George Vincent Gilligan Jr. is a renowned American writer, producer, and director, best recognized for his work on the critically acclaimed television series Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul. He has received widespread critical acclaim, earning numerous prestigious awards, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Writers Guild of America Awards, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, and a BAFTA.
Born on February 10, 1967, in Richmond, Virginia, Gilligan is the son of Gail, a grade school teacher, and George Vincent Gilligan Sr., an insurance claims adjuster. His parents divorced in 1974, and he and his younger brother, Patrick, were raised in Farmville and Chesterfield County. The siblings attended the laboratory school run by Longwood College, where Gilligan developed an interest in film under the guidance of his friend Angus Wall's mother, Jackie.
Gilligan's fascination with film began when Wall's mother would lend him Super 8 film cameras, allowing him to create science fiction films with his brother. He won first prize for his age group in a film competition at the University of Virginia and was recognized for his talents and creativity at an early age. His father introduced him to film noir classics and Westerns on late-night television, which further fueled his passion for the medium.
Gilligan attended the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts on a scholarship and later moved back to Chesterfield to attend Lloyd C. Bird High School, graduating in 1985. He then went on to attend NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in film production. While at NYU, he wrote the screenplay for Home Fries, which earned him the Virginia Governor's Screenwriting Award in 1989.
Gilligan's work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul has garnered widespread critical acclaim, and he has won numerous awards for his work. He has also co-written the screenplay for the 2008 film Hancock.
