David Benioff is an accomplished American author, screenwriter, and television producer, best known as the co-creator of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. Benioff was born as David Friedman in New York City and grew up in a family of Russian Jewish and German Jewish descent. He later changed his surname to Benioff, his mother's maiden name, to avoid confusion with other writers named David Friedman. Benioff received his education from The Collegiate School and Dartmouth College, where he became a member of the Sphinx Senior Society and the Phi Alpha Delta Fraternity.
Before finding success as a writer, Benioff worked a variety of odd jobs, including nightclub bouncer, radio DJ, English teacher, and wrestling coach. His writing career took off in 2000 with the publication of his first novel, The 25th Hour, which he later adapted into a feature film directed by Spike Lee. Benioff's other novel, City of Thieves, was published in 2008 to critical acclaim. In addition to his work as a novelist, Benioff has written screenplays for several successful films, including Troy, Stay, The Kite Runner, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Benioff is perhaps best known for his work on Game of Thrones, which he co-created and wrote with D.B. Weiss. The series, which is based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels, became a cultural phenomenon and won numerous awards during its eight-season run. Benioff's other television credits include executive producing the HBO film The Long Night and developing the upcoming Star Wars film series for Lucasfilm.
In addition to his work as a writer and producer, Benioff is also a family man. He is married to actress Amanda Peet, and the couple has three children together. Benioff currently resides in Los Angeles with his family.