Eli Roth

Eli Roth was born on April 18, 1972, in Newton, Massachusetts. His father, Sheldon H. Roth, was a psychoanalyst and clinical professor, and his mother, Cora Bialis, was a painter. Roth’s passion for filmmaking began at a young age, shooting Super 8 films at eight after being inspired by Ridley Scott’s “Alien” (1979). He created over 50 short films with his brothers and friends before enrolling at NYU’s film school, where he earned a Student Academy Award and graduated summa cum laude in 1994. During his early career in New York City, Roth gained experience in various production roles, including production assistant and assistant editor. He also worked as a development head for producer Fred Zollo before deciding to focus on writing full-time. To support himself, Roth worked on film budgets for “A Price Above Rubies” (1998) and “Illuminata” (1998), and often served as a stand-in to observe directors’ methods.

In 1995, Roth co-wrote the script for what would become “Cabin Fever” (2002) with Randy Pearlstein, a project that initially struggled to find financing. After moving to Los Angeles in 1999, Roth secured funding for his animated series “Chowdaheads” (1999), an independent project he produced, directed, and voiced alongside Noah Belson. Although these episodes were slated to air on WCW’s “WCW Monday Nitro,” a change in leadership prevented their broadcast. Roth later used these animated concepts to develop “The Rotten Fruit” (2000), which he produced, directed, and animated himself. During this period, he also collaborated with director David Lynch, creating content for davidlynch.com, further expanding his practical experience in film and digital media production.

A significant turning point came in 2001 when Roth filmed “Cabin Fever” with a modest budget of $1.5 million from private investors. The film became a subject of a bidding war at the 2002 Toronto Film Festival, ultimately acquired by Lions Gate, which instantly doubled investor returns. “Cabin Fever” became Lions Gate’s highest-grossing film of 2003 and the most profitable horror film of that year, receiving positive reviews from publications like The New York Times and Rolling Stone, and endorsement from filmmakers such as Peter Jackson and Quentin Tarantino. This success allowed Roth to pursue numerous projects, including co-writing the horror thriller “The Box” (2009) with Richard Kelly. In May 2003, Roth co-founded Raw Nerve, LLC, a horror film production company, with Boaz Yakin, Scott Spiegel, and Greenestreet Films, solidifying his presence in the horror genre. In 2014, he married Chilean model and actress Lorenza Izzo.