Neil Jordan Biography

(Director and Screenwriter)

Birthday: February 25, 1950 (Pisces)

Born In: Rosses Point, Ireland

Neil Jordan is an Irish filmmaker and screenwriter known for the films ‘The Crying Game’ and ‘The End of the Affair’. The former film won him an Academy Award, and the latter, a BAFTA Award. He was born in Sligo, Ireland. Before he began his career, he studied English literature and Irish history at the University College Dublin. He initially worked as a short story writer and a novelist. In 1982, he wrote and directed his first feature film ‘Angel’. He gained international popularity after he directed the psychological thriller ‘The Crying Game’, which received an Oscar in the category of ‘Best Original Screenplay’. He also received another Oscar nomination in the ‘Best Director’ category. Known for his depiction of unconventional sexuality in his films, he earned critical acclaim for his movie ‘The End of the Affair’, which was based on a book of the same name by Graham Greene, a well-known British author. Jordan is also the screenwriter in most of the movies he has directed. He has been involved in two TV shows, ‘The Borgias’ and ‘Riviera,’ as well.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Neil Patrick Jordan

Age: 74 Years, 74 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Brenda Rawn (m. 2004)

father: Michael Jordan

mother: Angela (née O'Brien)

children: Anna Jordan, Ben Jordan, Daniel Jordan, Dashiel Jordan, Sarah Jordan

Born Country: Ireland

Directors Screenwriters

Notable Alumni: St Paul's College, Raheny

More Facts

education: University College Dublin, St Paul's College, Raheny

Childhood & Early Life
Neil Jordan was born in County Sligo, Ireland, on 25th February 1950. His mother Angela was a painter and his father Michael Jordan, a professor. He was brought up as a Catholic.
He went to St Paul’s College, where he studied Irish history and English literature.
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Career As A Filmmaker
Neil Jordan was a novelist and short-story writer before he started working for filmmaker John Boorman. He made his film debut in 1982 with ‘Angel’, which he wrote and directed. It was made on a small budget.
In 1984, he directed the gothic fantasy horror film ‘The Company of Wolves’. It was made on a budget of around $2.3 million. The film turned out to be commercially successful, earning around $4.3 million. It won multiple awards and nominations.
His next film was the crime drama ‘Mona Lisa’, released in 1986. It won several awards and nominations. Jordan was nominated for two BAFTA Awards, for ‘Best Direction’ and ‘Best Original Screenplay’. He was also nominated for the Golden Globe for ‘Best Screenplay.’
His next movies included ‘High Spirits’ (1988), ‘We’re No Angels’, (1989), and ‘The Miracle’ (1991).
He got international popularity after he directed the thriller ‘The Crying Game’ in 1992. The film was a huge success commercially and received favorable reviews as well. It earned the BAFTA Award for ‘Best British Film’ and the Oscar for ‘Best Original Screenplay’.
In 1994, he directed the romantic gothic horror film ‘Interview with the Vampire’. The film, which starred actors such as Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, was a commercial success, and earned over $220 million on a $60 million budget.
In 1996, he directed the biopic ‘Michael Collins’. It was nominated for two Oscars and received positive reviews. However, it didn’t do well commercially.
His next work was the 1997 drama film ‘The Butcher Boy’. The film was about a twelve-year-old boy being abused by his stepfather after his mother’s death. The movie won several awards, including the Silver Bear for Best Director for Jordan.
His next film ‘The End of the Affair’, which he wrote and directed, was released in 1999. It was based on a 1951 novel by British author Graham Greene. The film earned two Oscar nominations. Jordan won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He was also nominated for another BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe, both for ‘Best Director’.
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In 1999, he also wrote and directed ‘In Dreams’. The film was a commercial failure, earning just $12 million on a budget of $30 million. The film is about a New England illustrator who begins experiencing visions of a missing child and psychic connections to a serial child killer.
Neil Jordan’s next movie as a director was the crime thriller ‘The Good Thief’ (2002). Over the years, he also directed the movies ‘Breakfast on Pluto’ (2005), ‘The Brave One’ (2007), ‘Ondine’ (2009), and ‘Byzantium’ (2012).
Between 2011 and 2013, he created, directed, and served as the executive producer on the TV series ‘The Borgias.’
In 2017, he created and served as the executive producer on the TV series ‘Riviera’. His most recent work is the 2018 psychological thriller film ‘Greta’. The reviews were mostly mixed.
Writing Career
Neil Jordan’s first book as a writer is the 1976 collection of short stories ‘Night in Tunisia’. His other works include ‘The Past’ (1980), ‘Sunrise with Sea Monster’ (1994), ‘Shade’ (2005), ‘Mistaken’ (2011) and ‘The Drowned Detective’ (2016).
Major Works
One of Neil Jordan’s most significant works is the 1992 thriller film ‘The Crying Game’, which he wrote and directed. The movie starred actors such as Stephen Rea, Miranda Richardson and Jaye Davidson. The film did well at the box office, earning over $60 million on a small budget of $2.3 million. Jordan was nominated for two Oscars, out of which he won one for ‘Best Original Screenplay’.
The 1997 tragicomic drama film ‘The Butcher Boy’ is another of his important works. It was adapted from a 1992 novel of the same name by Patrick McCabe. The film starred actors such as Stephen Rea, Fiona Shaw and Eamonn Owens. The film won several awards. Jordan won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival.
His novel ‘Mistaken’ is a popular one. Published in 2011, it is told from the viewpoint of Kevin Thunder, who grew up in the 1960s. The book won the Irish Book Award as well as the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award in the same year.
Family & Personal Life
Neil Jordan married Brenda Rawn in 2004. They have two children. He was previously married to Vivienne Shields and has two children with her as well. He also has another child with architect Mary Donohoe.

Awards

Academy Awards(Oscars)
1993 Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen The Crying Game (1992)
BAFTA Awards
2000 Best Screenplay - Adapted The End of the Affair (1999)

See the events in life of Neil Jordan in Chronological Order

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- Neil Jordan Biography
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URL
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