Famous British Directors

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 1 
Charlie Chaplin
(The Greatest Comic Artist Ever & One of the Most Important Figures in Motion-Picture History)
Charlie Chaplin
13
Birthdate: April 16, 1889
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Walworth, London, England
Died: December 25, 1977

Cinema lovers around the world hold Charlie Chaplin in high esteem. One of the biggest stars of the silent film era and an icon, he left the audience in splits with his comedic performances. Even today, his performances in movies like Modern Times and The Gold Rush are considered classic. The legendary actor was also a writer, director and producer.

 2 
Christopher Nolan
(Film Director - Known for His Ambitious & Visually Impressive Films)
Christopher Nolan
11
Birthdate: July 30, 1970
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Westminster, London, England

British-American writer and director, Christopher Nolan is known for his distinctive kind of films which are often intelligent, deep and nonlinear. He gained international recognition with Memento and further reached greater heights with big budget movies like The Dark Knight film series, Inception, Interstellar and Dunkirk. The multiple award winning director began shooting short films at the age of seven.

 3 
Alfred Hitchcock
(One of the Most Influential Filmmakers of All Time)
Alfred Hitchcock
5
Birthdate: August 13, 1899
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Leytonstone, London, England
Died: April 29, 1980

Popularly known as the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock pioneered the Hitchcockian style of filmmaking. One of the most studied filmmakers in the world, Hitchcock is also one of the most influential in the history of cinema. In his career, that spanned six decades, he directed some of the greatest films of all time, such as Psycho and Vertigo.

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 4 
Ridley Scott
(Film Producer, Director)
Ridley Scott
6
Birthdate: November 30, 1937
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: South Shields, England

British film director, Ridley Scott,is hailed as a master of his craft and his movies are known for their visual style and intricate details. Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, American Gangster, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant and The Martian are some of his acclaimed and successful films. He was knighted in 2003.

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 5 
Gary Oldman
(Actor, Comedian & Singer)
Gary Oldman
5
Birthdate: March 21, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New Cross, London, England

Gary Oldman is an English actor who can be best described as a chameleon, for his remarkable ability to imbibe the traits and mannerisms of the character he portrays. Whether playing a Cold War spy or a Sci-fi villain or Winston Churchill, this acting genius has earned the praise of millions of fans around the world.

 6 
Richard Attenborough
(English Actor & Filmmaker)
Richard Attenborough
5
Birthdate: August 29, 1923
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
Died: August 24, 2014

Richard Attenborough is credited with making one of the greatest films of all time - Gandhi. Also an actor, Richard served as the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Apart from being honored by the British royalty, he was also honored with India's third-highest civilian award, The Padma Bhushan.

 7 
Ralph Fiennes
(English Actor Best Known for His Films: 'Schindler's List', and 'The English Patient')
Ralph Fiennes
5
Birthdate: December 22, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ipswich, England

A Tony Award recipient, Ralph Fiennes is one of the most respected English actors of the current generation. He is known for playing important roles in notable films, such as the Harry Potter and James Bond film series. A Stanislavsky Award recipient, he is also known for his work behind the camera.

 8 
Sam Mendes
(Film Director)
Sam Mendes
6
Birthdate: August 1, 1965
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Reading

Sam Mendes is an English filmmaker known for his dark re-inventions of popular stage musicals. The recipient of a Tony Award, Mendes received the Academy Award for his film directorial debut American Beauty. In the 2020 New Years Honours, he was knighted for services to drama. He was also featured on the 100 most powerful people in British culture list.

 9 
Banksy
(Graffiti Artist)
Banksy
5
Birthdate: 1974 AD
Birthplace: Bristol, England

Speaking to world through his spray paints and stencils, Banksy is a popular, though anonymous, graffiti artist. He has a unique style that includes stenciling technique and is known for delivering satirical political and social messages. With fans all over the world, this mysterious artist’s works are worth millions of pounds.

 10 
Hugh Laurie
(Known for His Role Dr. Gregory House on the TV series ‘House’)
Hugh Laurie
5
Birthdate: June 11, 1959
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England

A Guinness record holder for the most-watched leading man on TV, three-time Golden Globe-winner and two-time SAG Award-winner Hugh Laurie has also dabbled in blues music and written a novel. From starting his career with sketch comedy, to winning the OBE and CBE, the actor/comedian has come a long way.

 11 
Stephen Fry
(English Actor, Writer and Director Known for His Films: ‘V for Vendetta’ and ‘A Fish Called Wanda’)
Stephen Fry
4
Birthdate: August 24, 1957
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom

One half of the famous comedy duo Fry and Laurie, Stephen Fry is an English actor and comedian. Considered a living legend by many, Stephen Fry has made major contributions to the field of entertainment and literature. An openly gay man, Fry serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community. He is also known for his charitable activities.

 12 
Terry Gilliam
(Film director, Screenwriter, Actor, Animator, Film actor)
Terry Gilliam
5
Birthdate: November 22, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Minneapolis
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 13 
Laurence Olivier
(English Actor and Director Known for His Film ‘Hamlet’)
Laurence Olivier
4
Birthdate: May 22, 1907
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dorking, Surrey, England
Died: July 11, 1989
Four-time Academy Award-winning actor Laurence Olivier began his career with stage, mostly playing Shakespearean characters. He founded London’s National Theatre. Some of his noteworthy films were Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, and the movie version of Hamlet. He had received the knighthood, the Order of Merit, and a life peerage.
 14 
Tony Scott
(Director Known for His Successful Thriller Films: ‘Top Gun’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop II’ and ‘Days of Thunder')
Tony Scott
4
Birthdate: June 21, 1944
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Tynemouth, England
Died: August 19, 2012

Tony Scott was an English actor, film director, and producer. He directed several highly successful action and thriller films including Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop II. He graduated from the Royal College of Art and began his career directing commercials. He soon shifted to films and enjoyed tremendous success. He died by suicide in 2012.  

 15 
Dominic West
(Actor, Director and Musician Best Known for His Role as ‘Jimmy McNulty’ in the TV Series ‘The Wire’)
Dominic West
5
Birthdate: October 15, 1969
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Dominic West is best known as Jimmy McNulty from The Wire and Noah Solloway from The Affair. West has modeled for Carte Noire and has trekked to the South Pole as part of a fundraiser for wounded soldiers. His performance in Appropriate Adult won him a BAFTA TV award.
 16 
Bonnie Wright
(Actress)
Bonnie Wright
4
Birthdate: February 17, 1991
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: London, United Kingdom

Bonnie Wright is an English actress, filmmaker, screenwriter, and activist. She is best known for portraying Ginny Weasley in the popular Harry Potter movie series. Over the years, Wright has been playing a key role in raising awareness about plastic pollution. She also serves as an ambassador for an international non-governmental charity called Lumos.

 17 
Jerry O'Connell
(American Television Host and Actor)
Jerry O'Connell
4
Birthdate: February 17, 1974
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 18 
Danny Boyle
(Director and Producer)
Danny Boyle
5
Birthdate: October 20, 1956
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, England

Danny Boyle is best known for his Academy Award-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire. He also amazed audiences with his deft direction in Trainspotting, 127 Hours, and 28 Days Later. He won a BAFTA with his debut film, Shallow Grave. He was the artistic director of the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

 19 
Terry Jones
(Actor)
Terry Jones
4
Birthdate: February 1, 1942
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire, Wales
Died: January 21, 2020
Starting his career as a comedy writer, actor-director Terry Jones later soared to fame as part of the Monty Python comedy team. An avid historian, too, he wrote several books and presented TV documentaries on the topic. In his later years, the BAFTA Cymru award winner struggled with dementia. 
 20 
Louis Theroux
(Documentary Filmmaker, Journalist, Broadcaster and Podcaster)
Louis Theroux
4
Birthdate: May 20, 1970
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Singapore

Renowned British-American documentary filmmaker, Louis Theroux began his career as a journalist with Metro Silicon Valley, Spy magazine and TV Nation series. He gained recognition with his documentary series When Louis Met..., and Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends. The two time BAFTA Award winner has also received appreciation for his documentaries The Most Hated Family in America and My Scientology Movie.

 21 
Stan Laurel
(Comic Actor Who was Part of The Comedy Duo 'Laurel and Hardy'. and Appeared with His Comedy Partner Oliver Hardy in 107 Short Films)
Stan Laurel
4
Birthdate: June 16, 1890
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Died: February 23, 1965

Comedian Stan Laurel entertained audiences as part of the iconic duo Laurel and Hardy, along with Oliver Hardy, in over 100 films. He began his career with music-hall sketch comedy and worked as an understudy of Charlie Chaplin in Fred Karno's Army. He was known for his trademark bowler hat.

 22 
Duncan Jones
(Film Director)
Duncan Jones
4
Birthdate: May 30, 1971
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Beckenham, United Kingdom
Director, screenwriter, and producer Duncan Jones, son of rockstar David Bowie, is best known for his BAFTA-winning directorial debut, Moon. His other notable works include Source Code and Warcraft. He has also co-written a graphic novel. He married his fiancée, Rodene Ronquillo, the day she was diagnosed with breast cancer. 
 23 
Emily Mortimer
(Actress Known for Her Roles in 'Lovely and Amazing' and 'The Newsroom')
Emily Mortimer
4
Birthdate: October 6, 1971
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England

Emily Mortimer is an English-American screenwriter and actress. Mortimer, who started her acting career in stage productions, went on to establish herself as a bankable actress in the British film and TV industry. In 2010, she became an American citizen and has since been playing important roles in American films.

 24 
Richard Osman
(Television Presenter)
Richard Osman
5
Birthdate: November 28, 1970
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Billericay, Essex, England, United Kingdom

Richard Osman is an English writer, television presenter, comedian, and producer. He is credited with creating the popular British TV quiz show Pointless. He is also renowned for his work as creative director of the famous TV production company Endemol UK. Also an influential writer, Richard Osman's novel The Thursday Murder Club is expected to be adapted into a film.

 25 
Samantha Morton
(Actress and Director Best Known for Her Role as ‘Agatha’ in the Film ‘Minority Report’)
Samantha Morton
4
Birthdate: May 13, 1977
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Samantha Morton’s journey from growing up in foster care to becoming a Golden Globe-winning actor is truly inspirational. Apart from her appearances in independent films, mostly dramas with dark themes, she is also known for her BAFTA-winning directorial debut, The Unloved. Fans have loved her in Longford and In America.

 26 
Sophie Hunter
(Theatre Director)
Sophie Hunter
4
Birthdate: March 16, 1978
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London

Sophie Hunter is an English playwright, opera director, and former performer. She is credited with co-founding and popularizing a theatre company called Boileroom, which was honored with the Samuel Theatre Trust Award in 2007 for its play The Terrific Electric, which marked Sophie Hunter's directorial debut.

 27 
Richard E. Grant
(Swazi-English Actor and Presenter)
Richard E. Grant
4
Birthdate: May 5, 1957
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Mbabane, Hhohho, Swaziland
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 28 
Martin McDonagh
(Playwright, Screenwriter, Filmmaker)
Martin McDonagh
4
Birthdate: March 26, 1970
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Camberwell

The director and writer of the Academy Award-winning short film, Six Shooter, Martin McDonagh is also well known as a playwright and stage director. The Beauty Queen of Leenane is one of the his noted works. The crime drama film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was another successful venture of McDonagh. He says he prefers films to plays.

 29 
Paddy Considine
(Actor, Director, Screenwriter)
Paddy Considine
4
Birthdate: September 5, 1973
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England

Paddy Considine is an English actor, musician, screenwriter, and director. The quintessential antihero of the British film industry, Paddy Considine is also famous for playing emotionally vulnerable characters. As a musician, he is credited with forming bands, such as She Talks To Angels and Pedestrians. He is currently an important member of the rock band Riding the Low.

 30 
Steve McQueen
(British Director Best Known for His Film '12 Years a Slave')
Steve McQueen
4
Birthdate: October 9, 1969
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: London, England

Steve McQueen is a British filmmaker and video artist best known for his film 12 Years a Slave. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, making him the first black filmmaker to win the award. He is also a prominent visual artist and a recipient of the Turner Prize, the highest award given to a British visual artist. 

 31 
Guy Ritchie
(Producer and Director Known for His Crime and Action Films)
Guy Ritchie
4
Birthdate: September 10, 1968
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom

As a 15-year-old who left school to take up entry-level jobs in the entertainment industry, Guy Ritchie has turned out pretty well. As a filmmaker, he has made some high-grossing films, such as Aladdin and The Gentlemen. Apart from being a filmmaker and writer, Guy Ritchie also practices Shotokan karate, Judo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

 32 
Peter Serafinowicz
(Actor)
Peter Serafinowicz
4
Birthdate: July 10, 1972
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 33 
Shaun Evans
(Actor and Director Known for His Role as ‘Endeavour Morse’ in the TV Series ‘Endeavour’)
Shaun Evans
3
Birthdate: March 6, 1980
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom

Shaun Evans is an English actor best known for playing Endeavour Morse in the popular detective drama TV series, Endeavour. Also known for his skills as a director, Shaun Evans has helmed a couple of episodes of TV series Casualty and Endeavour.

 34 
Graham McTavish
(Scottish Actor and Writer)
Graham McTavish
4
Birthdate: January 4, 1961
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 35 
Alexander Siddig
(Actor)
Alexander Siddig
4
Birthdate: November 21, 1965
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Wad Madani, Gezira, Sudan
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 36 
Martin Clunes
3
Birthdate: November 28, 1961
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom
Martin Clunes is best known as Martin Ellingham from Doc Martin and as Gary Strang from Men Behaving Badly, winning a BAFTA for the latter. The OBE honoree has also starred in the film Shakespeare in Love, voiced Kipper the Dog in Kipper, and narrated several animal-centric documentaries.
 37 
Sarah Lancashire
(Actress)
Sarah Lancashire
5
Birthdate: October 4, 1964
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Oldham, Lancashire, England, UK
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 38 
David Soul
(Actor)
David Soul
3
Birthdate: August 28, 1943
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 39 
David Morrissey
(One of the Most Versatile English Actors of His Generation)
David Morrissey
3
Birthdate: June 21, 1964
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
David Morrissey is best known for his portrayal of The Governor in The Walking Dead. A talented Shakespearean theater actor, he has also delivered an award-winning performance as Macbeth. He has also been seen in films such as Sense and Sensibility and The Reaping, and has directed various projects.
 40 
Delroy Lindo
(Actor)
Delroy Lindo
3
Birthdate: November 18, 1952
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Eltham, London, England, UK
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 41 
Simon Monjack
(Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer)
Simon Monjack
4
Birthdate: March 9, 1970
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: London Borough of Hillingdon
Died: May 23, 2010

Simon Monjack was an English filmmaker, screenwriter, and make-up artist. Much of his professional life was overshadowed by his personal life, which included his marriage to American actress Brittany Murphy. Monjack's death attracted the attention of media as he died five months after Murphy's death due to complications similar to Murphy's undoing. 

 42 
Jonathan Nolan
(Creator of TV series 'Person of Interest', 'Westworld' & Co-writer of Movies 'The Presitige', 'The Dark Knight')
Jonathan Nolan
4
Birthdate: June 6, 1976
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: London, England

Jonathan Nolan is a British-American television producer, director, screenwriter, and author. He is credited with creating the CBS science fiction crime drama Person of Interest. He is also credited with co-creating HBO's popular science fiction Western television series Westworld. Along with his brother Christopher Nolan, Jonathan has co-written popular films, such as The Dark Knight and Interstellar.

 43 
Tony Richardson
(An Influential and Inventive Film Director Who Specialized in Literary Adaptations)
Tony Richardson
3
Birthdate: June 5, 1928
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died: November 14, 1991
 44 
David Lean
(English Film Director and Producer Who is Considered One of the Most Important Figures in British Cinema)
David Lean
3
Birthdate: March 25, 1908
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Croydon, Surrey, England
Died: April 16, 1991

David Lean was an English film producer, director, editor, and screenwriter. He is best remembered for directing large-scale epics like The Bridge on the River Kwai, A Passage to India, and Lawrence of Arabia. David Lean is widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in British cinema. He won many prestigious awards, including two Academy Awards.

 45 
Clive Barker
(British Novelist and Playwright Who Excelled in the Genre of Horror Stories)
Clive Barker
4
Birthdate: October 5, 1952
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Liverpool, England

Clive Barker is an English playwright, novelist, visual artist, and film director. He gained prominence in the 1980s as a horror writer and has since written many novels and other works. As an illustrator, he has created original characters and series for comic books. He also creates costume designs. He is a recipient of the Inkpot Award. 

 46 
Rachel Ward
(Actress and Director)
Rachel Ward
3
Birthdate: September 12, 1957
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom

English-born Australian actress, director, and screenwriter, Rachel Ward, has been active in the entertainment industry for over 40 years. She attended the Byam Shaw School of Art in London for some time but quit midway to start her career as a model. Following a successful stint as a model, she began acting and screenwriting.

 47 
Dexter Fletcher
(English Actor and Film Director)
Dexter Fletcher
3
Birthdate: January 31, 1966
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Enfield, London, England, UK
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 48 
Bernard Cribbins
(English Actor and Singer )
Bernard Cribbins
3
Birthdate: December 29, 1928
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oldham, Lancashire, England
Died: July 28, 2022
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 49 
Rupert Sanders
(British Film Director)
Rupert Sanders
3
Birthdate: March 16, 1971
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Westminster, London, United Kingdom
Director Rupert Sanders is best known for his work in the blockbuster film Snow White and the Huntsman and the movie adaptation of the sci-fi manga franchise Ghost in the Shell. He also won two Golden Lions for directing the commercial The Life for the video game Halo 3: ODST
 50 
Sam Taylor-Johnson
(Director of the Films: 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and 'Nowhere Boy')
Sam Taylor-Johnson
4
Birthdate: March 4, 1967
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Croydon, London, England
Sam Taylor-Johnson, a British filmmaker and photographer, belongs to the Young British Artists group. Her notable works include Nowhere Boy, Fifty Shades of Grey, and Love You More. Her film Nowhere Boy was screened at 53rd annual London Film Festival as its closing presentation in 2009. She is known for directing the famous film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey.