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Stephen Frears

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Sir
Stephen Frears
Frears in 2014
Born
Stephen Arthur Frears

(1941-06-20)20 June 1941(age 83)
Leicester,England
EducationGresham's School
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
Occupations
  • Director
  • producer
Years active1968–present
Notable work
Television
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m.1968, divorced)​
  • Anne Rothenstein
    ​
    (m.1992)​
Children4

Sir Stephen Arthur Frears(born 20 June 1941) is a British director and producer of film and television, often depicting real life stories as well as projects that explore social class through sharply-drawn characters. He has received numerous accolades including threeBAFTA Awards,and aPrimetime Emmy Awardas well as nominations for twoAcademy Awards.In 2008,The Daily Telegraphnamed Frears among the 100 most influential people inBritish culture.[1]In 2009, he received the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.He received a knighthood in 2023 for his contributions to the film and television industries.[2]

Born inLeicesterand educated atGresham's SchoolandTrinity College, Cambridge,Frears started his career working as an assistant director in theatre and film while directing many television plays. Frears directed his debut feature filmGumshoein 1971 and received critical acclaim for his films in the 1980s such asMy Beautiful Laundrette(1985),Prick Up Your Ears(1987), andDangerous Liaisons(1988). He also received twoAcademy Award nominations for directingThe Grifters(1990) andThe Queen(2006).

Frears is also known for his work on various television programmes, including the television filmsFail Safe(2000),The Deal(2003), andMuhammad Ali's Greatest Fight(2013). He directed theJeremy ThorpeBBC Onebiographical miniseriesA Very English Scandal(2018), for which he earned aPrimetime Emmy Awardnomination.

Early life and education[edit]

Frears was born on 20 June 1941[3]inLeicester,England.[4]His mother, Ruth M. (néeDanziger), was a social worker, and his father, Russell E. Frears, was a general practitioner and accountant.[4]Frears was brought upAnglican.He did not learn that his mother wasJewishuntil he was in his late 20s.[5][6][7]

From 1954 to 1959, Frears was educated atGresham's School,[8]an independent boarding school for boys (now co-educational) in themarket townofHoltinNorfolk.This was followed byTrinity College, Cambridge,where he earned a BA Law.[3]

Career[edit]

Early career[edit]

At the University of Cambridge, Frears was assistant stage manager for the 1963 footlights Revue, which starredTim Brooke-Taylor,John Cleese,Bill OddieandDavid Hatch.[9]After graduating from the university, Frears worked as an assistant director on the filmsMorgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment(1966), directed byKarel Reisz,andif....(1968), directed byLindsay Anderson.Frears also worked withAlbert FinneyonCharlie Bubbles(1968).[10]

With Finney's company Memorial Productions, Frears madeThe Burning,[10]a 31-minute adaptation of a short story by Roland Starke. Although set in South Africa, it was filmed inTangier.It was released theatrically attached toFrançois Truffaut'sThe Bride Wore Black.[11]

Frears spent most of his early directing career in television, mainly for theBBCbut also for the commercial sector. He contributed to several anthology series, such as the BBC'sPlay for Today.He also produced a series ofAlan Bennett's plays forLWT,includingThe Old Crowd(1979, director: Lindsay Anderson).[12]His directorial film debut was the noir detective spoofGumshoe(1971).

1980s[edit]

Frears in Sweden, 1989, promoting his filmDangerous Liaisons

In the late 1980s, Frears came to international attention as a director of feature films. In 1985, Frears found widespread acclaim withMy Beautiful Laundrette.Based onHanif Kureishi's screenplay, the film focuses on an interracialgayromance. It received anAcademy Awardnomination and two nominations for BAFTA Awards. The success of the film helped launch the careers of both Frears and actorDaniel Day-Lewis.

Frears worked withAdrian EdmondsononMr Jolly Lives Next Door,a 45-minute programme starringPeter CookinThe Comic Strip Presentstelevision comedy series that aired onChannel Fourin 1988. In 1985, Frears had also directed a Comic Strip parody ofDaphne Du Maurier's 1938 novelRebecca.

Frears next directed theJoe OrtonbiopicPrick Up Your Ears(1987), a collaboration with playwrightAlan Bennett.His second film adapted from a Kureishi screenplay wasSammy and Rosie Get Laid(1987).

In 1988, Frears directedDangerous Liaisonsto widespread critical acclaim. The film was shot in France, with a cast that included AmericansGlenn Close,John Malkovich,andMichelle Pfeiffer,andUma Thurman.Based on thelate 18th-century French novelof romantic game-playing and adapted byChristopher Hampton,the film received sevenAcademy Awardnominations. These included forBest PictureandBest ActressforGlenn CloseandBest Supporting ActressforMichelle Pfeiffer.The film also received tenBritish Academy Film Awardnominations, including for Frears forBest Direction.

1990s[edit]

In 1990, Frears directed the neo-noir crime thrillerThe Grifters,starringJohn Cusack,Anjelica Huston,andAnnette Bening.Martin Scorseseserved as a producer on the film. The film won theIndependent Spirit Award for Best Film,and was declared one of theTop 10 filmsof 1990 byThe National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.Frears was also nominated for theBritish Academy Film Award for Best Directionand the USAcademy Award for Best Director.

In 1992, Frears directed the comedy dramaHero,released in the United Kingdom asAccidental Hero.The film starredDustin Hoffman,Geena Davis,Andy Garcia,andJoan Cusack.Many critics compared the film to those ofPreston SturgesandFrank Capra,as didRoger Ebert,who wrote, "It [the film] has all the ingredients for a terrific entertainment, but it lingers over the kinds of details that belong in a different kind of movie. It comes out of the tradition of those rat-a-tat Preston Sturges comedies of the 1940s."[13]While the film was met with generally positive critical reviews, it was not a box office success.Columbia Pictureslost $25.6 million.[14]

Frears has also directed two films adapted from novels byRoddy Doyle,The Snapper(1993) andThe Van(1996). Frears's other films include the horror filmMary Reillyand the WesternThe Hi-Lo Country(1998).

2000s[edit]

In 2000, Frears directedHigh FidelitystarringJohn Cusack,Jack Black,Lisa Bonet,andJoan Cusack.The film is based on the1995 British novel of the same namebyNick Hornby.It is set in Chicago rather than London, and the name of the lead character was changed. After seeing the film, Hornby expressed his happiness with Cusack's performance, saying that "at times, it appears to be a film in which John Cusack reads my book".[15]

The film received positive reviews from critics and has a score of 91% onRotten Tomatoes,based on 165 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The critical consensus states: "The deft hand of director Stephen Frears and strong performances by the ensemble cast combine to tell an entertaining story with a rock-solid soundtrack."[16]

In 2002, Frears directed social thriller,Dirty Pretty Things,a film about two immigrants living in London. The film starredAudrey Tautou,andChiwetel Ejiofor.The film was nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Original Screenplay.It won aBritish Independent Film Awardfor Best Independent British Film in 2003. For his performance as Okwe,Chiwetel Ejioforwon the 2003 British Independent Film Award for Best Actor.

In 2003, Frears was attached to direct theJames Bondspin-offJinx,featuringHalle Berryas her character fromDie Another Day(2002) co-starring withMichael MadsenandJavier Bardem.Neal Purvis and Robert Wadewere scheduled to return to write the screenplay, and Wade described it as "a very atmospheric, Euro thriller, aBourne-type movie ". ProducerBarbara Broccolidescribed it as the beginning of a "Winter Olympics"-style alternative to the conventional Bond films. However, the project was cancelled due to" creative differences "betweenEon ProductionsandMGM,and in order to focus on the reboot of the series withCasino Royale(2006).[17]

In 2003, Frears returned to directing for television withThe Deal(2003), which depicts analleged deal between Tony Blair and Gordon Brownover which of them should become leader of theLabour Partyin 1994.Michael SheenportrayedTony Blairto great acclaim. In 2005, Frears directed the British theatre comedyMrs Henderson PresentsstarringJudi Dench,Bob Hoskins.The film was praised for its performances by Dench and Hoskins, with Dench receiving anAcademy Awardnomination forBest Actress.

Frears’s next film project wasThe Queen(2006), a film that depicts thedeath of Princess Dianaon 31 August 1997, and the reaction of members of the monarchy and the public. The film premiered at theVenice Film Festival,where Mirren won Best Actress andPeter Morganwon Best Screenplay. Frears was nominated for theGolden Lion.When released within the United States, the film achieved box-office success and awards. At theAcademy Awards,Frears received his second Academy Award nomination for best direction.Helen Mirrenwon numerous awards for playing thetitle role,including theAcademy Award for Best Actress.

2010s[edit]

Steve Cooganwith Frears at a screening ofPhilomenain 2013

Frears holds[when?]the "David LeanChair in Fiction Direction "at theNational Film and Television SchoolinBeaconsfield,where he teaches.

In 2013, Frears directed the drama,Philomena(2013), which was based on the bookThe Lost Child of Philomena Lee(2009) by journalistMartin Sixsmith.This explored the story ofPhilomena Lee's 50-year search for her son, who was taken from her when she was a young unwed mother at a Catholic convent, and adopted by an American family. It also recounted Sixsmith's efforts to help her find the son. The film starredJudi DenchandSteve Coogan.

The film premiered at the70th Venice International Film Festivalto great acclaim and writersJeff PopeandSteve Cooganwon the best screenplay award for the film. The film won the People's Choice Award Runner-Up prize at the 2013Toronto International Film Festival.The film was nominated for fourOscarsat the86th Academy Awards:Best Picture,Best Adapted Screenplay,Best Actress(for Dench), andBest Original Score.It was also nominated for fourBritish Academy Film Awardsand threeGolden Globe Awards.The same year,HBOreleased Frears's television dramaMuhammad Ali's Greatest Fight,starringChristopher PlummerandFrank Langella.It explores theUnited States Supreme Courtdeliberation over banningMuhammad Alifrom bo xing for refusing to serve in the US Army during theVietnam War.

Frears directed a biopic of cycling championLance Armstrong,The Program,starringBen Foster,which premiered in the2015 Toronto International Film Festival.Many of Frears's films are based on stories of living persons, but he has never sought to meet any of his subjects.[18]National Life Storiesconducted an oral history interview (C1316/07) with Stephen Frears in 2008 for its The Legacy of the English Stage Company collection held by theBritish Library.[19]

In 2016, Frears directed the film,Florence Foster Jenkins,starringMeryl Streep.Thetitle characteris a New York heiress known as an aspiringoperasinger despite her poor singing abilities.Hugh Grantplays her manager and long-time companion,St. Clair Bayfield.Other cast members includeSimon Helberg,Rebecca Ferguson,andNina Arianda.The film was a critical and commercial success, with many praising Streep and Grant for their performances.

At the89th Academy Awards,it was nominated forBest Costume Designand earned Streep her 20th nomination forBest Actress.It received fourGolden Globenominations, including Best Picture in a Comedy or Musical. In 2017, Frears reunited withJudi Dench,this time inVictoria & Abdul,about the real-life relationship betweenQueen Victoriaof the United Kingdom and her Indian Muslim servantAbdul Karim.The film also starsAli Fazal,Michael Gambon,Eddie Izzard,Tim Pigott-Smith(in his final film role), andAdeel Akhtar.The film had its world premiere at the74th Venice Film Festival,and was theatrically released on 15 September 2017 in the United Kingdom. It has grossed[when?]more than $65 million worldwide.

In 2018, Frears returned to the limited series withA Very English Scandal,which premiered onBBC Oneand later onAmazon Prime.The project is a three-part 2018 British televisioncomedy-dramaminiseriesbased onJohn Preston's 2016book of the same name.It is a dramatisation of the 1976–1979Jeremy Thorpe scandaland more than 15 years of events leading up to it. The series starsHugh Grantas the politicianJeremy Thorpe,andBen Whishawas his loverNorman Scott.The limited series gained great acclaim in both the United Kingdom and the United States. OnRotten Tomatoes,the series holds an approval rating of 97% based on 64 reviews, with an average rating of 9.05/10. Rotten Tomatoes's critical consensus reads, "Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw impress inA Very English Scandal,an equally absorbing and appalling look at British politics and society ".[20]Grant receivedPrimetime Emmy Award,Screen Actors Guild Award,Golden Globe Award,British Academy Television Award,andCritics Choice Awardnominations for his performance while Whishaw earned an Emmy, and BAFTA win.

In 2022, it was reported that Frears would be directing a film aboutBilly WildertitledWilder & Me.[21]An adaptation byChristopher Hamptonof the novelMr Wilder and Me(2020) byJonathan Coe,the film is scheduled to begin shooting in early 2025, produced byJeremy Thomas.[22]

Personal life[edit]

In 1968, Frears marriedMary-Kay Wilmers,with whom he had two sons, Sam and Will. The couple divorced in the early 1970s.[23]Will Frears became a stage and film director.

Early in his career, Frears made a programme featuring the bandthe Scaffold.He is name-checked ( "Mr Frears had sticky-out ears..." ) in their hit song "Lily the Pink".[24]

As of 2002Frears lived in London with Anne Rothenstein and their two children.[3]

Frears wasknightedin the2023 Birthday Honoursfor services to film and television.[25]

Political views[edit]

A convincedrepublican,[26]in April 2015, Frears was one of several celebrities who endorsed the parliamentary candidacy ofCaroline Lucasat the2015 general election,but not otherGreen Partycandidates.[27]

In December 2019, along with 42 other leading cultural figures, Frears signed a letter endorsing theLabour PartyunderJeremy Corbyn's leadership in the2019 general election.[28][29]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Distributor
1968 The Burning(short film) BFI
1971 Gumshoe Columbia Pictures
1984 The Hit Palace Pictures
1985 My Beautiful Laundrette Orion Pictures
1987 Prick Up Your Ears The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Sammy and Rosie Get Laid Cinecom Pictures
1988 Dangerous Liaisons Warner Bros.
1990 The Grifters Miramax Films
1992 Hero Columbia Pictures
1996 Mary Reilly TriStar Pictures
The Van 20th Century Fox
1998 The Hi-Lo Country Gramercy Pictures
2000 High Fidelity Buena Vista Pictures
Liam Lionsgate
2002 Dirty Pretty Things Buena Vista International
2005 Mrs Henderson Presents The Weinstein Company
2006 The Queen Pathé
2009 Chéri Pathé / Warner Bros. Pictures
2010 Tamara Drewe Sony Pictures Classics
2012 Lay the Favorite The Weinstein Company
2013 Philomena The Weinstein Company / Pathé
2015 The Program StudioCanal
2016 Florence Foster Jenkins 20th Century Fox / Pathé
2017 Victoria & Abdul Focus Features/Universal Pictures
2022 The Lost King Pathé / Warner Bros. Pictures

Television[edit]

TV movies

Year Title Director Notes
1969 Report: St - Ann's Nottingham(Documentary film) Yes No
1972 A Day Out Yes No
1973 The Cricket Match Yes No
1975 Daft as a Bush Yes No
Three Men in a Boat Yes No
1977 Black Christmas Yes No
1978 Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia Woolf Yes Yes
Doris and Doreen Yes Yes
1979 Afternoon Off Yes Yes
One Fine Day Yes Yes
1980 Bloody Kids Yes No
1982 Walter Yes No
1983 Walter and June Yes No
Saigon: Year of the Cat Yes No
The Last Company Car Yes No
1984 December Flower Yes No
1993 The Snapper Yes No
2000 Fail Safe Yes No
2003 The Deal Yes No
2013 Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight Yes No

TV series

Year Title Notes
1969 Parkin's Patch 2 episodes
Tom Grattan's War 5 episodes
1971–73 Follyfoot 4 episodes
1973 Full House Episode: "#1.15"
Sporting Scenes Episode: "England, Their England"
1974 Second City Firsts Episode: "Match of the Day"
1975 Play for Today 3 episodes
1976 BBC2 Playhouse 2 episodes
1977 ITV Play of the Week 2 episodes
ITV Playhouse 2 episodes; also producer
1984 The Comic Strip Presents... 3 episodes
1986–93 Screen Two 2 episodes
2019–22 State of the Union 20 episodes;
Also executive producer
2019 The Loudest Voice Episode: "2015"

Miniseries

Year Title Director Executive
Producer 		Ref.
2018 A Very English Scandal Yes Yes
2020 Quiz Yes Yes [30]
2024 The Regime Yes Yes [31]

Awards and honours[edit]

Main article:List of awards and nominations received by Stephen Frears

Over his career, Frears has amassed numerous awards and nominations, including twoAcademy Awardnominations, fourPrimetime Emmy Awardnominations (one win), aGolden Globe Awardnomination, and 17British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awardnominations (three wins).

In 1990, Frears earned his firstAcademy Awardnomination for directing the filmThe Grifters.In 2006, he earned his second nomination forThe Queen.At thePrimetime Emmy Awards,he was nominated forFail Safe(2000),Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight(2013), andA Very English Scandal(2019), before winning forState of the Union(2019). He has also been acknowledged by theCannes,Berlin,Venice,andTorontofilm festivals.

Honors include:

References[edit]

  1. ^"The 100 most powerful people in British culture: 61-80".The Telegraph.18 March 2016.Archivedfrom the original on 12 January 2022.
  2. ^Harby, Jennifer (16 June 2023)."Stephen Frears awarded birthday honours knighthood".BBC News.Retrieved17 June2023.
  3. ^abcOjumu, Akin (8 December 2002)."Real-life hero".The Observer.Retrieved28 May2020.
  4. ^ab"Stephen Frears Biography".Filmreference.Retrieved15 May2017.
  5. ^"Hidden Heritage Inspires Director"Archived10 June 2008 at theWayback Machine
  6. ^Pfefferman, Naomi (20 May 2009),"Frears and Pfeiffer reunite for Colette courtesan drama 'Chéri'",Jewish Journal.Archived21 December 2013 at theWayback Machine
  7. ^"'I hope you find it vulgar'".Evening Standard.10 November 2005.Retrieved15 May2017.
  8. ^"Film director returns to Gresham's".Gresham's School.Norfolk. February 2017.Retrieved17 September2017.
  9. ^New Arts Theatre Club programme (July 1963)
  10. ^abMcFadyean, Melanie(3 November 2022)."Not such a misfit - Stephen Frears".The Oldie.Retrieved9 May2024.
  11. ^Campbell, Christopher."Watch Stephen Frears' Exceptional 1968 Directorial Debut 'The Burning'".Film School Rejects.Neil Miller.Retrieved6 March2023.
  12. ^"The Old Crowd".Lindsay Anderson Foundation.Retrieved7 March2023.
  13. ^Ebert, Roger."Hero".RogerEbert,October 2, 1992. Retrieved: November 22, 2014.
  14. ^Griffin and Masters 1996, p. 345.
  15. ^Valdez, Joe (23 March 2009)."Strangely Romantic in a Way".This Distracted Globe.Archived fromthe originalon 12 September 2015.Retrieved4 October2010.
  16. ^"High Fidelity".Rotten Tomatoes.
  17. ^Field, Matthew (2015).Some kind of hero: 007: the remarkable story of the James Bond films.Ajay Chowdhury. Stroud, Gloucestershire.ISBN978-0-7509-6421-0.OCLC930556527.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  18. ^Husam sam Asi (25 November 2015)."Stephen Frears on telling real life stories in cinema – Interview".Youtube.Retrieved3 April2016.
  19. ^National Life Stories, 'Jellicoe, Ann (1 of 11) National Life Stories Collection: The Legacy of the English Stage Company', The British Library Board, 2008.Retrieved 21 February 2018
  20. ^"A Very English Scandal: Miniseries (2018)".Rotten Tomatoes.
  21. ^Blaney, Martin; Ben Dalton (19 May 2022)."Stephen Frears to direct Christopher Hampton adaptation of Mr. Wilder & Me'".Retrieved9 May2024.
  22. ^Wiseman, Andreas (2 February 2024)."Christoph Waltz, Maya Hawke, John Turturro & Jon Hamm To Star In Billy Wilder Movie 'Wilder & Me' For Director Stephen Frears & Producer Jeremy Thomas; HanWay & CAA Launch EFM Buzz Package".Deadline.Retrieved2 February2024.
  23. ^Wroe, Nicholas,"Mary-Kay Wilmers: 'I like difficult women. Not just because I'm a bit difficult myself. I like their complication'"(A Life In... Books),The Guardian,24 October 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  24. ^Scaffold, "Lily the Pink" lyrics.Archived23 June 2011 at theWayback Machine
  25. ^"No. 64082".The London Gazette(Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B2.
  26. ^Macdonald, Moira (20 October 2006)."Stephen Frears takes on a lifelong icon — and takes film world by storm".The Seattle Times.Retrieved9 September2022.
  27. ^Elgot, Jessica (24 April 2015)."Celebrities sign statement of support for Caroline Lucas – but not the Greens".The Guardian.London.Retrieved23 July2015.
  28. ^"Vote for hope and a decent future".The Guardian.3 December 2019.Retrieved4 December2019.
  29. ^Proctor, Kate (3 December 2019)."Coogan and Klein lead cultural figures backing Corbyn and Labour".The Guardian.Retrieved4 December2019.
  30. ^Butler, Karen (17 August 2019)."Matthew Macfadyen, Michael Sheen to star in miniseries 'Quiz'".UPI.
  31. ^Petski, Denise (2 February 2023)."'The Palace': First Look At Kate Winslet In HBO's Limited Series From Will Tracy & Stephen Frears ".Deadline Hollywood.Retrieved2 February2023.
  32. ^"Stephen Frears reçoit les insignes de commandeur des Arts et des Lettres"(in French). Agence France-Presse. 18 March 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 24 January 2013.Retrieved20 March2009.
  33. ^"Award Winners".Odesa International Film Festival(in Russian). Archived fromthe originalon 26 September 2015.

External links[edit]

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