Topic: Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He has written and directed five feature films: Hard Eight (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), Magnolia (1999), Punch-Drunk Love (2002) and There Will Be Blood (2007). He has been nominated for five Academy Awards — There Will Be Blood for Best Achievement in Directing, Best Motion Picture of the Year, and Best Adapted Screenplay; Magnolia for Best Original Screenplay; and Boogie Nights for Best Original Screenplay.

Anderson has been hailed as being "one of the most exciting talents to come along in years" and as being "among the supreme talents of today." In 2004, Anderson was ranked 21st on The Guardian's list of the 40 best directors. In 2007, Total Film named him the 20th-greatest director of all time. In 2011, Entertainment Weekly named him the 11th-greatest working director calling him "one of the most dynamic directors to emerge in the last 20 years".

Paul Thomas Anderson was born on June 26, 1970 in Studio City, California, to Edwina (née Gough) and Ernie Anderson, who was an actor, the voice of ABC, and a Cleveland television late-night horror movie host known as "Ghoulardi" (for which Anderson later named his production company). Anderson grew up in the San Fernando Valley. He attended a number of schools, including Buckley in Sherman Oaks, John Thomas Dye School, Campbell Hall School, Cushing Academy and Montclair Prep.