Controversial non-controversial author Bret Easton Ellis is the author best associated with his gore-ific third novel American Psycho, which brought into the eye of pop culture the inflated persona of Ellis, Patrick Bateman. Ellis lived what he describes as a rather idyllic childhood, despite the abusive upbringing from his father, and went on to attend Bennington College, first studying music before moving to writing, a childhood passion. It was here that he completed a novel he had been toiling with for some years, and the very same novel which propelled him to fame at just the age of 21: Less Than Zero. The controversy and success of this novel moved his career forward, though he was not truly well known until American Psycho and its adaptation starring Christian Bale.

In recent times, Ellis has produced several films, including an unsuccessful adapation of his 1994 novel The Informers, and a indie film called The Canyons which starred a surprisingly decent performance from Lindsay Lohan. Ellis, at one point, expressed interest in writing the screenplay for Fifty Shades of Grey as well, though he was declined in the end.