Biography
Donahue is a writer, director, producer and showrunner. He is the writer/director, co-showrunner (with Ilan Arboleda) and an executive producer on the 6-part Paramount+ docuseries, Mafia Spies, premiering Spring 2024 (Other EPs include Danny Strong, Matt Jackson and Susan Zirinsky). In 2023, Donahue wrote and directed the 4 part Paramount+ Original docuseries, Murder of God's Banker. In 2021, he produced, directed and edited the TCM Original feature documentary, Dean Martin: King of Cool (Winner, HPA Award for Best Editing, holding 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and EP'd by Leonardo DiCaprio). In 2019, he directed the Netflix Original, Los Tigres del Norte at Folsom Prison (nominated for two Latin Grammys, winning one). In 2018, Donahue's This Changes Everything (Gracie Award, LA Press Club Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award) investigated gender inequality in Hollywood. Called a "searing" (Washington Post) "breakout documentary" (Hollywood Reporter), it earned EP Geena Davis an honorary Oscar and includes interviews with Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, Reese Witherspoon and many others. It was the runner up for the audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival, premiering on Starz in 2019 and then Netflix in 2021.
Donahue's 2016 award-winning feature documentary, Thank You For Your Service ("Gut wrenching... important" -The New York Times), featured General David Petraeus and Defense Secretary Robert Gates and examined the failed mental health policies in the US military. Donahue's 2014 Emmy-nominated, Casting By (Gracie Award, the Artois Award, one of The National Board of Review's Top Five Documentaries) inspired the Oscars to create a casting branch, leading finally to an Oscar category for Achievement in Casting (beginning in 2026). His feature directorial debut was Sundance' Channel's Guest of Cindy Sherman, called "a work of art" (Variety) and given 5 stars by Time-Out.
Donahue co-founded and is Co--CEO of CreativeChaos vmg with Ilan Arboleda. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
3 wins and 11 nominations
