Episode 5: Jonathan Hurwitz

Hometown: Olney, Maryland

Current Town: Los Angeles

What are you working on now?: Pre-pandemic I was working as a staff writer on a Disney+ series. Staffing has been incredibly challenging over the last year or so, so I've been working a full-time gig as a creative strategist at a marketing agency. On the side, I'm pitching a movie and 2 TV series.

Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as a writer or as a person: There's a home video of me on my 4th birthday where I'm sitting on the couch, gripping a Barney balloon in my hand. My mom asks me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and then I reply, "Nothing! I just wanna be a kid." This moment truly captures who I was as a kid and who I am now as an adult. I suffer from a bit of Peter Pan syndrome, so it tracks that I write mostly in the kids/family space.

If you could change one thing about television, what would it be?: Hollywood was largely founded by straight white men, so I think you can sometimes still feel their grip on the industry. Things are slowly changing, but we need to do more to create opportunities both behind and in front of the camera for underrepresented groups (e.g. LGBTBQ+ folks, BIPOC) who have largely been relegated to the sidelines.

Who are or were your television heroes?: My current TV hero is Michaela Cole. I'm in total awe of her body of work, and the way she talks about her work, too. (I highly recommend her new book Misfits: A Personal Manifesto.)

What kind of television excites you?: I get excited when I feel like I'm watching characters/stories I haven't seen before. First shows that come to mind are "I May Destroy You" (obviously!) and "The Other Two" on HBO Max.

How do/did you refine your voice? I've never thought: "Hm, I'm going to do X, Y, and Z so I can refine my voice." I think your voice just gets naturally refined as you keep writing over time. So... just keep writing!  

What advice do you have for TV writers just starting out?: Network as much as possible. Most people I know who've gotten entry-level jobs in writer's rooms got them through people they know. Also, this sounds obvious, but make sure you're writing! It's super helpful to have 1-2 writing samples that you feel really good about. If you get a support staff job on a show and someone in the room asks if you have a script to share, you want your answer to be, "Yes, I do! I'll send it to you tonight."

Any Plugs? (TV related or not - doesn’t just have to be limited to your work): "The Other Two" on HBO Max. I can't think of another show in recent memory that has made me laugh so consistently. It also captures queer culture in a really authentic way. We love to see it!

JONATHAN HURWITZ is an Emmy and WGA Award-nominated writer based in Los Angeles. He most recently wrote Disney Channel’s first short-form series, SHOOK, which was nominated for a 2020 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Young Adult Program. Previously, he was a staff writer on LIZZIE MCGUIRE (Disney+), SPIDEY & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS (Marvel), and writer’s assistant/freelance writer on all three seasons of ANDI MACK (Disney Channel). His Season 2 episode was nominated for a 2019 WGA Award, and his Season 3 episode featured a main character coming out using the words “I’m gay” - a first in Disney Channel history.