James Mangold Biography: Movies, Awards, Children, Height, Ethnicity, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents, Wife

James Mangold is an American filmmaker who first attracted notice with his directorial debut Heavy (1995), a character-driven drama that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Over the next two decades, he demonstrated an exceptional range, moving seamlessly from psychological thrillers like Identity (2003) to biographical dramas such as Walk the Line (2005), which earned five Academy Award nominations.

Profile

• Full name: James Allen Mangold
• Date of birth: December 16, 1963
• Age: 62 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Film director, screenwriter, producer
• Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.82 m)
• Weight: 95 kg (210 lb)
• Eye color: Black
• Hair color: Black
• Parents: Robert Mangold and Sylvia Plimack Mangold
• Siblings: Only child
• Spouse: N/A
• Children: 2
• Relationship status: Single
• Religion: He describes himself as half-Jewish, reflecting his mother’s heritage
• Ethnicity: American of German and Jewish descent
• Net worth: $20 million

Early Life and Education

James Mangold (62 years old) was born on December 16, 1963, in New York City. He is the son of contemporary artists Robert Mangold and Sylvia Plimack Mangold and was raised in the Hudson Valley town of Washingtonville, New York. His mother is Jewish, and he describes himself as “half-Jewish,” reflecting both his familial and cultural upbringing.

He graduated from Washingtonville High School before enrolling at the California Institute of the Arts, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film, and then completed a Master of Fine Arts at Columbia University School of the Arts, studying under Miloš Forman, who helped him refine the scripts for his early features.

Personal Life

James Mangold keeps his private life largely out of the spotlight. He has two children but has never publicly disclosed details about his marital status or past relationships. He maintains residences in both Los Angeles and New York, balancing his time between the two coasts to accommodate his film projects.

Career

James Mangold began his career in 1985 with a writer/director deal at The Walt Disney Company, co-writing Oliver & Company (1988). His feature directorial debut, Heavy (1995), won a directing prize at Sundance.

He broke through with Cop Land (1997), starring Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro, and followed with the Oscar-winning Girl, Interrupted (1999).

His adaptation of Johnny Cash’s life in Walk the Line (2005) was both a critical and commercial hit. In the 2000s, he directed the thrillers Identity (2003) and 3:10 to Yuma (2007), and the action-comedy Knight and Day (2010).

Transitioning to Marvel’s X-Men universe, he directed The Wolverine (2013) and Logan (2017), the latter praised as one of the best superhero films ever made.

Ford v Ferrari (2019) earned him a Best Picture nomination, and he later took on globe-spanning franchises with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) and the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (2024).

Awards and Nominations

• 1995: Sundance Film Festival Directing Prize – Heavy – Won
• 2006: Academy Award Nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay – Walk the Line – Nominated
• 2017: Academy Award Nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay – Logan – Nominated
• 2020: Academy Award Nomination for Best Picture – Ford v Ferrari – Nominated
• 2025: Academy Award Nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director – A Complete Unknown – Nominated

Net Worth

James Mangold’s net worth is estimated at $20 million, largely accumulated through his directing, writing, and producing roles on both studio blockbusters and independent films.

Social Media

• N/A

Filmography

• Heavy (1995)
• Cop Land (1997)
• Girl, Interrupted (1999)
• Identity (2003)
• Walk the Line (2005)
• 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
• Knight and Day (2010)
• The Wolverine (2013)
• Logan (2017)
• Ford v Ferrari (2019)
• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
• A Complete Unknown (2024)
• Upcoming: Swamp Thing (TBA)
• Upcoming: Star Wars Film (TBA)