How Jenji Kohan carved a dark, unconventional path through the heart of Hollywood
In short: Born into a prominent show business family, Jenji Kohan initially struggled to find her footing in the industry. While her brother pursued commercial sitcom success, Kohan leaned into her darker sensibilities. This creative divergence eventually led her to redefine television through hit series like Weeds and Orange Is the New Black.
Born in Los Angeles in 1969, Jenji Kohan grew up surrounded by the industry. Her father, Buz Kohan, was a celebrated writer and producer known for his work on the Oscars, while her mother, Rhea, was a novelist and writer. Despite this pedigree, Kohan’s early career was far from seamless. Her first industry role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a difficult introduction, and she later navigated various writing rooms, including stints on Friends and Mad About You. She eventually collaborated with her brother, David Kohan, on projects like Will & Grace and the short-lived sitcom The Stones, though she noted that their creative paths were fundamentally different.
Kohan’s breakthrough came when she embraced her own darker, less conventional voice. As the creator and showrunner of Weeds, she established a distinct style that she continued to refine at her Los Angeles-based studio, Tilted Productions. Her subsequent work on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, adapted from Piper Kerman’s memoir, further cemented her influence. This project arrived during a shift in television distribution, where Netflix’s model of releasing full seasons at once enabled binge-viewing. Because Netflix does not provide traditional ratings, Kohan has operated in a space where the exact viewership of her most-watched series remains unknown.
Beyond her writing and producing, Kohan has expanded her footprint in Los Angeles by purchasing the historic Hayworth Theatre. She uses the space for production and post-production, with plans to restore the auditorium for live performances. A practicing Reform Jew, Kohan balances her professional life with her family in the Los Feliz neighborhood. Her career remains defined by her ability to navigate the system while maintaining the creative independence that allowed her to produce nine Emmy-nominated projects, including her win for Tracey Takes On... in the mid-1990s.
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