Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Filmmaker Laura Murphy Of ‘F Marry Kill’ Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry
“Success isn’t a limited resource. Instead of seeing it as competition, we should be asking: How can we elevate each other and succeed together?”
I had the pleasure of talking with Laura Murphy. Laura is an American director and writer known for her work in comedy across television and film. With a career that began at MTV, Murphy has established herself as a sought-after director, blending humor with sharp cultural commentary in her projects.
Murphy’s early work at MTV involved creating comedy promos featuring high-profile talents such as Dave Chappelle and Tom Cruise. Her success in this role led to her becoming co-executive producer, head writer, and director of Girl Code, a popular comedy series that resonated with audiences, particularly young women. The show, which mixed humor with candid discussions on social issues, had a lasting cultural impact, with Murphy often reflecting on its influence in shaping her approach to comedy.
Her television directing credits span a range of successful shows, including Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Murderville. In 2022, she directed the Netflix special Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery, a star-studded comedy featuring Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Maya Rudolph. Her ability to balance comedic storytelling with genre elements has been a defining trait throughout her career.
Murphy has also made strides in feature filmmaking, directing the ensemble comedy Cursed Friends, starring Jessica Lowe, Nicole Byer, Harvey Guillén, and Rob Riggle. Her latest project, F*** Marry Kill, a comedy-thriller produced by Lionsgate and BuzzFeed Studios, is set for release in March 2025. Starring Lucy Hale and Virginia Gardner, the film follows a true-crime enthusiast navigating the dangers of online dating as she suspects one of her matches may be a serial killer. Murphy has described the film as a balance between suspense and humor, taking inspiration from genre-blending movies like Knives Out and Game Night.
Beyond television and film, Murphy has directed commercial campaigns for major brands such as Anheuser-Busch, Geico, Groupon, and Snapple. Her versatility across different formats has allowed her to maintain a distinctive comedic voice while adapting to various storytelling mediums.
Originally from Rhinebeck, New York, Murphy’s early exposure to storytelling came in childhood, though she did not initially envision a career as a director. She studied journalism before finding her way into television, learning filmmaking through hands-on experience rather than formal film school. Murphy often credits her time at MTV as an informal but invaluable education in directing, allowing her to develop a strong foundation in visual storytelling.
Her journey in the industry has been shaped by mentorship and collaboration. She has spoken about the challenges of breaking into comedy directing, particularly as a woman in a historically male-dominated field. Recognizing the importance of representation and opportunity, she has actively mentored emerging filmmakers, particularly women and directors of color, helping them gain experience on set and build their reels.
Murphy’s directing style emphasizes a strong connection between character and comedy. She encourages improvisation among actors while ensuring performances remain grounded in story and theme. Her ability to blend humor with suspense has made her a distinct voice in modern comedic filmmaking.
As F** Marry Kill prepares for its theatrical and streaming release, Murphy continues to expand her career, bringing a sharp, comedic sensibility to projects that engage audiences beyond just laughter. Her work reflects a commitment to both entertaining and pushing creative boundaries, making her an influential figure in contemporary comedy.
Yitzi: Laura, it’s a delight to meet you. Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share the story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Laura: Sure. I grew up in a small town in upstate New York called Rhinebeck, about two hours north of the city. It was like a Norman Rockwell storybook town — beautiful, small, and not many people knew where it was. It’s on the Hudson, and now Paul Rudd owns a candy store there, so it’s kind of a destination. But when I was growing up, it was just a tiny town.
My dad was my high school history teacher — that’s how small it was. It was a lovely place, but once I became a teenager, I was itching to get out because everybody knew your business.
It’s funny because I went to this great elementary school that was really supportive of the arts and creativity. I always say I wanted to be a writer, but I never thought about being a director. I never imagined that for myself. But looking back, in fifth grade, I definitely wrote a mystery play — very Scooby-Doo inspired — and invited all my friends to be in it. We rehearsed during recess, and I was definitely directing it. I just didn’t realize directing was a thing.
My fifth-grade teacher found out about it and decided we were going to put it on for the whole school and parents. But then, two nights before the performance, I got chickenpox and missed my first original production. My writing and directorial debut — and I wasn’t even there for it!
So, I think my true origin story is that I’ve been making up for missing that moment ever since. And I was supposed to star in it too! Really, my superhero story is chickenpox.
Yitzi: Tell me a little bit about your first big breaks in filmmaking, how you initially got into it?
Laura: Right, other than fifth-grade plays. I was very lucky to get one of my first jobs at MTV. It was during the TRL (Total Request Live)/Jackass era, which was a really fun time to be there. I was a writer — I started in the Off-Air department and then moved to the promos department, where I wrote the commercials for MTV that aired on MTV.
Back then, it was this really cool environment where if you said, “I want to direct,” they’d be like, “Okay, go ahead.” So in a way, it was like paid film school. I spent a lot of time on sets as a writer, watching other people direct, learning who does what, understanding set etiquette. I got to experience it firsthand.
Eventually, I realized that when I was writing, I’d picture things in my head, but sometimes they wouldn’t come out the way I imagined — or they’d come out even better. I was absorbing visual storytelling and the language of filmmaking. So at some point, I said, “Hey, I want to try directing,” and they just threw me on a set.
I tried it, and it worked — I made a successful promo. I don’t even remember what it was for, but from that moment on, I was a writer-director. Back then, MTV worked with huge celebrity talent — Tom Cruise, big-name stars — because MTV was the cool place to be. We also got to work with amazing DPs who wanted to play with cool equipment, and we had good budgets. It was usually just a one-day shoot, and I was really lucky to build a reel that way.
That was my first real experience writing and directing something that aired on TV, which was amazing. At the time, I assumed I’d go into commercials because that’s what my reel was — 30-second, male 18-to-24-targeted comedy with celebrities. But breaking into comedy commercials as a female director was really tough. I wasn’t getting hired for commercial work, so I kept one foot in the long-form world.
I did a lot of writing for award shows and maintained a good relationship with MTV even after I left. I wrote for the Movie Awards, worked in a lot of writers’ rooms, and eventually found my way back to directing through writing. That led me into sketch comedy, which is how I transitioned into long-form projects.
Yitzi: Good story. It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you were first starting in entertainment and the lesson you learned from it?
Laura: Oh wow, that’s a great question.
Oh, I remember one. I was on set as a writer, and we were shooting a promo with Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra — so that definitely dates it. I think we had a script supervisor, but for some reason, we didn’t have someone taking stills. I volunteered to help and was using my own camera.
I took a couple of pictures, and then — while we were rolling — I accidentally took one with the flash on. The whole crew stopped and turned around, because they instantly knew there had been a flash. The DP looked right at me, and I just froze. Of course, it ruined that part of the shot. I was completely mortified.
At the time, it felt like the most embarrassing thing ever, but in reality, it was low stakes — we just did another take, and it was fine. Still, that’s how I learned you can’t have flash photography on set while filming. More importantly, it was a lesson in awareness — being mindful of where I am in the space, making sure I’m not in the shot, not standing in the wrong place.
Set etiquette is such a huge part of working in production. Before stepping onto a set as a director, you really have to understand the dynamics — where you should be, when you’re overstepping. That moment was a good, if slightly humiliating, lesson in that.
Yitzi: Great story. You probably have some amazing stories from all the different projects you’ve worked on. Can you share one or two that stand out the most from your professional life?
Laura: Yes, let’s see. Well, out of everything I’ve worked on, the first project where messaging, making a difference, and speaking to women really stood out was Girl Code. I worked on that show for a long time as the writer, director, and co-executive producer. Even to this day, years later, there are PAs on set who’ll tell me, “Oh, that show had a huge impact on me.”
That was the first time I was really proud of something and also aware of the responsibility we sometimes have in comedy — especially when it comes to messaging for women. I know that’s not really a specific story, but the reason I’ll always be so proud of Girl Code is because of the impact it had. We knew going in that it might make a difference, but I don’t think we fully understood just how much. That experience really shaped the decisions I make now in my career and how I direct certain projects.
It made me think: How can we be funny while also getting a message across? And how do we package it in a way where people don’t even realize there’s a message? They’re just laughing, but then maybe they take something meaningful away from it.
But if you want a more fun story — one of the first jobs I had as a writer was working on promos for the movie The Kid Stays in the Picture, which is about Robert Evans, the legendary producer behind The Godfather. He was such an amazing character. For some reason, MTV was doing promos for it, so I watched the movie — he narrates it himself, and it’s already brilliant — and I worked really hard to capture his voice for the script.
He had a very particular way of speaking. He talked in threes, asked himself questions, and usually ended with a swear word. It’d be like: Did I like it? No. Did I do it? Yes. Did I make it a success? You bet your ass I did. Everything was in these little rhythmic triplets — so brilliant.
Then I get a call: Robert Evans wants to meet with the writer. Just me, nobody else. They send a car to take me to his house — the famous one from the movie. I get there, and a British butler opens the door. I swear his name was something super on the nose, like English. He leads me straight to Robert Evans’s bedroom. Evans is in bed, wearing pajamas.
I sit at the end of the bed, and he tells me I did a great job on the scripts — he only has a couple of minor changes. While I’m there, Ali MacGraw calls, and he picks up the phone and says, “I got the writer dame in my room.” He also just starts calling me Murf, which is funny because that’s what everyone called me, but I never told him that. It was like we were instantly friends. He was incredibly respectful, and we had this surreal conversation about the script.
The next day, we shot the promos, and at the end, he gave me a signed book. It said, Hey Murf, let’s make 1 + 1 equal 3, not 2, because that’s magic, and that’s us. Love, The Kid.
I remember thinking, What world have I entered? I had just been in Robert Evans’s bedroom, talking shop with him, and now I had this signed book. He was just the funniest, most fascinating character. I completely understood why people fell in love with him — because I did too.
That whole experience was such a wild, deep-dive introduction to filmmaking. And later, when The Offer came out, I was really excited to see how they portrayed him. The actor playing Evans nailed it — it’s such a hard impression to pull off without making it feel like a parody, but he did it justice.
RIP Robert Evans. That’s a career story I don’t think I’ll ever top.
Yitzi: None of us achieve success without some help along the way, and we love hearing about moments when someone a little further ahead opens a door or creates an opportunity that changes a career trajectory. Do you have a story like that, where someone did that for you or where you did it for someone else?
Laura: Yes. I’ve been very lucky to have a lot of mentors throughout my career, and I still have them now. Because of that, I’m very insistent on making sure I create opportunities and mentor other directors, especially female directors, because so many people helped me along the way.
Sometimes that help comes in the form of taking a chance on you, and other times it means real guidance and hands-on support. I was very lucky at MTV — I had a lot of great bosses there. My first boss, Sarah Duffy, was incredibly supportive. Kevin McCall and Christina Norman, who ran the promos department, and Tracy Poychuck all gave me opportunities. I basically just kept doing things for free until they finally gave me a job.
I started as a PA, and I’d say, “Hey, can I write this for free?” Eventually, someone paid me to write. Then I said, “I want to direct this — I’ll direct it for free.” And after a while, they paid me to direct. They all took a chance on me, and I’m so grateful for that. That support continued throughout my career — I kept returning to MTV in different roles, and when I ran Girl Code, a lot of the executives there took a chance on me as well. I’m still in touch with many of them.
Recently, I shadowed another director, Kat Coiro, who’s fantastic. She was directing on Matlock, and she’s become my current mentor — someone I can call for advice on very specific things. She’s further along in her career than I am, but she’s in similar situations and is so generous with her guidance. I’m incredibly grateful for that because I truly believe we never stop learning. I’m always seeking new mentors and new opportunities.
I’m also a big believer in paying it forward. If I have an assistant on a movie, I make sure it’s someone who wants to be a filmmaker. I treat it more like a shadowing or paid internship opportunity. There was a great program in commercials called Double the Line, and I had started a mentorship program for up-and-coming female directors, so I had this pool of talented women who just needed a reel. But it’s that classic catch-22: you need a reel to get a job, but you need a job to get a reel. So I focused on helping them build their reels, and many of them shadowed me on Double the Line commercial jobs.
The more time you spend on set, the better. I’m always looking for ways to get new filmmakers onto sets, meet people, make connections, and gain that on-set experience — ideally in a paid capacity. I get a lot of calls for jobs that are non-union or that don’t fit my schedule, so I maintain this pool of up-and-coming female directors and directors of color. That way, I can pass their info along and say, “Give them a shot — here’s their reel.”
I also actively mentor a few people on their careers. Any way I can give back is important to me because breaking into this industry is tough. I was lucky, and I had support, so I want to provide that for others too.
Yitzi: So, tell us about your latest exciting project. Why do we have to watch it?
Laura: Yes — F*** Marry Kill. I think what makes it special is how much fun it is. My goal was to make a movie that’s super fun, exciting, and has a little thriller aspect, but at its core, it’s also hilarious. I wanted to find that perfect balance — something that’s really funny but also keeps you engaged with the story, has twists, and embraces the thriller genre while still delivering some meaningful messaging.
What excites me most is how well it all came together. It’s just fun, and I think right now is the perfect time for a fun movie to hit. I’m really excited for people to see it.
Lucy Hale is fantastic — we all know that — but I don’t think I realized going in just how hilarious she is when it comes to improv. I’ve worked with so many improv actors, and my background is in sketch, improv, and narrative storytelling, so I know how much of an art form it is. She was incredible. So much of what we came up with on set ended up in the movie. The chemistry between the cast was amazing because we were all really playing and riffing off each other.
From the start, I set the tone on set: we’d do it as scripted first, get that solid take, and then we’d play. We’d ask, How can we make this funnier? How can we push it? Because the whole cast was so talented, even that first take — just sticking to the script — was totally usable. That gave us the freedom to experiment in later takes, which isn’t always the case. They really understood their characters, so the improv came from a place that felt authentic and was always usable in the story.
I think audiences will really love the chemistry and comedy that jumps off the screen, but on top of that, there’s a mystery element, a big twist, and we fully embraced the true crime obsession that everyone loves.
Yitzi: That’s great. You know, I once interviewed one of the TV directors from The Office. She told me that a lot of people assume the show was mostly improv, but in reality, almost nothing was improvised — it was all scripted. She said that whenever they did try improv, it was never as good as the writing the writers had already done. That’s interesting, but it seems like, in your case, the improv actually made the comedy even better. Is there a secret to creating improv that’s as strong — or even stronger — than the carefully written dialogue?
Laura: I think the trick is what I call guided improv. I’m sure it was similar on The Office — those actors knew their characters so well. And in their case, they had some of the most seasoned, incredible writers, so you really couldn’t top what was already on the page.
For us, the script was written primarily as a thriller, with comedy as a secondary element. But my background is in comedy, so when they brought me in, they knew I was there to really elevate that aspect. The key was making sure that, whenever we pushed things in the comedy space, it always came from a place that made sense for the characters.
To do that, the actors had to deeply understand their characters — especially their insecurities. Every joke was there for a reason. It either pushed the story forward, revealed something about the character, or contributed to the film’s underlying themes. And the cast totally got that.
So much of the improv was amazing — honestly, a lot of it ended up on the cutting room floor just because we didn’t have time for it. But the outtakes are just as funny as what made it into the final cut.
Another big part of making the improv work was setting a very specific cinematic tone from the start. I was clear with everyone that, visually, this movie had to take itself seriously. It had to look and feel like a true thriller so that we could push the comedy without losing the tension.
When the cast started seeing dailies, they realized, Oh, this actually looks like a thriller. That was intentional. I was heavily influenced by Hitchcock — especially Rear Window — as well as David Fincher. Our DP, Jonathan Hall, and our production designer, Olga Devuyst, and I poured over Gone Girl, Panic Room, and other Fincher films. That visual style anchored the thriller elements so that, even when we got a little silly with the comedy, audiences wouldn’t forget they were watching a thriller.
I didn’t want the thriller to get lost in the comedy, and I didn’t want the thriller to go so dark that we couldn’t bring people back with a laugh. We had to find that perfect balance, and I think that’s why so much of the improv made it into the movie. The thriller aspect was already locked in from the script — we didn’t need to add much there — but the comedy needed that extra energy to really pop.
The whole cast really rose to the occasion, and I’m so proud of how it all came together.
Yitzi: That’s great. Have you seen Knives Out and Glass Onion? To me, they seem like they have a similar idea — mixing a whodunit with comedy. How would you say F*** Marry Kill is different?
Laura: I think what they have in common, like you said, is that element of mystery combined with really funny, well-defined characters. In Knives Out and Glass Onion, each character is so distinct, and that’s part of what makes them so entertaining.
Knives Out especially reminded me of one of my favorite movies as a kid — Clue. It’s just a brilliant comedy. Obviously, Clue is a little more slapstick and goofy at times, but it’s still so sharp. Knives Out felt like an elevated version of that same kind of tone, and that’s something I definitely wanted to capture in F*** Marry Kill.
I wanted to hit that sweet spot where you’re excited by the thriller aspect, but you also know you’re going to laugh because the characters are so funny and quirky. So those films were definitely tonal inspirations. Another big inspiration was Game Night. Have you seen that? It’s a brilliant mix of genres. It’s a true action movie with a mystery-thriller element, but it’s also hilarious, with amazing performances and really unique characters. That was another major reference for us.
Yitzi: That’s great. I’ve noticed that if you look on IMDb, most highly rated movies are dramas or thrillers — very few are comedies. And even the brilliant comedies rarely have great ratings. They usually land around a six or seven. Why do you think that is? Is it just because comedy is harder to agree on?
Laura: I think it’s twofold. First, yes — comedy is incredibly subjective. It’s hard to make a comedy that lands with everyone. What one person finds hilarious, another might not get at all. So it’s naturally more challenging.
Also, you can’t really cheat in comedy. In a drama, you can have stunning cinematography and incredible performances, and even if the script isn’t perfect, those other elements can carry it. But in comedy, you need everything to hit — you need great writing, great performances, and great timing. If it doesn’t land, you know it doesn’t land.
I also think the international market plays a big role. Comedy doesn’t always translate well across cultures, so fewer pure comedies are getting made. I really miss that era of R-rated comedies — the Judd Apatow films, the Will Ferrell and Adam McKay movies. Those kinds of comedies just aren’t being made as much anymore, and I hope they make a comeback.
That said, these cross-genre movies — thriller-comedies, horror-comedies, action-comedies — are helping keep comedy alive in a way. Since they mix genres, they have broader international appeal, which helps justify making them. But I do miss those classic, laugh-out-loud, pure comedies. That’s what I grew up on.
At the end of the day, don’t we all just want to make Caddyshack?
Yitzi: That’s great. Do you think a theater is the best venue for comedy? Since a theater is such a specific setting, do you think TV or streaming might actually be better for comedy?
Laura: I think they’re both good for different reasons.
Watching a comedy in a theater, I always find myself laughing more because other people are laughing. Laughter is contagious, and being in a group amplifies that. I actually got to see a screening of F*** Marry Kill in a theater, which was the first time I’ve ever watched something I made on the big screen. It was awesome. Hearing people laugh together was so fulfilling — it even made me want to laugh more.
But at home, I don’t laugh out loud as much, even if I find something really funny. That said, some comedies actually work better at home because they’re so packed with jokes that you don’t want to miss anything. Shows like Girls5eva or 30 Rock — there’s so much happening, so many layered jokes, that I love being able to rewatch them and catch new things each time.
I think F*** Marry Kill strikes the perfect balance because it’s getting a limited theatrical release, so people can experience that group laughter in a theater, but it’ll also be available to watch at home. That way, if you have a kid and no babysitter, or you just want to watch it late at night, you can still enjoy it. And it’s the kind of movie you can rewatch, which I think makes it great for both formats.
Yitzi: Tell me more about BuzzFeed Studios. Is that a new thing, and what’s its focus?
Laura: Yeah! BuzzFeed Studios has actually made a few films already, so they’re a little more established, but when I first met with them before we shot, they were new to me.
The exciting thing about them is that they have this built-in audience that they understand better than anyone else. They know their demographic inside and out, and they’re really making projects that speak directly to that audience.
What really stood out to me when I first talked to them was their commitment to incorporating social messaging into their projects. That’s something I love — it’s what gets me excited. The concept of F*** Marry Kill was already really cool, but they also wanted to weave in some messaging in a way that felt natural and funny, specifically tackling the risks of online dating. And I thought, Oh, I love that.
What they’re doing really well is creating projects that are both smart and subversive while also scratching that pop culture itch. And that’s a hard thing to pull off — blending entertainment with meaningful commentary — but I think they’re doing it really successfully.
Yitzi: What lessons do you think our society can take from the themes of F*** Marry Kill?
Laura: I think one big lesson is — if you’re going to consume hours and hours of true crime content, just be mindful that you’re not slipping into full-blown paranoia.
I watch a lot of Dateline. I listen to true crime podcasts, I watch documentaries, and then I wonder, Why am I terrified of home invasion? Why do I wake up 40 times a night at every little noise? And it’s like, Oh, right — because I’m literally falling asleep to stories about murder.
So, maybe a good lesson is: don’t listen to true crime right before bed. Enjoy it in the morning, and then maybe do a meditation app at night. Balance it out.
On a more serious note, the film also highlights the real risks of dating. Those risks can range from something small — like just picking the wrong person, someone who’s annoying or a little unhinged — to something actually dangerous, especially for women.
If there’s one lesson I’d hope men, in particular, might take away from the movie, it’s this: go just a little above and beyond to show you’re not a serial killer. That’s all. Nothing crazy. Just be mindful.
Like, don’t SILENTLY CHASE someone home to return SOMETHING THEY DROPPED. OR If you’re getting in an elevator and A woman IS THERE WHO seems hesitant, just say, “No worries, I’ll take the next one.” Little things like that.
Women spend a lot of time thinking about personal safety. It would be nice if guys took a second to put themselves in our (very high-heeled, hard-to-run-in) shoes.
Yitzi: So this is our signature question. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success. Looking back to when you first started, you probably learned a lot of lessons. For someone just starting out in the industry, can you share five things you learned the hard way? Five things you know now that you wish you knew earlier?
Laura: Okay. Some of these I did by accident, and they worked out. Some of them I didn’t do. So I think it’s a good mix.
One — don’t burn any bridges. Every relationship I had, I maintained. I handled everything as fairly as I could, treated everybody respectfully, and some of the people I worked with early on, I still work with now because they’ve moved on to bigger positions, and I have great relationships with them. That’s very important.
I also think that in every professional interaction, I try to approach it with the mindset that I want the other person to leave feeling better than they did when they came in. That applies to conversations with actors, crew, everyone. If you focus on making things better, which is really just creative problem-solving, you’ll get good at it on an interpersonal level. And that skill will help when you’re making 200 creative decisions in 24 hours on set.
Next — be patient with yourself and your art. This is kind of inspired by something I heard Ira Glass say, and I probably won’t say it as eloquently as he did. But when you’re first starting out, you know you want to make something great, but you don’t yet have the skills to execute it. The skills come with practice. You have to stick with it through that phase where your work isn’t coming out the way you want. It’s really about having grace with yourself. You won’t get to the point of being happy with your work unless you keep doing it. So push through that really rough period — or be delusional enough that you don’t realize you’re bad. Whichever works better for you.
Another one — I think hiring a publicist if you have a project is a good idea. I should have done that for several of my projects. Shoutout to Katie. I don’t know how much we want to include that, but it is a lesson I’ve learned.
And lastly — be on set as much as possible. That’s the biggest takeaway. I didn’t go to film school. I studied journalism and thought I wanted to be a writer, but I was always creative and found my way into filmmaking by being on set, staying quiet, and absorbing everything I could. I’m sure film school teaches a lot of valuable technical skills, but I don’t think you can fully learn set etiquette until you’ve been on set many times. That’s when you absorb the most — learning the language of the industry and how the machine works.
Whether you’re a PA, shadowing someone, interning — whatever you can do to be on different sets, with different budgets, genres, and directing styles, do it. The more you expose yourself to, the better. It’ll help you figure out what you really want to do and what kind of content you want to create. And it’s also how you learn the inner workings of the industry, which is so important.
Yitzi: Okay. Can you share with the readers any self-care routines you do to help your body, mind, and heart thrive?
Laura: Yes. Wow, okay. Well, my self-care routines when I’m not shooting are very different from when I am shooting.
When I’m not shooting — like today — after I dropped my kid off at school, I went for a walk on the beach. I love water, and I find that’s when I work things out in my brain — walking and water. So that’s an important part of my self-care when I’m not working.
When I am working, the one thing I always have is shots of ginger. Ginger shots are very important. They’re like little energy boosts because energy drinks — like Red Bull — will kill you. Big fan of ginger shots. Also, getting enough sleep is huge.
I meditate. I should do it twice a day, but I usually only get to it once. I practice transcendental meditation, which I really think helps open up my brain to creative problem-solving.
I also consume a lot of media. I think comedy is a muscle, and you have to keep using it. Sometimes, just watching comedy is a way to keep that muscle active. I also write, but when I’m directing a project, I don’t have a lot of time for that. Directing actors, improvising, and playing with ideas on set is its own version of writing.
It might sound like an excuse to binge-watch TV under the label of “research,” but I really believe that part of self-care is giving my brain a break from making things and just letting it consume things for the enjoyment of it. Taking inspiration from that is super helpful.
Yitzi: Do you watch things with a pen and paper and jot down notes or ideas?
Laura: No. You know what’s funny? I’ve always been such a consumer of movies and TV. As a kid, I just loved comedy. If I try to watch something with the intent to take notes, I can’t do it. I get so sucked into what I’m watching that I completely forget I’m supposed to be learning from it.
What I’ve found helpful — and this is good advice for people coming from a writing background or those who approach directing with a focus on working with actors rather than being naturally visual — is watching things with the sound off.
There are directors who are just innately visual, and then there are people like me — where story, comedy, performance, and blocking come first. Early on, the visual aspect was probably the last thing I thought about. But I learned it by watching things with the sound off.
I’ll find visually striking films or shows and watch them on mute while I work — while I’m doing shot maps or breaking down a script visually. It makes such a difference. You can learn visual language. Even if lensing and framing don’t come naturally to you, if you have taste, you can develop that skill.
I think a lot of people get intimidated by that. I definitely did. When I first started directing, I had imposter syndrome because I didn’t go to film school. But over time, the more I did it and the more I paid attention to visually inspiring work, the better I got.
Now, one of my calling cards is making comedy that looks visually striking — not how a traditional comedy might look. Watching things with the sound off is a great way to learn that.
Yitzi: Have you seen the latest AI video tools? As an outsider — someone who doesn’t know the industry — it kind of feels like, uh oh, some directors and actors are going to be out of business soon. What’s the industry perspective on that? Is there confidence, like “don’t worry, we’re safe,” or is there real fear that AI will get so good people can make full-length movies with it?
Laura: I think there are mixed feelings about it. There’s definitely some fear, but optimistically, there’s also a belief that the human element of filmmaking is so important — to the story, to the performances, to the overall look — that we’re all hopeful AI just won’t ever get there.
That said, there are some areas where AI is incredibly helpful. Things like AD scheduling — technical, repetitive tasks where AI can fill in the blanks. But at some point, there has to be a human element for creative problem-solving, and that can’t always be data-driven. In art, gut instinct becomes more important than data. So I personally remain hopeful that AI will never replace that — the instinct to solve creative problems in ways that data alone wouldn’t suggest.
But we all know the limitations AI has now aren’t going to last forever. It’s going to keep getting better, and there is some fear about that.
What concerns me isn’t so much full AI-generated movies — because if an AI makes a movie, then it’s an AI movie, and if people want to watch that, they will. What worries me more is the mixed use of AI in ways that could take control away from directors in post-production.
For example, as a director, you get your director’s cut. Let’s say you have a scene where it’s really important for a character not to smile. Maybe the weight of that moment matters to the story, or it’s setting up something for later. But then, let’s say the studio or whoever decides — based on data — that there need to be 26 minutes of smiling in the movie. With AI, after I turn in my director’s cut, they could go back in, digitally alter actors’ faces, and make them smile. That kind of AI manipulation could undermine the original creative intent, and that’s what makes me nervous. It’s these subtle AI changes that, over time, could fundamentally alter the way movies are made.
You know, I have a five-year-old son. By the time he’s 15, there will probably be fully AI-generated movies, and he might be like, “Oh, that’s my thing. I’m into AI movies.” Just like some people are into sci-fi, maybe some people will be into AI-made films.
Ideally, though, that would be just one genre of moviemaking, and the other 90% would still be people making movies the way we do now. That would be my ideal world — where AI has its own niche, and human-made films continue to exist alongside it. Hopefully, they can coexist separately.
Yitzi: Good point. Beautiful. I read that you have a love for boxing, jumpsuits, and cheese. Tell us more.
Laura: When I was growing up, my dad’s best friend was a boxing trainer, Joe Ferriella, so I was around boxing a lot as a kid. Then, when I got into my early 20s, I thought, “Oh, I kind of want to do this,” so I did. I trained as a boxer, had a couple of unsanctioned amateur fights, and then realized I have zero bloodlust. I liked doing it as a hobby, so I kept it as a hobby. I love watching boxing — I’m a fan of the sport. It’s a great workout, and I don’t need to punch anybody in the face ever again. Now that I’ve done it, I can cross it off the list.
If you’re going to eat as much cheese as I do, you kind of have to box to balance it out, I guess. Although, honestly, I’ve been more on the cheese and less on the boxing lately.
There was a period when I did a promo shoot at MTV where all the wardrobe was jumpsuits. We had all these extra jumpsuits, so I put one on, and I have to say — it changed my approach to dressing on set for a decade. I was like, “Oh, it’s one piece, it has pockets, and I don’t have to think about two different items of clothing in the morning.” So for a long time, I just wore jumpsuits. That was my thing, whether I was on a commercial, film, or TV set — I was the jumpsuit person.
Then I realized it’s really hard to go to the bathroom in them. At some point, I wore one on a plane and thought, “Oh, this is bad.” Going to the bathroom on a plane in a jumpsuit? Not ideal. It’s touching the floor, and if you’re shooting on location with a porta-potty, you definitely don’t want the sleeves of your jumpsuit touching the ground. So I moved away from them a little, but I still have about 30 and definitely appreciate them.
I really love a formal jumpsuit. If I have to dress up for something, I’ll 100% go for a dressy jumpsuit if I can.
The Kill Bill jumpsuit is an iconic jumpsuit. My style is more utilitarian — Carhartt is more my vibe. But if I’m dressing up, I’d go for something more fitted.
I know jumpsuits and onesies are often shown as the clothing of the future in movies, but let’s be real — that was clearly a male costume designer who didn’t take into account that women have to take them off to sit down and pee. It’s really not that practical.
Yitzi: Okay, wonderful. So this is our aspirational question. Because of your amazing work and the platform you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be?
Laura: Oh boy. I think it goes back to the Girl Code thing. At my core, I’m always going to ask: How can I help women, especially women of color? How can I help girls?
If I had to distill it down to one simple message — because there’s obviously so much — it would be about having grace with yourself, learning to be comfortable in your own skin, and making sure you’re not doing that at the expense of others. That was a big part of Girl Code: Can we laugh at ourselves without tearing each other down? How can we lift each other up instead of stepping on one another?
A lot of that comes from confidence — figuring out how to be comfortable in who you are without needing to diminish someone else in the process. That’s a hard lesson to learn, but if I could magically clap my hands and have everyone focus on making things better by first being better people ourselves — and then bringing others along with us — I would.
There isn’t a finite number of success stories, but we often forget that. It feels like we’re competing because, at some point, we were. For women, for people of color, there were — and still are, to some degree — fewer opportunities. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be more. Success isn’t a limited resource. So instead of seeing it as competition, we should be asking: How can we elevate each other and succeed together?
I know that’s a broad and heavy answer, but that’s where my mind goes.
Yitzi: Beautiful. How can our readers watch F*** Marry Kill? How can they watch your other work? And how can they support you in any way?
Laura: F*** Marry Kill will be in select theaters and streaming on March 7th, so check your local theaters to see if it’s playing near you. Obviously, the more people who see it in theaters, the better — that would be awesome. But it’ll also be available on pay-per-view and on-demand.
Another movie I did, Cursed Friends, is available for streaming. It’s a spooky comedy that originally aired on Comedy Central, and it’s a really fun watch.
I also worked on Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens. I did a lot of episodes of that, and it’s available for streaming. If people haven’t seen it, it’s such a fun show.
And I’m always on Instagram — @bestlauraever. That’s the best place to find me.
And yeah, go see F*** Marry Kill! I’m excited to hear what people think of it — unless they hate it. Then, you know, you don’t have to tell me. But if you even kind of like it, I’ll take it.
Yitzi: Amazing, amazing. Laura, it’s been so nice to meet you. This has been an amazing conversation. Usually, I end these a little sooner, but I was having such a good time. Really, I learned a lot from you, and I really appreciate your wisdom, experience, and kindness.
Laura: Oh, thanks! This was great. You had such thoughtful questions — they really challenged me in a fun way. So, thank you for that.
Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Filmmaker Laura Murphy Of ‘F Marry Kill’ Is Helping To Shake… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.