Stephen Daldry was born in May 1960 in Dorset (UK), in the family of a singer and bank clerk. His father died when he was fifteen years old. From a young age, he played at the Tonton Youth Theatre, then, having received a scholarship from the Royal Air Force, entered the University of Sheffield, where he studied English and literature. In his student years, Stephen Daldry continued to master acting and even became a student of a circus clown. Together with the circus, after graduation, he spent
more
Stephen Daldry was born in May 1960 in Dorset (UK), in the family of a singer and bank clerk. His father died when he was fifteen years old. From a young age, he played at the Tonton Youth Theatre, then, having received a scholarship from the Royal Air Force, entered the University of Sheffield, where he studied English and literature. In his student years, Stephen Daldry continued to master acting and even became a student of a circus clown. Together with the circus, after graduation, he spent a year on tour. Back in Sheffield, Daldry worked at the local Crucible Theatre in 1985-1988, while learning the art of directing. He then went to London, where he directed The Gate in 1990-92, where his 1991 production of Damned for Despair drew attention. Of great interest was his play “Inspector Calls” based on the play by J.B. Priestley, staged at the National Theatre. At 32, Daldry was appointed artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre, a post he held until 1995. In 1997, Daldry signed a contract with the film production company "Working Title", and the first result of his work was the short film "Eight" (1998), awarded a BAFTA nomination. When he returned to the theater, he performed David Hare’s monologue, Via Dolorosa. The real - and very successful - full-length debut of the famous theater director in cinema was the dramatic film "Billy Elliot" (2000), shot on the script of Lee Hall. As a result, the picture was nominated for several Oscars, including for directing. This triumph was followed by a new one - in 2001, the director staged the drama The Clock, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Michael Cunningham. The main roles in the film were played by Nicole Kidman, Juliana Moore, Meryl Streep and Ed Harris. The masterful directing and brilliant acting made the picture the event of the year, evidenced by a number of prestigious awards and nominations.