Stephen Frears

In the mid-1980s he came to prominence as an important director of British and later American films. His first film was the 1972 Gumshoe. But it was his production of the Hanif Kureishi screenplay My Beautiful Laundrette for Channel 4 in 1985 that led to his notice as a capable film director.

He next directed another successful British film, the Joe Orton biopic Prick Up Your Ears (1987), which was followed by a second film from a Hanif Kureishi screenplay, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid. The following year he made his Hollywood debut with Dangerous Liaisons. Frears had another critical success with The Grifters (1990), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. His film Hero (1992), starring Dustin Hoffman, was a major box office disappointment. He was also nominated for a Razzie Award for his direction of Mary Reilly (1996).

He has since directed a number of successful films in both Britain and America, including The Hi-Lo Country (1998), High Fidelity (2000), Dirty Pretty Things (2003) and Mrs Henderson Presents starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins. His latest film, The Queen, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.