Sheridan O’Donnell
Born in Texas and raised in New Mexico, Sheridan O’Donnell is a Korean-American writer and director based in Los Angeles.
O’Donnell recently made waves with his directorial debut, Little Brother, which stars JK Simmons, Daniel Diemer (The Half of It), and Philip Ettinger (First Reformed) and took home the Audience Award at the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival. Inspired by his personal experiences with mental health and suicide, the film follows Jake (Diemer) as he drives his older brother (Ettinger) across the American West after his most recent suicide attempt. Along the way, the two struggle to reconcile past traumas and forge a new bond.
Growing up half-Korean and an outsider in the Southwest provoked his desire to tell stories about the underseen—character-driven narratives that explore family, identity, and human connection. His creative voice, like his Irish and Korean heritage, is a unique fusion of wit, language, and poetic, cinematic imagery. His films often find levity in the heaviest of moments—seamlessly balancing catharsis and humor.
In 2023, he received the prestigious Inevitable Foundation Accelerate Fellowship, a year long program that provides financial support, bespoke mentorships and industry connections to help mid-career disabled writers become industry-leading creators. O’Donnell is currently directing a feature-length documentary as a follow-up to the Emmy Award-winning film Rising Phoenix. The new film, working titled Rising Phoenix: A New Revolution, is produced in partnership with Harder Than You Think and P&G Studios.
In the film, O’Donnell will chronicle his own story as a disabled filmmaker and profile a renowned cast of disabled actors, activists, athletes and world leaders. The film is being co-produced by Ventureland and its production team includes Academy Award winning Producer John Battsek (The Rescue, The Deepest Breath), HTYT President and Founder Greg Nugent, Producers Barnaby Spurrier and Sarah Thomson (WHAM!) as well as Jim Lebrecht (Crip Camp) as Executive Producer.
O’Donnell is represented by CAA, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, and Whalar Talent.
