Jonathan Murray

Jonathan Murray

Birthday: October 26
Birthplace: Gulfport, Mississippi

Widely credited with helping to usher in the modern reality television genre with his late partner Mary-Ellis Bunim, Jonathan Murray continues to inspire, influence and entertain television audiences worldwide. Since the launch of The Real World on MTV in 1992, Murray has created and executive produced some of the industry’s most innovative, unscripted, entertainment television programs including Born This Way (A&E) which documents the lives of young adults with Down Syndrome and their families. 

Widely credited with helping to usher in the modern reality television genre with his late partner Mary-Ellis Bunim, Jonathan Murray continues to inspire, influence and entertain television audiences worldwide. Since the launch of The Real World on MTV in 1992, Murray has created and executive produced some of the industry’s most innovative, unscripted, entertainment television programs including Born This Way (A&E) which documents the lives of young adults with Down Syndrome and their families. 

Besides The Real World, which is in its 31st season, Murray has executive produced Project Runway, Project Runway All Stars, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Total Divas, Road Rules, The Challenge, The Simple Life, Starting Over (Emmy Award), and Making the Band, as well as the feature film The Real Cancun, the television movie Pedro, and the documentaries Autism: The Musical (Emmy Award), Shadow Billionaire, Valentine Road, and They Call Us Monsters, which premieres in June 2016 at the LA Film Festival.

Jonathan Murray graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and currently lives in Los Angeles. Murray serves on the Board of Trustees of Semester at Sea and Respectability USA, and is on the Board of Governors of the Television Academy.

Jonathan Murray was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame with his producing partner Mary-Ellis Bunim in 2012.

 

 

 

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Awards & Nominations

14 Nominations | 2 Emmys | 1 Honor
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program - 2019
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Born This Way
  • A&E
  • Bunim/Murray Productions
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program - 2018
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Born This Way
  • A&E
  • Bunim/Murray Productions
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - 2018
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Project Runway
  • Lifetime
  • Bunim/Murray Productions, Full Picture Entertainment, Heidi Klum Company
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - 2017
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Project Runway
  • Lifetime
  • The Weinstein Company, Bunim/Murray Productions, Full Picture Entertainment and Heidi Klum Company
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program - 2017
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Born This Way
  • A&E
  • Bunim/Murray Productions
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - 2016
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Project Runway
  • Lifetime
  • The Weinstein Company
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program - 2016
  • Winner
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Born This Way
  • A&E
  • Bunim/Murray Productions
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - 2015
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Project Runway
  • Lifetime
  • The Weinstein Company, Bunim/Murray Productions and Full Picture Entertainment
Outstanding Reality-competition Program - 2014
Outstanding Reality - Competition Program - 2013
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray
  • Project Runway
  • Lifetime
  • The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture
Hall of Fame - 2012
  • Winner
  • Jonathan Murray, as Honoree
Outstanding Reality - Competition Program - 2012
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Project Runway
  • Lifetime
  • The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture
Outstanding Reality - Competition Program - 2011
  • Nominee
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Project Runway
  • Lifetime
  • The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture
Outstanding Nonfiction Special - 2008
  • Winner
  • Jonathan Murray, Executive Producer
  • Autism: The Musical
  • HBO
  • Bunim-Murray Productions and In Effect Films in association with HBO Documentary Films

The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more

Jonathan Murray and Margaret Loesch
The Interviews 25th Anniversary
Jonathan Murray and Cris Abrego
2018 Casting Directors Nominee Reception
Jonathan Murray arrives at the 21st Annual Hall of Fame Gala
Fill 1
Fill 1
Jonathan Murray and Margaret Loesch
Camera

Executives and Television Academy Foundation board members Jonathan Murray and Margaret Loesch

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
The Interviews 25th Anniversary
Camera

Jonathan Murray, from left, Judy Crown, Julie Ann Johnson, Margaret Loesch, Lori Openden, Alan Perris, Asaad Kelada, James Hong, Geri Jewell, John Shaffner, Dr. Walter Dishell, Don Enright, Bob Mackie, Lloyd J. Schwartz, JoAnne Worley, J. Michael Straczynski, Michael Learned, Ron Cowen, Sandra Lee Gimpel and Daniel Lipman at The Interviews 25th Anniversary Celebration.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP images
Jonathan Murray and Cris Abrego
Camera

Jonathan Murray and Cris Abrego arrive at the 2021 Emmys Golf Classic.

Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP Images
2018 Casting Directors Nominee Reception
Camera

Jonathan Murray, Kentaro Kameyama, Alissa Haight Carlton, Jen DeMartino, Sasha Alpert, and Rebecca Snavely at the Television Academy's 2018 Casting Directors Nominee Reception at Mr. C Beverly Hills on Thursday, September 6, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California.

Invision/AP
Camera

Jonathan Murray

Jonathan Murray arrives at the 21st Annual Hall of Fame Gala
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PictureGroup
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