Kenneth Lonergan ( born October 16 , 1962 ) is an American playwright , screenwriter , and director . He is best known for writing Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) and for writing and directing Manchester by the Sea ( 2016 ) . He earned an Academy Award for Best Director nomination for Manchester by the Sea , and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for You Can Count on Me , Gangs of New York and Manchester by the Sea , winning the Oscar for the last at the 89th Academy Awards . He also won the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay for Manchester by the Sea at the 70th British Academy Film Awards . Manchester by the Sea is a 2016 American drama film written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan , and starring Casey Affleck , Michelle Williams , Kyle Chandler , and Lucas Hedges .
Kenneth Lonergan is only a producer.