Multi Talents = Multi Hyphenate

Nicole Dubuc doesn't seem to sleep.

She runs her dog in competitions on a regular basis. She horseback rides and runs. She climbs tall mountains (Mounts Whitney and kilimanjaro among others).

Added to those recreational pursuits, she produces, directs, writes numerous scripts (well into the hundreds), has served as story editor and show runner on multiple shows, and also (there's more?!) served for years as the Recording Secretary for the Animation Guild.

All the above makes me tired just thinking about it, let alone typing it. And if that weren't enough, Nicole writes Star Wars scripts for various iterations of the franchise (animated version) that appear on your home flat screen.

What was your introduction to "Star Wars"? Is there a film, TV series, book, or comic that was your favorite?

I first encountered "Star Wars" at a summer program at CalArts, in high school. One of my friends had the original trilogy on laserdisc, and we watched the whole thing in a theatre with a few of our friends. I was immediately hooked and wanted more. I started buying the books and burned through all of them. My favorites were Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy.

Your career started early as an actress on the TV series ALF and then more regularly on Our House and Major Dad. How was that experience overall and did you have any inkling that writing and producing for television would be in your future? When you went to Yale did you always think you would come back to Hollywood?

I am very grateful for my time in front of the camera, because I think it taught me script format and story structure at an early age. Also, I learned fast that no scripted joke is sacred, as we’d have to memorize punch ups on the fly. I knew I wanted to be involved in some form of the industry, but through high school I started to prefer behind the camera work. I had no idea what I would do after Yale – pre-med courses and an English degree helped me cover all my bases, LOL. But I’m glad I found my way back to Hollywood.

How did your career as a television writer start? Was your goal to write for animation?

I had always loved watching animation, but I fell into my career when the dot com I was working for went under. My co-workers, mostly from Disney animation, told me they could introduce me to some of their colleagues. The producers I met with very kindly read my work and gave me advice – letting me take a crack at writing a spec for their show with the promise that if they liked it, and they got a second season, I could write for them. They did, and they brought me on as an apprentice staff writer on Kim Possible. ...

Yup. Definitely not much sleeping being done.