Zoe Kazan

Birthday: 9 September 1983, Los Angeles, California, USA

Birth Name: Zoe Swicord Kazan

Height: 164 cm

Zoe Swicord Kazan was born in Los Angeles, California, to screenwriters Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord. She is the granddaughter of director Elia Kazan. She is of Greek (from her paternal grandfather), English, and German descent.Kazan received her BA in Theater from Yale University. In the fall of 2006, she played "Sandy" opposite Cynthia Nixon in The New Group's production of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie". She returned to the stage in the fall of 2007 in Playwrights Horizon's production of "100 Saints You Should Know" and in the New Group's "Things We Want". She lives in Brooklyn. Show less «

[on playwriting] I think action should be revealed through character, so if you have a plot problem,...Show more »

[on playwriting] I think action should be revealed through character, so if you have a plot problem, it's probably a character problem. It's fun and easy to write language, but there were things I loved that I had to get rid of because they are no longer carrying their weight. Show less «

[on taking up screen-writing] We are in the most insane waiting game of a business, and the only way...Show more »

[on taking up screen-writing] We are in the most insane waiting game of a business, and the only way I have stayed sane is by giving myself another creative outlet. Show less «

[why she's reluctant to act] It's just that actors are all lumped together as this vague mass of fam...Show more »

[why she's reluctant to act] It's just that actors are all lumped together as this vague mass of fame-hungry, swag-wearing, drug-using, eating-disordered people, and I sometimes get sick of being lumped with that group. Show less «

Broadway is different now than in our parents' generation. The number of straight plays opening ther...Show more »

Broadway is different now than in our parents' generation. The number of straight plays opening there now is so small compared to the 1950s, '60s and '70s. I see many more plays Off Broadway by dint of ticket price and what's being produced. If it costs more, it has to reach a larger audience. That's why there aren't more risky plays on Broadway. Show less «

I always wrote. My parents are writers. It just seemed like something people did. I took a writing c...Show more »

I always wrote. My parents are writers. It just seemed like something people did. I took a writing class in college, liked it, and my first year out of school I couldn't get a job, so I wrote a play. I never wanted to be a playwright. I just didn't say no to any of my interests. I don't have any hobbies. Show less «