Andrew Lazar

Andrew Lazar is an American film producer renowned for developing and producing a diverse array of commercially successful and critically acclaimed films across genres, including the Academy Award-nominated American Sniper (2014), which became the highest-grossing film release in the United States that year.

Born in New York City, Lazar graduated from New York University with degrees in film production and political science, having studied film at the Tisch School of the Arts. He began his career as a production assistant on the film Driving Miss Daisy (1989) before advancing to roles under producers Richard Zanuck and Dino De Laurentiis. As executive vice president of production at Dino DeLaurentiis Communications, he helped develop early projects such as Bound (1996), directed by the Wachowskis, and Unforgettable (1996).

In 1995, Lazar founded Mad Chance Productions with a focus on smart, character-driven stories in various budgets and formats, securing a first-look deal with Warner Bros. His company's notable productions include the romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), the action film Space Cowboys (2000), the spy comedy Get Smart (2008), and the biographical drama Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002). Lazar has also produced independent films like I Love You Phillip Morris (2009) and family-oriented hits such as Cats & Dogs (2001), alongside more recent works including the Netflix adaptations Persuasion (2022) and Nyad (2023), the latter earning multiple Academy Award nominations. In television, he served as an executive producer on the Showtime miniseries George & Tammy (2022).

Lazar's ongoing projects include a live-action adaptation of the anime Akira in collaboration with Taika Waititi and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way, as well as a biopic on Marvin Gaye directed by Allen Hughes and backed by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. In October 2025, he participated in a Hollywood delegation to Spain to explore production opportunities at Zeta Studios.