RIP Paula Weinstein

 

Paula Weinstein Dies: ‘Perfect Storm’ Producer, Double Emmy Winner, Former Studio & Tribeca Exec Was 78

DEADLINE

By Erik Pedersen, Mike Fleming Jr.

March 25, 2024

 

Paula Weinstein, who produced dozens of films including The Perfect Storm and The Fabulous Baker Boys, exec produced Grace and Frankie, won Emmys for Truman and Recount and was a former studio and Tribeca Enterprises executive during a nearly 40-year career, died Monday morning. She was 78.

Her daughter Hannah Rosenberg told Deadline that Weinstein died peacefully at her home in New York. She was well-liked around Hollywood; condolences to her many friends in the industry.

“The world is a lesser place without my mother,” Rosenberg said in a statement to Deadline. “Paula was a lifelong activist and force of nature who was a champion for social justice and underdogs for more than half a century. She shattered barriers in Hollywood and always lifted other women along with her. I know my mother would want me say this: if you’d like to honor her, please stop what you are doing and turn your attention toward re-electing President Biden and making sure Democrats win down the ballot so we can be sure Democracy survives in America and around the world.”

Weinstein’s films as producer or EP credits range from American Flyers and The Fabulous Baker Boys in the 1980s; through Something to Talk About, Analyze This and sequel Analyze That in the ’90s; The Perfect Storm, Bandits, Deliver Us from Eva, Monster-in-Law and The Company Men in the ’00s; and more recently This Is Where I Leave You and In the Heart of the Sea.

Along the way, Weinstein executive produced the HBO telefilms Too Big to Fail (2011), Recount (2008) and Truman (1995), winning Emmys for the latter two and a nom for Too Big to Fail. Truman also won her a PGA Award, and she was nominated for two others. She also earned an Emmy nom for Citizen Cohn and EP’d TV movies including First Time Felon, Iron Jawed Angels and many others.

Weinstein was an EP on all 94 episodes of the popular 2015-22 Netflix series Grace and Frankie, starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. It is the streamer’s longest-running comedy.

Along with her myriad producing credits, Weinstein held several studio production positions, including VP at Warner Bros, EVP at 20th Century Fox and president of United Artists from 1981-82. She joined Tribeca Enterprises as EVP in 2013 and played a pivotal role in building Tribeca Studios, where she pursued programs focusing on underrepresented filmmakers.

She exited Tribeca last year to work on political campaigns.

“I don’t want to sit on the sidelines and rail about everything,” she told Deadline in September. “I really want to jump in, fully, into the campaigns. Both statewide and national campaigns. It just feels very much like a moment…between the climate, and book banning and everything else that I don’t need to go into.”

Born on November 19, 1945, she began her career as an assistant film editor in New York City and later served as Special Events Director for Mayor John Lindsay.

Recipient of two Crystal Awards from Women in Film, Weinstein was a founding member of the Hollywood Women’s Political Committee, which raised millions of dollars for Democratic candidates for more than two decades. She also was a former board member of the ACLU of Southern California.

Weinstein was married to producer and Warner Bros executive Mark Rosenberg from 1984 until his death in 1992 at age 44. They former Spring Creek Productions in 1990, and together they produced The Fabulous Baker Boys and Flesh and Bone. Spring Creek also was behind many of her subsequent films.

WEINSTEIN, Paula

Born: 11/19/1945, New York City, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 3/25/2024, Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.

 

Paula Weinstein’s westerns – executive producer:

The Rose and the Jackasl (TV) – 1990

The Cherokee Kid (TV) - 1996