Stephen Frears

Biography

Stephen Arthur Frears (born 20 June 1941) is an English director and producer. He has directed numerous acclaimed films since the early 1980s, including My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), The Grifters (1990), High Fidelity (2000), The Queen (2006), Philomena (2013), Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), and Victoria & Abdul (2017). He has received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director. Frears is also known for his work on various television programs, including Fail Safe (2000), The Deal (2003), Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight (2013), A Very English Scandal (2018), State of the Union (2019), and Quiz (2020). He has received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations, with one win. In 2008, The Daily Telegraph named Frears among the 100 most influential people in British culture.

Known for

Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel

October 16, 2022

Forever Ealing

December 5, 2002

Here’s Looking at You, Boy

February 16, 2007

Howard Hawks: American Artist

January 1, 1997

Typically British: A Personal History of British Cinema

Hans Zimmer: The Sound of Hollywood

March 14, 2011

Acting roles

Year	Movie / TV show / Other	Role
2024	A Look Through His Lens	Self
2022	Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel	Self
2022	Reel Britannia	Self
2021	Back to Barrytown	Self
2020	In The Tracks Of - Alexandre Desplat	Self
2019	Memories of Lindsay Anderson	Himself
2019	Revisiting The Man in the White Suit
2018	Who Killed British Cinema?	Self
2018	Seduction. Betrayal. Murder: The Making of The Grifters
2017	She's French
2017	Il était une fois... « The Queen »	Self
2015	French Cinema Mon Amour	Self
2015	Reflecting on My Beautiful Laundrette: A Conversation between Stephen Frears and Colin MacCabe
2014	Henri Langlois vu par...	Self
2012	30 Years of Comic Strip
2012	My Friend Sam: Living for the Moment
2011	Hans Zimmer: The Sound of Hollywood	Self
2010	Heavy Rain
2009	Chéri	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
2009	Great Directors	Self
2009	Once Upon a Time... 'Notorious'	Self
2007	Here’s Looking at You, Boy	Self
2004	Kulturplatz	Self
2004	Cast & Crew: If....	Self - Interviewee
2002	Forever Ealing	Self
2002	Robert Altman in England	Himself
2001	All About Desire: The Passionate Cinema of Pedro Almodovar	Narrator
2000	Alan Clarke: His Own Man	Self
1997	Howard Hawks: American Artist	Narrator
1995	Typically British: A Personal History of British Cinema
1993	Hollywood U.K.: British Cinema in the Sixties	Self
1991	Director: Alan Clarke
1986	Hooray For Holyrood	Himself
1985	Shooting from the Heart: Chris Menges, Cameraman	Self
1978	Long Shot	Biscuit Man
1971	Incident	Man

Credits

Year	Movie / TV show / Other	Role
—	Brian and Margaret	Director
2024	The Regime	Executive Producer
2024	The Regime	Director
2022	The Lost King	Director
2021	Short Cuts: Dangerous Liaisons	Original Film Writer
2020	Quiz	Executive Producer
2020	Quiz	Director
2019	The Loudest Voice	Director
2019	State of the Union	Executive Producer
2019	State of the Union	Director
2018	A Very English Scandal	Director
2018	A Very English Scandal	Executive Producer
2017	Victoria & Abdul	Director
2016	Florence Foster Jenkins	Director
2016	Florence Foster Jenkins	Writer
2015	The Program	Director
2014	Night Will Fall	Executive Producer
2014	Night Will Fall	Producer
2014	Henri Langlois vu par...	Director
—	Wilder & Me	Director
2013	Philomena	Director
2013	Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight	Director
2012	Lay the Favorite	Director
2010	Tamara Drewe	Director
2009	Chéri	Director
2009	Jean Charles	Executive Producer
2006	The Queen	Director
2005	Mrs. Henderson Presents	Director
2005	Le court des grands	Director
2004	The Route V50	Director
2003	The Deal	Director
2002	Dirty Pretty Things	Director
2001	Liam	Director
2000	High Fidelity	Director
2000	Fail Safe	Director
1998	The Hi-Lo Country	Director
1997	Beyond Fear	Executive Producer
1996	Mary Reilly	Director
1996	The Van	Director
1995	Typically British: A Personal History of British Cinema	Director
1993	The Snapper	Director
1992	Hero	Director
1990	The Grifters	Director
1988	Dangerous Liaisons	Director
1988	Mr Jolly Lives Next Door	Director
1987	Prick Up Your Ears	Director
1987	Sammy and Rosie Get Laid	Director
1986	Song of Experience	Director
1986	Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)	Director of Photography
1986	Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)	Director
1985	My Beautiful Laundrette	Director
1984	The Hit	Director
1984	The Bullshitters: Roll Out the Gunbarrel	Director
1984	December Flower	Director
1983	Saigon: Year Of The Cat	Director
1983	Walter and June	Director
1982	The Comic Strip Presents...	Director
1982	Walter	Director
1981	Going Gently	Director
1980	Bloody Kids	Director
1979	One Fine Day	Director
1979	One Fine Day	Producer
1979	Afternoon Off	Director
1979	Long Distance Information	Director
1979	Afternoon Off	Producer
1978	A Visit from Miss Prothero	Director
1978	Doris and Doreen	Producer
1978	Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia Woolf	Director
1978	Doris and Doreen	Director
1978	Cold Harbour	Director
1977	Black Christmas	Director
1977	Last Summer	Director
1977	Last Summer	Producer
1976	Early Struggles	Director
1975	Three Men in a Boat	Director
1975	Sunset Across the Bay	Director
1974	Playhouse	Director
1974	Match of the Day	Director
1972	A Day Out	Director
1971	Gumshoe	Director
1971	Follyfoot	Director
1970	Play for Today	Director
1968	The Burning	Director
1966	Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment	Assistant Director