As a child, A.O. Scott dreamed of being a rock critic. After dropping out of graduate school, he worked as a book critic and accidentally became a film critic when the New York Times hired him in 2000. Doubling down on that bizarre decision, the paper named him chief film critic in 2004, a title he currently shares with Manohla Dargis. Scott has continued to dabble in literary criticism for the New York Times Book Review (and occasionally for other publications) and writes for the New York Times Magazine whenever he can. He also makes frequent appearances on radio and television, especially during Oscar season.