About:
Danielle is a transgender film and TV critic based in Chicago, Illinois. She originally moved to Chicago for improv, somehow—weirdly—becoming a film critic along the way. Solzman is a member of the Critics Choice Association, Galeca: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, the Online Association of Female Film Critics, the Online Film Critics Society, and the Online Film & Television Association. When not watching a gazillion movies, writing about them, or reading books about film, Danielle (tries to) find time to write feature-length screenplays.
We asked Danielle Solzman a for a few more details about herself—here’s what she shared:
📚 Which books do you recommend to others?
“Lunatics” by Alan Zweibel and Dave Barry. The book is hysterical and it’s one of the few books that I automatically recommend whenever anyone asks. I read a lot of books during the pandemic but “Lunatics” is the one that I keep going back to when people are asking.
🎶 What is your theme song?
Chances are likely that it’s composed by John Williams. After all, he composed the score to my childhood: Whether it’s “Jurassic Park”, “Indiana Jones”, “Star Wars”, “Jaws”, “E.T.”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, or whatever, the man knows how to compose music that stays with people years after hearing it for the first time.
🎥 Where is the best destination you’ve been?
It’s way too close between the Western Wall in Jerusalem and numerous sites in Los Angeles to choose just one. The Western Wall holds importance to me as it is the holiest site in Jerusalem. On the entertainment side of things, there’s so much film history that took place at the likes of the Disney Studios and Warner Bros lots in Burbank and the Paramount lot in Hollywood. That doesn’t even begin to take into account the Dolby Theatre and my hope of one day winning an Oscar in the building.
🎬 If you had chosen another path in life, what might you be doing now?
Once upon a time, I wanted to be President of the United States but I’ll settle for playing a president in a feature film if I must. It’s funny what seeing an improv / sketch comedy show will do to someone. It took me back to my roots of wanting to go into entertainment and the rest is history.
✌️ If you had one wish to improve the world, what would you change?
It’s a cliche to say world peace, but it’s so true—that and stop taking rights away from people. If I could push a button and bring peace to the Middle East, I would. Unfortunately, no such button exists.
