Jessica Yu
Biography
Jessica Yu is an American film director, writer, producer, and editor who has directed documentary films, dramatic films, and television shows. Born in New York City, New York on February 14, 1966, her credits include directing works such as the 1996 documentary short Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien, for which she won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject. Her other film projects include Last Call at the Oasis in 2012, Misconception in 2014, the 2016 documentary ForEveryone.Net about World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, and the 2017 Netflix comedy Maria Bamford: Old Baby. In 2019, Yu received an Emmy Award nomination for outstanding direction for a limited series.
Career overview
Jessica Yu is an American film director, writer, producer, and editor who has directed documentary films, dramatic films, and television shows. Born in New York City, New York, United States on February 14, 1966, she has built a substantial career with fifty known credits in directing.
Her work spans a variety of subjects and formats. In 1996, Yu won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien. Her later documentary work includes Last Call at the Oasis in 2012, which is based on Alex Prud'homme's Ripple Effect, followed by Misconception in 2014. In 2016, she directed ForEveryone.Net, a documentary film about the inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee. She also directed the 2017 Netflix comedy Maria Bamford: Old Baby. In 2019, Yu received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Direction for a Limited Series.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
60 titles- 56 Days (2026) Director
- Long Bright River (2025) Director
- A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (2025) Director
- Citadel (2023) Director
- Quiz Lady (2023) Director
- The Recruit (2022) Director
- Only Murders in the Building (2021) Director
- Walker (2021) Director
- Ratched (2020) Director
- Hollywood (2020) Director
- The Morning Show (2019) Director
- Stumptown (2019) Director
- Fosse/Verdon (2019) Director
- Bluff City Law (2019) Executive Producer
- Bluff City Law (2019) Director
- The Rookie (2018) Director
- Sorry for Your Loss (2018) Director
- 13 Reasons Why (2017) Director
- Ten Days in the Valley (2017) Director
- Maria Bamford: Old Baby (2017) Director
- This Is Us (2016) Director
- Billions (2016) Director
- Pure Genius (2016) Director
- Foreveryone.net (2016) Director
- American Crime (2015) Director
- The Affair (2014) Director
- Misconception (2014) Director
- Misconception (2014) Producer
- Meet Mr Toilet (2012) Director
- Focus Forward: Short Films, Big Ideas (2012) Director
- American Horror Story (2011) Director
- Last Call at the Oasis (2011) Director
- Castle (2009) Director
- In Treatment (2008) Director
- Ping Pong Playa (2008) Director
- Ping Pong Playa (2008) Writer
- Capturing Reality (2008) as Self
- Protagonist (2007) Director
- Protagonist (2007) Writer
- Protagonist (2007) Editor
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) Director
- In the Realms of the Unreal (2004) Director
- In the Realms of the Unreal (2004) Writer
- The Lyon's Den (2003) Director
- Mister Sterling (2003) Director
- American Dreams (2002) Director
- The West Wing (1999) Director
- The Living Museum (1998) Director
- Better Late (1996) Director
- Better Late (1996) Writer
- Better Late (1996) Editor
- Men of Reenaction (1996) Director
- Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien (1996) Director
- Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien (1996) Editor
- Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien (1996) Producer
- Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien (1996) Writer
- ER (1994) Director
- Sour Death Balls (1993) Director
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- The Conductor Director
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Jessica Yu best known for?
Jessica Yu is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including 56 Days (2026), A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (2025), Citadel (2023), Quiz Lady (2023).
When and where was Jessica Yu born?
Jessica Yu was born on February 14, 1966 in New York City, New York, USA.
How many credits does Jessica Yu have?
Jessica Yu has accumulated over 60 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1953 to 2026.
What is Jessica Yu's background in cinema and television?
Jessica Yu is an American film director, writer, producer, and editor who has directed documentary films, dramatic films, and television shows. Born in New York City, New York on February 14, 1966, her credits include directing works such as the 1996 documentary short Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brie...