Michelle MacLaren is making her big-screen directorial debut after building an impressive resume working in TV, helming episodes of series such as “Better Call Saul,” “Game of Thrones,” “Breaking Bad,” and “The X-Files.” Variety reports that MacLaren will direct TriStar’s upcoming adaptation of “The Nightingale,” Kristin Hannah’s 2015 bestselling novel.
Variety writes that the story centers on “two sisters coming of age in France on the eve of World War II, and their struggle to survive and resist the German occupation of France. It was inspired by the story of a Belgian woman, Andrée de Jongh, who helped downed Allied pilots to escape Nazi territory.”
While the current draft of the script is penned by Ann Peacock (“Nights in Rodanthe,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”) MacLaren and John Sayles (“The Spiderwick Chronicles”) will polish the screenplay.
“The Nightingale” will be produced by Elizabeth Cantillon (“Concussion”).
“One of Michelle’s many gifts as a director is her ability to tell stories that are both intimate and epic,” Cantillon said. “She was the perfect director to come on to this unique war story.”
“Michelle has directed some of the most groundbreaking and cinematic television of recent years,” added Hannah Minghella, who is overseeing the project for TriStar. “I’m looking forward to her bringing that same vision to ‘The Nightingale.’ Her passion for these characters, their complex relationships, and the tension of their journeys will no doubt translate into a cinematic experience that will delight the fans of the book and beyond.”
MacLaren was a long-time co-executive producer on “The X-Files” before branching out into directing, which she “really wanted” to do the whole time, she has said. MacLaren revealed, “I studied acting for three years because I wanted to understand what actors go through. I took classes through the Directors Guild of America and private teachers in LA.” When she was finally offered the opportunity to helm an episode of the sci-fi series, she said yes. She enrolled in a week-long intensive training course for directors, though she had years of experience as a producer. She was “terrified,” but “very, very, very prepared.”
The Emmy winner was originally inked to helm “Wonder Woman” but left the project due to creative differences. She was replaced by Patty Jenkins (“Monster”). The film, starring Gal Gadot, opens June 2, 2017.
Check out a TEDx talk from MacLaren to hear more about her experiences breaking into the business:
