THE
WRITER
JUSTIN MARKS
Why Austin: Screenwriter Justin
Marks attributes much of his success
in Hollywood to his decision to move
from there to Austin two years ago with
his dogs and wife, Rachel Kondo,
a fel-
low at UT's Michener Center. Marks—
who wrote the script for Disney's
upcoming live-action adaptation of
The
Jungle Book,
starring Scarlett Johansson,
Idris Elba, and Bill Murray—is now writ-
ing the much-anticipated sequel to Top
Gun,
which will bring back Tom Cruise
as Maverick. He and Kondo
have laid
down roots in Crestview, where, every
day, Marks rides his bike to Little Deli
for lunch. "It provides this true peace,"
he says. "You get up in the morning and
it's quiet, and you go grab a coffee and
feel like you see the same faces every
day. It's the place to write."
His Destiny: Growing up in
Houston, Marks saw
Top Gun in the
theater seven glorious times. "From the
opening frame, the sound of the score,
and the way the carrier was shot in the
magic hour of light, I knew then that I'd
never seen any experience like what a
movie could be, and I wanted to write
them," he says. "I've kind of been writ-
ing the movie my whole life."
What's Next:
While in Austin,
Marks got into a magical rhythm
and churned out the script for the
upcoming Starz series Counterpart, an
espionage thriller starring Oscar winner
J.K. Simmons, set to go into produc-
tion early next year. With showrunner
added to his résumé, Marks has never
been busier. Good thing Thunderbird
serves strong coffee.
Cotton Polo, Ermenegildo Zegna ($275). Neiman
Marcus, The Domain, 512-719-1200; zegna.com
opposite page: Jacket, Coach ($795). Barton Creek
Square, 512-330-9929; coach.com. Shirt,
DSquared2 ($580). Saks Fifth Avenue, North Star
Mall, San Antonio, 210-341-4111; saks.com.
Black denim pants, Dolce & Gabbana ($675).
Neiman Marcus, see above; dolcegabbana.com
Sunglasses, stylist's own
in his wor ds: "I've never
done writing in my life
like I've done when I'm
in Austin."
