The Business
Creative Space
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 50 NOVEMBER 6, 2019
Photographed by Damon CasarezJohn Wells
Among TV’s most successful drama writers,
the Shameless showrunner now sets his eyes
on an empire — with plans to expand his
series load from two to 15 By Lesley GoldbergJ
ohn Wells is quick to remind
guests at his sprawling head-
quarters about his 30-year
legacy in television — or at least
his greatest hits. Parking spaces
greeting visitors to the Hollywood
enclave are labeled with names
such as Bartlet (Martin Sheen’s
West W ing president) and Ross
(George Clooney’s ER doc), a tip
of the hat to some of the marquee
series on the writer-producer’s
TV résumé.
Its interior carefully decorated
with black-and-white photos and
classic movie posters, John Wells
Productions’ 3-year-old office
bustles with 20 staffers work-
ing on two shows (Showtime’s
Shameless, returning Nov. 10, andTNT’s Animal Kingdom) as well as
a jam-packed development slate
of 13 new projects. For Wells, 63,
consolidating two writers rooms
with a few floating offices, where
scribes can work on practice
pitches, into one airy space — a
mere eight-minute walk from
the home the father of two shares
with his psychologist wife — is away to avoid losing time driving
around town.
Prepping an ambitious next
act under his latest Warner Bros.
deal (he’s been with the studio
since 1986), the former WGA
West president opens up about
the standoff between writers
and agencies, Shameless’ first
season without Emmy Rossum