In high school, Rejon would "borrow a friend's camera" and "make shorts in lieu of presenting a report in front of the class."[2] He began his professional career as personal assistant to Martin Scorsese, Nora Ephron, Robert De Niro and Alejandro González Iñárritu before transitioning into a second unit director for feature films, and becoming a television and commercial director.[3] Much of his time as a personal assistant was spent on the sets of major motion pictures.[4] Gomez-Rejon then gained extensive experience as a second unit director, including such films as Babel, Julie & Julia and Argo.[5] He cast most of the "unknown parts" in Babel, which earned him a chance to assist Ryan Murphy in finding authentic Balinese personnel for Eat Pray Love.[6]
Television commercials
Prior to and during the September 21, 2010 season 2 premiere (episode "Audition") of Glee, American Express aired a commercial for its Members Project entitled "Don't Be A Sue", in reference to Glee character Sue Sylvester who has no regard for the arts and public service.[7][8]
On November 30, 2011, T-Mobile announced a surprise event at the Woodfield Mall.[11] On December 1, 2011, Gomez-Rejon directed about six surprise singing and dancing mall performances of "Home for the Holidays" by Carly Foulkes and 100 Chicago-area women in magenta dresses. The performances were later edited into a music video with the hope that it would go viral.[12][13] The full video that has been posted on YouTube has a run time of 3:48 and it will be presented in a 60-second national television commercial starting on December 12. The video was produced by Ridley Scott and Tony Scott's RSA Films.[14] The musical director was Paul Mirkovich.[15]
Television programs
Eventually Murphy sought Gomez-Rejon to direct Glee,[6] where he earned his first episodic television directorial credits for executive producers Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Dante Di Loreto.[16] He credits Murphy for nurturing his early development.[6] In season 1, he directed "Laryngitis" (episode 18, May 11, 2010).[17] In season 2, he directed "Grilled Cheesus" (episode 3, October 5, 2010),[18] "A Very Glee Christmas" (episode 10, December 7, 2010)[19] and "Born This Way" (episode 18, April 26, 2011).[20] In season 3, he directed "Asian F" (episode 3, October 4, 2011).[21]
A new show by Murphy, Falchuk and Di Loreto as executive producers, American Horror Story, debuted in October 2011,[22] and Gomez-Rejon has directed two episodes from the first season: "Home Invasion" (episode 2, October 12, 2011)[23] and "Birth" (episode 11, December 14, 2011).[24] Rejon later returned for the second and third season.[4]
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, which he directed, was a selection for the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.[28] It won the award as well as the US drama audience prize.[29]
Gomez-Rejon was attached to direct Will Smith in the New York-set indie drama Collateral Beauty, scripted by Allan Loeb.[30][31] However, he later dropped out of the project due to creative differences.[32]
On November 13, 2015, Gomez-Rejon is set to direct Let It Bleed, a crime thriller based on his early life in Laredo, Texas.[34] On March 31, 2016, Gomez-Rejon is set to direct the film adaptation of Delia Ephron's novel Siracusa[35] On May 6, 2016, Gomez-Rejon is set to direct the film A Foreigner based on David Grann's 2011 article A Murder Foretold, starring Oscar Isaac.[36] On April 12, 2018, Gomez-Rejon is set to direct Limelight, the biopic of Peter Gatien the owner of the nightclub of the same name for Amazon Studios.[37] On November 7, 2019, Gomez-Rejon is set to direct the Walter Cronkite film Newsflash with Chris Pine set to portray Cronkite.[38]
Personal life
Alfonso, who is of Mexican American descent, was born and raised in Laredo, Texas on the US/Mexico border where he attended St. Augustine High School.[2][39] He received his BFA from New York University and his MFA from the AFI Conservatory.[40] He dedicated Me and Earl and the Dying Girl to his father, Julio C. Gomez Rejon, MD.[41]
