Gene Stupnitsky is a Ukrainian-born American film and television show maker. He usually works with Lee Eisenberg, with whom he founded Quantity Entertainment. From 2005 to 2010, he served as a writer, director and producer of the NBC sitcom The Office for which he earned three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He served as a co-creator, writer, and producer of the HBO comedy series Hello Ladies (2013-2014). In 2023 he co-created the Peabody Award-winning series Jury Duty with Eisenberg. Stupnitsky worked on comedy films writing Year One (2009), and Bad Teacher (2011) and directing Good Boys (2019) and No Hard Feelings (2023).
Early life and education Stupnitsky was born in Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (present-day Kyiv, Ukraine) to Jewish parents. He grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. He attended Stevenson High School and graduated from the University of Iowa in 2000.
Career 2005–2011 In 2005, Eisenberg and Stupnitsky joined the staff of the NBC comedy series The Office, where they remained from seasons 2 to 6. In addition to writing, he served as a co-executive producer and directed two episodes with Eisenberg, "Michael Scott Paper Company" and "The Lover". Although he is not credited for directing "The Lover", similarly Eisenberg is not credited for directing "Michael Scott Paper Company", as only one person can be credited with directing the episode. They directed The Outburst, a webisode series for The Office. He acted as Leo, one of the Vance Refrigeration delivery people, along with Eisenberg, present in several episodes of The Office. Stupnitsky, alongside Eisenberg, co-wrote two of the most critically acclaimed episodes, including "Dinner Party" and "Scott's Tots".
Eisenberg and Stupnitsky have worked together on several screenplays, many of which they have produced as well. Alongside Harold Ramis, they wrote the screenplay for Year One, which starred Jack Black and Michael Cera, and was released in 2009. Following that, they wrote and produced the film Bad Teacher, which starred Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. They were to serve as producers of a proposed sequel. Eisenberg and Stupnitsky wrote a screenplay for Ghostbusters III, but it was never produced.
2013–present In 2013, Eisenberg and Stupnitsky were listed as two of Deadline Hollywoods "Overachievers" of the pilot season. Along with Stephen Merchant, they created, executive produced, and wrote for the HBO series Hello Ladies, which ran for one season and concluded with a feature-length special. That same year, they wrote a pilot for ABC based on the BBC series Pulling, in addition to serving as executive producers on the series Trophy Wife, which aired for one season on ABC. They also executive produced the TV series Bad Teacher for CBS, which is based on their original screenplay. Stupnitsky and Eisenberg co-created the hit television series Jury Duty, which won a 2023 Peabody Award.
Stupnitsky made his directorial debut with the 2019 comedy film Good Boys. He co-wrote and directed No Hard Feelings, which stars Jennifer Lawrence and was released June 2023.
Filmography Film Year Title Director Writer ExecutiveProducer 2009 Year One 2011 Bad Teacher 2019 Good Boys 2023 No Hard Feelings
Television Year Title Director Writer ExecutiveProducer Notes 2005–2010 The Office 15 episodes (writer),Directed episodes "The Lover" (uncredited) and"Michael Scott Paper Company" 2013–2014 Hello Ladies Also creator 2014 Bad Teacher Trophy Wife Episode "Mother's Day" 2016 Gorgeous Morons TV movie 2017 Downward Dog Episode "Pilot" SMILF 9 episodes 2023–present Jury Duty Also creator
Awards and nominations Year Title Award Category Result2008 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series The Office 2008 Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series 2009 Outstanding Comedy Series 2015 Outstanding Television Movie Hello Ladies Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or Movie 2006 Writers Guild of America Awards Best New Series The Office 2006 Best Comedy Series 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2018 Master of None 2019 Peabody Awards Entertainment Honoree Good Boys 2023 SXSW Film Festival Audience Award Jury Duty
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