Emma Moran

Emma Moran is a screenwriter and comedian from County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. She is best known as the writer and creator of 2023 Disney+ comedy series Extraordinary.

Emma Moran
MediumTelevision, theatre
EducationUniversity College London (BA), University of Manchester (MA),
Years active2017–
GenresComedy
Notable works and rolesExtraordinary

Early life

From Killadeas, in County Fermanagh, Moran attended Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar School. She moved to London to complete an undergraduate degree at the University College London.[1] Moran relocated for her post-grad degree, graduating with an MA in Screenwriting from the University of Manchester in 2020.[2]

Career

Moran started performing stand-up comedy whilst at University and performed a sketch show Galpals at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival with comedy partner Sarah King.[3][4]

Moran wrote and produced comedy sketches for digital publisher The Hook and became part of the BBC's Comedy Room development group in 2019 following an application process in which she was selected from 2,728 received scripts.[5] There, she was involved in writing for BBC comedy shows such as Have I Got News For You and Newsjack. She has guested on long-running BBC Radio 4 show Loose Ends, hosted by Clive Anderson and Emma Freud.[6][7] Moran has also appeared as a guest on The Ryan Tubridy Show for the national broadcaster of Ireland, RTÉ.[8]

Moran started writing the screenplay that became the Disney+ television series Extraordinary during her master's degree in Manchester. Initially, it was a flat share comedy without any superhero elements.[9] After starting the script in 2020 she continued writing it during the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic and called it her ‘lockdown baby’.[10] With the script she won the inaugural Thousand Films scriptwriting competition.[11]

Extraordinary

The script was optioned by Star Original for Disney+ in 2021 and executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle said "Emma Moran is Extraordinary. An extraordinary new writer with a brilliantly distinctive and ingenious voice."[12] The first season of Extraordinary was released in January 2023 and was renewed for a second season that same month.[13] Moran's work on the series has been praised by numerous critics. Time said "remember the name Emma Moran. She has achieved what once seemed impossible: She’s created a superhero comedy that’s actually funny.”[14] Lucy Mangan in The Guardian described the first season as having “enough heart and good, unexpected one-liners..to keep you coming back for more and to mark 28-year-old debut writer Emma Moran as one to watch".[15] Mike Hale in The New York Times said that Moran kept "various strains combined in a charming and consistently amusing fashion" adding "It helps that Moran’s comic sensibility is dirty-mouthed and dirty-minded in a completely disarming, sometimes painfully funny way".[16]

References
  1. "Disney + Extraordinary: Creator Emma Moran talks about new show". impartialreporter.com.
  2. "Screenwriting Graduate's comedy show 'Extraordinary' greenlit for Disney+". Manchester.ac.uk.
  3. "Disney+ orders a 'uniquely British' superhero comedy". Chortle.
  4. "Galpals: Because At The End Of The Day, That's What We'd Like To Be Known As". Comedy.co.uk.
  5. "The two talented Fermanagh writers making waves in drama and comedy". Impartialreporter.com.
  6. "Superpower comedy returns for second series to Disney+". Comedy.co.uk.
  7. "The Comedy Room Writers". BBC.co.uk.
  8. "Shoes On or Off in A House?". rte.ie.
  9. "Emma Moran on Extraordinary: 'I kept sending Disney+ scripts, thinking – they're not gonna like this". National World.
  10. "VIP meets Irish screenwriter and Extraordinary creator Emma Moran". VIPMagazine.ie.
  11. "Exclusive: Extraordinary's Emma Moran reveals the true message of her hit new show". Stylist.
  12. "Disney+ developing new Extraordinary Emma Moran comedy". Avingagiragge.
  13. "Disney+ Greenlights Second Season Of Superhero Series 'Extraordinary' From 'Killing Eve' Producer Sid Gentle". Deadline.
  14. "Extraordinary Is an Instant Classic Among Superhero Comedies". Time.com.
  15. "Extraordinary review – help, my bum has become a 3D printer!". The Guardian.
  16. "'Extraordinary' Review: The Power of Powerlessness". New York Times.
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