Alan Ball

The Profile

Alan Ball (born 1957) is an American screenwriter, director and producer, creator of Six Feet Under and writer of American Beauty; he also wrote and directed Towelhead.

Winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for American Beauty (1999); creator/showrunner of the HBO series Six Feet Under (2001–2005); wrote and directed Towelhead (also released as Nothing Is Private). His work frequently mixes death, family drama and dark humour; Towelhead addresses adolescent sexuality and cultural tensions.

Alan Ball's work is praised for mixing death and dark humour to explore family, sexuality and human vulnerability. Six Feet Under is highlighted for its daring focus on mortality and emotional realism. Towelhead (Nothing Is Private) is noted for addressing adolescent sexuality and cultural tension.