Michelle Paradise

Michelle Paradise, born January 12, 1972, in sunny San Diego, California, is one of those multi-hyphenate types who just keeps popping up in the coolest corners of TV. If you’ve binged Star Trek: Discovery, you’ve already seen her fingerprints all over that wild, sprawling universe—she’s been at the helm as a producer and writer, steering starships and storylines with equal gusto since 2017. No big deal, just reinventing one of the most iconic sci-fi franchises ever. Before she was wrangling Klingons and boldly going where no TV writer had gone before, Michelle left her mark on supernatural drama with The Originals (2013). That show? Pure chaos, ancient vampires, family feuds, and some of the most backstabbing plot twists you’ll see on network TV. Her writing brought a sharp wit and a real sense of heart to the brooding, immortal shenanigans in New Orleans. If you like your drama with fangs and a side of family therapy, that was definitely your jam. But hey, wind the clock back a bit and you'll hit Exes & Ohs (2007), a smart, snarky comedy about love and relationships from a lesbian perspective, way before it was trendy or mainstream. Michelle didn’t just write it—she starred in it too, flexing her comedic chops and showing off her knack for authentic, awkward, totally relatable storytelling. Basically, she’s been pushing TV forward, making it funnier, bolder, and way more interesting for decades now.