Judd Apatow

Judd Apatow is an Emmy-winning director and producer. He spent his early days in Long Island with his two siblings, and he was first introduced to the world of comedy through a part-time job at a comedy club. In high school, he hosted a comedy radio show, which helped prepare him for his first stand-up gigs at 17. Apatow went on to study at the University of Southern California for two years before dropping out to pursue a career in screenwriting.

While working in television, Apatow wrote for comedians such as Ben Stiller and Jim Carrey, and in 1993, he earned his first Emmy as a writer for The Ben Stiller Show. He saw his first success as the creator of the 1999 TV series Freaks and Geeks, which was canceled after one season but remains a beloved cult show.

Apatow went on to produce Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, featuring Will Farrell, in 2004. One year later, 40 Year Old Virgin featuring Steve Carell would bring him to the forefront of mainstream comedy films. He also directed Knocked Up (2007), Trainwreck (2015) and The King of Staten Island (2020).

In his time as a producer Apatow has worked on numerous documentaries, and he has produced two Emmy winners: 2018’s The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling, and 2022’s George Carlin’s American Dream. In 2012, he produced Lena Dunham’s HBO dramedy Girls, which ran until 2017.

In 1996, Apatow met Leslie Mann on the set of The Cable Guy. The couple married the following year and share two daughters: Maude Apatow (born in 1997) and Iris Apatow (born in 2002). Both girls have made appearances in Apatow’s films, including Knocked Up (2007) and This Is 40 (2012).