Bradford Simpson Bio
Bradford Simpson is an American film and television producer and a partner at the Los Angeles-based production company Color Force. He is best known for his work on the American Crime Story series and for producing mainstream features including Crazy Rich Asians and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films.
Early Life and Background
Bradford Simpson grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, and later attended Brown University, where he completed his undergraduate education. His formative years in Arkansas and his Ivy League education preceded a move into independent film production in New York and Los Angeles.
Simpson began his career in the film industry at the independent company Killer Films. His early work at Killer Films gave him production experience across a range of independent projects and prepared him for leadership roles at larger production companies.
Path to Celebrity
At Killer Films Simpson served in producing and executive roles on a number of independent projects. He co-produced films such as Far from Heaven, Party Monster and A Home at the End of the World, and he worked as an associate producer on Boys Don’t Cry and Camp, building a reputation in arthouse and independent circles.
Over time Simpson was involved with several notable independent titles including Velvet Goldmine, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Happiness, and One Hour Photo. Those early credits established his network across filmmakers, writers and production executives and positioned him for studio and larger-scale production roles.
From 2004 to 2007 Simpson served as president of Appian Way Productions, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Warner Bros.-based production company. He later partnered with producer Nina Jacobson, producing a series of family and mainstream features including the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films and moving into higher-profile studio and television projects.
Bradford Simpson Career
Early Career (late 1990s–2003)
Simpson’s early producing career centered on independent film work in the late 1990s and early 2000s. During this period he co-produced and served in associate production roles on critically noticed features that ranged from intimate dramas to boundary-pushing festival titles.
These early credits included collaboration with established independent filmmakers and helped Simpson develop producing skills across development, festival strategy, and production management. That foundation allowed him to transition from independent films to larger commercial and studio projects.
Breakthrough (2004–2012)
Simpson’s appointment as president of Appian Way Productions from 2004 to 2007 marked a move into leadership at a company affiliated with major studio resources. In that role he oversaw development and production at a higher scale and broadened his producing portfolio beyond the independent circuit.
In the following years Simpson produced family-oriented studio fare, including the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, collaborating with Nina Jacobson. He continued to work on studio projects and served as executive producer on high-profile features, building a track record of commercially released films while maintaining ties to independent filmmaking.
Breakthrough (2016–2019)
In 2012 Simpson joined Color Force as a partner and established a formal producing partnership with Nina Jacobson at the Los Angeles-based company. Color Force expanded its television production activity with a first-look deal and later an exclusive production arrangement with FX Productions, leading to major anthology projects for the network.
Simpson produced The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story for FX in 2016, a production that won significant awards and heightened his profile in television. The series earned Simpson an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe, and his producing work across the American Crime Story franchise later earned additional industry awards and recognition.
Following American Crime Story, Simpson produced and executive produced a range of film and television projects between 2016 and 2019. His credits in this period include The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, the feature film Crazy Rich Asians, Ben Is Back, the FX series Pose, Richard Linklater’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette, and the feature adaptation The Goldfinch. He also served as one of the executive producers on the television adaptation of Y: The Last Man for FX.
Notable Works and Milestones
Simpson’s signature projects span prestige television and mainstream features. The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story stands out as a career-defining television credit, and Crazy Rich Asians represents a high-profile studio film release. Across those projects and others he moved from independent producing to studio and premium cable television production, earning industry recognition along the way.
Bradford Simpson Award Nominations
Simpson’s producing work has been part of projects that received multiple major award nominations across television and film. His television productions, particularly entries in the American Crime Story franchise, drew attention from awards bodies and resulted in both nominations and wins at major ceremonies.
Bradford Simpson Awards Won
Bradford Simpson won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story in 2016. In addition to those wins, Simpson has received a BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, Television Critics Association and Producers Guild of America awards for his producing work on the American Crime Story series and related projects, reflecting recognition from several major industry organizations.
Bradford Simpson Family
Publicly available biographical information notes that Simpson grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas; details about his parents and immediate family are not part of the public record provided in standard industry sources. Simpson’s professional biography emphasizes his education and career rather than private family details.
Personal Life
Bradford Simpson graduated from Brown University and built his career at Killer Films before serving as president of Appian Way and later joining Color Force as a partner. At Color Force he collaborates closely with producer Nina Jacobson and has focused on producing both prestige television and commercial feature films.
Simpson’s public profile centers on his producing credits and company leadership; other personal details such as residence, date of birth and family life are not included in the verified public material used for this profile.