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A "triple-threat" writer of novels, film and television; Ridley most recently created and produced the UPN's newest one-hour drama, PLATINUM, co-produced by Francis Ford Coppola and Sofia Coppola. Seen and heard through the many vibrant personalities of the music world, PLATINUM follows the inner workings of the glamorous yet dangerous hip-hop entertainment business.
Ridley's sixth novel was released this spring. THOSE WHO WALK IN DARKNESS introduces a brave new world of heroes and villains, along the vein of an anti-"X-Men". A rookie cop, Soledad O'Rourke, reigns death on superhuman criminal mutants and shows that the distinction between "good" and "bad" can sometimes become blurred. This supernatural thriller is a venture into a new genre for Ridley, and follows closely on the heels of his LOS ANGELES TIMES Best Seller, A CONVERSATION WITH THE MANN, and THE DRIFT, published in October 2002.
Ridley gained considerable attention for his first novel, STRAY DOGS. The story of a drifting Vegas gambler ensnared by a game of deadly double-crosses in Sierra, Nevada was made into the motion picture U-TURN, directed by Oliver Stone and starring Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Jennifer Lopez, Claire Daines and Billy Bob Thornton. Ridley followed Stray Dogs with his second critically acclaimed novel, LOVE IS A RACKET, the story of a small time con man trying to wrangle his way out of all kinds of debt stumbles across love in the process. His third novel, EVERYBODY SMOKES IN HELL paints the grim picture of people in Hollywood who think they are entitled to a bunch of something for a whole lot of nothing.
Ridley's film credits include: writer and executive producer of Universal Studios' Summer 2002 hit comedy UNDERCOVER BROTHER; writer of THREE KINGS, directed by David O'Russell and starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg; and writer and director of his first original screenplay COLD AROUND THE HEART, for which he won the best director at the Urban World Film Festival in New York. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he ventured into stand-up while attending NYU and appeared on THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN and THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JOHNNY CARSON. His first network comedy writing job was for the hit sitcom MARTIN, followed by THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR and then THE JOHN LARROQUETTE SHOW.
Currently, Ridley is readying his directorial debut on LET ME TAKE YOU DOWN, which Ridley also wrote. In addition to projects produced through International Famous Players Radio Picture Corporation, Ridley's production company, he is also producing SPECIES HUMAN for Universal and is writing and producing A CONVERSATION WITH THE MANN for MGM, a feature film based on Ridley's novel of the same name. Ridley is also currently working on the hit NBC television show, THIRD WATCH.
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