Michael Cuesta

Michael Cuesta
Michael Cuesta interviewed by Sidewalks Entertainment in 2014
Born	(1963-07-08) July 8, 1963 (age 53) New York City, New York
Occupation	Film/television director
Years active	2001 – present

Michael Cuesta (born July 8, 1963) is an American film and television director, best known for his independent films, specially for having co-wrote and directed the 2001 film, L.I.E., which contributed to reveal then-young actor Paul Dano. He has directed and produced television series including Six Feet Under, Dexter, Blue Bloods and Homeland.

Cuesta was born in New York. He received a BFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in 1985. Cuesta co-wrote (with Stephen Ryder and Gerald Cuesta) and directed the 2001 independent film, L.I.E. which starred Paul Dano, Brian Cox, Billy Kay, and Bruce Altman. L.I.E. received critical acclaim and two Independent Spirit Awards at the Sundance Film Festival.

His film L.I.E. led him to become a regular director for the HBO original series, Six Feet Under which aired from 2001–05. According to executive producer Alan Poul, "During the second season, we had hired a director for the fourth episode, but he fell out one week before the start of pre-production. Alan Ball and I were alarmed, but that night we went to see L.I.E., and it was a revelation. The next morning we booked Michael. He's a fantastic fit for the show." Michael Cuesta became a regular director during the 2002 season of Six Feet Under and directed five episodes of the series including the fourth-season premiere, "Falling into Place".

In addition to Six Feet Under and L.I.E., Cuesta has also directed the film, 12 and Holding, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2005 and was released by IFC Films theatrically in 2006. Other projects include an adaptation of the novel, The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint.