Mark Lowell Ordesky (born April 22, 1963) is an American film producer, television producer and studio executive. He is best known for executive producing the Oscar winning The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.[1]
Mark Ordesky
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Ordesky in 2009
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| Born | Mark Lowell Ordesky (1963-04-22) April 22, 1963 (age 61)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
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During 20 years at New Line Cinema (and prior to that Republic Pictures), Ordesky acquired or executive produced over 60 films, including New Line's first Best Picture Oscar nominee (Shine),[2] its first major category Oscar winner (Geoffrey Rush, Academy Award for Best Actor, Shine), and its first Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival (Lars von Trier's Dancer In The Dark).
While at New Line, Ordesky executive produced the entire The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The final film of the trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, made history by winning every Oscar for which it was nominated, including the Academy Award for Best Picture and Academy Award for Best Director.[3] Collectively, the trilogy earned 17 Oscars from a total of 30 nominations, including three Best Picture nominations.[4]
For Fine Line Features (a specialty films division of New Line), Ordesky acquired acclaimed films such as Once Were Warriors, Saving Grace, Trick, State and Main, and Ripley's Game, as well as award contenders Shine, Dancer In The Dark, Before Night Falls, Tumbleweeds, The Sweet Hereafter and American Splendor. Eight Oscar nominations and two Golden Globe nominations in total. Ordesky was Fine Line's president from 1998 to 2005.[5]
In 1996, Ordesky helped introduce U.S. audiences to Jackie Chan with the break-out hit Rumble in the Bronx.[6][7]
Ordesky is a founding partner with former New Line Cinema executive Jane Fleming of Court Five,[8] a media company focused on developing and converting intellectual property and brands into filmed entertainment for distribution worldwide.
Ordesky was born in Sacramento County, California. In 1985, he graduated from the USC Annenberg School for Communication with a degreeinprint journalism. He was editor of the university newspaper, the Daily Trojan,[9] and joined the Chi Phi Fraternity. In 2008, he was honored with Chi Phi's Walter Cronkite Congressional Award.
Ordesky supports the American Cinematheque as a board member and is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Producers Guild of America, and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
In 2004, he married Rachel O'Connell of Wellington, New Zealand.
FILM
PRODUCER
TELEVISION
MISCELLANEOUS CREW
SECOND UNIT DIRECTING