From page to screen
Books by UVA alumni that have been adapted into movies or TV shows
Here are six works by UVA alumni that have gotten a second life as a TV miniseries, a big-screen blockbuster, an animated children’s program and more.
We Were the Lucky Ones (2017) by Georgia Hunter (Col class of ’00)
Inspired by the author’s own family history, this novel chronicles three generations of Jews in Poland beginning just before Germany’s invasion in 1939. Over the next six years, members of the Kurc family navigate different paths in their efforts to survive the Holocaust. One is exiled to a Siberian gulag, one attempts to hide in plain sight with forged identification, and another tries to flee the continent. In 2024, Hulu adapted We Were the Lucky Ones into an eight-episode miniseries starring Joey King and Logan Lerman.
Hidden Figures (2016) by Margot Lee Shetterly (Com class of ’91)
This New York Times bestselling nonfiction book follows a group of Black female mathematicians working at NASA from the 1940s through the ’60s. Known as “computers,” they performed complex calculations that became essential to the country’s success in the space race. Hidden Figures inspired a 2016 Oscar-nominated film of the same name that focused on three of the women—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson—and revealed the discrimination they endured along the way.
Saint X (2020) by Alexis Schaitkin (Grad class of ’13)
When Claire, the protagonist of Alexis Schaitkin’s debut novel, was 7, her 18-year-old sister was murdered during a family vacation on a fictional Caribbean island called Saint X. Nearly 20 years later, Claire meets one of the suspects by chance. He had been released due to insufficient evidence shortly after the crime. The encounter sends her on an obsessive pursuit to discover what really happened on that island—and to figure out who her sister really was. In 2023, Hulu released a TV show of the same name that ran for one season.
Absolute Power (1996) by David Baldacci (Law class of ’86)
The crime thriller that launched David Baldacci’s career, Absolute Power follows professional burglar Luther Whitney, who, after breaking into a billionaire’s mansion, witnesses a murder involving the president of the United States. Whitney manages to escape—but not before Secret Service agents spot him. Now on the lam, he finds himself caught in a web of cover-ups, conspiracies and abuses of executive power. In 1997, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in a film adaptation that screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
Vampirina series (2012–2018) by Anne Marie Pace (Educ class of ’89)
This children’s picture book series chronicles the adventures of a little girl who is a ballerina and a vampire. Throughout the series’ four books, she faces challenges relatable to many children—trying new activities, making new friends, hosting a sleepover—while also navigating the unique experiences of being a vampire. (Think finding a ballet class that meets at night and learning to perfect her form without being able to see her reflection in a mirror.) The series inspired Disney Junior’s Vampirina animated series, which ran from 2017 to 2021 and is still streaming.
Something Borrowed (2005) by Emily Giffin (Law class of ’97)
In Emily Giffin’s New York Times bestselling debut, consummate rule-follower and self-described nice girl Rachel confesses her love to her best friend’s fiancé, Dex. She’s had a crush on him since the two attended law school together—and it turns out he feels the same way. They begin an affair, and as the wedding looms, Rachel must grapple with questions of morality, love and loyalty. Giffin made a cameo in the 2011 film adaptation of the novel that starred Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson and John Krasinski.
