Delia Ephron

Delia Ephron was born in New York City on July 12, 1944. She grew up in Beverly Hills, California, as the second eldest of four daughters to screenwriters Phoebe and Henry Ephron. Initially majoring in history at Barnard College in the mid-1960s, Ephron’s career trajectory shifted towards writing in her late 20s. This turning point led her to pursue publishing, culminating in a pivotal moment when an essay she wrote, “How to Eat Like a Child,” was featured in The New York Times, leading to a book contract for the same title in 1978. This marked the beginning of her prolific career.

Ephron has established herself as a bestselling author, screenwriter, and playwright. Her screenwriting credits include notable films such as “You’ve Got Mail” (1998), “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005), and “Michael” (1996). She also wrote the screenplay for “Hanging Up” (2000), which was based on her own novel. Her literary works span various genres, including novels for adults and teenagers, humor books, and essays. Her journalism has been featured in publications like The New York Times, O the Oprah Magazine, Vogue, and The Huffington Post. In 2011, she received an Athena Film Festival award for her contributions as a screenwriter.

A significant collaboration in her career was with her sister, Nora Ephron, on the play “Love, Loss, and What I Wore.” This play ran for over two and a half years Off-Broadway and has been performed internationally. In 2024, Ephron made her Broadway debut as a solo playwright with an adaptation of her autobiography, “Left on Tenth,” directed by Susan Stroman and starring Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher. This show premiered at the James Earl Jones Theatre. Her career reflects a consistent engagement with storytelling across multiple platforms, producing work that resonates with diverse audiences.