Among the names that left their mark on the last thirty years of the American cinema world, Billy Ray has gained a solid place for himself as a screenwriter who stands out with the realistic and striking stories he has written. A native of Los Angeles, Ray began his career in television in the early 1990s; Being among both the screenwriters and creators of the science fiction series Earth 2 was an important starting point for him. His real breakthrough came when he moved to the big screen. 2002's Honor and Courage can be considered Ray's first serious work in cinema; This thriller, about one of the FBI's first female agents, received positive response from both audiences and critics. However, he gained his real international recognition in 2012: Ray, who wrote the script of The Hunger Games, adapted from Suzanne Collins' world-famous novel, became one of the chief architects of the team that brought this dystopian youth saga to the big screen. The first film of the series, which reached billions of dollars in revenue, made Ray one of the most sought-after names in Hollywood. In addition, Ray's writing has proven itself in the thriller and detective genres. 2005's Flight Plan and 2007's Betrayal clearly demonstrated his ability to build atmosphere that keeps the audience glued to the screen from beginning to end. In 2013, he wrote the screenplay for Captain Phillips, directed by Paul Greengrass; This true story adaptation, starring Tom Hanks, was both successful at the box office and received high praise from critics. Never losing his desire to reach a wider audience, Ray was also involved in the Terminator: Dark Fate project in 2019. It is expected that Ray, whose career is still ongoing, will meet his audience again in the same universe with The Hunger Games: Harvest Sunrise, which will be released in 2026.