Brad Simpson Bio
Bradford Simpson is an American film and television producer best known for his partnership at the Los Angeles-based production company Color Force. Over the course of his career, he has produced award-winning films and television series, including the Diary of a Wimpy Kid franchise, the American Crime Story anthology, and Crazy Rich Asians. Simpson is recognized as one of the most influential producers working in contemporary Hollywood, having earned multiple Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, BAFTA honors, and Producers Guild of America awards.
Working closely with his Color Force partner Nina Jacobson, Simpson has helped shape many of the most talked-about screen projects of the past two decades. His work spans independent cinema, blockbuster adaptations, and prestige television, earning him a reputation for balancing commercial success with critical acclaim.
Early Life and Background
Bradford Simpson grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he spent his formative years before pursuing higher education. Growing up in the American South offered him an early appreciation for storytelling that would later influence his work in film and television.
After completing his high school education, Simpson attended Brown University, one of the most respected Ivy League institutions in the United States. His time at Brown helped shape his intellectual approach to producing and gave him a foundation in the cultural and artistic traditions that inform the projects he would later champion.
Simpson’s upbringing and education combined to prepare him for a career in entertainment that would eventually place him among the most awarded producers of his generation. Although details of his earliest creative interests are limited, his career trajectory suggests a long-standing commitment to narrative craft.
Path to Producer
Simpson began his professional career at Killer Films, the New York-based production company founded by Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler. At Killer Films, he served as an executive and producer, working on a remarkable slate of independent films that defined late-1990s and early-2000s American cinema. Among the films he co-produced were Far from Heaven, Party Monster, and A Home at the End of the World, while he served as associate producer on Boys Don’t Cry and Camp.
During his time at Killer Films, Simpson also contributed to a remarkable run of independent features, including Velvet Goldmine, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Happiness, and One Hour Photo. These projects allowed him to work closely with auteurs and rising talents, building the relationships and instincts that would shape his later career.
In 2004, Simpson took on a major leadership role as President of Appian Way Productions, the Warner Bros.-based company founded by actor Leonardo DiCaprio. He served in that position until 2007, gaining valuable experience shepherding larger-scale productions and deepening his ties to the studio system.
Brad Simpson Career
Early Career
Simpson’s early career at Killer Films established him as a producer with a sharp eye for distinctive independent projects. His work on films such as Far from Heaven, Party Monster, and Boys Don’t Cry placed him alongside some of the most important voices in independent cinema of the era.
During this period, Simpson also began collaborating with producer Nina Jacobson, a partnership that would later produce the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film franchise. Together, they produced Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, establishing their reputation for family-friendly adaptations with broad appeal.
Breakthrough
In 2012, Simpson joined Color Force as a partner, formalizing his long-standing collaboration with Nina Jacobson. That same year, the duo signed a first-look deal with FX Productions for original programming, marking the beginning of an extraordinarily productive relationship with the cable network.
In 2016, FX aired The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, the first installment of the anthology series produced by Color Force. The show became a cultural phenomenon and a major awards contender. Simpson won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for his work on the series, along with a BAFTA, a Critics’ Choice Award, a TCA Award, and a Producers Guild of America Award. Later that year, FX Productions signed Simpson and Jacobson to an exclusive production deal for original programming.
In 2018, Simpson produced the second American Crime Story series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. The series earned him another Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Award, TCA Award, and Producers Guild Award. That same year, Simpson also produced Crazy Rich Asians and Ben Is Back with Jacobson, and served as an executive producer on the FX series Pose.
Simpson continued building his television and film slate with executive producer credits on Richard Linklater’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette in 2019, the adaptation of Donna Tartt’s novel The Goldfinch, and the FX television adaptation of Y: The Last Man. His portfolio reflects a producer equally comfortable with intimate dramas, literary adaptations, and tentpole features.
Notable Works and Milestones
Simpson’s signature works include the American Crime Story anthology, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film franchise, and Crazy Rich Asians. His Emmy, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, TCA, and Producers Guild wins for The People v. O. J. Simpson and The Assassination of Gianni Versace cemented his standing as one of the defining producers of prestige television in the twenty-first century.
Brad Simpson Award Nominations
Bradford Simpson has earned numerous nominations across major industry awards, recognizing his contributions as both a film and television producer. His nomination history closely tracks the success of the American Crime Story anthology, with both installments earning him recognition from the Emmys, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, TCA Awards, and the Producers Guild of America. Additional nominations reflect his work on high-profile film projects, including adaptations and original features produced through Color Force and his earlier collaborations at Killer Films and Appian Way Productions.
Brad Simpson Awards Won
Bradford Simpson has won multiple major awards throughout his career, establishing him as one of the most decorated producers working in Hollywood today. His wins include an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, a Critics’ Choice Award, a TCA Award, and a Producers Guild of America Award for his work on The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story in 2016. He later added another Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Award, TCA Award, and Producers Guild Award for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story in 2018.
Brad Simpson Family
Limited verified information is available regarding Bradford Simpson’s family background. Public sources confirm that he grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, before attending Brown University, where he completed his higher education. Further details about his parents, siblings, or extended family have not been widely documented.
Personal Life
Bradford Simpson maintains a professional profile centered on his work as a producer and partner at Color Force in Los Angeles. While he keeps much of his personal life private, his public career continues to be defined by creative partnerships, especially his long-running collaboration with Nina Jacobson, and his contributions to award-winning film and television projects.