Stephen Frears

British film director Stephen Frears has worked in film and television since the 1970s, but became a critically acclaimed and established filmmaker with 1985's My Beautiful Laundrette. The film follows two gay lovers working to establish their laundromat business. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis in one of his earliest roles.

He was most recently nominated for a Best Director Academy Award for The Queen.

Fast Facts

1. Born: June 20, 1941
2. Teacher at National Film and Television School
3. Academy Award Nominations: 2

Dangerous Liaisons and The Grifters

In 1988, Frears directed the critically praised Dangerous Liaisons, a film based on a play by Christopher Hampton, which would eventually inspire the film Cruel Intentions. The film garnered seven Oscar nominations, though Frears would not be nominated for Best Director until 1990's The Grifters. Dangerous Liaisons won Bodil and Cesar Awards for Best Foreign Film.

The Grifters, produced by Martin Scorsese, was acclaimed for Frears' direction as well as its strong female performances by Anjelica Huston and Annette Bening.

The Queen

The Queen was Frears' most praised film in over a decade and earned him directing nominations from the Academy as well the British Independent Film Awards, the Broadcast Film Critics Association and Chicago Film Critics Association. He is directing Michelle Pfeiffer and Kathy Bates in the film Cheri, based on the novel by Colette.

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