Quick Facts
Biography
Emily Wachtel is a writer, actress, and producer, born in New York, New York to Sylvia and Jesse Wachtel, the youngest of three sisters (Kathryn and Martha), and first cousin once-removed of legendary guitar player Waddy Wachtel. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, where she studied with Sanford Meisner, Wachtel co-wrote, produced and acted in the recently released, semi-autobiographical film Lucky Them starring Toni Collette, Thomas Haden Church, Johnny Depp, and Oliver Platt.
Life and career
Wachtel used her author's pseudonym, Ellie Klug, as the name of her main character in Lucky Them, as well as her own experience in music and dating scenes. Her pseudonym appeared in several publications and for a column in the "Fairfield Weekly." The Indie film premiered at the September 2013 Toronto International Film Festival to positive reviews from outlets such as Variety, The Huffington Post, Screen Daily, and The Hollywood Reporter.
Wachtel executive produced the documentary, "Shepard and Dark," on playwright, actor, and director Sam Shepard which was featured at The Cannes International Film Festival in May 2013.
In 2016 Wachtel produced a music video of the song "Let Me Be Your Girl" for singer songwriter Rachael Yamagata which was directed by Josh Radnor, and starred actress Allison Janney.
Wachtel serves on the board of the Greenwich International Film Festival, which hosted a June, 2014 "hometown premiere" of Lucky Them in her hometown of Stamford, Connecticut.
Wachtel serves on the international Board of Governors for Serious Fun Network, a non-profit consisting of Paul Newman's camps for children with cancer and other blood-related diseases and is involved in several other philanthropic efforts.