Sam Mendes(I)
- Producer
- Director
- Additional Crew
Samuel Alexander Mendes was born on August 1, 1965 in Reading, England,
UK to parents James Peter Mendes, a retired university lecturer, and
Valerie Helene Mendes, an author who writes children's books. Their
marriage didn't last long, James divorced Sam's mother in 1970 when Sam
was just 5-years-old. Sam was educated at Cambridge University and
joined the Chichester Festival Theatre following his graduation in
1987. Afterwards, he directed Judi Dench in
"The Cherry Orchard", for which he won a Critics Circle Award for Best
Newcomer. He then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he
directed such productions as "Troilus and Cressida" with
Ralph Fiennes and "Richard III". In 1992,
he became artistic director of the reopened Donmar Warehouse in London,
where he directed such productions as "The Glass Menagerie" and the
revival of the musical "Cabaret", which earned four Tony Awards
including one for Best Revival of a Musical. He also directed "The Blue
Room" starring Nicole Kidman. In 1999, he
got the chance to direct his first feature film,
American Beauty (1999). The movie
earned 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for
Mendes, which is a rare feat for a first-time film director.
