Heidi Jo Markel was born on January 12, 1971 in Rolling Hills, California, USA. She is a producer and actress, known for Olympus Has Fallen (2013), Trust (2010) and Angel Has Fallen (2019).
After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in Economics-Political Science, Heidi Jo Markel (HJM) moved to Los Angeles in the mid-90's to dive into the world of filmmaking.
Intrigued by director 伯纳德·罗斯's idea of shooting a modern day adaptation of 列夫·托尔斯泰's novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich, HJM acted in and co-produced 伊万的生活 (2000), which played globally at major film festivals and received four Independent Spirit Award nominations in 2001. Her next producing venture was 迷失地平线 (2003) starring 方·基默, 山姆·夏普德, 费·唐纳薇, and 艾米·斯马特.
After years of flying solo, in 2004, she launched Eclectic Pictures with the goal to attract exceptional collaborators in order to develop a diverse slate of scripts, raise funds, and produce A-level quality theatrical fare. Striking a multi-picture deal with Millennium Films, she first produced a film based on Pulitzer Prize winning author, Bernard Malamud's 房客 (2005) starring Dylan McDermott, 史努比狗狗, and 罗丝·伯恩; Followed by 约翰·赫兹菲尔德's 置之死地而后生 (2007) based on author 唐·温斯洛's intriguing best seller starring 保罗·沃克 and 劳伦斯·菲什伯恩, then 乔治·加洛's 特工的特别任务 (2008) starring 安东尼奥·班德拉斯 and 梅格·瑞恩.
She then made a move forward into socially conscious filmmaking with 大卫·休默's Trust (2010), a controversial film about online predators starring 克莱夫·欧文, 凯瑟琳·基纳 and 丽亚娜·莱伯拉托 (Best Actress, Chicago FF and 2010 TIFF-Toronto) received much acclaim and support by child advocacy groups.
Heidi Jo's passion project exposes human trafficking: Lovelace (2013) tells the true story of Linda Boreman AKA 琳达·拉芙蕾丝, a woman forced into pornography at the behest of her abusive husband only to become the top feminist anti-porn crusader. Directed by Oscar-winning directing team 罗伯·爱泼斯坦 & 杰弗里·弗里德曼 along with tour-de-force performances from 阿曼达·塞弗里德, 彼得·萨斯加德, 莎朗·斯通, 詹姆斯·弗兰科, 鲍比·坎纳瓦尔, 亚当·布罗迪, and 朱诺·坦普尔. (2013 Berlinale and Sundance FF).
Other notable feature film producing credits of hers include her first film to make just shy of $100 million at the box office: 安东尼·福奎阿's Olympus Has Fallen (2013) with all-star cast: 杰拉德·巴特勒, 摩根·弗里曼, 艾伦·艾克哈特, 梅丽莎·里奥, Dylan McDermott, and 安吉拉·贝塞特. She also produced the sequel London Has Fallen (2016). 加布里埃莱·穆奇诺's 情场玩咖 (2012) starring 杰拉德·巴特勒, 杰西卡·贝尔, 乌玛·瑟曼, 凯瑟琳·泽塔-琼斯, and 丹尼斯·奎德; Levien and Koppelman's Solitary Man (2009) starring 迈克尔·道格拉斯, 杰西·艾森伯格, 玛丽, 苏珊·萨兰登, and 伊莫琴·普茨 (TIFF 2009); and 詹姆斯·弗兰科's As I Lay Dying (2013) (Cannes FF 2013) based on the Nobel Prize winning author, 威廉·福克纳's novel.
In 2014, she produced 韦恩·布莱尔's 设拉子的九月 (2015) based on the best-selling novel by Dalia Sofer, starring 艾德里安·布洛迪, 萨尔玛·海耶克, and 索瑞·安达斯鲁 about one family's intense struggle during the 1979 Revolution in Tehran... and next a modern-day retelling of 玛丽·雪莱's 弗兰肯斯坦 (2015), which re-teams her with 伯纳德·罗斯 and 丹尼·赫斯顿 along with newcomer 泽维尔·塞缪尔.
She regularly sits on festival & industry panels to speak as a foremost authority on producing, finance and anti-piracy. In 2014 she was invited to judge both the Oxford FF and the Andrei Tarkovsky FF outside Moscow.
Aside from her work in film, HJM endeavors to evolve as an environmentalist and a humanitarian. She actively supports dozens of organizations including WWF, Wild Aid, Environmental Defense Fund, Heal the Bay, Oceana and ASPCA. In addition, she's actively involved with The Aviva Center where she teaches filmmaking to trafficked teenage girls, inspiring their creative talents. In May 2014, the Aviva honored HJM with the Aviva Impact Award.
In 2015, she achieved her long-time goal of spearheading her own charitable foundation Stop Poaching Now! with a mission to tap into the creative film community to utilize media platforms to educate and influence the global population to obliterate the demand for illegal animal products while safeguarding endangered animals and their habitats by supporting grass-roots organizations.
You can see many socially conscience thematics in her filmmaking, for which she is most proud.