Alex Ross Perry is an American filmmaker and actor. Prolific in independent film, he is best known for writing and directing Listen Up Philip (2014) and Her Smell (2018).
Early life Perry grew up in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, where he worked on a local television news program during high school.Renninger, Bryce J. FUTURES | "The Color Wheel" Director Alex Ross Perry Says Kim's Video Was Better Than NYU. Indiewire. After graduating, he moved to New York City to attend NYU. He graduated from NYU's film program in 2006. From 2005 to 2007, Perry worked at the East Village-based video store Kim's Video,Erickson, Steve. An Interview with Alex Ross Perry. LA Weekly. where he met many of the cast and crew members who later worked on his films, including director of photography Sean Price Williams. He was influenced by Philip Roth,Lim, Dennis. Literary Influences, Personal Pathologies. The New York Times.Stewart, Henry. Alex Ross Perry Names His Favorite Incest Movies. The L Magazine. Vincent Gallo, Jerry Lewis, and Thomas Pynchon.
Career Perry's first feature, Impolex, premiered in 2009. Made on a budget of $15,000Impolex (2009) at IMDb. and shot on 16mm film stock, the film is an absurdist comedy inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel Gravity's Rainbow. It was released theatrically in 2011.
Perry's second feature, The Color Wheel, premiered at festivals in 2011. The film, a dark screwball comedy influenced by the work of Philip Roth, was co-written by Perry and Carlen Altman; the two also play the lead roles in the film. It was named the best undistributed film of 2011 by the IndiewireKohn, Eric. "The Color Wheel" Tops Indiewire's List of Best Undistributed Films; Other Films Tie For Top Spots. Indiewire. and Village VoiceVillage Voice Film Poll 2011: Best Undistributed Film. The Village Voice. polls, and placed 12th in a similar poll conducted by Film Comment.Film Comment's Best Unreleased Movies of 2011. Film Comment. It was released theatrically on May 18, 2012.
Perry's next film, the comedy Listen Up Philip, premiered at the Sundance Film FestivalKohn, Eric. "Spirit Nominee Alex Ross Perry Discusses New HBO Project 'The Traditions,' His Next Feature and Life After 'The Color Wheel'. Indiewire. in 2014.
Perry's fourth film, Queen of Earth, stars Elisabeth Moss, Katherine Waterston, Patrick Fugit, Kentucker Audley, and Kate Lyn Sheil. It had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival on February 7, 2015, and was released in a limited release and through video on demand on August 26, 2015. In April 2015, Disney hired Perry to write a live-action adaptation of the Winnie the Pooh franchise, with the resulting Christopher Robin released to theaters in August 2018. He also optioned Don DeLillo's The Names for a feature adaptation.
In 2017 he directed the music video for Aly & AJ's single "Take Me", and in 2019, also directed the music video for the single Church for the same band.
His films Golden Exits and Her Smell were released in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
In 2022, he directed the music video for Pavement's single "Harness Your Hopes", "Bones" for Soccer Mommy and the long form mockumentary "Metal Myths: Ghost Pt. 2" for Ghost.
In 2024, Perry's documentary-fiction hybrid film about Pavement, Pavements, a continuation of his collaboration with the band, premiered. The film incorporates concert footage from an original jukebox musical Perry staged, Slanted! Enchanted! A Pavement Musical, featuring Zoe Lister-Jones, Michael Esper, and Kathryn Gallagher.
On 23 July 2025, Variety revealed that Perry was among the filmmakers who directed a segment for V/H/S/Halloween, Shudder's 8th installment in their horror anthology V/H/S franchise. The film was released in October 2025.
Personal life
In 2016, after nine years of dating, Perry married visual artist Anna Bak-Kvapil. They have two children. Perry is a vegan.
Filmography YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerEditorNotes 2009Impolex 2011 2013Segment director: "Episode 5" Additional screenplay material 2014Listen Up Philip 2015Queen of Earth 2017Golden Exits 2018NostalgiaChristopher Robin Her Smell 2020Paul Schrader: Man in a RoomDocumentary short 2023 2024Rite Here Rite NowConcert film; co-directed with Tobias Forge Pavements2025 Videoheaven Documentary film V/H/S/HalloweenSegment: "Kidprint"
Acting credits YearTitleRole 2010Tiny Furniture Ashlynn's Friend 2011The Color WheelColinHappy LifeDonaldGreenPhillip Roth expert 2012Somebody Up There Likes MePizza Customer #1 20157 Chinese BrothersHats at CarsDevil TownDetective Ira Goldberg 2016JoshyAdam2024An Almost Christmas Story Dave the Dog (voice)
Music videos Year Title Artist(s) 2016"I Can Only Stare" Sleigh Bells 2017"Take Me" Aly & AJ 2019"Church""Don't Go Changing""Good Woman" Anika Pyle"Sludge" Vivian Girls"Yellow is the Color of Her Eyes" Soccer Mommy 2021"Justine Go Genesis" Sleigh Bells 2022"In the Eyes of Our Love" Yumi Zouma"Where the Light Used to Lay""Astral Projection""Harness Your Hopes" Pavement"Metal Myths" Ghost"Bones" Soccer Mommy 2023"Days Move Slow" Bully"Jesus He Knows Me" Ghost"Tidal Session" Momma"The Flood" Zilched"Ghostwriter" Speedy Ortiz 2024"Stopping and Staring" Gustaf"Missing Out" Maya Hawke"Dark""I'm A Man" Kim Gordon 2025"Bunky Pop"Sleigh Bells"Stay in Your Lane" Courtney Barnett
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