Evan Wright, the former Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair writer known for his book Generation Kill, adapted into an HBO miniseries, has died.
Wright’s wife confirmed news of his passing on July 12th to Rolling Stone. The cause of death was suicide, the outlet reported. Wright was 59.
In 2003, Wright was embedded with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion of the United States Marine Corps on assignment for Rolling Stone during the initial phases of the Iraq invasion. He documented his experiences in a series of articles for Rolling Stone, which he later expanded into the 2004 book Generation Kill.
Wright’s Generation Kill was later adapted into an HBO miniseries in 2008 by The Wire creator David Simon. Wright contributed as a writer for the miniseries, collaborating with Simon and Ed Burns. In the show, he was portrayed by actor Lee Tergesen.
The show’s cast also featured Alexander Skarsgård, James Ransone, and Michael Kelly, among others. It later garnered Emmy nominations for Outstanding Miniseries and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special.
Outside of His ‘Generation Kill’ Success, Evan Wright Had a Prolific Writing Career
Evan Wright, a native of Willoughby, Ohio, pursued his studies in medieval history at Vassar College. Wright also contributed to Time and Vanity Fair. Early in his career, he served as the principal pornographic film reviewer for Hustler. His literary works include Hella Nation (2009) and How to Get Away With Murder in America (2012).
In 2002, Rolling Stone published Wright’s true crime article “Mad Dogs & Lawyers,” which explored murder, illegal dog breeding, and the California penal system. The piece was featured in The Best American Crime Writing the following year.
During his tenure at Rolling Stone, Wright also penned features on high-profile celebrities like Shakira and Quentin Tarantino. Wright’s other notable publications include Hella Nation, an exploration of various American subcultures, and American Desperado, co-authored with former drug smuggler Jon Roberts.
This year, Wright worked as a co-executive producer on Teen Torture Inc., a Max docuseries that explores the controversial youth residential programs designed for struggling teenagers. In the series, Wright revisits the Seed juvenile delinquent center where he spent time in his youth. This experience is also chronicled in his book, The Seed: A Memoir.
Wright also earned two National Magazine Awards and the PEN USA Literary Award for his exceptional work.