Stephen Daldry

Stephen David Daldry, is an English theatre and film director and producer, as well as a three-time Academy Award nominated director.

Biography

Early years

Daldry was born in Dorset, England the son of bank manager Patrick Daldry and singer, Cherry Thompson. He was educated at the University of Sheffield before taking an apprenticeship at the city’s Crucible Theatre from 1985-1988. Whilst at the University of Sheffield, Daldry was Chairman of SuTCo (Sheffield University Theatre Company). He trained at East 15 Acting School, London.

Career

Daldry began his career under the late Claire Veneable at the Sheffield Crucible where he directed many productions. He also headed many productions at the Manchester Library Theatre, Liverpool Playhouse, Stratford East, Oxford Stage, Brighton and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He was also Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre from 1992-8, where he headed the £26 million development scheme. He was also Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre (1989-92) and the Metro Theatre Company (1984-6). He is currently on the Board of the Young and Old Vic Theatres and remains an Associate Director of the Royal Court Theatre. He was the Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre for 2002 at St Catherine’s College, Oxford.

Daldry made his feature film directorial debut with Billy Elliot, but previously he had been a theatre director. He won awards on Broadway as well as the West End. His next film was The Hours, and it won Best Actress at the Academy Awards for Nicole Kidman. Recently, he directed a stage musical adaptation of Billy Elliot, and a film version of The Reader, based on the book of the same name and starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes. He has received three Academy Award nominations for directing for all three of his films.

Daldry was planning to direct a film adaptation of Michael Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay in 2005. In the ensuing three years, the project was cancelled and reinitiated several times, and in late 2006 was partially cast with Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire. According to Chabon, production then stalled due to “studio-politics kinds of reasons that I’m not privy to,” and as of April 2007 remains inactive.

Other Information

• Born : 2 May 1961 (1961-05-02)
• Birth Place : Dorset, England
• Spouse :  Lucy Sexton (2001-present)

Awards and nominations

Awards

• 1993: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director of a Play – An Inspector Calls
• 1994: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play – An Inspector Calls
• 1994: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director of a Play – Machinal
• 1994: Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – An Inspector Calls
• 2000: BAFTA Award for Best British Film – Billy Elliot
• 2002: Vancouver Film Critics Circle Best Director – The Hours

Nominations

• 2000: Academy Award for Best Director – Billy Elliot
• 2000: BAFTA Award Best Director – Billy Elliot
• 2001: César Award for Best Foreign Film – Billy Elliot
• 2002: Directors Guild of AmericaOutstanding Directing – Motion Pictures – The Hours
• 2002: Golden Globe Award for Best Director – Motion Picture – The Hours
• 2002: Satellite Award for Best Director – The Hours
• 2002: Academy Award for Best Director – The Hours
• 2002: BAFTA Award for Best British Film – The Hours
• 2002: BAFTA Award for Best Director – The Hours
• 2004: César Award for Best Foreign Film – The Hours
• 2008: Academy Award for Best Director – The Reader
• 2008: BAFTA Award for Best Director – The Reader
• 2008: Golden Globe Award for Best Director of a Motion Picture – The Reader
• 2008: Satellite Award for Best Director – The Reader

Links

• Stephen Daldry at the Internet Broadway Database
• Stephen Daldry at the Internet Movie Database

Tags: Academy Award, Director, golden globe award, Producer, Stephen Daldry