Meet our Team

Jonathan M. Murphy is a Texas-born creative force whose journey in the entertainment industry began at just 17 years old. Raised in Arlington, Texas, Jonathan’s passion for performance and storytelling first found its expression in front of the camera. What started as a young actor’s ambition quickly evolved into a career that would span television, film, and independent production.

 

Jonathan’s early work in Hollywood includes an impressive list of credits on some of the most beloved prime-time television dramas of the early 2000s. His on-screen appearances include roles on American Dreams, Judging Amy, Without a Trace, Ghost Whisperer, Cold Case, Crossing Jordan, October Road, and Life on Mars. These opportunities allowed him to hone his craft and collaborate with a wide range of industry professionals, paving the way for deeper creative pursuits.

 

Along the way, Jonathan had the privilege of working with some of the industry’s most esteemed talent. He appeared opposite Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine and Golden Globe nominee Lou Diamond Phillips, and was directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Juan José Campanella on FOX’s acclaimed medical drama House, M.D.. He also shared the screen with Alec Baldwin, Luke Wilson, and Nikki Reed in the cult-favorite independent feature Mini’s First Time. These experiences not only strengthened his foundation as an actor but also exposed him to the art and complexity of filmmaking from the inside out.

 

In 2011, driven by a desire to tell stories on his own terms, Jonathan founded Hollow Tree Productions LLC—a company created to develop original, character-driven content across genres and formats. The name "Hollow Tree" symbolized a personal turning point, embodying themes of growth, resilience, and transformation—values that continue to guide the company’s creative mission.

 

Jonathan wrote, directed, and produced his first solo short film, Pull the Trigger, marking his debut as a filmmaker behind the camera. He followed this with the psychological thriller Mr. Wicker, in which he also starred in the title role alongside Lindy Booth (Kick-Ass 2, Cry Wolf) and Erin Daniels (House of 1000 Corpses, The L Word). Shortly after, he produced the thought-provoking short film The Public Domain (2012), further establishing Hollow Tree’s commitment to bold, independent storytelling.

 

Expanding into unscripted content, Jonathan led production on Little Leading Ladies, an original 22-minute reality television pilot developed for Desert Wind TV, showcasing young female performers in the early stages of their careers. Around the same time, Hollow Tree optioned the feature screenplay A Broken Bridge, a poignant and uplifting drama that became a finalist in the prestigious Kairos Uplifting Screenplay Contest, affirming Jonathan’s eye for resonant and meaningful material.

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In the summer of 2015, Jonathan wrote and produced Hollow Tree’s first full-length feature film, Animal Among Us, an original horror-thriller that represents a culmination of his talents as a writer, producer, and visionary creative. The film served as a defining moment for the company, affirming its ability to produce high-quality, narrative-driven content with studio-level ambition.

 

Currently, Jonathan is continuing to expand Hollow Tree’s production slate with a range of exciting new projects. He is co-producing the science fiction feature BluStella in partnership with Reloaded Films, with Archstone Entertainment representing the film in worldwide sales. In addition, he is actively leading development on several original screenplays and television pilots including:

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• The Yarn Man – a surreal character drama born from a bedtime story

• Bobby Blue – a gritty coming-of-age tale of a 60 year-old umpire.

• Whetherman – a genre-blending allegorical piece of an outcast's revenge

• The Strange Life of Jeremy Jekyll – a darkly sci-fi pilot exploring dual identity

• The Magik Man – a mystical, genre-bending thriller set in Major League baseball.

• The Morning Star Collection – an anthology-style series blending myth, morality, and magic in 1950's Manhattan

 

With each project, Jonathan remains committed to Hollow Tree’s founding purpose: creating emotionally resonant, thought-provoking content that entertains and endures. He continues to seek out fresh voices, original ideas, and meaningful collaborations that challenge conventions and celebrate the human spirit.