Joseph Hill Whedon was born June 23, 1964, in New York. He attended Winchester College located in England before earning his degree in film studies at Wesleyan University. Whedon quickly moved to Los Angeles, where jobs on television sets were more readily available. Not long after the move, he landed a job as a writer for the highly popular television series Roseanne. Writing four episodes in 1989, Whedon’s wit was relayed by regulars Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, and Alicia Goranson.
A few short years later, Whedon landed the job that would truly kick-start his career. He wrote the feature film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, starring Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens, and Luke Perry. Moving on, Whedon worked on many more film scripts, even earning an Oscar nomination for his participation in the 1995 animated film Toy Story.
But it was 1997 that brought Whedon into the television limelight in a big way. It was in this year that his writing, directing, and producing were all dedicated to his new series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Making stars of its young actors, the show proved a successful vehicle for Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, James Marsters, Charisma Carpenter, David Boreanaz, Amber Benson, Seth Green, Eliza Dushku, and many more.
The show ran for seven successful seasons before ending in 2003. This series also spawned the spin-off Angel with leads Boreanaz, Carpenter, and Alexis Denisof. Popular in its own right, Angel ran for five seasons and finally came to an end in 2004.
While Angel and Buffy were both coming to a close, Whedon put his time and energy into a wholly new series—the futuristic western Firefly. It only ran for fourteen episodes, but in that time, it developed a huge cult following. When the show was axed, fans were outraged and upset. The outcry was so boisterous that Serenity, a feature film tying up the loose ends of the series, was released in 2005. Although officially over, the stars of the series (Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, and others) are often associated with their respective roles in this show.
Keeping busy, Whedon guest-directed the "Business School" episode of the American television series The Office, starring Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and BJ Novak.
He is currently in production for Goner, which he is slated to write and direct; 2008 is its tentative release date, but no confirmed details have been released.
Feeding his lifelong attraction to comic books, Whedon is also the author of Dark House Comics production Fray, which was met with rave success. Currently writing for Marvel’s Astonishing X-Men, Whedon has also hinted at the possibility of a Firefly comic book.
Currently residing in Los Angeles, Whedon is married to Kai Cole, with whom he has two children.
YUDDY
