Sam Mendes

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Birthday:

1 August 1965, Reading, Berkshire, England, UK

Birth Name:

Samuel Alexander Mendes

Height:

175 cm

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. Show less «

Sex. What Fun. to the students of Atlantic Theater School

If you shout in the theater, people think you've gone a bit mad. But if you raise your voice on a film set, people just work a bit harder.

My process is slow and I enjoy it too much to rush. And I like to return to the theater between films. But after not doing any movies for a ...Show more »

My process is slow and I enjoy it too much to rush. And I like to return to the theater between films. But after not doing any movies for a few years, perhaps I might do two in two years. Show less «

Regarding his commitment to directing Jarhead (2005) without a personal soldiering background: "This is new territory to me, but I hadn't sp...Show more »

Regarding his commitment to directing Jarhead (2005) without a personal soldiering background: "This is new territory to me, but I hadn't spent two days in American suburbia when I directed American Beauty (1999). I only knew the script had an unusual and original voice and it was a challenge I wanted to take on. Jarhead (2005) is equal parts black humor, honesty, rage, lyricism, profanity and the mixture of machismo jarhead culture. With the exception of Three Kings (1999) this is a war that has been overlooked but which has a burning relevance to what is happening right now in the Middle East." Show less «

"I feel very undeserving. I feel the award is a bank loan, which I'll take out and pay back by the end of 20 years, and by then I'll feel mo...Show more »

"I feel very undeserving. I feel the award is a bank loan, which I'll take out and pay back by the end of 20 years, and by then I'll feel more deserving." - On receiving his Lifetime Achievement award from the Directors Guild of Great Britain. Show less «

Regarding the different reactions of Europeans and Americans to his film, Jarhead (2005): "I feel they've understood in Europe. In America, ...Show more »

Regarding the different reactions of Europeans and Americans to his film, Jarhead (2005): "I feel they've understood in Europe. In America, it's like talking about a different movie. Fundamentally, "Jarhead" disobeys all the laws of American movies, and not just the political laws of American movies right now, which demand on some level to tell us which side they're on. In Europe, there's a sense this film comes from the tradition of absurdist war movies about the futility of conflict. It has more in common with Beckett, Sartre and Banuel than it does with Oliver Stone. In America, they assumed I was trying to make an Oliver Stone movie and that I'd failed". Show less «

I don't want to be known for one thing. I don't want to have an adjective based around my name. 'Lynchian', I know what that is, I know what...Show more »

I don't want to be known for one thing. I don't want to have an adjective based around my name. 'Lynchian', I know what that is, I know what 'Kubrickian' is, and I know what 'Bergmanesque' means. But there isn't going to be, and I don't want there to be, a 'Mendesian'. Show less «

[on Stanley Kubrick] Of course, his films are all chilling. 2001 blew away the three act structure, but his other films are equally unique. ...Show more »

[on Stanley Kubrick] Of course, his films are all chilling. 2001 blew away the three act structure, but his other films are equally unique. We are only now catching up. Show less «

Natasha combined the best of Redgrave and Richardson: the enormous depth and emotional force of a great actor on the one hand, and the intel...Show more »

Natasha combined the best of Redgrave and Richardson: the enormous depth and emotional force of a great actor on the one hand, and the intelligence and objectivity of a great director on the other. She was one of a kind, a magnificent actress. She was also an amazing mother, a loyal friend, and the greatest and most generous host you could ever hope to meet. It defies belief that this gifted, brave, tenacious, wonderful woman is gone. (on Natasha Richardson's tragic death.) Show less «

I am fascinated by America, no question about that. I will stop making films about it eventually, though, because I think there's a limited ...Show more »

I am fascinated by America, no question about that. I will stop making films about it eventually, though, because I think there's a limited amount to say. But I am drawn to it. I don't think it's weird for an outsider to go and make movies that are quintessentially American. I think the 20th century shows that there is a tradition of people being drawn to America as the site of the great mythic landscape. You can tell big stories there that you might not be able to tell with such scale and grace elsewhere. Show less «

[on Away We Go (2009)] All my films are linked by similar concerns, if you look below the surface. They're all about one or more people who ...Show more »

[on Away We Go (2009)] All my films are linked by similar concerns, if you look below the surface. They're all about one or more people who are lost and trying to find a way through. It's no different with this one, it just happens that they do find a way through. Show less «

Get in touch with your inner 12 year old. He or she was an interesting kid.

On the day, be prepared - but also be prepared to make shit up.

Making an action sequence is only interesting when you're in the cutting room. Up until then, it is literally the most tedious thing you wil...Show more »

Making an action sequence is only interesting when you're in the cutting room. Up until then, it is literally the most tedious thing you will ever do. Show less «

You can only ever point the camera at one thing at a time.

You are playing roulette with someone else's money. If you are going to bet it all on black, you need to be able to explain why.

You need to learn to tune out the white noise. You can not please everyone.

Tarantino, Spielberg, Nolan, Scorsese, Greengrass, J.J. and Paul Thomas Anderson all still shoot on film. There is a reason.

You're trying to surf the big wave, so be prepared to be wiped out - but when you catch it, it feels like nothing else.

When you're choosing for collaborators, do not listen to the people who tell you, "Yes, but I've never done a big movie." If they are any go...Show more »

When you're choosing for collaborators, do not listen to the people who tell you, "Yes, but I've never done a big movie." If they are any good, they will learn - just like I did. Show less «

When you get excited, don't be afraid to leap out of your chair and sing the James Bond theme.