Mark Waters

Mark Waters (also credited as Mark S. Waters and Mark Stephen Waters) is an American director and producer born on June 30, 1964, in Wyandotte, Michigan. He built a mainstream filmmaking profile through crowd-pleasing studio features, moving comfortably between romantic comedy, family fantasy, and teen-driven hits.

Waters is widely associated with popular titles such as Mean Girls, Freaky Friday, and Just Like Heaven, and he has also worked as a producer, including on (500) Days of Summer. His credits extend to television as well, with notable involvement in projects like On the Lot.

A graduate of the American Film Institute, Waters secured a development arrangement with Paramount Pictures in the mid-2000s and continued expanding his filmography with effects-driven and romantic features. He directed The Spiderwick Chronicles (shot in Montreal) and later filmed Ghosts of Girlfriends Past in Boston.

Mark Waters is the brother of screenwriter Daniel Waters. He has been married to actress Dina Spybey since 2000, and they have a daughter, Zoe. In 2006, he was among those invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.