Dorcas Wright "Dede" Gardner (born October 16, 1967) is an American film producer.
Early life Gardner is the daughter of Dorothy and John Gardner, of Chicago, Illinois. She graduated cum laude from Columbia University in 1990. Her classmates included television showrunners Jeff Rake and Gina Fattore. Her father is a partner at the Chicago investment bank William Blair & Company; her mother is president of the Michael Reese Health Trust.
Career Gardner was president since the founding of Plan B Entertainment and currently serving as Co-President with Jeremy Kleiner since 2013. She has won Academy Awards for producing the films 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Moonlight (2016), becoming the first woman to win two Academy Awards for Best Picture. She has also been nominated in the category for The Tree of Life (2011), Selma (2014), The Big Short (2015), Vice (2018), Women Talking (2022), Nickel Boys (2024) and F1 (2025), making her the most nominated female producer in Academy Awards history.
Personal life In 2000, she married Jonathan Boris Berg in an Episcopalian ceremony on Martha's Vineyard.
Filmography She was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
Film Year Film Credit Notes 2006 Running with Scissors 2007 Year of the Dog A Mighty Heart The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 2009 The Private Lives of Pippa Lee The Time Traveler's Wife 2010 Eat Pray Love 2011 The Tree of Life 2012 Killing Them Softly 2013 World War Z 12 Years a Slave 2014 Nightingale Executive producer Selma 2015 True Story The Big Short 2016 Moonlight The Lost City of Z 2017 Okja War Machine Brad's Status 2018 Beautiful Boy If Beale Street Could Talk Vice 2019 The Last Black Man in San Francisco Ad Astra The King 2020 Kajillionaire Minari Irresistible 2022 Father of the Bride Women Talking Blonde She Said 2023 Landscape with Invisible Hand 2024 Bob Marley: One Love Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Apocalypse in the Tropics Executive producer Wolfs Nickel Boys 2025 Mickey 17 Olmo Bono: Stories of Surrender F1 Preparation for the Next Life H Is for Hawk The Voice of Hind Rajab Executive producer Hedda 2026 Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma The Tiger Wizards! Wrong Answer Weekend Warriors
Location management Year Film Role 1992 Mac Location assistant 1993 Three of Hearts Location manager: New York
Thanks Year Film Role 2004 See This Movie Many thanks 2016 The Tiger Hunter Thanks 2017 Marrowbone The director wishes to thank
Television Year Title Credit Notes 2008 Pretty/Handsome Executive producer Television pilot 2014 Deadbeat The Normal Heart Executive producer Television film POV Documentary Resurrection 2016 Mamma Dallas Television pilot 2017 Feud Monsters of God Television pilot 2016−19 The OA 2018−19 Sweetbitter 2020 The Third Day: Autumn Television special The Third Day 2021 The Underground Railroad 2020−21 Lego Masters 2022 Outer Range Paper Girls High School 2024 3 Body Problem 2025 Adolescence Wytches
Awards and nominations In 2012, Gardner and her fellow producers were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture for The Tree of Life. In 2014, she won the Academy Award for Best Picture for the movie 12 Years a Slave alongside co-producers Brad Pitt, Steve McQueen, Jeremy Kleiner and Anthony Katagas. In 2015, she was nominated once again for the Academy Award for Best Picture for producing Selma alongside fellow producers Oprah Winfrey, Jeremy Kleiner, and Christian Colson. In 2017, she won her second Academy Award for Best Picture for the movie, Moonlight. She becomes the first female producer to win two Academy Awards for Best Picture.
Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2011 Best Picture The Tree of Life 2013 12 Years a Slave 2014 Selma 2015 The Big Short 2016 Moonlight 2018 Vice 2022 Women Talking 2024 Nickel Boys 2025 F1
AACTA International Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2011 Best Film The Tree of Life 2013 12 Years a Slave 2015 The Big Short
AFI Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2011 Top 10 Films The Tree of Life 2013 12 Years a Slave 2014 Selma 2015 The Big Short 2016 Moonlight
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Best Picture 12 Years a Slave 2014 Selma
American Black Film Festival Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Movie of the Year 12 Years a Slave
Awards Circuit Community Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2007 Best Motion Picture The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 2011 The Tree of Life 2013 12 Years a Slave 2014 Selma
Black Reel Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Best Film 12 Years a Slave 2014 Selma 2016 Moonlight
British Academy Film Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Best Film 12 Years a Slave 2015 The Big Short 2016 Moonlight 2025 Outstanding British Film H Is for Hawk
British Academy Television Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2018 Best International Programme Feud: Bette and Joan 2022 The Underground Railroad
CinEuphoria Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Best International Film 12 Years a Slave
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2014 Best Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film The Normal Heart 2017 Feud: Bette and Joan
Golden Raspberry Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2022 Worst Picture Blonde
Gotham Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Best Feature 12 Years a Slave Audience Award 2014 Best Feature Nickel Boys
Independent Spirit Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Best Film 12 Years a Slave 2014 Selma 2024 Nickel Boys
Italian Online Movie Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Best Picture 12 Years a Slave
Online Film & Television Association Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2007 Best Picture The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 2013 12 Years a Slave 2014 Selma 2015 The Big Short
Primetime Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2014 Outstanding Television Movie The Normal Heart 2015 Nightingale 2017 Outstanding Limited Series Feud: Bette and Joan 2021 Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series The Underground Railroad 2024 Outstanding Drama Series 3 Body Problem 2025 Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series Adolescence
Producers Guild of America Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2013 Best Theatrical Motion Picture 12 Years a Slave 2014 Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television The Normal Heart Stanley Kramer Award Visionary Award 2015 Best Theatrical Motion Picture The Big Short 2016 Moonlight 2018 Vice 2020 David O. Selznick Award
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