John Waters (b. 1946, Baltimore, Maryland) is an American filmmaker, writer, and artist known for his transgressive and cult-classic films that explore subversive humor, sexuality, and outsider culture. He gained prominence in the 1970s with films such as Pink Flamingos (1972) and Female Trouble (1974), characterized by their shocking imagery and darkly comic sensibility. Waters has also directed mainstream films including Hairspray (1988) and Serial Mom (1994). In addition to filmmaking, he is a published author, visual artist, and curator, and has exhibited photography and installations internationally. Waters’s work has had a lasting influence on independent cinema and queer culture.
