Biografía

His wife Minnie is a great-granddaughter of Henry Morgan Tilford, a founder of the Standard Oil Company (portrayed as "H.M. Tilford" in Petróleo sangriento (2007).

Has written two screenplays where Harrison Ford was offered a role: Robert Wakefield in Tráfico (2000) (which went to Michael Douglas) and Bob Barnes in Syriana (2005) (which George Clooney won the Oscar).

Turned down the offer to adapt "El código Da Vinci (2006)".

He has a son and a daughter from his relationship with actress Michael McCraine.

Has directed one Oscar-winning performance: George Clooney in Syriana (2005).

It's rare in Hollywood to get the chance to work on something that you actually care about. The tragedy of the place is all these talented people trying to get excited about stuff they themselves would only view at gunpoint.

At the beginning, everything's possible and everybody gets equal time, all the characters, all the ideas. You don't know who's going to be the main characters; they're all fighting it out. It's like kind of the best time in a way.

Life serves up satire. Unfortunately. Or fortunately. I don't know. You have to reel it in to drama.

I came to Hollywood originally writing comedy and writing satire.

Starting in '98 when I was researching 'Traffic,' I got to meet really serious people in Washington, which for a screenwriter was kind of a great gift. And I really valued these guys; I stayed in touch with them, and I find their point-of-view quite interesting.