Born in Reading in 1965, Sam Mendes was a stage director who ran the Donmar Warehouse in London while still in his twenties, and took the stage to Broadway. His first film, American Beauty (1999), a dark comedy of suburban discontent, won five Oscars including best picture and best director. He followed with Road to Perdition (2002), two James Bond films, Skyfall (2012) and Spectre, and 1917 (2019), designed to look like one continuous shot, which won him the BAFTA for director. He was married to the actress Kate Winslet from 2003 to 2011.
Filmography
- American Beauty (1999)
- Road to Perdition (2002)
- Skyfall (2012)
- 1917 (2019)
- Empire of Light (2022)