30 Facts About Shonda Rhimes

1.

In 2007,2013 and 2021, Shonda Rhimes was named by Time on the Time 100, their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

2.

Shonda Rhimes's mother attended college while raising their six children and earned a PhD in educational administration in 1991.

3.

Shonda Rhimes lived in Park Forest South, with her two older brothers and three older sisters.

4.

Shonda Rhimes has said she exhibited an early affinity for storytelling.

5.

Shonda Rhimes attended Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

6.

Shonda Rhimes divided her time between directing and performing in student productions, and writing fiction.

7.

Shonda Rhimes subsequently moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California and study screenwriting.

8.

Shonda Rhimes obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

9.

Shonda Rhimes worked at Denzel Washington's company, Mundy Lane Entertainment.

10.

Chase served as a mentor to Shonda Rhimes: they worked together on The Princess Diaries 2.

11.

In 1998 Shonda Rhimes made a short film, Blossoms and Veils, starring Jada Pinkett-Smith and Jeffrey Wright, which is her only credit as a film director.

12.

Shonda Rhimes received an assignment to co-write the HBO movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.

13.

In 2001, Shonda Rhimes wrote Crossroads, the debut film of pop singer Britney Spears.

14.

Shonda Rhimes next worked on writing Disney's sequel to its popular movie The Princess Diaries.

15.

In 2003, Shonda Rhimes wrote her first TV pilot for ABC about young female war correspondents, but the network turned it down.

16.

Shonda Rhimes is the creator and currently executive producer and head writer of Grey's Anatomy.

17.

In 2007, Shonda Rhimes created and produced the Grey's Anatomy spin-off series Private Practice, which debuted September 26,2007, on ABC.

18.

In 2010, Shonda Rhimes created a new pilot for ABC called Inside the Box, a female-centric ensemble drama set in a Washington, DC network news bureau.

19.

In 2011, Shonda Rhimes served as executive producer for the medical drama, Off the Map, which was created by Grey's Anatomy writer, Jenna Bans.

20.

In 2012, Shonda Rhimes developed a pilot for a period drama, Gilded Lilys, but it was not picked up to series.

21.

In March 2016, ABC premiered The Catch, a comedy-drama led by Shonda Rhimes based on a treatment by British author Kate Atkinson.

22.

Chief content officer Ted Sarandos described Shonda Rhimes as being a "true Netflixer at heart" since "she loves TV and films, she cares passionately about her work, and she delivers for her audience".

23.

Shonda Rhimes adopted her first daughter in June 2002 and adopted another girl in February 2012.

24.

In September 2013, Shonda Rhimes welcomed her third daughter via gestational surrogacy.

25.

In 2014, Shonda Rhimes gave a commencement address at her alma mater, Dartmouth College, where she received an honorary doctorate.

26.

In September 2015, Shonda Rhimes revealed she had lost 117 pounds via exercise and dieting.

27.

In 2019 Shonda Rhimes joined the organization When We All Vote as a co-chair.

28.

Shondaland and its logo refer to the shows Rhimes has produced and to Rhimes herself.

29.

Shonda Rhimes has won a Golden Globe Award and been nominated for four Emmy Awards.

30.

Shonda Rhimes has won awards from the Writers Guild of America, Producers Guild of America, and Directors Guild of America.