J.J. Abrams — director (star wars) with roots in the Russian Empire
J.J. Abrams is an American filmmaker, writer, and producer who created the television series Lost, Alias, and Fringe, and directed Mission: Impossible III, Super 8, Star Trek (2009), and Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker. He is one of the most commercially powerful directors in Hollywood.
Tracing the roots — Poland / Russia
His grandfather Harry Abrams emigrated from Poland and Russia (Russian Empire) as part of the Jewish emigration of the early 20th century. Abrams has spoken about his family's immigrant background and how the experience of outsiders making their way in America — a classic immigrant narrative — runs through so much of his storytelling.
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Poland / Russia. At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.
A career defined by ambition
"The best stories are the ones where the audience is smarter than the film."