Ajay Kumar at 13:35, 20 August 2023

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{{short description|American director and screenwriter (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jennifer Lynch
| image =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|4|7|mf=yes}}<ref name="Simon, Alex">{{citation |title= The Hollywood Interview – Interview with Jennifer Chambers Lynch |url= http://thehollywoodinterview.blogspot.com/2009/06/jennifer-lynch-hollywood-interview.html |author= Simon, Alex |access-date= May 7, 2012 }}. [https://archive.today/20120720175151/http://thehollywoodinterview.blogspot.de/2009/06/jennifer-lynch-hollywood-interview.html Archived], retrieved 11 December 2017.</ref>
| birth_place = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| birth_name = Jennifer Chambers Lynch
| occupation = Director, screenwriter, producer, actress
| children = 1
| father = [[David Lynch]]
| notable_works = ''[[Boxing Helena]]''
| education = [[Interlochen Arts Academy]]
}}
'''Jennifer Chambers Lynch''' (born April 7, 1968)<ref name="Simon, Alex"/> is an American filmmaker. The daughter of filmmaker [[David Lynch]], she made her directorial debut with the film ''[[Boxing Helena]]'' in 1993. Following a troubled production, the film was a critical and commercial failure, with Lynch receiving a [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director]]. The negative reception to her feature debut and controversy surrounding its release led to Lynch taking a 15-year hiatus from filmmaking.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2009-02-27 |title=John Patterson salutes the return of Jennifer Lynch, director of Boxing Helena |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/feb/27/jennifer-lynch-boxing-helena-surveillance |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

Lynch returned to directing with 2008's ''[[Surveillance (2008 film)|Surveillance]]''. The film received mixed reviews, although it won the top prize at the [[Sitges Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mayorga |first=Emilio |date=2008-10-13 |title=Lynch's 'Surveillance' tops Sitges |url=https://variety.com/2008/film/news/lynch-s-surveillance-tops-sitges-1117993866/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> A year later, Lynch began work on her next film ''[[Hisss]]'', which she disowned after the production was completed without her involvement. Her fourth film ''[[Chained (2012 film)|Chained]]'', released in 2012, was met with a positive critical reception. Since 2012, Lynch has focused on directing episodes of television series, including ''[[Psych]]'', ''[[Teen Wolf (2011 TV series)|Teen Wolf]]'', ''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]'', ''[[American Horror Story]]'', ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]'', ''[[Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]'', ''[[Elementary (TV series)|Elementary]]'', ''[[The Strain (TV series)|The Strain]]'', ''[[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]'', ''[[9-1-1 (TV series)|9-1-1]]'', and ''[[Ratched (TV series)|Ratched]]''.

Outside of her career as a director, Lynch wrote the book ''[[The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer]]'' in 1990. Told from the perspective of the [[Laura Palmer|character of the same name]] from her father's television series ''[[Twin Peaks]]'', the novel was a commercial success, reaching number four on ''[[The New York Times]]'' paperback fiction best seller list that year.

==Early life==
Lynch was born in [[Philadelphia]]. She is the daughter of artist and filmmaker [[David Lynch]], who is responsible for her Finnish ancestry,<ref>{{cite web|title=DAVID LYNCH: "DEN HÄR VÄRLDEN ÄR FULL AV HAT OCH ÅNGEST"|url=http://nojesguiden.se/artiklar/david-lynch-%E2%80%9Dden-haer-vaerlden-aer-full-av-hat-och-angest%E2%80%9D|work=Nöjesguiden|publisher=REDAKTION|access-date=May 26, 2013|language=sv|date=November 4, 2010}}</ref> and painter Peggy Reavey ({{née}} Margaret Vosburgh Lentz). She began practicing [[Transcendental Meditation]] at the age of six.<ref>{{cite news|title=Out on a limb|first=JAMES|last=MOTTRAM|work=The Independent on Sunday|location=London (UK)|date=February 22, 2009|page=14}}</ref> Lynch graduated from the [[Interlochen Center for the Arts|Interlochen Art Academy]] where she studied visual arts and creative writing.

==Career==
===Film===
Lynch was educated in Los Angeles and [[Michigan]] at [[Interlochen Arts Academy]]. Together with her mother, Lynch made a brief appearance in her father's debut feature film ''[[Eraserhead]]'', but her appearance was not included in the final cut. Lynch subsequently worked as a [[production assistant]] on ''[[Blue Velvet (film)|Blue Velvet]]'' (1986), also directed by her father.

====''Boxing Helena'' (1993)====
Lynch's commissioned screenplay for ''[[Boxing Helena]]'', which she would later go on to direct, attracted many actresses, including [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318779,00.html|title=Boxed Lynch|author=Casey Davidson | magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=December 7, 1990}}</ref> [[Sherilyn Fenn]], one of the stars of both her father's television series ''Twin Peaks'' and his film ''[[Wild at Heart (film)|Wild at Heart]]'', was ultimately cast as leading character Helena. [[Kim Basinger]] was also attached and was famously sued after resigning from the project.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Steen |first=Kathleen |date=1993-02-26 |title=Lynch takes stand on 'Boxing' |url=https://variety.com/1993/film/news/lynch-takes-stand-on-boxing-104366/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> The controversy surrounding that case, as well as [[feminist]] outcry over ''Helena'''s sadistic subject matter <ref>{{Cite news |date=1992-07-26 |title='BOXING HELENA'; A Tired Old Message |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/26/movies/l-boxing-helena-a-tired-old-message-311792.html |access-date=2023-01-21 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1992-07-26 |title='BOXING HELENA'; Is This A Joke? |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/26/movies/l-boxing-helena-is-this-a-joke-310992.html |access-date=2023-01-21 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and accusations of [[nepotism]], accompanied the movie's critical drubbing upon its release in 1993.

In a 2009 interview with The Hollywood Interview, Lynch mentions her reactions to the critical reception of ''[[Boxing Helena]]'':

<blockquote>
I would love to know why people were so mad at me for telling a crazy fairy tale. I'm the first to say I didn't know what I was doing. I did the best I could at 19, and all these crazy things happened. The idea that the film was faulted when everyone involved worked so fucking hard and believed in me, and there were these adults believing in me, who was essentially a child…when the National Organization of Women slammed me, that was sort of the final straw. It was no wonder I put my legs behind my ears and got pregnant. (laughs) Not that I didn't love sex before then, but seriously. It was my child, essentially, who saved my life.<ref name="Simon, Alex"/></blockquote>

====''Surveillance'' (2008)====
Following a lengthy hiatus, Lynch directed ''[[Surveillance (2008 film)|Surveillance]]'' <ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last1=Empty,AP |last2=Empty |last3=AP |date=2008-05-20 |title=Q&A: Jennifer Lynch |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/qampa-jennifer-lynch-112194/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>'','' which won the top prize at the [[Festival de Cine de Sitges]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Complete List of Sitges Winners Announced!|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2008/10/complete-list-of-sitges-winners-announced.html|work=twitchfilm.com|publisher=IndieClick Film Network|access-date=October 6, 2012|author=Todd Brown|date=October 13, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232441/http://twitchfilm.com/2008/10/complete-list-of-sitges-winners-announced.html|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> A month later, Lynch became the first woman to receive the [[New York City Horror Film Festival]]'s Best Director award.<ref name="Hill">{{cite web|title=Summer Guide: Surveillance, Jennifer Lynch's First in 16 Years|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-05-13/film/summer-guide-surveillance-jennifer-lynch-s-first-in-16-years/|work=Village Voice|publisher=Village Voice, LLC|access-date=June 10, 2013|author=[[Aaron Hillis]]|date=May 13, 2009|archive-date=January 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103164627/http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-05-13/film/summer-guide-surveillance-jennifer-lynch-s-first-in-16-years/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== ''Hisss'' (2009) ====
Lynch was announced as director of the film ''[[Nagin (2009 film)|Nagin]]'' (the film is also known as ''Hisss'') that featured Bollywood actress [[Mallika Sherawat]], but the film that was released was not Lynch's work, even though the producers attached her name to the final product.<ref>{{cite web|title=Surveillance Director Transforms into a Snake Woman|url=https://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/12528|work=Bloody Disgusting|publisher=Bloody Disgusting, LLC|access-date=October 6, 2012|last=Miska|first=Brad|date=June 9, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Wyatt">{{cite web|title=A Q&A with A Fall from Grace Director Jennifer Lynch|url=http://www.stlmag.com/St-Louis-Magazine/October-2012/A-Q-A-with-A-Fall-From-Grace-Director-Jennifer-Lynch/|work=St Louis Magazine|access-date=June 10, 2013|author=Andrew Wyatt|date=October 2012}}</ref> Lynch explained in a 2012 interview:

<blockquote>
Well, ultimately, I didn't get to make that film. I put my director's cut together, and the producers decided it was not what they wanted. They took it back to India. I never did any scoring or cutting or color-timing or any of the things you do to make the movie. They took the footage and changed it into what they wanted it to be. So it's not my film. I went to India and shot some footage, but I have nothing to do with the movie they made.<ref name="Wyatt" /></blockquote>

==== ''Chained'' (2012) ====
Lynch then directed and co-wrote the 2012 thriller film ''[[Chained (2012 film)|Chained]]'', in which [[Vincent D'Onofrio]] stars as a cab-driving serial killer. It received mostly positive reviews from critics, with a 68% rating on review aggregator website, [[Rotten Tomatoes]].

==== Future film projects ====
Lynch was scheduled to film ''Visibility'' for the [[Motion Picture Corporation of America]] in 2011, but, as of August 2021, this project is not completed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118026338.html?categoryid=13&cs=1|title=Lynch latches on to Loeb's 'Visibility' | work=Variety | first=Pamela|last=McClintock|date=October 26, 2010}}</ref>

{{As of|September 2012}}, Lynch was preparing ''A Fall from Grace'', a film set and filmed in [[St. Louis]] and inspired by the Old [[Chain of Rocks Bridge]].<ref name="Wyatt" />

===Television===
Lynch has directed episodes of many television series such as ''[[Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story]]'', ''[[The Watcher (2022 TV series)|The Watcher]]'', ''[[Jessica Jones (TV series)|Jessica Jones]]'', ''[[Finding Carter]]'', ''[[Psych]]'', ''[[Quantico (TV series)|Quantico]]'', ''[[Teen Wolf (2011 TV series)|Teen Wolf]]'', ''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]'', ''[[The Last Ship (TV series)|The Last Ship]]'', ''[[Wayward Pines]]'', ''[[American Horror Story]]'', ''[[The Strain (TV series)|The Strain]]'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20141220/PC1201/141229956|title=Demons in action: On the set of WE tv's new series 'South of Hell'|last=Parker|first=Adam|work=[[The Post and Courier]]|date=December 20, 2014|access-date=September 22, 2015}}</ref> ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]'', ''[[Hawaii Five-0 (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]'' and ''[[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]''

===Other projects===
Lynch authored ''[[The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer]]'' to accompany the television show ''[[Twin Peaks]]'' which was created by her father [[David Lynch]] and [[Mark Frost]].<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/28/books/are-the-owls-what-they-seem.html|title=Are the Owls What They Seem?|author=Stanley, Alessandra|date=October 28, 1990}}</ref>

In 1993, Lynch directed the music video "Living in the Rose" by the British rock band [[New Model Army (band)|New Model Army]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Production Notes|agency=Billboard|issue=24|date=12 June 1993|pages=42}}</ref>

On March 21, 2010, Lynch was a judge at the International Surrealist Film Festival<ref>{{cite web|title=The 2010 International Surrealist Film Festival|url=http://www.downtownindependent.com/events/the-2010-international|work=Downtown Independent|access-date=October 6, 2012|year=2010}}</ref> and she worked as producer for the Corey Brandenstein natural horror film ''The Compound''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jennifer Lynch and Corey Brandenstein Throw Us to the Dogs in The Compound|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37672/jennifer-lynch-and-corey-brandenstein-throw-us-dogs-the-compound|work=Dread Central|publisher=Dread Central Media, LLC|access-date=October 6, 2012|last=Barton|first=Steve|date=May 24, 2010}}</ref>

An Australian documentary titled ''Despite the Gods'', which chronicles Lynch's struggle to make the film ''[[Hisss]]'', was released in 2012. The documentary was shown at the Canadian International Documentary Festival and the program described the film: "Out of her depth shooting on location with an Indian crew and two top Bollywood stars, Lynch turns her production into a vehicle for her own self-actualization, paying no regard to timeline, budget or reality. As the story in front of the camera derails, the story behind the camera explodes.".<ref>{{cite web|title=Despite The Gods |url=http://www.hotdocs.ca/film/title/despite_the_gods |work=Hot Docs |access-date=June 10, 2013 |date=April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530174629/http://www.hotdocs.ca/film/title/despite_the_gods |archive-date=May 30, 2013 }}</ref> She eventually disowned the film.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hiss|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/hisss-director-jennifer-lynch-disowns-film/702189/|publisher=Indian Express|access-date=October 25, 2010|date=October 2010}}</ref>

As of 2015, she is also a member of the board of advisers for the Hollywood Horror Museum.

==Awards and nominations==
''[[Boxing Helena]]'' received incredibly scathing reviews<ref>{{citation |last= Simon |first= John |year= 1993 |title= Chess without Tears, Sex without Limbs. |location= National Review |page= 45(19), 61–62}}</ref> upon its release and a Razzie Award for "Worst Director."<ref>{{Cite book|title=The official Razzie movie guide enjoying the best of Hollywood's worst|last=Wilson|first=John|publisher=Warner Books|year=2005|isbn=9780446592154|location=New York|at=Appendix 2|oclc=815660203}}</ref> Nevertheless, it was nominated for Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic category at the [[Sundance Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cinema.usc.edu/events/event.cfm?id=10787|title=The SCA Alumni Screening Series Presents: SURVEILLANCE|website=cinema.usc.edu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210024025/http://cinema.usc.edu/events/event.cfm?id=10787|archive-date=2018-02-10|url-status=live|access-date=2018-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000631/1993/1/|title=Sundance Film Festival (1993)|website=IMDb}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Lynch revealed in a 2009 interview that she underwent three spinal surgeries following the release of ''Boxing Helena'' due to a car accident that occurred when she was 19 years old. In the same interview, Lynch stated that she has a daughter.<ref name="Hill" />

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Title
! Credit
! Notes
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Boxing Helena]]''
|Director, writer
| [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Anne |date=1992-07-05 |title=FILM; The Ins and Outs of 'Boxing Helena' |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/05/movies/film-the-ins-and-outs-of-boxing-helena.html |access-date=2023-01-21 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Maslin |first=Janet |date=1993-09-03 |title=Review/Film: Boxing Helena; A Kinky, Macabre Tale Of Erotic Fascination |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/03/movies/review-film-boxing-helena-a-kinky-macabre-tale-of-erotic-fascination.html |access-date=2023-01-21 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Surveillance (2008 film)|Surveillance]]''
|Director, writer
|<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-03-08 |title=Film review: Surveillance |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/08/surveillance-film-review |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=John |date=2007-05-27 |title=Blood and Crashes? Sounds Like Lynch |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/movies/27ande.html |access-date=2023-01-21 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Hisss]]''
|Director, writer
| Disowned the film
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Chained (2012 film)|Chained]]''
| Director, writer
| Also made cameo appearance
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! class=unsortable | Notes
|-
| 2012–2013
| ''[[Psych (TV series)|Psych]]''
| 3 episodes
|-
|rowspan=2| 2013
| ''The Trouble with Billy''
| Episode: "Pilot"
|-
| ''[[Warehouse 13]]''
| Episode: "Instinct"
|-
| 2014–2016
| ''[[Teen Wolf (2011 TV series)|Teen Wolf]]''
| 4 episodes
|-
| 2014–2015
| ''[[Finding Carter]]''
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2015
| ''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]''
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2015–2017
| ''[[Quantico (TV series)|Quantico]]''
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2015
| ''[[South of Hell (TV series)|South of Hell]]''
| 2 episodes
|-
|rowspan=6| 2016
| ''[[Second Chance (2016 TV series)|Second Chance]]''
| Episode: "May Old Acquaintance Be Forgot"
|-
| ''[[Recovery Road]]''
| Episode: "Sick as Our Secrets"
|-
| ''[[Damien (TV series)|Damien]]''
| Episode: "The Devil You Know"
|-
| ''[[Wayward Pines]]''
| Episode: "Pass Judgement"
|-
| ''[[The Last Ship (TV series)|The Last Ship]]''
| Episode: "Sea Change"
|-
| ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]''
| Episode: "I'll Be Your Mirror"
|-
| 2016–2022
| ''[[American Horror Story]]''
| 6 episodes
|-
| 2016–2018
| ''[[Hawaii Five-O (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-O]]''
| 2 episodes
|-
|rowspan=5| 2017
| ''[[Salem (TV series)|Salem]]''
| 2 episodes
|-
| ''[[Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders]]''
| Episode: "Abominable"
|-
| ''[[Salvation (TV series)|Salvation]]''
| Episode: "Keeping the Faith"
|-
| ''[[Zoo (American TV series)|Zoo]]''
| Episode: "Cradles and Graves"
|-
| ''[[The Strain (TV series)|The Strain]]''
| Episode: "The Traitor"
|-
| 2017, 2018
| ''[[Elementary (TV series)|Elementary]]''
| 2 episodes
|-
|rowspan=5| 2018
| ''[[Kevin (Probably) Saves the World]]''
| Episode: "Caught White-Handed"
|-
| ''[[Jessica Jones (TV series)|Jessica Jones]]''
| Episode: "AKA Three Lives and Counting"
|-
| ''[[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.]]''
| Episode: "All Roads Lead..."
|-
| ''[[Code Black (TV series)|Code Black]]''
| Episode: "Change of Heart"
|-
| ''[[Daredevil (TV series)|Daredevil]]''
| Episode: "Revelations"
|-
| 2018–2020
| ''[[9-1-1 (TV series)|9-1-1]]''
| 5 episodes
|-
|rowspan=3| 2020
| ''[[9-1-1: Lone Star]]''
| Episode: "Texas Proud"
|-
| ''[[Ratched (TV series)|Ratched]]''
| Episode: "The Bucket List"
|-
| ''[[Big Sky (American TV series)|Big Sky]]''
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2021–2023
| ''[[Gossip Girl (2021 TV series)|Gossip Girl]]''
| 4 episodes <ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Kyndall |date=2021-07-22 |title=Gossip Girl Recap: Petty Little Liars |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/gossip-girl-recap-season-1-episode-3-lies-wide-shut.html |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref>
|-
|2022
|''[[Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story]]''
| 4 episodes
|-
|2022
|''[[The Watcher (2022 TV series)|The Watcher]]''
|2 episodes
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080309014015/http://strictement-confidentiel.com/content/view/423/57/ A French article about Jennifer Lynch's works (''The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer'' and ''Boxing Helena'')]
* [http://www.fearnet.com/news/b15870_we_go_under_surveillance_with_bill.html Jennifer Lynch at FEARnet]
* [https://www.joblo.com/video/player.php?video=hisssinterview Interview with ''Hisss'' (2010) director Jennifer Chambers Lynch]
* [https://www.starburstmagazine.com/features/feature-articles/3551-interview-jennifer-lynch-director-of-chained Interview with director of ''Chained'', Jennifer Lynch]

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0528337}}
* [https://www.allmovie.com/artist/jennifer-chambers-lynch-p100455 Jennifer Lynch] at [[Allmovie]]

{{Jennifer Lynch}}
{{Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director}}
{{David Lynch}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lynch, Jennifer}}
[[Category:American film producers]]
[[Category:American music video directors]]
[[Category:English-language film directors]]
[[Category:American women film directors]]
[[Category:Interlochen Center for the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American women screenwriters]]
[[Category:Film directors from Michigan]]
[[Category:American people of Finnish descent]]
[[Category:Female music video directors]]
[[Category:American television directors]]
[[Category:American women television directors]]
[[Category:American women film producers]]
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:David Lynch]]

Jennifer Lynch - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 13:35, 20 August 2023