year development deal with Rhimes, under which all of her future productions will be Netflix Original series. The service had already purchased American streaming rights to past episodes of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal. Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos described Rhimes as being a "true Netflixer at heart" since "she loves TV and films, she cares passionately about her work, and she delivers for her audience". The deal was considered to be a coup for Netflix due to Rhimes' prominence at ABC; it was also considered to be a counter toward the effort by Disney, ABC's parent company, to reduce the availability of their content on Netflix in favor of a planned subscription streaming service of their own.

As of October 2020, she was working on more than 12 projects for Netflix. In July 2021, Rhimes extended her deal with Netflix. The first production was Bridgerton, which was released in 2020 and became the most-watched series ever on the platform, leading to the production of three seasons by 2024. In 2021, Rhimes produced the drama miniseries Inventing Anna. In April 2022, the production of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story conceived by Rhimes was announced, as a spin-off of Bridgerton.

Rhimes won her first competitive Emmy Award at the 52nd Daytime Creative Arts & Lifestyle Emmy Awards, where she took home the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program for Black Barbie: A Documentary (2023).

Personal life

Rhimes adopted her first daughter in June 2002 and adopted another daughter in February 2012. In September 2013, Rhimes welcomed her third daughter via gestational surrogacy.

In 2014, Rhimes gave a commencement address at her alma mater, Dartmouth College, where she received an honorary doctorate.

In September 2015, Rhimes revealed she had lost 117 lbs via exercise and dieting.

Activism

In April 2017, Rhimes joined the national board of Planned Parenthood. Later that same year, Rhimes and Katie McGrath co-founded Time's Up, and both of them donated the funds to hire its first seven employees.

In 2019, Rhimes joined the organization When We All Vote as a co-chair. This organization was founded to get out the vote prior to the 2020 general election.

Shondaland

Main article: Shondaland

Shondaland is the name of Rhimes's production company. Shondaland and its logo also refer to the shows Rhimes has produced and to Rhimes herself. Shows included in Shondaland are:

  • Grey's Anatomy (2005–present)
  • Private Practice (2007–2013)
  • Off the Map (2011)
  • Scandal (2012–2018)
  • How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020)
  • The Catch (2016–2017)
  • Still Star-Crossed (2017)
  • For the People (2018–2019)
  • Station 19 (2018–2024)
  • Bridgerton (2020–present)
  • Inventing Anna (2022)
  • Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023)
  • The Residence (2025)

Filmography

YearTitleCredited asCreatorDirectorWriterProducer
1995Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream
1998Blossoms and Veils
1999Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
2002Crossroads
2004The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
2005–presentGrey's Anatomy
2007–2013Private Practice
2009Inside the Box
2009Seattle Grace: On Call
2009Seattle Grace: Message of Hope
2011Off the Map
2012Gilded Lilys
2012–2018Scandal
2014–2020How to Get Away with Murder
2016–2017The Catch
2017Still Star-Crossed
2018–2019For the People
2018–2024Station 19
2020–presentBridgerton
2022Inventing Anna
2023Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
2025The Residence

Bibliography

  • Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person, November 2015. New York: Simon & Schuster. . .

Essays and reporting

Awards and nominations

Main article: [List of awards and nominations received by Shonda Rhimes}}Winner of the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama]] in [64th Golden Globe Awards, [2006]] for ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'', Rhimes won the [[International Emmy Founders Award]] and the Special Award at the [[British Academy Television Awards]]. She also received special honorees for her works at the [Costume Designers Guild, [Costume Designers Guild Awards]], [[Directors Guild of America Award]], [International Cinematographers Guild, [ICG Publicists Awards]], [[Writers Guild of America Award]] and [[Producers Guild of America Awards]].{{Cite web](icg-publicists-awards-writers-guild-of-america-award-and-producers-guild-of-america-awards-ref-cite-web)

References

References

  1. (June 8, 2014). "Shonda L. Rhimes '91 (Doctor of Arts)". [[Dartmouth College]].
  2. (January 13, 2021). "UPI Almanac for Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021". [[United Press International]].
  3. Giardina, Carolyn. (April 14, 2015). "NAB: Shonda Rhimes Inducted Into Broadcasting Hall of Fame".
  4. Goldberg, Lesley. (April 13, 2017). "With 'Scandal,' Shonda Rhimes Notches Rare Third 100-Episode Milestone".
  5. (June 5, 2017). "Shonda Rhimes, Susanne Daniels, Mark Gordon Join Television Academy's Executive Committee".
  6. "Shonda Rhimes, Chair's Appointee {{!}} Executive Committee".
  7. Haring, Bruce. (February 2, 2023). "Ryan Coogler, Tracy Oliver Join USC School Of Cinematic Arts' Board Of Councilors".
  8. Robb, David. (November 22, 2022). "Showrunners Sign WGA West Pledge To Make Workplaces "Safe & Inclusive"".
  9. Oh, Sandra. (May 3, 2007). "The Time 100, Artists & Entertainers".
  10. (September 15, 2021). "Time releases its 100 most influential people list".
  11. (June 1, 2023). "Here Are The 15 Richest Women Celebrities In America".
  12. Paskin, Willa. (May 9, 2013). "Network TV Is Broken. So How Does Shonda Rhimes Keep Making Hits?". [[The New York Times]] Magazine.
  13. Stated on ''[[Finding Your Roots]]'', January 19, 2016, PBS
  14. (June 11, 2013). "USC selects new vice provost and CIO".
  15. [http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/Shonda_Rhimes/1610017 Shonda Rhimes profile], hollywood.com; accessed January 28, 2015.
  16. Maureen, Ryan. (December 21, 2005). "Shonda Rhimes, creator of 'Grey's Anatomy' and a Chicagoan of the Year". The Watcher.
  17. Shapiro, Marc. (2015). "Welcome to Shondaland, An Unauthorized Biography of Shonda Rhimes". Riverdale Avenue Books.
  18. Wulff, Jennifer. "Television's Wonder Woman".
  19. Hardwick, Zac. (April 22, 2014). "Shonda Rhimes '91, 'Scandal' producer, to address graduates".
  20. (23 June 2011). "The Quiet Mystery of Shonda Rhimes".
  21. Wilson, Stacey. (June 26, 2011). "'Grey's Anatomy's' Shonda Rhimes Turns Up The Heat In New Series 'Scandal'".
  22. Rose, Lacey. (October 8, 2014). "Shonda Rhimes Opens Up About 'Angry Black Woman' Flap, Messy 'Grey's Anatomy' Chapter, and the 'Scandal' Impact".
  23. Moss, Corey. (November 6, 2011). "Britney's heart into 'Crossroads,' outtakes from flick appear on Britney". MTV. [[MTV Networks]].
  24. Snetiker, Marc. (2012-02-15). "Crossroads Tenth Anniversary". [[Time Warner]].
  25. (2002-02-15). "Crossroads Daily Chart View".
  26. (2006-07-11). "ABC Fall 2006 Schedule". Zap2it.
  27. Andreeva, Nellie. (March 4, 2009). "Indira Varma to star in ABC's 'Inside the Box'". HollywoodReporter.com.
  28. "Tweet on Shonda Rhimes's Twitter Account". Twitter.
  29. Hanh Nguyen. (May 18, 2010). "ABC's fall TV schedule, night by night". Zap2it.
  30. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110516102211/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/05/13/v-cancelled-brothers-sisters-cancelled-by-abc-too/92307/ Updated: "V" Canceled; "Brothers & Sisters", "Mr. Sunshine", "Detroit 187", "Off the Map", "No Ordinary Family" Canceled, Too], ''TV By the Numbers'', May 13, 2011
  31. Chozick, Amy. (May 13, 2011). "Shonda Rhimes on Owning Her Characters And Her New Show". The Wall Street Journal.
  32. Abrams, Natalie, [https://www.tvguide.com/News/ABC-Pilots-Charlies-Angels-1033047.aspx "ABC Picks Up Charlie's Angels, Tim Allen Comedy, Cancels Brothers & Sisters, V"], ''TV Guide'', May 13, 2011.
  33. Seidman, Robert. (January 10, 2012). "'Cougar Town' Tentatively Slated for March Return; 'Scandal' Premieres April 5, Bumps 'Private Practice' to Tuesdays at 10 + 'Don't Trust the B----...'". TV By the Numbers.
  34. James Hibberd. (January 13, 2012). "Shonda Rhimes period drama 'Gilded Lillys' gets pilot order".
  35. Lesley Goldberg. (January 13, 2012). "'Gilded Lillys': ABC Orders Shonda Rhimes's Period Drama Pilot". [[The Huffington Post]].
  36. (2013-12-19). "ABC Orders Shondaland Pilot 'How To Get Away With Murder'". TheWrap.
  37. Goldberg, Lesley. (February 25, 2014). "Viola Davis to Star in ABC Drama 'How to Get Away With Murder'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  38. Andreeva, Nellie. (May 8, 2014). "ABC Picks Up Shonda Rhimes 'How To Get Away With Murder', John Ridley's 'American Crime', Comedy 'Black-ish' To Series".
  39. Goldberg, Lesley. (March 23, 2016). "How ABC's 'The Catch' Mixes 'Scandal' With 'Ocean's Eleven'".
  40. Wallenstein, Andrew. (August 14, 2017). "Netflix Lures Shonda Rhimes Away From ABC Studios".
  41. Koblin, John. (August 14, 2017). "Netflix Signs Shonda Rhimes in Counterpunch to ABC and Disney". [[The New York Times]].
  42. Desta, Yohana. (August 14, 2017). "Netflix Strikes a Blow at Disney by Snagging Shonda Rhimes".
  43. Hale, Kori. (July 15, 2021). "Netflix Increases Shonda Rhimes $100 Million Deal For A Bigger Stake In Culture".
  44. Szalai, Georg. (October 15, 2021). "'Bridgerton' Boost: Netflix U.K. Revenue Jumped in 2020 on Increased Production Despite Pandemic".
  45. O'Malley, Katie. (May 16, 2024). "Nicola Coughlan Teased One 'Very' Naked Scene In Bridgerton Season 3".
  46. Stolworthy, Jacob. (2022-03-04). "Inventing Anna creator Shonda Rhimes explains why parts of Netflix show were 'intentionally fictionalised'". The Independent.
  47. Berman, Judy. (8 May 2023). "'Queen Charlotte' Fixes What Was Broken About 'Bridgerton'".
  48. Dixon, Marcus James. (2025-10-18). "Thanks to ‘Black Barbie,’ Shonda Rhimes finally wins an Emmy Award".
  49. (April 7, 2012). "Shonda Rhimes adopts second baby girl".
  50. shonda rhimes. (18 September 2013). "Been AWOL from Twitter. I totally have a good reason: TINY HUMAN #3 is here and she's perfect! Babies are good. Life is good. #2shows3kids".
  51. Sundberg Seaman, Kelly. (April 21, 2014). "TV Producer Shonda Rhimes '91 to Speak at Commencement".
  52. (October 2015). "Shonda Rhimes reveals 117-pound weight loss, admits she 'hated' dieting".
  53. (9 November 2015). "Shonda Rhimes reveals airplane incident that sparked her 117-pound weight loss".
  54. Williams, Vanessa. "Shonda Rhimes, creator of 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Scandal', joins Planned Parenthood board". [[The Washington Post]].
  55. (25 October 2018). "Time's Up has kept #MeToo in the spotlight and raised $22 million. Now it wants leadership and focus". [[Los Angeles Times]].
  56. (2019-11-12). "Michelle Obama Announces 7 New Co-Chairs Joining When We All Vote".
  57. Lebeau, Jordan. (September 22, 2014). "The Angry Black Women of Shondaland: What The New York Times (and Slate) Got Wrong". [[The Boston Globe]].
  58. (2014). "About Us".
  59. Credited as ''Research Director''.
  60. Online version is titled "My Summer of Scooping Ice Cream".
  61. Complex, Valerie. (December 4, 2023). "Black Reel Awards Honorees Include Samuel L. Jackson, Colman Domingo, Shonda Rhimes And Ruth E. Carter".
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