Inspiring Jew from Today: J.J. Abrams
J.J. Abrams grew up in Los Angeles, surrounded by the film industry. His father was a television producer, and from a young age he was making his own films.
He built his career as a writer and director on projects like Alias, Lost, and Star Trek, learning how to tell big stories and doing so successfully.
Then came the opportunity to work on Star Wars.
By this point, the franchise had lost some momentum. The earlier films were still loved, but the more recent ones hadn’t landed the same way with audiences.
In 2015, Abrams directed The Force Awakens, and it worked.
In some ways, it echoes what Irvin Kershner did with The Empire Strikes Back.
Abrams understood what made the story land, and built from there.
He didn’t try to turn Star Wars into something else. He brought it back to what it was.
Abrams has also spoken about being Jewish and how identity shapes the way he sees the world. It’s not always front and centre, but it informs the way he approaches storytelling and responsibility.
With Star Wars, Abrams took on something difficult, with no guarantee it would work, and won over a new generation of fans.