Kerry O’Neill

writer - director

Kerry O’Neill is a writer and director from Queens, NY. She got her start in the music industry, working in the A&R department before touring the country selling t-shirts for pop punk bands.

Kerry eventually landed in LA and found a home at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, where she spent a decade writing and performing live comedy before going on to write for shows like Netflix’s Murderville and Amazon’s break out hit Jury Duty, which she also acted in.

Kerry uses her improvisational comedy background to create work that feels authentic and experiential. Her films have been the recipient of various grants and awards, including the Panavision New Filmmakers Grant, the Vanishing Angle Post Production Grant, Vimeo Staff Picks, and a 2021 Short to Feature Lab fellowship.

Recently, Kerry was named a 2023 Vimeo Breakout Creator and a ‘23-’24 fellow of the prestigious AFI Directing Workshop for Women+, where she directed the dark comedy thriller, Interloper, set to premiere at the Directors Guild of America.

Kerry was awarded a Peabody Award, an AFI Award and the Independent Sprirt Award for Best Ensemble Cast for her work on Jury Duty. She then lost two WGA awards to even things out.

Kerry continues to bring her darkly hilarious characters to the screen, both as a television writer and a film director. She is currently writing on a new half hour comedy from the creators of Jury Duty and in development on her first feature film.

Kerry is repped by
Brennan O’Donnell &
Merideth Bajana at Grandview.

contacts:
brennan@grandviewla.com
merideth@grandviewla.com


RECENT PRESS:
Vimeo 2023 Creator of the Year

“Kerry O'Neill had a breakout year with her dramatic short “Walk Out Nice and Smooth” and the viral success of Jury Duty. This work may seem disparate at first glance, but the short’s moments of unexpected humor and empathy for its flawed, hustling characters reveal O’Neill’s keen observational skills and comedic chops.”

Interview with DirectorsNotesKerry O’Neill’s Euphoric Dark Comedy ‘Walk Out Nice and Smooth’ Explores the Moral Ambiguity of a Mother’s Love.
NoBudge Meet The Director

Daily Mail Emmy’s 2024 Worst Dressed List
“Writer Kerry O'Neill's crumpled black dress made her look like a poor man's Morticia Adams”