Celine Song Biography: Celine Song born September 19, 1988 is a Canadian director, playwright, and screenwriter based in New York City. She is known for her plays Endlings and The Seagull on The Sims 4, both release in 2020. Her first feature film, Past Lives (2023), marked her directorial debut and received widespread critical acclaim, earning nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
Celine Song Biography
Celine Song is the filmmaker behind the acclaimed semi-autobiographical debut feature Past Lives (2023), which stars Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro. The film premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where Song receive the Vanguard Award, and was release by A24 to both critical and commercial success—earning $42.7 million against a $12 million budget.
Celine Song Biography 2025 Details
| Born |
Song Ha-Young
September 19, 1988 South Korea
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|---|---|
| Citizenship | Canada |
| Education |
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| Occupations |
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| Spouse |
Justin Kuritzkes
(m. 2016) |
| Category | Lifestyle |
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About Celine Song
Celine Song is a Canadian director, playwright, and screenwriter based in New York City. Among her plays are Endlings and The Seagull on The Sims 4. Her directorial film debut Past Lives received critical acclaim, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
Celine Song Achievements
Past Lives garnered multiple major accolades, including the Independent Spirit Award for Best Director, the Directors Guild of America’s Award for Best First-Time Director, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s New Generation Award. It also earned Song an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Song wrote, directed, and produced the romantic comedy Materialists, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal, alongside Marin Ireland and John Magaro. The film was produced by Killer Films and 2AM, and release widely by A24 in the U.S. and Sony Pictures Releasing International overseas.
Celine Song Wiki
- Born: 19 September 1988 (age 36 years), South Korea
- Nominations: Academy Award for Writing (Original Screenplay) ·
- Plays: Endlings
- Awards: Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature ·
Early Life and Education
Song was born in South Korea. When she was 12, her family relocated to Markham, Ontario, Canada, where her parents—both artists—continued their creative careers. Her father, Song Neung-han, is a filmmaker, while her mother works as an illustrator and graphic designer. Song has mentioned that her Western name may have been inspired by the character Celine from Jacques Rivette’s 1974 film Celine and Julie Go Boating. She wrote her first play, an adaptation of Prometheus, while attending the Ontario Student Classics Conference with the Markham District Classics Club. Song pursued undergraduate studies in psychology with a minor in philosophy at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. She later earned her MFA in playwriting from Columbia University in New York in 2014.
Career
Celine Song’s play Endlings premiered in 2019 at the American Repertory Theater. Its Off-Broadway debut took place in March 2020 at New York Theatre Workshop, though the run was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The play centers on three elderly Korean women haenyeos (sea divers) and a Korean-Canadian writer living in New York. In a mixed review, Alexandra Schwartz of The New Yorker described Endlings as “two works spliced roughly together: a traditional play that seeks to depict people’s lives, and a metafictional examination of the playwright’s own motivations, which flirts with honesty before traipsing down a solipsistic path of no return.”
The play was selected for the 2018 O’Neill Playwrights Conference and was a finalist for the 2020 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Song directed an innovative live performance of Chekhov’s The Seagull using The Sims 4 on Twitch, titled The Seagull on The Sims 4, presented by New York Theatre Workshop. Reviewing the production for Vulture, Helen Shaw praised its experimental nature, writing: “I think Song’s game-play/play-game managed the trick by capturing the experience not of going to a show but of working on one.
Personal Life
Celine Song was born and raised in South Korea by her parents—her mother, an illustrator and graphic designer, and her father, filmmaker Song Neung-han. At the age of 12, she moved with her family to Markham, Ontario, Canada. After completing high school, she studied psychology with a minor in philosophy at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. She later received her Master of Fine Arts in Playwriting from Columbia University in 2014. Song has been married to novelist, playwright, and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes since 2016.
Celine Song Net Worth 2025
As of 2025, there is no widely report or publicly available estimate of Celine Song’s net worth. In contrast, renown singer Celine Dion is estimate to have a net worth of approximately $570 million, primarily earned through her highly successful music career, including record sales, concert tours, and Las Vegas residencies. While Celine Song’s exact financial standing remains unknown, her accomplishments as a director and screenwriter—particularly the critical and commercial success of Past Lives—indicate a promising and potentially growing financial trajectory. Continued recognition and upcoming projects are likely to further enhance her career and earnings.
FAQs
What is Celine Song known for?
Celine Song is best known for her critically acclaim directorial debut film Past Lives (2023), which earn multiple awards and an Oscar nomination. She is also recognize for her innovative theater work, including the play Endlings and the experimental The Seagull on The Sims 4.
Where did Celine Song grow up?
Celine Song was born in South Korea and lived there until the age of 12, when her family move to Markham, Ontario, Canada.
What inspired Celine Song’s Western name?
Celine Song has hinted that her Western name may have been inspire by the character Celine in the 1974 French film Celine and Julie Go Boating, directed by Jacques Rivette.
Who is Celine Song married to?
Celine Song is married to Justin Kuritzkes, a novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. The couple has been married since 2016.
What is The Seagull on The Sims 4?
The Seagull on The Sims 4 is an experimental adaptation of Chekhov’s classic play, directed by Celine Song in 2020. It was perform live on Twitch using the video game The Sims 4. And receive praise for its creative, collaborative approach to digital theater.
Has Celine Song won any major awards?
Yes, Celine Song has receive several prestigious awards, including the Independent Spirit Award for Best Director. The Directors Guild of America’s Best First-Time Director award, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s New Generation Award.