Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director, producer and occasional actor, who is best known for writing the screenplay for the Oscar-winning film American Beauty. He started out by writing for the TV show Cybill, starring Cybill Shepherd, and he stated that he based the horrific suburban wife character (played by Annette Bening in American Beauty) on Shepherd, who has earned a reputation for being extremely difficult to work with, from both male and female co-workers. He is also the creator of the acclaimed, award-winning HBO television series Six Feet Under, which he produces, writes and directs as well. He is outspokenly gay and his work frequently includes gay themes and characters.

Ball has written nine episodes for his series, Six Feet Under and has directed 6 episodes including the series finale. Ball has also written scripts for stage plays such as Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, Bachelor Holiday, Power Lunch and Your Mother's Butt.

Ball is a graduate of the Florida State University School of Theatre.

In 2004, he acquired the film rights to the Alicia Erian novel Towelhead, which was published on April 6, 2005. He announced that he will write a screenplay and direct the film, which will start production after he wraps up the fifth and final season of Six Feet Under.