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Stephen Frears at an event for The Queen (2006)

Biography

Stephen Frears

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Overview

  • Born
    June 20, 1941 · Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK
  • Birth name
    Stephen Arthur Frears
  • Height
    1.70 m

Biography

    • Stephen started off in a career in the legal profession before switching to work as an assistant stage manager at London's Royal Court which led to work as an assistant director on films by Karel Reisz and Lindsay Anderson He directed his first short in 1967 and his feature debut, Gumshoe, in 1971. The next 12 years were spent working in television before returning to film with My Bautiful Laundrette
      - IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5

Family

  • Spouses
      Anne Rothenstein(1992 - present) (2 children)
      Mary-Kay Wilmers(1968 - ?) (divorced, 2 children)
  • Children
      Lola Frears
      Will Frears
      Frankie Frears
      Sam Frears
  • Parents
      Russell E. Frears
      Ruth M. Danziger

Trademarks

  • Often makes movies about love triangles that end tragically
  • Often directs movies featuring female leads

Trivia

  • He has directed three films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Les Liaisons dangereuses (1988), The Queen (2006) and Philomena (2013).
  • Has directed seven Oscar nominated performances: Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, Anjelica Huston, Annette Bening, Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Meryl Streep. Mirren won for The Queen (2006).
  • He's a fan of Breaking Bad (2008).
  • Father of actor Sam Frears and stage director Will Frears from his first marriage, and Frankie Frears and Lola Frears from his second.
  • Studied Law at Cambridge University.

Quotes

  • A friend asked me why I thought I'd been able to direct films for 30 years and I really didn't have an answer. It is a very difficult industry and grinds up talent unmercifully.
  • There's one thing now that I experience every day when I'm making a film. I get up and think to myself, am I going to be able to do it today? I figure as long as I have that fear, I'll be alright.
  • I like a lot of takes. I just go on until the actors get it right.
  • Isn't that what Joan Collins' success is based on? People love bitches. The more dreadful they are, the more awful things they say, the more heavenly they are.
  • I can't write, I don't think I'm even particularly good at telling a writer what's good or what's missing. So, actually having someone who can do that is a godsend.

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