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{{Infobox person
| name               = Karyn Kusama
| image              = Karyn Kusama - Jennifer's Body.jpg
| alt                = <!-- descriptive text for use by the blind and visually impaired's speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption            = Kusama in 2025
| birth_name         = Karyn Kiyoko Kusama
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1968|03|21}}
| birth_place        = [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]]
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| education          = 
| alma_mater         = [[New York University]]
| occupation         = Filmmaker
| years_active       = 1996–present
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Phil Hay (screenwriter)|Phil Hay]]|2006}}
| children           = 1
}}

'''Karyn Kiyoko Kusama''' (born March 21, 1968)<ref name=FamilySearch-USPR-2001>{{cite web|title=Karyn Kiyoko Kusama - United States Public Records|url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJX7-Z76X|website=[[FamilySearch]]|date=2001}}</ref> is an American filmmaker. She made her feature directorial debut with the sports drama film ''[[Girlfight]]'' (2000),<ref name=BOMB-Girlfight-2000>{{cite magazine |last=Gordon |first=Bette |title=Karyn Kusama |magazine=[[BOMB Magazine]] |date=Fall 2000 |volume=73 |pages=74–79 |url=http://bombmagazine.org/article/2337 |access-date=March 31, 2018 |archive-date=October 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028202728/http://bombmagazine.org/article/2337/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=BuzzFeed-Invitation-2016>{{cite news|last1=Vary|first1=Adam B.|title=How Hollywood Turned Its Back On One Of The Most Exciting Filmmakers|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/adambvary/karyn-kusama-the-invitation-girlfight#.teqQjv7Bw|work=[[BuzzFeed]]|date=April 7, 2016}}</ref> for which she won Best Director and the Grand Jury Prize at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] and was nominated for the [[Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature]].

Kusama went on to direct the science fiction action film ''[[Æon Flux (film)|Æon Flux]]'' (2005), based on the [[Æon Flux|animated series of the same name]] created by [[Peter Chung]], and the horror comedy film ''[[Jennifer's Body]]'' (2009). After working extensively in television,<ref name="HReporter-Invitation-7Year-2016">{{cite news|last1=Lewis|first1=Hilary|title=Rapid Round: 'The Invitation' Director Karyn Kusama Explains 7-Year Break From Filmmaking|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/invitation-karyn-kusama-will-as-882160|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=April 8, 2016}}</ref> Kusama directed the horror film ''[[The Invitation (2015 film)|The Invitation]]'' (2015), a segment in the horror anthology film ''[[XX (film)|XX]]'' (2017), and the crime drama film ''[[Destroyer (2018 film)|Destroyer]]'' (2018). Kusama currently serves as a director and executive producer on the [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] survival horror thriller series ''[[Yellowjackets (TV series)|Yellowjackets]]'' (2021–present), for which she was nominated for two [[Primetime Emmy Awards]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Awards Database Search {{!}} Emmy Awards |url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominations/award-search?search_api_views_fulltext=Karyn+Kusama&submit=Search&field_celebrity_details_field_display_name=&field_show_details_field_nominee_show_nr_title=&field_nominations_year_op=%3E%3D&field_nominations_year%5Bvalue%5D=1949-01-01&field_nominations_year_1_op=%3C%3D&field_nominations_year_1%5Bvalue%5D=2022-01-01 |access-date=January 11, 2023 |website=Television Academy |language=en}}</ref> She will also serve as co-executive producer and direct the first two episodes of the third season of [[The Terror (TV series)|''The Terror'']].

==Early life and education==
Kusama was born in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], the daughter of Haruo Kusama, a Japanese American [[child psychiatrist]] who immigrated from Japan and attended the medical school of Washington University. Kusama's mother, Susan McGuire, was an occupational therapist of Scots-Irish descent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karyn Kusama News & Biography - Empire |url=https://www.empireonline.com/people/karyn-kusama/2/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=www.empireonline.com}}</ref> Karyn grew up highly invested in the film industry and watching movies, and used it as an outlet to help her feel seen.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smallwood |first=Christine |date=December 20, 2018 |title=The Filmmaker Karyn Kusama Explores the Many Dimensions of Women's Rage |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/magazine/destroyer-movie-karyn-kusama.html |access-date=April 25, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Her love for filmmaking grew from the female directors [[Martha Coolidge]] and [[Amy Heckerling]], directors of [[Valley Girl (1983 film)|''Valley Girl'']] and ''[[Fast Times at Ridgemont High]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Sonia |date=December 12, 2020 |title=Female Filmmaker Of Hollywood: Karyn Kusama |url=https://www.womensrepublic.net/female-filmmaker-of-hollywood-karyn-kusama/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Women's Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> She graduated from [[Ladue Horton Watkins High School]] in St. Louis. In 1990, she earned a [[Bachelor of Fine Arts]] in Film & Television from [[New York University]]'s [[Tisch School of the Arts]]. One of her professors at NYU, Carol Dysinger, admired her work and loved the way she told her story through filmmaking.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smallwood |first=Christine |date=December 20, 2018 |title=The Filmmaker Karyn Kusama Explores the Many Dimensions of Women's Rage |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/magazine/destroyer-movie-karyn-kusama.html |access-date=April 25, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Her jobs before making it big in the film industry varied from nannying, house painting, editing, and working with the production of independent films/ music videos.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Sonia |date=December 12, 2020 |title=Female Filmmaker Of Hollywood: Karyn Kusama |url=https://www.womensrepublic.net/female-filmmaker-of-hollywood-karyn-kusama/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Women's Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1992, after partnering with John Sayles as an assistant, she joined Gleason's Gym in Dumbo, Brooklyn where she started boxing, from which she drew inspiration for her debut film ''Girlfight''. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Sonia |date=December 12, 2020 |title=Female Filmmaker Of Hollywood: Karyn Kusama |url=https://www.womensrepublic.net/female-filmmaker-of-hollywood-karyn-kusama/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Women's Republic |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Career==

===1996–2009: ''Girlfight'', ''Æon Flux'', and ''Jennifer's Body''===
After graduating from NYU, where she won a Mobil Prize for a student film called ''Sleeping Beauties,''<ref name="NYTimes-Girlfight-2000">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Dinitia |date=October 1, 2000 |title=Film; Now It's Women's ki Turn to Make It in the Ring |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/01/movies/film-now-it-s-women-s-turn-to-make-it-in-the-ring.html?pagewanted=all}}</ref> Kusama worked as an editor on documentary films, in production on independent film and music videos, as a nanny, and painting houses.<ref name=Projections-11-2000>{{cite book|last1=Figgis|first1=Mike|editor1-last=Lippy|editor1-first=Tod|editor2-last=Boorman|editor2-first=John|editor3-last=Donohue|editor3-first=Walter|title=Projections 11: New York Film-Makers on New York Film-Making|date=2000|publisher=Faber and Faber|location=London|isbn=978-0-571-20591-2|chapter=Karyn Kusama|oclc=45625833}}</ref>{{rp|312}} Through her nanny job she met filmmaker [[John Sayles]] and worked as his assistant for three years while he was making the film ''[[Lone Star (1996 film)|Lone Star]],'' as well as the development of his films ''[[Men with Guns]]'' and ''[[Limbo (1999 film)|Limbo]]''.<ref name="MindModernMoviemaker-2006">{{cite book|last1=Horowitz|first1=Josh|title=The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker: 20 Conversations with the New Generation of Filmmakers|date=2006|publisher=Penguin Group|location=New York|isbn=978-0-452-28681-8|chapter=Karyn Kusama|oclc=475147506|chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/mindofmodernmovi00horo}}</ref> While working for Sayles, she continued to write screenplays. In 1992, Kusama started boxing at [[Gleason's Gym]] in [[Brooklyn]], training with Hector Roca.<ref name="BOMB-Girlfight-2000" /><ref name="NYTimes-Girlfight-2000" /> She began collecting ideas for ''[[Girlfight]]'', but didn't start writing it until two years later.<ref name="Projections-11-2000" />{{rp|314–315}}<ref name="Cineaste-Girlfight-2000">{{cite magazine |last=Baker |first=Aaron |title=A new combination: Women and the boxing film: An interview with Karyn Kusama |magazine=[[Cineaste (magazine)|Cineaste]] |date=September 2000 |volume=25 |issue=4 |pages=22–26 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/204837126ISSN=0009-7004}}</ref>

At age 31, Kusama wrote and directed her debut feature, ''[[Girlfight]]''. It took several years to find financing for the film, reportedly due to her insistence that the main character be a Latina rather than allowing the film to become a vehicle for a well-known white actress.<ref name="BOMB-Girlfight-2000" /><ref name="BuzzFeed-Invitation-2016" /> After financing fell through shortly before shooting began, ''Girlfight'' was partially financed by filmmaker [[John Sayles]], for whom she worked as an assistant at the time and who served as a mentor.<ref name="BuzzFeed-Invitation-2016" /><ref name="Projections-11-2000" />{{rp|309}} The film was released in 2000 and won the Director's Prize and shared the Grand Jury Prize at the [[Sundance Film Festival]], as well as the Prix de la Jeunesse at the [[Cannes Film Festival]]. With a budget of around US$1 million was critically well received. However, it brought in only US$1,667,000,<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo-Girlfight-2000">{{cite web|title=Girlfight|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=girlfight.htm|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|date=2000}}</ref> which was considered a poor return. Despite this, the film launched the career of [[Michelle Rodriguez]], who had no previous acting roles prior to being cast in ''Girlfight''.

In 2005, Kusama directed her second film, ''[[Æon Flux (movie)|Æon Flux]]'', a [[Paramount Pictures]] studio production that starred [[Charlize Theron]] and had a budget of US$62,000,000. The film had been ushered through production by Paramount studio chief [[Sherry Lansing]] but during production Lansing left, which resulted in the film being recut and reworked, with significant changes from Kusama's original vision. Following this experience, Kusama said she would never again work on a film in which she doesn't have control of the final cut.<ref name=MindModernMoviemaker-2006/> The film was largely panned by critics and grossed $52 million worldwide,<ref name=BoxOfficeMojo-AeonFlux-2005>{{cite web|title=Aeon Flux|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=aeonflux.htm|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|date=2005}}</ref> putting Kusama's career on ice for years afterwards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/the-brutal-pleasure-of-charlize-therons-turn-to-action.html|title = The Brutal Pleasure of Watching Charlize Theron Turn to Action|date = July 29, 2020}}</ref>

In 2009, Kusama directed the horror film ''[[Jennifer's Body]],'' which was written by [[Diablo Cody]] and starred [[Megan Fox]] and [[Amanda Seyfried]] in the lead roles.<ref name=Horror-JennifersBody-2009>{{cite web|last1=Wilson|first1=Staci Layne|title=Karyn Kusama – Interview with the Director of Jennifer's Body|url=http://www.horror.com/php/article-2522-1.html|website=Horror.com|date=September 17, 2009}}</ref> The film grossed approximately US$31,000,000 on a budget of around US$16,000,000.<ref name=BoxOfficeMojo-JennifersBody-2009>{{cite web|title=Jennifer's Body|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=jennifersbody.htm|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|date=2009}}</ref> Despite its box office success, the film received mixed reviews from critics upon its release but has since become a cult classic. The film was critically reassessed over time as a "forgotten feminist classic".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grady |first1=Constance |title=How Jennifer's Body went from a flop in 2009 to a feminist cult classic today |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/10/31/18037996/jennifers-body-flop-cult-classic-feminist-horror |access-date=August 5, 2020|work=Vox |date=October 31, 2018}}</ref> According to Cody, the film was marketed incorrectly by executives who focused their efforts on the young male audience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/i-think-youre-interesting/2018/11/10/18080168/jennifers-body-diablo-cody-interview-reborn|title=The life, death, and rebirth of Jennifer's Body, according to screenwriter Diablo Cody|last=VanDerWerff|first=Emily Todd|date=November 10, 2018|website=Vox|access-date=August 5, 2020}}</ref> In regards to the reappraisals of the film, Kusama credited its "distinctly female perspective," stating she had intended to make a film where young women could see themselves represented.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/karyn-kusama-on-destroyer-sexism-in-filmmaking-and-the-redemption-of-jennifers-body|title=Karyn Kusama on Destroyer, sexism in filmmaking, and the redemption of Jennifer's Body|last=Puchko|first=Kristy|date=October 11, 2018|work=SYFY|access-date=November 13, 2018|language=en}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Kusama has since described working on both ''Æon Flux'' and ''Jennifer's Body'' as "learning experiences," wherein she learned how to navigate the Hollywood studio system.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Nick |title=Freedom of Mind: Karyn Kusama on |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/freedom-of-mind-karyn-kusama-on-the-invitation |access-date=November 13, 2018 |website=www.rogerebert.com |date=4 April 2016 |language=en}}</ref>

===2010–present: ''The Invitation'', ''XX'', and ''Destroyer''===
In 2013, Kusama directed the short film ''Speechless''. Starting in 2014, Kusama began working regularly in television as a director on several series, such as ''[[Halt and Catch Fire (TV series)|Halt and Catch Fire]]'', ''[[The Man in the High Castle (TV series)|The Man in the High Castle]]'', ''[[Casual (TV series)|Casual]]'', ''[[Billions (TV series)|Billions]]'', and ''[[The Outsider (miniseries)|The Outsider]]''. Kusama was slated to direct an adaptation of ''Breed'', an adult horror novel by [[Scott Spencer (writer)|Scott Spencer]] under the pen name Chase Novak. The film was to be produced and written by Kusama's husband Phil Hay and his partner Matt Manfredi, but there have been no updates since the film's announcement.<ref name=variety-breedadaptation-kusama>{{cite web|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=Karyn Kusama Directing Horror Movie 'Breed' Based on Chase Novak Novel|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/karyn-kusama-horror-movie-breed-chase-novak-1201864107|date=September 19, 2016}}</ref>

In 2015, Kusama directed ''[[The Invitation (2015 film)|The Invitation]]'', a horror film written by Hay and Manfredi, and starring [[Logan Marshall-Green]].<ref name=DGA-InvitationQA-2016>{{cite web|last1=Levine|first1=Jonathan|last2=Kusama|first2=Karyn|title=The Invitation DGA Q&A with Karyn Kusama and Gil Kenan|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n-a7f1UBNc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/_n-a7f1UBNc |archive-date=December 13, 2021 |url-status=live|website=[[Directors Guild of America]]|date=April 8, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The film was funded by a film consortium called [[Gamechanger Films]], who fund films directed by women.<ref name=HitFix-Invitation-2016>{{cite news|last1=Jedeikin|first1=Miri|last2=Cornet|first2=Roth|last3=Kusama|first3=Karyn|title=From Girlfight to The Invitation. Karyn Kusama: Girls On Film|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz2LbIbVRsY |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322070602/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz2LbIbVRsY&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=March 22, 2016 |url-status=dead|work=[[HitFix]]|date=March 18, 2016}}</ref> It premiered at the [[South by Southwest|2015 SXSW Festival]], to great acclaim,<ref name=TheVerge-Invitation-2015>{{cite web|last1=LaBrie|first1=Sarah|title=Director Karyn Kusama talks about her ensemble horror film The Invitation|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/22/8270359/karyn-kusama-the-invitation-sxsw-2015|work=[[The Verge]]|date=March 22, 2015}}</ref> and was released by [[Alamo Drafthouse Cinema|Drafthouse Films]].<ref name=Indiewire-InvitationDrafthouse-2015>{{cite web|last1=Kang|first1=Inkoo|title=Karyn Kusama's 'The Invitation' Bought by Drafthouse Films|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/karyn-kusamas-the-invitation-bought-by-drafthouse-films-20150407|date=April 7, 2015|access-date=April 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150410104907/http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/karyn-kusamas-the-invitation-bought-by-drafthouse-films-20150407|archive-date=April 10, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The film would win the International Critic's Award at the [[Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival|2015 Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival]], and was also nominated for Best Picture.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://screenanarchy.com/2015/07/green-room-the-invitation-win-at-nifff-2015.html|title=Neuchatel 2015: GREEN ROOM, THE INVITATION Win|last=Rowan-Legg|first=Shelagh|date=July 13, 2015|work=ScreenAnarchy|access-date=November 13, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Other accolades won by the film included Best Film at the [[Sitges Film Festival|2015 Sitges Film Festival]] and the Golden Octopus at the [[Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival|2015 Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sitgesfilmfestival.com/eng/noticies?id=1003326|title='The Invitation' is proclaimed the winner of Sitges 2015 - Sitges Film Festival - Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya|website=sitgesfilmfestival.com|access-date=November 13, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://strasbourgfestival.com/archives-festival-2015-english/|title=Archives Festival 2015 english – FEFFS|website=strasbourgfestival.com|language=en-GB|access-date=November 13, 2018|archive-date=November 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114010805/http://strasbourgfestival.com/archives-festival-2015-english/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Part of the film's inspiration were the experiences of loss that Kusama, Hay, and Manfredi had. Kusama's brother, Kevin, died when she was young, as did a close friend in New York. The film was shot in sequence, cost US$1 million and was filmed in 20 days in Los Angeles.<ref name=BuzzFeed-Invitation-2016/> Due to the low production cost and time of the film, Kusama noted that despite the challenges involved with making a film in this manner she had the creative control she lacked on her previous Hollywood films.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-karyn-kusama-destroyer-tiff-20180910-story.html|title=Karyn Kusama's restless noir 'Destroyer' uncovers an L.A. — and a Nicole Kidman — you haven't seen before - Los Angeles Times|last=Yamato|first=Jen|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 10, 2018|access-date=November 13, 2018}}</ref>

In 2017, Kusama wrote and directed a segment, titled "Her Only Living Son", in the all-female directed anthology horror film ''[[XX (film)|XX]]''.<ref name=Deadline-XX-2014>{{cite news|last1=Yamato|first1=Jen|title=Magnet Springs For Femme-Driven Horror Anthology 'XX'|url=https://deadline.com/2014/10/magnet-female-horror-anthology-xx-848156|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010060214/http://deadline.com/2014/10/magnet-female-horror-anthology-xx-848156/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 10, 2014|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=October 8, 2014}}</ref><ref name=Vulture-XX-2017>{{cite news|last1=Crucchiola|first1=Jordan|title=Director Karyn Kusama Will Make You a Believer in the Power of Genre Cinema|url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/02/karyn-kusama-makes-a-case-for-the-power-of-genre-cinema.html|work=[[Vulture.com|Vulture]]|date=February 20, 2017}}</ref> In 2018, Kusama directed the crime drama film ''[[Destroyer (2018 film)|Destroyer]]'', which starred [[Nicole Kidman]] and [[Tatiana Maslany]]. According to Kusama, Kidman had lobbied for the part after reading the script.<ref name=":1" /> The film made its debut at the [[Telluride Film Festival]] to positive reactions for Kusama's direction and Kidman's performance,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/festivals/2018-telluride-film-festival-line-up-1202918919/|title='First Man,' 'Front Runner' and 'Roma' Among 2018 Telluride Film Festival Selections|last=Tapley|first=Kristopher|date=August 30, 2018|work=Variety|access-date=November 13, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tiff.net/the-review/tiff-2018-platform/|title=13 filmmakers compete for the TIFF '18 Toronto Platform Prize|date=August 8, 2018|work=TIFF|access-date=November 13, 2018|language=en}}</ref> but disappointed at the box office, grossing slightly over $5 million globally with a budget of over $10 million.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sharf|first=Zack|date=January 23, 2021|title=30 Great Films That Failed at the Box Office|url=https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/best-films-box-office-bombs/|access-date=March 15, 2021|website=IndieWire|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/magazine/destroyer-movie-karyn-kusama.html|title=The Filmmaker Karyn Kusama Explores the Many Dimensions of Women's Rage|website=[[The New York Times]]|first=Christine|last=Smallwood|date=December 20, 2018|access-date=December 25, 2018}}</ref><ref name=2018FFS>{{Cite web |date=March 2020 |title=Feature Films: A Profile of Production |url=https://www.filmla.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Feature-Films-Profile-v2-WEB.pdf |publisher=FilmL.A. |page=25 |access-date=March 4, 2020 |archive-date=September 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929103338/https://www.filmla.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Feature-Films-Profile-v2-WEB.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2019/01/aquaman-mary-poppins-returns-bumblebee-new-years-weekend-box-office-1202526812/ |title='Aquaman' Sailing To $52M+ 2nd Weekend; $189M+ Cume Pacing Ahead Of 'Doctor Strange' & 'Guardians Of The Galaxy'|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=December 30, 2018 |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |access-date=December 30, 2018}}</ref>

In 2020, a new [[Dracula]] film was announced as in development by [[Blumhouse Productions]], featuring Kusama as director and Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi as writers.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 11, 2020|title=New Dracula Movie Coming Via Blumhouse and The Invitation Filmmakers|url=https://collider.com/new-dracula-movie-blumhouse/|access-date=March 17, 2021|website=Collider|language=en-US}}</ref> The film was to be set in modern times and follow the character [[Mina Harker]]; however, the film was canceled in April 2022, just three weeks before it was to start filming.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |last2=Fleming |first2=Mike Jr.  |date=April 18, 2022 |title=Blumhouse-Miramax Dracula Movie 'Mina Harker' Scrapped |url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/dracula-mina-harker-scrapped-jasmine-cephas-jones-karyn-kusama-blumhouse-miramax-1235005168/ |access-date=April 18, 2022 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>

In October 2024, Kusama was announced as the director and executive producer for a potential limited series based upon [[R. F. Kuang]]'s 2023 novel ''[[Yellowface (novel)|Yellowface]]'' that had been optioned by [[Lionsgate Television]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/yellowface-rf-kuang-tv-serues-karyn-kusama-constance-wu-lionsgate-1236167053/ |title=Lionsgate TV Options 'Yellowface' by R. F. Kuang, Karyn Kusama Attached to Direct (EXCLUSIVE) |date=October 3, 2024 |first=Joe |last=Otterson |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

==Themes and style==
Kusama's films have been noted for their strong [[feminist]] themes, and with the exception of ''The Invitation'', all have featured female protagonists. They are often flawed, with the filmmaker citing an interest in ambiguity and difficulty in characters. Kusama has described herself as a "feminist unapologetically" and has criticized the barriers that women face in the film industry. In addition to themes of feminism, Kusama takes the time to investigate and understand the darker side of psychology for her characters. She highlights many of the negative emotions such as violence, loss, anxiety, and unrest. She ensures her work is in a realist direction and related to the viewers in an uncomfortable way. Kusama's works are represented in an externalizing direction where her character's emotions are channeled into physical actions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Sonia |date=December 12, 2020 |title=Female Filmmaker Of Hollywood: Karyn Kusama |url=https://www.womensrepublic.net/female-filmmaker-of-hollywood-karyn-kusama/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Women's Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> 

Her interest in being a filmmaker comes from the "disparate elements" of art in [[storytelling]] from dialogue to music, and the opportunity that being a filmmaker allows in uniting these elements into a single vision. Kusama's films have often drawn upon and been influenced by her own experiences and connections. In her beginning years she was surrounded by people dying, drugs, violence, betrayal, and anger. She used all of these feelings to create tension and anxiety from the audience. Kusama also refuses to set aside roles for men, hence the feminism within her films.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Sonia |date=December 12, 2020 |title=Female Filmmaker Of Hollywood: Karyn Kusama |url=https://www.womensrepublic.net/female-filmmaker-of-hollywood-karyn-kusama/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Women's Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> 

Some of her films have been set in the city of [[Los Angeles]]. On the city's usage in ''The Invitation'', Kusama said that despite the film being primarily set and shot in a single interior space it had to be set in Los Angeles due to the [[mythology]] and history of the city and the surrounding Southern California region. With ''Destroyer'', she aimed to authentically depict parts of the city not often seen in popular culture, resulting in its location shooting going "off the beaten path." Many of Kusama's production designs are thought through in a more emotional way. She ensures that the lighting, color palette, and music are a direct reflection of her characters on screen. Since she has a dark overall theme for her films, many of her works have dim and darkened lights in terms of color and most of her tones are way below the audible ranges of her landscapes so in the final project they come off as vibratory in theater. Kusama has a love for the visual arts and detail. Her signature way of framing her shots help push along her themes of her stories. Ensuring she has a controlled aesthetic, she uses isolation techniques, dead spaces, and the camera to create personal feelings with her characters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Sonia |date=December 12, 2020 |title=Female Filmmaker Of Hollywood: Karyn Kusama |url=https://www.womensrepublic.net/female-filmmaker-of-hollywood-karyn-kusama/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Women's Republic |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Kusama married screenwriter [[Phil Hay (screenwriter)|Phil Hay]] in October 2006. They have a son. Although they had known each other since meeting at Sundance when ''[[Girlfight]]'' premiered in 2000, it was not until they worked together on ''[[Æon Flux (film)|Æon Flux]]'' that they began dating.<ref name=BuzzFeed-Invitation-2016/>

Hay has co-written three of Kusama's films with his writing partner [[Matt Manfredi]]. Together the trio formed Familystyle Films,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karyn Kusama - Sundance Co-ab |url=https://collab.sundance.org/people/Karyn-Kusama-1579813281 |access-date=March 15, 2021 |website=collab.sundance.org |language=en |archive-date=June 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621125804/https://collab.sundance.org/people/Karyn-Kusama-1579813281 |url-status=dead }}</ref> under which ''Destroyer'' was released.

Kusama has named [[Jonathan Glazer]] and [[Jacques Audiard]] as two current filmmakers who have influenced her.<ref name="TheVerge-Invitation-2015" /> She also said [[Chantal Akerman]]'s arthouse film ''[[Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles|Jeanne Dielman]]'' is one of her favorite female-directed films.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Majumdar |first=Antora |title=TIFF 2018 Women Directors: Meet Karyn Kusama — "Destroyer" |url=https://womenandhollywood.com/tiff-2018-women-directors-meet-karyn-kusama-destroyer/ |access-date=November 13, 2018 |website=womenandhollywood.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Kusama was initially inspired to make films–particularly centered around women–by her viewings of [[Amy Heckerling]]'s ''[[Fast Times at Ridgemont High]]'' (1982) as well as [[Martha Coolidge]]'s [[Valley Girl (1983 film)|''Valley Girl'']] (1983).

==Filmography==
'''Film'''
*
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Notes
|-
|2000
|''[[Girlfight]]''
|Also writer
|-
|2005
|''[[Æon Flux (film)|Æon Flux]]''
|
|-
|2009
|''[[Jennifer's Body]]''
|
|-
|2015
|''[[The Invitation (2015 film)|The Invitation]]''
|
|-
|2018
|''[[Destroyer (2018 film)|Destroyer]]''
|
|}
*

'''Short film'''
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Writer
! Notes
|-
|1991
|''Sleeping Beauties''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|-
|2013
|''Speechless''
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|
|-
|2017
|''Her Only Living Son''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|Segment of ''[[XX (film)|XX]]'' 
|-
|}

'''Documentary appearances'''
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
|-
| 2017
| ''[[78/52]]''
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Half the Picture]]''
|-
| 2022
| ''Body Parts''
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Lynch/Oz]]''
|-
|2024
| ''[[Chain Reactions (film)|Chain Reactions]]''
|-
|2025
|''[[Boorman and the Devil]]''
|}

'''Television'''
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
! Episode(s)
|-
|2007
|''[[The L Word]]''
|"Little Boy Blue"
|-
|rowspan=4|2014–2017
|rowspan=4|''[[Halt and Catch Fire (TV series)|Halt and Catch Fire]]''
|"High Plains Hardware" 
|-
|"Working for the Clampdown"
|-
| "The Threshold"
|-
| "[[Search/Ten of Swords|Ten of Swords]]"
|-
|2015
|''[[Chicago Fire (TV series)|Chicago Fire]]''
|"Forgiving, Relentless, Unconditional"
|-
|rowspan=2|2015–2016
|rowspan=2|''[[The Man in the High Castle (TV series)|The Man in the High Castle]]''
|"End of the World"
|-
|"Land O' Smiles"
|-
|rowspan=3|2016
|rowspan=2|''[[Casual (TV series)|Casual]]''
|"Such Good Friends"
|-
| "Big Green Egg"
|-
|''[[Masters of Sex]]''
|"Night and Day"
|-
|rowspan=2|2016–2017
|rowspan=2|''[[Billions (TV series)|Billions]]''
|"Quality of Life"
|-
| "Golden Frog Time"
|-
|2020
|''[[The Outsider (miniseries)|The Outsider]]''
|"The One About The Yiddish Vampire"
|-
|rowspan=2|2021
|''[[The Mysterious Benedict Society (TV series)|The Mysterious Benedict Society]]''
|"The Art of Conveyance and Round-Trippery"
|-
|''[[Yellowjackets (TV series)|Yellowjackets]]''
|"[[Pilot (Yellowjackets)|Pilot]]" and "[[Storytelling (Yellowjackets)|Storytelling]]" (also executive producer)
|-
|rowspan=2|2023
|''[[The Consultant (TV series)|The Consultant]]''
|"Hammer"
|-
|''[[Dead Ringers (miniseries)|Dead Ringers]]''
|"Five"
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#B0C4DE;"
! Year
! Title
! Awards
|-
| 2000 
| ''[[Girlfight]]''
|[[Cannes Film Festival|Cannes Film Festival Award of the Youth for Foreign Film]]<br>[[Flanders International Film Festival Ghent|FIPRESCI Prize – Special Mention]]<br>[[Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director|Gotham Open Palm Award]]<br>[[Sundance Film Festival|Sundance Directing Award in the Dramatic Category]]<br>[[Sundance Film Festival|Sundance Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic Category]]<br>[[Seminci|Seminci Silver Spike]]<br>Nominated – [[Black Reel Awards|Black Reel Award for Best Director]]<br>Nominated – [[Caméra d'Or]]<br>Nominated – [[International Confederation of Art Cinemas|CICAE Award for Best Film]]<br>Nominated – [[Deauville American Film Festival|Deauville Grand Special Prize]]<br>Nominated – [[Flanders International Film Festival Ghent|Ghent Festival Grand Prize]]<br>Nominated – [[Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature]]
|-
|2015
|''[[The Invitation (2015 film)|The Invitation]]''
|[[Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival|Octopus d'Or Jury Prize]]<br>[[Sitges Film Festival|Sitges Film Festival Award for Best Motion Picture]]<br>Nominated – Fright Meter Award for Best Director<br>Nominated – iHorror Award for Best Horror Director<br>Nominated – [[Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival|Narcisse Award for Best Feature Film]]
|-
|2017
|''[[XX (film)|XX]]''
|[[Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival|Neuchâtel International Critics Award]]
|-
|2018
|''[[Destroyer (2018 film)|Destroyer]]''
|Nominated – [[BFI London Film Festival|BFI London Official Competition]]<br>Nominated – [[Alliance of Women Film Journalists|EDA Female Focus Award for Best Woman Director]]<br>Nominated – [[Toronto International Film Festival|Toronto Platform Prize]]
|-
|2022
|''[[Yellowjackets (TV series)|Yellowjackets]]''
|Nominated – [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series]]<ref name=":4" />
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite magazine|last1=Gordon|first1=Bette|title=Karyn Kusama|magazine=[[BOMB Magazine]]|date=Fall 2000|volume=73|url=http://bombmagazine.org/article/2337/|archive-date=2014-12-14|access-date=2016-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214234821/http://bombmagazine.org/article/2337/|url-status=dead}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Baker|first1=Aaron|title=A new combination: Women and the boxing film: An interview with Karyn Kusama|magazine=[[Cineaste (magazine)|Cineaste]]|date=September 2000|volume=25|issue=4|pages=22–26|issn=0009-7004|id={{ProQuest|204837126}}}}
* {{cite book|last1=Figgis|first1=Mike|editor1-last=Lippy|editor1-first=Tod|editor2-last=Boorman|editor2-first=John|editor3-last=Donohue|editor3-first=Walter|title=Projections 11: New York Film-Makers on New York Film-Making|date=2000|publisher=Faber and Faber|location=London|isbn=978-0-571-20591-2|chapter=Karyn Kusama|oclc=45625833}}
* {{cite book|last1=Horowitz|first1=Josh|title=The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker: 20 Conversations with the New Generation of Filmmakers|date=2006|publisher=Penguin Group|location=New York|isbn=978-0-452-28681-8|chapter=Karyn Kusama|oclc=475147506|chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/mindofmodernmovi00horo}}
* {{cite book|last1=Rybicky|first1=Dan|editor1-last=Bernardi|editor1-first=Daniel|title=Filming Difference: Actors, Directors, Producers, and Writers on Gender, Race, and Sexuality in Film|date=2008|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-71923-1|pages=263–288|chapter-url=http://muse.jhu.edu/books/9780292793552/|chapter=Chapter 13: "And Maybe There Is a Way to Give Hollywood the Kick in the Ass That It Needs: An Interview with Karyn Kusama|oclc=488626749}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0476201}}

{{Karyn Kusama}}
{{Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director}}
{{Sundance Directing Award Dramatic}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Kusama, Karyn}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:American women film directors]]
[[Category:English-language film directors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American women screenwriters]]
[[Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:American film directors of Japanese descent]]
[[Category:Sundance Film Festival award winners]]
[[Category:Ladue Horton Watkins High School alumni]]
[[Category:Mass media people from St. Louis]]
[[Category:American horror film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Missouri]]
[[Category:Children's and Family Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:American people of Scotch-Irish descent]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Karyn Kusama|access_date=2026-03-04}}