Career Highlights
- Steve Lopez is the author of non-fiction novel "The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music". The book was based on his friendship with Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man with an extraordinary life story
- The film, The Soloist, is based on his novel featuring Robert Downey Jr. (Mr. Lopez) and Jamie Foxx (Mr. Ayers). Movie opens in theatres April 24, 2009
- Has worked as a columnist for the Los Angeles Times since May 2001
- Prior to working at the LA Times, Steve wrote for Time Inc., Life, Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly
- Has won numerous journalism awards for several publications
- Graduate of San Jose State University
Steve Lopez graduated from San Jose University and began his career as a columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Jose Mercury News and the Oakland Tribune. He then moved on to become a writer for Time, Inc., which included writing for Life, Sports Illustrated and Entertainment Weekly. In 2001 Lopez began writing for the LA Times. Lopez has won numerous journalism awards for several publications including the 2008 President’s Award from the Los Angeles Press Club at the 50th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards.
Lopez has also authored three novels and the non-fiction book The Soloist: A Lost Dream, An Unlikely Friendship, And The Redemptive Power of Music. The Soloist is based on columns Lopez wrote for the LA Times about his friendship with a downtown Los Angeles musician, Nathaniel Ayers. Lopez befriended Ayers, a homeless man with an incredible story, and found out that he was once a promising violinist who left the music program at the Julliard School due to his struggle with mental illness. His book was adapted into a feature film starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr.
Steve Lopez sits down with ThinkTalk host Nellie Yangmi to answer students' questions about why he became a journalist, what made him want to publicize Nathaniel Ayers story and what he was hoping to achieve by making Ayers' story public
