Adam Shankman

Adam Shankman is an American director, producer, choreographer, and writer who is openly gay. He began his career as a dancer in musical theater and music videos before transitioning into choreography and then directing feature films, going on to helm major studio projects including The Wedding Planner (2001), A Walk to Remember (2002), Hairspray (2007), Rock of Ages (2012), and Disenchanted (2022), while also serving as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance (2005). Throughout his career, Shankman has described his work as often carrying a "queer-coded" sensibility shaped by his perspective, noting that he has "dupe[d] straight audiences into laughing at [his] incredibly queer humor." In 2026, he directed the RuPaul-led disaster comedy Stop! That! Train! (2026), which he called his first project that is "so full-frontally queer," marking a major milestone after decades working in mainstream Hollywood. Beyond his film and television work, Shankman has also been active in LGBTQ+ advocacy, including serving on the board of The Trevor Project, which supports LGBTQ+ youth.