Producer, writer and director Paul Haggis is unique in Hollywood; he is the only person to write two back-to-back Academy Award Best Picture-winning movies: Crash and Million Dollar Baby. His buddy, Clint Eastwood, directed Million Dollar Baby, but Crash was Haggis’ baby, which he directed, produced, and co-wrote with Bobby Moresco.

Now he hopes that Oscar-winning Crash will make a great original drama series, premiering on the Starz premium cable channel later this year. Haggis will be part of the team behind the gritty, racially charged show. Also on board for the series is one of the film’s stars and its producer, Don Cheadle, who might reprise his film role and direct. The 13-episode series, the first original drama series for Starz, will be co-produced with Lionsgate TV.

When the Canadian-born Haggis came to Hollywood at age 22, he never dreamed that he would be honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and become a multiple Oscar winner, making history as the first person to write consecutive Best Pictures in 2004 and 2005.

“It’s gone full circle for me,” says Haggis, who studied cinematography at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario (his hometown) before moving to Hollywood in the 70s. He ventured into television and started writing network shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger, L.A. Law, thirtysomething, Family Law, and a much-loved Canadian gem, Due South. He was also behind the short-lived critical favorites EZ Streets and The Black Donnellys.

In 2000, he optioned the short story and wrote the script for Million Dollar Baby, which caught Clint Eastwood’s attention. Although Haggis intended to helm the production, Eastwood asked if he could direct, which he did “from the first draft,” Haggis points out, “without any changes.”

Haggis’ film slate has been filled ever since. He wrote the screenplay for Flags of Our Fathers and the story for Letters From Iwo Jima, both directed by Eastwood. Last year, he wrote the screenplay, directed, and produced In The Valley of Elah, starring Tommy Lee Jones.

He notes that he was surprised to be asked to do the screenplay for the last James Bond adventure, Casino Royal, starring Daniel Craig. Recently, he was offered the writing gig again, for the 22nd 007 film, Quantum of Solace.

He and Michael Nozik, via their Hwy61 Film Company based at Paramount, have optioned Joseph Weisberg’s novel The Ordinary Spy, which deals with day-by-day activities at the CIA. The two men will produce from Stephen Nathan’s screenplay.

So how does Haggis manage all these projects while wearing his three hats?

He gives credit to his days in series television for giving him the skills to juggle all of his duties. “In television you learn how to go from one project to the next, one crisis to another. You learn to departmentalize.”

“As a writer,” he says, “I try to make it as easy for myself as I can. I have structured outlines so I know where I’m going. But I do change as I go along. I am a believer in first drafts. A lot of stuff I do is creative, when I’m in the moment. In writing, most of the plot is not about the story, but about the characters, with twists and turns as you go along. The plot can be dull without the right characters. It depends on the emotions of the characters and the audience.

 “Sometimes, when you’re writing and when you are directing, you have to explain it to the actor. And only then do you realize what you have written. My best advice to would-be writers is ‘be willing to fail.’ In fact, seeking out failure is what really worked for me.”