Mr. Mudd
Producing partners Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich and Russell Smith first worked together in 1994 when they decided to adapt and produce Don DeLillo's novel Libra at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company of Chicago, where the play opened to a sold‐out run.
In 1998, Halfon, Malkovich and Smith created the production company Mr. Mudd, whose first film was the notable Ghost World, directed by Terry Zwigoff. In 2003, Malkovich followed this up with his own feature directorial debut, The Dancer Upstairs, starring Academy Award® winner Javier Bardem. Other Mr. Mudd credits include The Libertine, starring Johnny Depp and Samantha Morton and Art School Confidential, also directed by Zwigoff and written by screenwriter/cartoonist Dan Clowes.
Mr. Mudd landed its biggest box office and critical success with Juno, starring Ellen Page, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. The film, distributed through Fox Searchlight, received an Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay (Diablo Cody) and three other nominations, for Best Motion Picture, Best Actress (Ellen Page) and Best Director (Jason Reitman). Most recently, Halfon, Malkovich, and Smith joined Bristol Baughan, Jack Turner, and Bette Cerf Hill to executive produce Which Way Home, which premiered on HBO in August 2009.
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