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IMDbPro

Sam Mendes(I)

  • Producer
  • Director
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000342
Sam Mendes at an event for Revolutionary Road (2008)
From 'American Beauty' and 'Skyfall' to his Academy Award-nominated '1917,' IMDb dives into the trademarks of Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes.
Play clip1:59
A Guide to the Films of Sam Mendes
27 Videos
99+ Photos
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.
BornAugust 1, 1965
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornAugust 1, 1965
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000342
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 1 Oscar
    • 64 wins & 77 nominations total

Photos172

Sam Mendes
Sam Mendes, George MacKay, and Dean-Charles Chapman in 1917 (2019)
Sam Mendes in Still Tickin': The Return of A Clockwork Orange (2000)
Paul Newman and Sam Mendes in Road to Perdition (2002)
Tom Hanks and Sam Mendes in Road to Perdition (2002)
Sam Mendes and Conrad L. Hall in Road to Perdition (2002)
Sam Mendes in Road to Perdition (2002)
Sam Mendes in Spectre (2015)
Sam Mendes and Léa Seydoux in Spectre (2015)
Sam Mendes and Dave Bautista in Spectre (2015)
Sam Mendes in Spectre (2015)
Sam Mendes in Charlie Rose (1991)

Known for:

George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman in 1917 (2019)
1917
8.2
  • Producer(produced by, p.g.a.)
  • 2019
Tom Hanks and Tyler Hoechlin in Road to Perdition (2002)
Road to Perdition
7.7
  • Producer
  • 2002
Daniel Craig in Skyfall (2012)
Skyfall
7.8
  • Director
  • 2012
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road (2008)
Revolutionary Road
7.3
  • Producer
  • 2008

Credits

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IMDbPro

Producer

  • Hamnet
    • producer
    • Pre-production
  • Beautiful Ruins
    • producer
    • Pre-production
  • Flavia De Luce
    • producer
    • In Development
    • TV Series
  • Oliver Twist (2022)
    Oliver Twist
    • producer
    • Podcast Series
    • 2022
  • Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward in Empire of Light (2022)
    Empire of Light
    • producer (produced by, p.g.a.)
    • 2022
  • Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes (2022)
    Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes
    • executive producer
    • 2022
  • Natalie Dormer and Daniel Zovatto in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (2020)
    Penny Dreadful: City of Angels
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2020
  • George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman in 1917 (2019)
    1917
    • producer (produced by, p.g.a.)
    • 2019
  • David Morrissey, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Annabel Scholey, and Eleanor Worthington-Cox in Britannia (2017)
    Britannia
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2017–2019
  • Paddy Considine, Bel Powley, and Nabhaan Rizwan in Informer (2018)
    Informer
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • Penny Dreadful (2014)
    Penny Dreadful
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2014–2016
  • Jeremy Irons, Ben Whishaw, and Tom Hiddleston in The Hollow Crown (2012)
    The Hollow Crown
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2012–2016
  • Grand Hotel
    • executive producer
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2014
  • Brian d'Arcy James, Christopher Sieber, Daniel Breaker, and Sutton Foster in Shrek the Musical (2013)
    Shrek the Musical
    • producer: Neal Street Productions Ltd.
    • 2013
  • Brian Cox, Paul Bettany, Stephen Graham, and Mark Strong in Blood (2012)
    Blood
    • executive producer
    • 2012
  • Out of the Ashes (2010)
    Out of the Ashes
    • executive producer
    • 2010
  • Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road (2008)
    Revolutionary Road
    • producer
    • 2008
  • The Kite Runner (2007)
    The Kite Runner
    • executive producer
    • 2007

Director

  • The Motive and the Cue
    • Director
    • Pre-production
  • Flavia De Luce
    • Director
    • In Development
    • TV Series
  • Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward in Empire of Light (2022)
    Empire of Light
    • Director
    • 2022
  • George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman in 1917 (2019)
    1917
    • Director
    • 2019
  • The Lehman Trilogy (2019)
    The Lehman Trilogy
    • Director
    • 2019
  • Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton: Attrape-Rêves - Where Will Your Journey Take You? (2018)
    Louis Vuitton: Attrape-Rêves - Where Will Your Journey Take You?
    • Director
    • Video
    • 2018
  • Jesper Christensen, Daniel Craig, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Tenoch Huerta, Stephanie Sigman, and Marco Zingaro in Spectre (2015)
    Spectre
    • Director
    • 2015
  • King Lear (2014)
    King Lear
    • Director
    • 2014
  • Daniel Craig in Skyfall (2012)
    Skyfall
    • Director
    • 2012
  • Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski in Away We Go (2009)
    Away We Go
    • Director
    • 2009
  • Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road (2008)
    Revolutionary Road
    • Director
    • 2008
  • Jarhead (2005)
    Jarhead
    • Director
    • 2005
  • Tom Hanks and Tyler Hoechlin in Road to Perdition (2002)
    Road to Perdition
    • Director
    • 2002
  • Kevin Spacey, Thora Birch, Mena Suvari, and Wes Bentley in American Beauty (1999)
    American Beauty
    • Director
    • 1999
  • Alan Cumming in Cabaret (1993)
    Cabaret
    • Director
    • TV Movie
    • 1993

Additional Crew

  • King Lear (2014)
    King Lear
    • directed for the stage
    • 2014
  • Little Voice (1998)
    Little Voice
    • director: original stage production
    • 1998
  • Performance (1991)
    Performance
    • stage director
    • TV Series
    • 1997
  • Alan Cumming in Cabaret (1993)
    Cabaret
    • stage director
    • TV Movie
    • 1993
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos27

Bong Joon Ho Makes Oscars History
Clip 3:24
Bong Joon Ho Makes Oscars History
What BAFTA, SAG, & DGA Wins Predict for the 2020 Oscars
Clip 4:30
What BAFTA, SAG, & DGA Wins Predict for the 2020 Oscars
A Guide to the Films of Sam Mendes
Clip 1:59
A Guide to the Films of Sam Mendes
'1917': How the Epic World War I Film Was Made
Clip 4:24
'1917': How the Epic World War I Film Was Made
Golden Globes 2020 Get Real, Misty-Eyed, & Political
Clip 3:52
Golden Globes 2020 Get Real, Misty-Eyed, & Political
Why '1917' Had to Be One Shot
Clip 2:40
Why '1917' Had to Be One Shot
Most Anticipated Movies for Rest of 2019
Clip 2:46
Most Anticipated Movies for Rest of 2019
Sam Mendes | Director Supercut
Clip 1:21
Sam Mendes | Director Supercut
Away We Go -- "Antwerp"
Clip 0:40
Away We Go -- "Antwerp"
Away We Go -- "Only 6 Months Pregnant"
Clip 0:46
Away We Go -- "Only 6 Months Pregnant"
Away We Go -- "The Pain Is So Enlightening"
Clip 1:01
Away We Go -- "The Pain Is So Enlightening"
Away We Go -- "You're So Fat"
Clip 0:38
Away We Go -- "You're So Fat"

Personal details

Edit
  • Official site
    • France's national library catalogue on his grandfather
  • Alternative name
    • Sir Sam Mendes
  • Height
    • 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
  • Born
    • August 1, 1965
    • Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
  • Spouses
      Alison BalsomJanuary 26, 2017 - present (1 child)
  • Children
      Joe Alfie Mendes
  • Parents
      James Peter Mendes
  • Relatives
    • Alfred H. Mendes(Grandparent)
  • Other works
    London and Broadway theatrical productions of Cabaret.
  • Publicity listings
    • 6 Interviews
    • 5 Articles
    • 1 Pictorial

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Sam married English actress Kate Winslet in the West Indies in May 2003.
  • Quotes
    Sex. What Fun. to the students of Atlantic Theater School
  • Trademarks
      Often begins his films with a voice-over narration from the main character; at the end of the movie the character finishes his narration in very much the same way it began.
  • Nickname
    • Midas Mendes
  • Salaries
      Road to Perdition
      (2002)
      $1,200,000

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