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.
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.
Stephen Frears Timeline
Note: The majority of the links in this timeline are to IMDb, which has pop-ups.
June 20, 1941: Born
1985: My Beautiful Laundrette
1987: Prick Up Your Ears
1988: Dangerous Liaisons
1990: The Grifters
1991: Oscar Nomination
2000: High Fidelity
2002: Dirty Pretty Things
2005: Mrs Henderson Presents
2006: The Queen
2007: Oscar Nomination
