---
name: "Jamie Babbit"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jamie-babbit"
fi1m_id: "jamie-babbit"
imdb_id: "nm0044803"
tmdb_id: 59466
wikidata_id: "Q441722"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "16 November 1970"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 13
average_fi1m_score: 76
average_as: "director"
average_over: 12
updated: "2026-10-07T19:11:47.376226+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jamie Babbit

## Identity

Jamie Babbit

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jamie-babbit
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jamie-babbit
- **IMDb ID:** nm0044803
- **TMDB ID:** 59466
- **Wikidata ID:** Q441722
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Babbit, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q441722, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0044803/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59466

Director. Born 16 November 1970 in Shaker Heights, Ohio, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 16 November 1970, Shaker Heights, Ohio, USA
- **Active:** 1997–present
- **Also known as:** Jamie Merrill Babbit 
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 13: 12 directing, 1 crew
- **Frequently works with:** [Craig Zisk](https://film.one/person/craig-zisk.md), [Lawrence Trilling](https://film.one/person/lawrence-trilling.md), [Alex Reid](https://film.one/person/alex-reid-1224235.md), [Chris Koch](https://film.one/person/chris-koch.md), [Dan Attias](https://film.one/person/dan-attias.md), [Gail Mancuso](https://film.one/person/gail-mancuso.md), [Jesse Peretz](https://film.one/person/jesse-peretz.md), [Ken Whittingham](https://film.one/person/ken-whittingham.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 76, as director, over 12 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 76 (1), 2000s 74 (4), 2010s 80 (5), 2020s 72 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 76 across 10 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 8 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Comedy 9, Drama 9, Crime 3, Action & Adventure 1, Mystery 1
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Babbit, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q441722, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0044803/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59466

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Gilmore Girls*](https://film.one/tv/gilmore-girls.md) (81), [*Only Murders in the Building*](https://film.one/tv/only-murders-in-the-building.md) (76), [*Alias*](https://film.one/tv/alias.md) (74), [*Castle*](https://film.one/tv/castle.md) (73), [*Nip/Tuck*](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md) (70)
- **Netflix:** [*Russian Doll*](https://film.one/tv/russian-doll.md) (83), [*Nobody Wants This*](https://film.one/tv/nobody-wants-this.md) (78), [*Brooklyn Nine-Nine*](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md) (78)
- **HBO Max:** [*Silicon Valley*](https://film.one/tv/silicon-valley.md) (82), [*Girls*](https://film.one/tv/girls.md) (82)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel*](https://film.one/tv/the-marvelous-mrs-maisel.md) (76)
- **Apple TV:** [*Shrinking*](https://film.one/tv/shrinking.md) (61)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Jamie Babbit

> Jamie Babbit brings colour and a feel for comic timing to independent films and television. We rate her attention to actors and dialogue, though good direction cannot supply the complications a script leaves out.

On *Gilmore Girls* and *The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel*, Jamie Babbit uses long Steadicam shots to keep pace with fast dialogue. The movement gives the talk momentum without demanding a fresh cut for every line. It is a useful instinct for a comedy director: find a shot that lets the actors get on with it. We rate her willingness to adjust her shooting to the writing, rather than impose the same look on everything.

*But I'm a Cheerleader* (1999), her first feature, offers a more emphatic kind of comedy, with its strong colour and queer satire. Its broadness drew criticism, a fair warning for anyone who prefers their comedy understated. *The Quiet* (2005) took her into thrillers, while *Itty Bitty Titty Committee* (2007) returned to comedy. Her film work includes three collaborations with producer Andrea Sperling, but from the early 2000s television became her principal occupation. Eighteen episodes of *Gilmore Girls* and work on *Silicon Valley* and *Only Murders in the Building* suggest a director comfortable helping to sustain a programme across multiple episodes.

For a sense of how comfortably her television work can go down, try *Nobody Wants This* (2024). We were won over by Kristen Bell and Adam Brody because their attraction feels convincing, not simply required by the plot. The supporting cast is funny, too, and the series makes an easy evening's viewing without relying entirely on its central couple. Babbit has a directing credit here, but we would not attribute the leads' chemistry to her alone.

The reservation is with the writing, which makes too little of the religious differences it places between the couple. We wanted those differences to complicate the romance more than they do; the attraction is persuasive enough to survive harder questions. Babbit's flexibility is an asset, but it leaves a good deal depending on the script she is given. Start with *Nobody Wants This* for Bell and Brody, rather than for a searching discussion of religion.

## Biography

Jamie Babbit is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She was born on 16 November 1970 in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and graduated from Barnard College. She began her career as an intern for Martin Scorsese and worked as a script supervisor before directing her first feature, *But I'm a Cheerleader* (1999).

Babbit has directed the features *The Quiet* (2005) and *Itty Bitty Titty Committee* (2007). Her television credits include episodes of *Gilmore Girls*, *Malcolm in the Middle*, *Silicon Valley*, *Only Murders in the Building*, *My Lady Jane* and *Nobody Wants This* (2025). She has also served as an executive producer on several series and received Primetime Emmy nominations for her work.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (13)

### Directed (12) — the average rests on these

- *Nobody Wants This* (2024), Fi1m 78, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/nobody-wants-this.md)
- *Shrinking* (2023), Fi1m 61, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/shrinking.md)
- *Only Murders in the Building* (2021), Fi1m 76, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/only-murders-in-the-building.md)
- *Russian Doll* (2019), Fi1m 83, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/russian-doll.md)
- *The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel* (2017), Fi1m 76, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-marvelous-mrs-maisel.md)
- *Silicon Valley* (2014), Fi1m 82, Director, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/silicon-valley.md)
- *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* (2013), Fi1m 78, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md)
- *Girls* (2012), Fi1m 82, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/girls.md)
- *Castle* (2009), Fi1m 73, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/castle.md)
- *Nip/Tuck* (2003), Fi1m 70, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md)
- *Alias* (2001), Fi1m 74, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/alias.md)
- *Gilmore Girls* (2000), Fi1m 81, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/gilmore-girls.md)

### Crew (1)

- *The Game* (1997), Fi1m 76, Script Supervisor — [page](https://film.one/film/the-game.md)

## Complete filmography (78)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Best Medicine* (2026), series, Executive Producer, Director
- *Nobody Wants This* (2024), series, Director — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/nobody-wants-this.md)
- *My Lady Jane* (2024), series, Director
- *Shrinking* (2023), series, Director — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/tv/shrinking.md)
- *A League of Their Own* (2022), series, Executive Producer, Director
- *Only Murders in the Building* (2021), series, Director, Executive Producer — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/only-murders-in-the-building.md)
- *The Stand In* (2020), Director
- *Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens* (2020), series, Director
- *Russian Doll* (2019), series, Director — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/russian-doll.md)
- *Sorry for Your Loss* (2018), series, Director
- *Ghosted* (2017), series, Director
- *The Orville* (2017), series, Director
- *The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel* (2017), series, Director — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-marvelous-mrs-maisel.md)
- *Santa Clarita Diet* (2017), series, Director
- *Divorce* (2016), series, Director
- *Supergirl* (2015), series, Director
- *Addicted to Fresno* (2015), Director
- *The Grinder* (2015), series, Director
- *Silicon Valley* (2014), series, Director, Co-Executive Producer, Executive Producer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/silicon-valley.md)
- *Looking* (2014), series, Director
- *Super Fun Night* (2013), series, Director
- *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* (2013), series, Director — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md)
- *Breaking the Girls* (2013), Director
- *Made in Cleveland* (2013), Director
- *Emily Owens, M.D.* (2012), series, Director
- *Go On* (2012), series, Director
- *Bunheads* (2012), series, Director
- *Girls* (2012), series, Director — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/girls.md)
- *Smash* (2012), series, Director
- *Revenge* (2011), series, Director
- *Love Bites* (2011), series, Director
- *The Defenders* (2010), series, Director
- *Rizzoli & Isles* (2010), series, Director
- *Hooters!* (2010), Executive Producer
- *Pretty Little Liars* (2010), series, Director
- *The Owls* (2010), Production Consultant
- *The Middle* (2009), series, Director
- *Cougar Town* (2009), series, Director
- *Drop Dead Diva* (2009), series, Director, Co-Executive Producer
- *The Unusuals* (2009), series, Director
- *In the Motherhood* (2009), series, Director
- *Castle* (2009), series, Director — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/castle.md)
- *United States of Tara* (2009), series, Director
- *90210* (2008), series, Director
- *Swingtown* (2008), series, Director
- *Eli Stone* (2008), series, Director
- *Indie Sex: Teens* (2008), Actor
- *Itty Bitty Titty Committee* (2007), Story, Director
- *Dirty Sexy Money* (2007), series, Director
- *Reaper* (2007), series, Director
- *Gossip Girl* (2007), series, Director
- *The Riches* (2007), series, Director
- *Ugly Betty* (2006), series, Director
- *The Quiet* (2006), Director
- *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia* (2005), series, Director
- *Wonderfalls* (2004), series, Director
- *The L Word* (2004), series, Director
- *Miss Match* (2003), series, Director
- *Nip/Tuck* (2003), series, Director — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/nip-tuck.md)
- *Stuck* (2001), Director
- *The Bernie Mac Show* (2001), series, Director
- *Maybe It's Me* (2001), series, Director
- *Alias* (2001), series, Director — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/alias.md)
- *Ed* (2000), series, Director
- *Gilmore Girls* (2000), series, Director — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/gilmore-girls.md)
- *But I'm a Cheerleader* (2000), Director, Story
- *Malcolm in the Middle* (2000), series, Director
- *Popular* (1999), series, Director
- *Undressed* (1999), series, Director
- *Sleeping Beauties* (1999), Writer, Director
- *The Game* (1997), Script Supervisor — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/the-game.md)
- *All Over Me* (1997), Script Supervisor
- *If These Walls Could Talk* (1996), Script Supervisor
- *Hide and Seek* (1996), Script Supervisor
- *Frog Crossing* (1996), Director
- *Discharge* (1994), Director, Writer
- *Aisle Six* (1991), as Julie
- *Red, White & Royal Wedding*, Director

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jamie-babbit