Overview

Emily V. Gordon (born May 3, 1979) is an American writer, producer and podcast host. She is widely known for co‑writing the 2017 romantic comedy film The Big Sick, a semi‑autobiographical screenplay based on her relationship with comedian Kumail Nanjiani. Gordon’s work spans film, live comedy production and audio media; she often combines personal experience, humor and illness narratives in her creative projects.

Career and creative work

Gordon has worked in multiple roles across entertainment and media. Her career includes writing for film, producing live comedy events, and hosting or creating audio programming. She helped develop and produce a live comedy series with Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani that later became a television project, and has collaborated with Comedy Central on several occasions. Gordon’s approach to storytelling frequently blends memoir with broader commentary about relationships, culture and health.

The Big Sick

The Big Sick, released in 2017, adapts Gordon’s real‑life courtship and medical crisis into a feature film. Co‑written with Kumail Nanjiani, the screenplay was praised for its balance of humor and emotional honesty. The pair received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for their work on the film. The movie brought public attention to Gordon’s experiences and to the way intimate personal events can be dramatized for mainstream audiences.

Other projects and collaborations

Outside of feature writing, Gordon has produced live comedy shows and worked repeatedly with television and comedy outlets, including a series developed with Comedy Central. She has also been involved in podcasting and other audio formats, using the medium to explore topics from relationships to health. Her collaborations often cross between stage, screen and radio/podcast platforms.

Personal life and health

Gordon met Kumail Nanjiani at a comedy show in Chicago where he was performing; the city has figured in accounts of their early relationship and is referenced in interviews and the film’s backstory. During the early months of their courtship, Gordon experienced a severe medical crisis: she became critically ill and was placed in a medically induced coma before ultimately receiving a diagnosis of adult‑onset Still’s disease, an inflammatory condition. She recovered from the acute episode, and the couple later married approximately one year after they first met. The experience of serious illness and recovery is central to much of Gordon’s public work and commentary.

Recognition and significance

Gordon’s work on The Big Sick brought her international recognition and critical acclaim, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay shared with Nanjiani. Beyond awards, her career is noted for turning personal adversity into widely accessible storytelling and for bridging comedy with candid discussions about health. Her collaborations and productions have helped to expand the presence of improvisational and alternative comedy in mainstream media.

Notable works

  • The Big Sick (co‑writer, 2017)
  • Live comedy production and series work with Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani
  • Podcasting and audio projects addressing culture, relationships and health

For more on the people and places connected to Gordon’s story, see references to Kumail Nanjiani, Comedy Central projects at Comedy Central, and accounts of the pair’s meeting in Chicago.