Daisy von Scherler Mayer

Daisy von Scherler Mayer (born September 14, 1966) is an American film and television director whose career spans more than three decades, marked by a distinctive blend of theatrical sensibility and cinematic craft. Raised in a family steeped in entertainment—her mother Sasha Von Scherler was a celebrated actress and her father Paul Avila Mayer a prolific television writer—Mayer absorbed storytelling fundamentals early, contributing to the New York Shakespeare Festival as a teenager before earning a theater and history degree from Wesleyan University. This academic foundation informed her directorial approach, allowing her to translate classic stage techniques to the screen, evident in her early productions of Electra, The Tempest, and Two Gentlemen of Verona during her post‑college years.

Mayer’s breakthrough arrived with the 1995 feature‑film Party Girl, a cult‑favorite that she co‑wrote with Harry Birckmayer and which starred Parker Posey alongside her mother Sasha, weaving personal legacy into professional triumph. The film’s success spawned a television series and cemented Mayer’s reputation for capturing youthful energy and off‑beat humor. She followed this with the critically praised Madeline (1998), adapting Ludwig Bemelmans’ beloved children’s books and showcasing her ability to balance whimsical visuals with heartfelt performance. In the ensuing years, she diversified her portfolio, directing a string of films such as The Guru (2002) and Some Girl(s) (2013), while becoming a sought‑after director for high‑profile television series including Halt and Catch Fire, Yellowjackets, The Walking Dead, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Her recent work continues to illustrate a versatile command of genre, tone, and narrative pacing, making her a pivotal figure in contemporary American directing. Married to composer David Carbonara, Mayer balances a prolific career with family life, raising two daughters, Colette and Ava, and remains an influential voice in both film and television.