Stephen Chbosky

Stephen Chbosky (born January 25, 1970, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American novelist, screenwriter, and director celebrated for emotionally direct coming-of-age storytelling. He first broke through with the bestselling novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999), a modern classic that helped define a generation of teen literature.

Chbosky later brought that sensibility to the screen, writing and directing the film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller. His writing credits also span major studio projects, including the screenplay for the 2005 film musical Rent and Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast (2017), co-written with Evan Spiliotopoulos.

On television, he expanded his range as a co-creator, executive producer, and writer on the CBS series Jericho (2006–2008). He also directed the heartfelt drama Wonder (2017), featuring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Jacob Tremblay, reaffirming his reputation for character-driven mainstream cinema. In 2019, he returned to fiction with the novel Imaginary Friend.