“I grew up in a small Southern town, and there were white people and black people. Coming to New York to go to Columbia, every time I went into the subway I was absolutely astounded because you see people from all over the world who actually live here - who aren't just here as tourists.”

American playwright, author, and screenwriter

Tony Kushner is an American playwright, author, and screenwriter. He is best known for Angels in America, the stage work that brought him both a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, and later became an acclaimed HBO miniseries. His career also includes a series of film collaborations with Steven Spielberg at the turn of the 21st century. In 2013, he received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama. He is also among the few writers to have been nominated for an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.