Rob Margolies

Rob Margolies ’05 is a producer, director, screenwriter, teacher and consultant. A proud Chapman University graduate, he produced The Duffer Brothers’ first short film, wrote a dozen feature-length screenplays and was mentored by Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin during his tenure at Dodge College. In 2009, he was honored as the Dodge College Alumnus of the Year. 

His feature film credits include Lifelines (2008), which Roger Ebert declared “a strong, fine film,” starring Jane Adams, Joe Morton and Dreama Walker; She Wants Me (2012), with leads Josh Gad, Hilary Duff and Charlie Sheen (who also executive produced); the comedy All You Can Eat (2018),starring Kathy Najimy, Randy Quaid, Ashley Johnson, Peter Scolari and Jason Mewes; the sci-fi feature anthology Immortal (2019), starring Dylan Baker, Tony Todd, Mario Van Peebles, Samm Levine and Agnes Bruckner; and the feature drama Yes (2019), starring Nolan Gould, Tim Realbuto, Oscar Nuñez and Siobhan Fallon.

In 2024, Margolies directed the rom-com In Fidelity, starring Chris Parnell, Dennis Haysbert, Cara Buono, Illeana Douglas and Willow Shields. He also produced the horror film Werewolf Game (2025), starring Tony Todd, Bai Ling, Robert Picardo and Lydia Hearst; and directed and produced The Dummy Detective (2025), a family-friendly, ventriloquist murder-mystery starring Sean Young.

When he isn't making films, Margolies is watching them. His love for cinema is shared by his two sons, Bastian and Ellis, who made their on-screen debuts in Margolies' dramatic feature, Bobcat Moretti (2023), which became the #1 hit on STARZ for three consecutive weeks.