View source for Dana Fox

{{short description|American screenwriter (born 1976)}}
{{distinguish|Daniel Fox (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox writer
| name         = Dana Fox
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1976|9|18}}
| birth_place  = [[Brighton, Monroe County, New York|Brighton, New York]], U.S.
| death_date   = 
| death_place  = 
| occupation   = [[Screenwriter]]
| education    = [[Stanford University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of Southern California]] ([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]])
| notableworks = ''[[What Happens in Vegas]]'' (2008)<br>''[[Wicked (2024 film)|Wicked]]'' (2024)
| spouse       = {{marriage|Quinn Emmett|2010}}
}}
'''Dana Fox''' (born September 18, 1976) is an American [[screenwriter]]. She is best known as the writer of the films ''[[The Wedding Date]]'' (2005), ''[[What Happens in Vegas]]'' (2008) and ''[[Wicked (2024 film)|Wicked]]'' (2024, co-written with [[Winnie Holzman]]), and the television comedy series ''[[Ben and Kate]]'' (2012–13).

==Career==
Fox graduated from [[Stanford University]] in 1998 with a degree in English and art history,<ref name=stanford>{{cite web | title = Screen Player | work = Stanford Magazine | publisher = [[Stanford University]] | url = http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2005/mayjun/show/fox.html | author = Jesse Oxfeld | year = 2005 | accessdate = 2008-12-19 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110611170719/http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2005/mayjun/show/fox.html | archive-date = 2011-06-11 | url-status = dead }}</ref> and went on to attend the [[University of Southern California]] (USC), where she took part in the [[USC School of Cinematic Arts]]' Peter Stark Producing Program and graduated in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alum Dana Fox News |publisher=[[USC School of Cinematic Arts]] |url=http://cinema.usc.edu/about/announcements/announcement_2008053045611.htm |date=May 30, 2008 |accessdate=2008-12-19 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081127072448/https://cinema.usc.edu/about/announcements/announcement_2008053045611.htm |archivedate=2008-11-27 }}</ref> She had originally intended to become a [[film producer]], but when assigned a homework task at USC to write a 30-page screenplay, she found that she enjoyed writing more and decided to become a screenwriter instead.<ref name=stanford/> She became an assistant to writers [[Alfred Gough]] and [[Miles Millar]] while they were creating the [[Superman]] television series ''[[Smallville]]'', and later worked for writer-director [[John August]].<ref name=variety>{{cite web | title = 10 Screenwriters to Watch: Dana Fox | work = [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] | publisher = [[Reed Business Information]] | url = https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117967390.htmlcategoryid=2607&cs=1 | author = Sharon Swart | date = June 21, 2007 | accessdate = 2008-12-19}}</ref>

While represented by Gough and Millar's agent, established screenwriter [[Jessica Bendinger]] sought after an unpublished writer who would work inexpensively on a screenplay. Fox had not yet written a sample screenplay, but Bendinger was so impressed with her ideas for the story that Fox was hired to write the script. The produced film was ''[[The Wedding Date]]'', which ultimately was panned by critics but a financial success.<ref name=stanford/> After ''The Wedding Date''{{'}}s release, she was attached to three separate writing projects.<ref name=stanford/> Her next produced screenplay was ''[[What Happens in Vegas]]'', which was bought by [[20th Century Fox]] in a high six-figure deal for the script's first draft, and which stars [[Cameron Diaz]] and [[Ashton Kutcher]].<ref name=variety/> After ''What Happens in Vegas'' was bought, Fox performed rewrites on ''[[27 Dresses]]'' (2008) and ''[[Knight and Day]]'' (2010), and was named one of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' magazine's "10 Screenwriters to Watch" of 2007.<ref name=variety/>

In 2012, Fox developed a half hour comedy for [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]] based loosely on her older brother. The show, ''[[Ben and Kate]]'', premiered on September 25, 2012.

Fox is good friends with fellow writers [[Diablo Cody]] (''[[Juno (film)|Juno]]''), [[Lorene Scafaria]] (''[[Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist]]''), and [[Liz Meriwether]] (''[[No Strings Attached (2011 film)|No Strings Attached]]'') with whom she collaborates in a writing group they call the "Fempire".<ref name=spout>{{cite web| url = http://blog.spout.com/2008/09/19/lorene-scafaria-interview-nick-and-norahs-infinite-playlist-toronto-2008/| title = Lorene Scafaria Interview, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Toronto 2008| accessdate = 2008-10-06| date = September 2008| publisher = Spout.com| first = Kevin| last = Kelly| url-status = dead| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20091126170634/http://blog.spout.com/2008/09/19/lorene-scafaria-interview-nick-and-norahs-infinite-playlist-toronto-2008/| archivedate = 2009-11-26}}</ref> In 2012, Fox and the "Fempire" received the [http://athenafilmfestival.com Athena Film Festival] Award for Creativity and Sisterhood.<ref>The Athena Film Festival: http://athenafilmfestival.com</ref>

==Personal life==
Fox was born in [[Brighton, Monroe County, New York|Brighton]], New York, and lives in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]]. Fox married Quinn Emmett on October 23, 2010 at [[Historic Jamestowne]] in [[Williamsburg, Virginia]].

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
! Writer
! Producer
|-
| 2005
| ''[[The Wedding Date]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2008
| ''[[What Happens in Vegas]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Couples Retreat]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Hot Pursuit (2015 film)|Hot Pursuit]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|-
| 2016
| ''[[How to Be Single]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Isn't It Romantic (2019 film)|Isn't It Romantic]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2021
| ''[[Cruella (film)|Cruella]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|-
| 2022
| ''[[The Lost City (2022 film)|The Lost City]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|-
| 2024
| ''[[Wicked (2024 film)|Wicked]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes|Executive}}
|-
| 2025
| ''[[Wicked: For Good]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes|Executive}}
|}

'''Additional literary material'''
* ''[[Fly Me to the Moon (2024 film)|Fly Me to the Moon]]''<ref name=WGA>https://directories.wga.org/member/danafox/</ref> (2024)
* ''[[Back in Action (2025 film)|Back in Action]]''<ref name=WGA/> (2025)
* ''[[A Minecraft Movie]]''<ref name=WGA/> (2025)

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
! Writer
! Creator
! Executive<br>Producer
! Notes
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Childrens Hospital|Children's Hospital]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Episode "Show Me on Montana"
|-
| 2012–13
| ''[[Ben and Kate]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|-
| 2020–21
| ''[[Home Before Dark (TV series)|Home Before Dark]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=1401416}}
{{Dana Fox}}
{{AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Screenwriter}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fox, Dana}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from New York (state)]]
[[Category:American women screenwriters]]
[[Category:People from Brighton, Monroe County, New York]]
[[Category:Stanford University alumni]]
[[Category:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Film producers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:American women film producers]]
[[Category:21st-century American screenwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]