David Magee

Whether penning film versions of period dramas, as he did with "Finding Neverland" (2004), or of bestselling fantasy-adventure novels like "Life of Pi" (2012), David Magee consistently delivered powerful stories that stayed true to the emotions and the spirit of the material that he was adapting. Born in 1962 in Flint, MI, David Magee was a theater graduate from Michigan State University. He performed in regional theaters, built sets for off-Broadway productions, and did voiceover work and narrations. In 1999, he wrote the screenplay of the film version of Allan Knee's 1998 play "The Man Who Was Peter Pan," which was eventually released as "Finding Neverland," based on the life of Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp) and his platonic relationship with Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet). For writing "Finding Neverland," Magee earned several nominations, including an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.