Jim Wilson
Born in Pasadena, California, and educated at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts and the University of California at Berkeley, Jim Wilson began making sports documentaries in 1977. Since then, Wilson has produced and directed more than 25 motion pictures, garnishing critical acclaim for the Western epic Dances with Wolves, winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In 1988, Wilson partnered with Kevin Costner to form Tig Productions, where the duo produced Dances with Wolves, The Bodyguard, Rapa Nui, Wyatt Earp, 500 Nations, The Postman, Message in a Bottle, Mr. Brooks and Swing Vote. Wilson’s directorial efforts span a variety of genres, starting with his 1983 film Stacy’s Knights, starring Kevin Costner. Wilson then directed Smart Alec (1986); Head Above Water (1996), starring Harvey Keitel and Cameron Diaz; Whirlygirl (2004), starring Monet Mazur and Julian Morris; and Laffit – All About Winning (2006), a documentary chronicling the story of jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. In a career spanning more than three decades, Wilson has worked with legendary filmmakers and actors including Tony Scott, Lawrence Kasdan, Kevin Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, Gene Hackman, Whitney Houston, William Hurt, Demi Moore and Paul Newman, to name a few. Wilson has won numerous awards including an Oscar, Golden Globe, Spirit Award and Producer of the Year Award. As an equine lover, Wilson has been an avid racehorse owner since 1992.
