Rebecca Augusta Miller is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, novelist, and actor who has appeared in films like “Consenting Adults,” “The Ballad of Jack and Rose,” and “Maggie’s Plan.” She is the daughter of Arthur Miller, a well-known American writer and essayist, and Inge Morath, a professional photographer, and was born in Roxbury, Connecticut. She made her acting debut in a production of Anton Chekhov’s play “The Cherry Orchard.” She next starred in the NBC network’s television film ‘The Murder of Mary Phagan.’ With the film ‘Angela,’ she made her directorial debut. It was nominated for a few prizes, including the Gotham Award. The story revolved around a young girl from a broken household who creates an imaginary realm in order to “purify” herself. She directed a number of films over the years, some of which were commercially successful and popular. ‘Maggie’s Plan,’ a romantic comedy that she directed, wrote, and co-produced, is her most recent film. Rebecca Miller has garnered numerous honors throughout her career, including the Maureen O’Hara Award for her achievements in film.
Childhood and Adolescence
Rebecca Augusta Miller was born in the United States on September 15, 1962, in Roxbury, Connecticut. Her father, Arthur Miller, was a well-known dramatist, and her mother, Inge Morath, was a renowned photographer. Her father was a devout Jew, and her mother was a devout Protestant.
She grew up largely practicing Catholicism, but by the time she graduated from college, she had stopped identifying as a Christian. She has been interested in sculpting since she was a child and has received training from renowned sculptors such as Philip Grausman.
She received her education at Choate Rosemary Hall and went on to Yale University to study painting and literature. During this period, she met Naomi Wolf, a future author who happened to be her roommate. She displayed her paintings and sculptures at a few venues after graduation. She also studied cinema at ‘The New School’ in New York for a period.
Career of Rebecca Miller
Rebecca Miller began her career as a non-verbal filmmaker under the tutelage of Arnold S. Eagle, an American photographer and cinematographer. She used to put them on exhibit with her artwork. In 1988, she was cast in an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s play ‘The Cherry Orchard,’ which launched her acting career. She decided to become an independent filmmaker around this time. Her debut appearance on television was in the NBC miniseries ‘The Murder of Mary Phagan,’ which aired the same year.
In the 1991 film ‘Regarding Henry,’ she performed a supporting role. Mike Nichols directed the picture, which was about a lawyer who lost his memory after surviving a gunshot. The film was mainly panned by critics. It was also a financial flop. Miller directed a short film called ‘Florence’ the same year. Her remarkable work in the short film caught Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s attention, and she was asked to direct a revival of Arthur Miller’s play “After the Fall.”
In the same year, she directed another play, ‘The Bluebird Special Came Through Here.’ In 1995, she directed her first significant film, ‘Angela.’ Several accolades were given to the film. The narrative, however, was considered as highly frightening in a film review by ‘The New York Times.’ Rebecca Miller went on to direct a few more short films over the years. ‘Personal Velocity: Three Portraits,’ released in 2002, was her next important film. The film was a commercial success, and it was nominated for two Sundance Film Festival awards in 2002.
‘The Ballad of Jack and Rose’ and ‘The Private Lives of Pippa Lee’ were her next two films, which were released in 2005 and 2009, respectively. ‘Maggie’s Plan,’ her most recent film, was released in 2015. Maggie Harden’s personal and professional life was the central theme of the film. Miller appeared in the 2017 Cannes Film Festival’s world premiere of ‘The Meyerowitz Stories,’ in which he performed a supporting part. It will be released in theaters in the United States in October 2017.
Rebecca Miller played a supporting role in the 1992 crime thriller film ‘Consenting Adults.’ The film, directed by Alan J. Pakula, was about a composer named Richard Parker who gets himself into a lot of difficulty after becoming friends with a con artist. Kevin Kline, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Kevin Spacey, Rebecca Miller, and E.G. Marshall appeared in the film. The movie was a commercial success, although it received mixed reviews. It was converted into a Hindi film called ‘Ajnabee’ in 2001.
‘The Ballad of Jack and Rose,’ directed by Miller, was released in 2005. Camilla Belle, Daniel Day-Lewis, Catherine Keener, Ryan McDonald, and Paul Dano appeared in the film. The story revolved around the lives of an environmentalist and his daughter who lived on a remote island and the difficult dynamics of their relationship.
Rebecca Miller wrote, directed, and co-produced ‘Maggie’s Plan,’ a romantic comedy drama released in 2015. Maggie Harden, a lady, decides to start a family in the film. Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hakwe, Bill Hader, Travis Fimmel, and Maya Rudolf were among the cast members. The film received generally favorable reviews from critics.
Achievements & Awards
For her picture ‘Angela,’ Rebecca Miller won the Independent Feature Project’s Gotham Awards, the Independent Film Project’s Open Palm Award, and the Sundance Film Festival’s Filmmaker Trophy (1995). Rebecca Miller has won numerous honors, including the ‘Maureen O’ Hara Award,’ which she got in 2009 for her film work. For her film ‘For the Ballad of Jack and Rose,’ she won an Honorable Mention on MTV’s list of ‘The Best Female Directors Who Should Have Won An Oscar,’ in 2010.
Estimated Net Worth
Rebecca Miller is one of the wealthiest screenwriters and one of the most well-known screenwriters. Rebecca Miller’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.