Age: 73
male
Haggis began to work as a writer for television programs, including The Love Boat, One Day at a Time, Diff'rent Strokes, and The Facts of Life. With The Facts of Life, Haggis also gained his first credit as producer. During the 1980s and 1990s, Haggis wrote for television series including thirtysomething, The Tracey Ullman Show, FM, Due South, L.A. Law, and EZ Streets. He helped to create the television series Walker, Texas Ranger; Family Law; and Due South. Haggis served as executive producer of the series Michael Hayes and Family Law. He gained recognition in the film industry for his work on the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby, which Allmovie described as a "serious milestone" for the writer/producer, and as "his first high-profile foray into feature film". Haggis had read two stories written by Jerry Boyd, a boxing trainer who wrote under the name of F.X. Toole. Haggis later acquired the rights to the stories, and developed them into the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby. Clint Eastwood portrayed the lead character in the film. Eastwood also directed the film, and used the screenplay written by Haggis. Million Dollar Baby received four Academy Awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture. After Million Dollar Baby, Haggis worked on the 2004 film Crash. Haggis came up with the story for the film on his own, and then wrote and directed the film, which allowed him greater control over his work. Crash was his first experience as director of a major feature film. Highly positive upon release, critical reception of Crash has since polarized, although Roger Ebert called it the best film of 2005. Crash received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, in addition to four other Academy Award nominations. Haggis received two Academy Awards for the film: Best Picture (as its producer), and Best Writing for his work on the screenplay. With Million Dollar Baby and then Crash, Haggis became the first individual to have written Best Picture Oscar-winners in two consecutive years. Haggis said that he wrote Crash to "bust liberals", arguing that his fellow liberals were not honest with themselves about the nature of race and racism because they believed that most racial problems had already been resolved in American society.
Set during the opening days of the War in Afghanistan, specifically focusing on Operation Anaconda in the Shah-i-Kot Valley. The story switches between the perspectives of different U.S. special operations forces, including Tier 1 Navy SEALs of AFO Neptune (Mother, Voodoo, Preacher, and Rabbit) and Army Rangers led by Sergeant Patterson and the Delta Force AFO team Wolfpack (Deuce, Dusty). The initial missions involve Neptune securing an Afghan informant, Tariq, who reveals a significant Taliban force in the valley, and Alpha team conducting reconnaissance and striking enemy positions. Tensions rise between the cautious ground commander Colonel Drucker and the detached, career-focused General Flagg, whose miscalculated orders from the U.S. result in friendly fire incidents and put U.S. forces in extreme danger. The film culminates in a major battle where a Chinook helicopter carrying U.S. forces is shot down, leading to a desperate rescue mission. While two members of AFO Neptune are left behind after a cliff jump, the team and supporting Rangers defy orders to return for them, facing heavy resistance and a potential capture scenario. After locating the missing operators, who have been tortured, one of them, Rabbit, succumbs to his wounds and dies before extraction can arrive. The remaining survivors are extracted as the area is bombed by F-15E fighter jets. The story ends on a somber note, emphasizing the sacrifices made by soldiers and the ongoing nature of the conflict.
