Jesse Armstrong

Jesse David Armstrong (born 13 December 1970) is a British screenwriter and producer. He is known for writing for a string of several critically acclaimed British comedy series as well as satirical dramas. He has received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and seven Primetime Emmy Awards as well as a nomination for an Academy Award.

Jesse Armstrong
Armstrong in 2023
Born	Jesse David Armstrong (1970-12-13) 13 December 1970 (age 54) Oswestry, Shropshire, England
Education	University of Manchester
Occupation(s)	Screenwriter, producer
Years active	2000–present
Children	2

He first gained prominence co-creating the British comedy shows Peep Show (2003–2015) and Fresh Meat (2011–2016) with his writing partner Sam Bain. During this time he wrote for the political satire series The Thick of It (2005–2009) and co-wrote In the Loop (2009), the latter of which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also co-wrote the films Four Lions (2010), and Downhill (2020).

He gained acclaim for creating the HBO comedy-drama series Succession (2018–2023) earning four consecutive wins of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for writing episodes of the first, second, third and fourth seasons of Succession.

Early life and education

Armstrong was born in Oswestry in Shropshire.^[1] on 13 December 1970.^[2] His father was a further education teacher who became a crime novelist in the 1990s, while his mother worked in nursery schools. He attended a comprehensive school in Oswestry before studying American Studies at the University of Manchester, spending a year abroad in Massachusetts.^[3] In 1995, he began to work as a researcher for the Labour MP Doug Henderson, initially without payment.^[4] At the same time, he acted as a consultant on politics for Rory Bremner's production company. He subsequently worked as a painter and decorator.^[5]

Career

2000–2015: Peep Show and The Thick of It

Armstrong met his writing partner Sam Bain while at the University of Manchester,^[6] living with him in his final year. They began writing together after they graduated, when they had both moved to London.^[5] At the beginning of their writing career, Armstrong and Bain wrote for the Channel 4 sketch show Smack the Pony and the children's shows The Queen's Nose and My Parents Are Aliens.^[7] They went on to create and write Peep Show, BBC One sitcom The Old Guys, and Channel 4 comedy dramas Fresh Meat and Babylon. They also wrote for the BBC Radio 4 sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound, starring Peep Show's two main actors David Mitchell and Robert Webb, and its BBC Two adaptation That Mitchell and Webb Look. Peep Show has won several writing awards,^[8] including a BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy in 2008.^[9]

To date, Armstrong and Bain have written two films together – the 2007 comedy Magicians, and, alongside Chris Morris, the 2010 terrorism satire Four Lions. Armstrong and Bain received the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award at the British Comedy Awards 2010. In 2012 both Armstrong and Bain were featured on the TV industry journal Broadcast's 'Hot 100' list, highlighting the most successful people in UK television.^[10] In 2012, Armstrong and Bain wrote the Channel 4 comedy pilot Bad Sugar, a spoof of Dynasty-style soap operas, which stars Olivia Colman, Julia Davis and Sharon Horgan, all of whom also co-conceived the show.^[11] In 2014, Armstrong, with Danny Boyle, Robert Jones and Sam Bain, co-created the Channel 4 comedy drama Babylon. Armstrong wrote the first and last of the six initial episodes and co-wrote the pilot with Sam Bain.

Alongside Armando Iannucci, Simon Blackwell and Tony Roche, Armstrong wrote for the first three series^[12] of the BAFTA-winning BBC Four comedy The Thick of It, and its 2009 film spin-off In the Loop. In The Loop was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2009, and won Best British Screenplay at the 2009 Evening Standard British Film Awards. Alongside The Thick of It's writing team, Armstrong wrote one episode of the first season of HBO comedy series Veep, set in the office of the American vice-president.

In the run-up to the 2010 UK general election, Armstrong wrote a column in The Guardian – 'Malcolm Tucker's election briefing – as dictated to Jesse Armstrong'.^[13] He previously wrote a similar column for New Statesman, entitled 'Tactical Briefing'.^[14] In 2010, Armstrong's currently-unproduced screenplay Murdoch, a drama in which Rupert Murdoch and his family disagree over who should have control of his company, received attention after it appeared on The Black List, a list of unproduced screenplays most liked by Hollywood industry figures.^[15] In the wake of the 2011 phone hacking scandal involving newspapers owned by Murdoch it was rumoured^[16][17] that the script was being developed by Channel 4, but Armstrong dismissed these claims.^[18]

In 2010 it was reported that Armstrong was developing a biopic of the Republican Party strategist Lee Atwater, with Chris Henchy and Adam McKay.^[19][20] In October 2011 it was reported that Armstrong's film adaptation of Richard DiLello's book The Longest Cocktail Party, charting the founding of The Beatles' record company Apple Records and the recording of their final album Let It Be,^[21] was to be directed by Michael Winterbottom.^[22] In February 2016 it was reported that Winterbottom had withdrawn from the project and the film's future was uncertain.^{[citation needed]}

Armstrong wrote one episode of Charlie Brooker's anthology series Black Mirror, entitled "The Entire History of You". Robert Downey Jr. has since bought the rights to adapt the script for a forthcoming film.^[23] Armstrong's first novel, Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals, was released in April 2015.^[24]

2017–2024: Succession and acclaim

In 2017, Armstrong's American drama series Succession, executive produced by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell, was picked up to series by HBO.^[25] The series starred Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Matthew Macfadyen and Brian Cox. The series ran from 2018 to 2023 and received numerous accolades including three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series. During this time he co-wrote the screenplay for the comedy-drama film Downhill with Jim Rash and Nat Faxon. The film was based on the 2014 Ruben Östlund film Force Majeure and starred Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

Personal life

Armstrong is married and has two children. His wife works for the National Health Service.^[5] He supports Fulham FC football club.^[26]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Notes
2007	Magicians		Yes	Also associate producer
2009	In the Loop		Yes
2010	Four Lions		Yes
2013	No Kaddish in Carmarthen	Yes	Yes	Short film
2019	The Day Shall Come		Yes
2020	Downhill		Yes
TBA	Jonty		Yes

Television

Year	Title	Writer	Executive Producer	Creator	Notes
2000	My Parents Are Aliens	Yes			Episode: "El Presidente"
2000–2001	Smack the Pony	Yes			Additional material
2001	2DTV	Yes
2001–2002	TV to Go	Yes
2001–2003	The Queen's Nose	Yes			6 episodes
2002	Seriously Weird	Yes
	Ed Stone Is Dead	Yes
2003	The Story of Tracy Beaker	Yes			2 episodes
	Bedsitcom	Yes
2003–2015	Peep Show	Yes	Yes	Yes
2005–2009	The Thick of It	Yes			15 episodes
2006	The Secret Policeman's Ball	Yes			TV special
2006–2009	That Mitchell and Webb Look	Yes			6 episodes
2007	Dogface	Yes			5 episodes
2009–2010	The Old Guys	Yes	Yes	Yes
2011	Black Mirror	Yes			Episode "The Entire History of You"
2011–2016	Fresh Meat	Yes	Yes	Yes
2012	Veep	Yes			Episode "Tears"
	Bad Sugar	Yes			TV pilot
2014	Babylon	Yes	Yes	Yes
2018–2023	Succession	Yes	Yes	Yes

Other credits

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2015	Christmas University Challenge	Contestant	2 episodes[27]
2017	Back	Story consultant

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated Work	Result	Ref.
2009	Academy Awards	Best Adapted Screenplay	In the Loop	Nominated	[28]
2022	Astra TV Awards	Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama	Succession (Episode: "All the Bells Say")	Nominated	[29]
2023			Succession (Episode: "Connor's Wedding")	Won	[30]
2009	British Academy Film Awards	Best Adapted Screenplay	In the Loop	Nominated	[31]
		Outstanding British Film		Nominated
2006	British Academy Television Awards	Best Situation Comedy	Peep Show	Nominated	[32]
2008				Won	[33]
2009				Nominated	[34]
2010				Nominated	[35]
2011				Nominated	[36]
2012			Fresh Meat	Nominated	[37]
2016		Best Scripted Comedy	Peep Show	Nominated	[38]
2009	British Academy Television Craft Awards	Best Writer		Nominated	[39]
2010			The Thick of It	Nominated	[40]
2014		Best Writer: Comedy	Fresh Meat	Nominated	[41]
2016			Peep Show	Nominated	[42]
2020		Best Writer: Drama	Succession	Won	[43]
2022				Nominated	[44]
2009	British Comedy Awards	Best TV Comedy	Peep Show	Nominated	[45]
2010		Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award	—	Won	[46]
2011		Best Sitcom	Peep Show	Nominated	[47]
		Best Comedy Drama	Fresh Meat	Nominated
		Best British TV Comedy		Won
2009	British Independent Film Awards	Best Screenplay	In the Loop	Won	[48]
2010			Four Lions	Nominated	[49]
2006	Broadcasting Press Guild Awards	Writer's Award	The Thick of It	Won	[50]
2010				Won	[51]
2012		Best Comedy/Entertainment	Fresh Meat	Nominated	[52]
2013		Best Entertainment/Comedy		Nominated	[53]
2010	Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards	Best Original Screenplay	Four Lions	Nominated	[54]
2009	Chicago Film Critics Association Awards	Best Adapted Screenplay	In the Loop	Nominated	[55]
2010		Best Original Screenplay	Four Lions	Nominated
2009	Chlotrudis Awards	Best Original Screenplay	In the Loop	Won	[56]
2019	Golden Globe Awards	Best Television Series – Drama	Succession	Won	[57]
2021				Won
2023				Won
2009	Houston Film Critics Society Awards	Best Screenplay	In the Loop	Nominated	[58]
2009	International Cinephile Society Awards	Best Adapted Screenplay		Runner-up	[59]
2010	International Emmy Awards	Best Comedy Series	Peep Show	Nominated	[60]
2023		Founders Award	—	Won	[61]
2009	London Film Critics' Circle Awards	Screenwriter of the Year	In the Loop	Won	[62]
2010			Four Lions	Nominated	[63]
2009	Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards	Best Screenplay	In the Loop	Runner-up	[64]
2009	New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Screenplay		Won	[65]
2009	Online Film & Television Association Awards	Best Adapted Screenplay		Nominated	[66]
2012		Best Writing in a Comedy Series	Veep	Nominated	[67]
2009	Online Film Critics Society Awards	Best Adapted Screenplay	In the Loop	Nominated	[68]
2019	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Drama Series	Succession	Nominated	[69]
		Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series	Succession (Episode: "Nobody Is Ever Missing")	Won
2020		Outstanding Drama Series	Succession	Won
		Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series	Succession (Episode: "This Is Not for Tears")	Won
2022		Outstanding Drama Series	Succession	Won
		Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series]	Succession (Episode: "All the Bells Say")	Won
2023		Outstanding Drama Series	Succession	Won
		Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series	Succession (Episode: "Connor's Wedding")	Won
2019	Producers Guild of America Awards	Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama	Succession	Won	[70]
2021				Won	[71]
2023				Won	[72]
2005	Royal Television Society Awards	Situation Comedy & Comedy Drama	Peep Show	Nominated	[73]
		Writer – Comedy		Nominated
2006		Situation Comedy & Comedy Drama		Nominated	[74]
		Writer – Comedy		Won
2009		Scripted Comedy		Nominated	[75]
		Writer – Comedy		Won
2011				Nominated	[76]
2012		Scripted Comedy	Fresh Meat	Won	[77]
		Writer – Comedy		Won
2010	San Diego Film Critics Society Awards	Best Original Screenplay	Four Lions	Won	[78]
2012	Writers Guild of America Awards	New Series	Veep	Nominated	[79]
2018		Drama Series	Succession	Nominated	[80]
		New Series		Nominated
2019			What We Do in the Shadows	Nominated	[81]
		Drama Series	Succession	Won
2021				Won	[82]
2023				Won	[83]

Bibliography

Fiction

• Armstrong, Jesse (2015). Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals. Vintage. ISBN 9780399184208.

References

1. "Where you're smiling". The Guardian. 19 November 2005. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
2. "Jesse David Armstrong – Personal Appointments". Companies House. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
3. "Sex, slugs and showers that caught fire: Fresh Meat's writers relive their toga-party student days". The Guardian. 22 February 2016. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
4. "The Commons touch". The Guardian. 19 May 2005. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
5. "Jesse Armstrong on power, politics and the return of Succession". New Statesman. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
6. "Interview: Fresh Meat writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong". The Sunday Telegraph. 21 September 2011. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
7. "The secret of good comedy writing". The Independent. 6 November 2006. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
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11. "Channel 4 commissions Bad Sugar by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong". 1 December 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
12. "The Thick of It returns to BBC Two for new series". BBC Media Centre. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012. Armstrong is not listed among the writers for the fourth series.
13. "Malcolm Tucker's election briefing". The Guardian. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
14. "Articles by Jesse Armstrong". New Statesman. 18 December 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
15. "Hollywood's 'Black List' of best unproduced scripts". The Guardian. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
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External links

• Jesse Armstrong at IMDb
• Jesse Armstrong on Twitter
• Ideas Factory interview with Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong
• The BAFTA Comedy Debate – Jesse Armstrong debates the state of Television Comedy
• Various Artists Limited Joint Creative Director