Bennett Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bennett Miller
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Miller at the Weekend of a Champion press conference in November, 2013
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Bennett Altman Miller
December 30, 1966 New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | New York University Tisch School of the Arts |
| Occupation | Film director, film producer |
| Years active | 1998–present |
Bennett Altman Miller (born December 30, 1966) is an American film director. He is famous for directing movies like Capote (2005), Moneyball (2011), and Foxcatcher (2014). He has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director two times.
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Early Life and School
Bennett Miller was born in New York City. His dad was an engineer, and his mom was a painter. When he was young, he met writer Dan Futterman and actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.
He and Dan Futterman went to Mamaroneck High School together. All three of them also attended the New York State Summer School of the Arts. Later, they worked together on the movie Capote.
Miller went to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Philip Seymour Hoffman was also a classmate there. Miller left college just before he was going to graduate.
Bennett Miller's Film Career
Miller started his film career in 1998. He directed a documentary called The Cruise. A documentary is a movie that tells a true story about real events or people. This film showed the life of a tour guide in New York City. He made it using small, handheld digital cameras. The movie was a surprise hit and opened many doors for Miller.
Directing Capote
After The Cruise, Miller received many offers for new film projects. He waited until he could get support to make the movie Capote. This film starred Philip Seymour Hoffman as the famous writer Truman Capote. The movie first showed in September 2005. It was released by Sony Pictures Classics.
Music Videos and Moneyball
In 2006, Miller directed a music video for Bob Dylan called When the Deal Goes Down. It starred actress Scarlett Johansson. In 2008, he directed another music video for Scarlett Johansson. This one was a cover of a Tom Waits song called Falling Down. The writer Salman Rushdie also appeared in it.
In 2009, Miller was chosen to direct the movie Moneyball. This film was based on a 2003 book by Michael Lewis. Another director had been hired before, but he left the project. Moneyball was released in 2011. It was very successful with both critics and audiences.
Making Foxcatcher
Miller's most recent film is Foxcatcher, which came out in 2014. He started working on this movie in 2006. It stars Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo. The movie was produced by Annapurna Pictures. It was also released by Sony Pictures Classics.
Critics really liked Foxcatcher. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone magazine called it "a new peak" for Miller. He said the film looked closely at the worlds of Olympic sports and inherited wealth. Foxcatcher was nominated for five Academy Awards. These included Best Director for Miller.
Actors He Directed to Oscar Nominations
Bennett Miller has directed six actors who received Academy Award nominations for their roles:
- Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener for Capote
- Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill for Moneyball
- Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo for Foxcatcher
Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar for his acting in Capote.
Commercials
Miller also directs television commercials. In 1999, he directed a series of thirty-second ads for the Charlotte Hornets basketball team.
His Personal Life
In a 2014 interview, Miller described himself as a "tumbleweed." He meant that he lives a simple life. He said, "I don't have a company. I don't have a staff. I don't own anything -- I've never owned a car or an apartment."
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Cruise | Yes | Yes | Yes | Documentary |
| 2005 | Capote | Yes | No | No | |
| 2011 | Moneyball | Yes | No | No | |
| 2014 | Foxcatcher | Yes | Yes | No | |
| TBA | A Christmas Carol | Yes | Yes | No | In Development |
| TBA | Untitled film | Yes | Yes | Yes | Documentary |
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Title of project | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Academy Award | Best Director | Capote | Nominated |
| 2014 | Foxcatcher | Nominated | ||
| 2005 | British Academy Film Award | Best Director | Capote | Nominated |
| 2005 | Directors Guild of America Awards | Best Director - Feature Film | Nominated | |
| 2014 | Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer - Feature Film | Foxcatcher | Nominated |
| 2014 | Independent Spirit Award | Special Distinction Award | Won | |
| 2014 | Cannes Film Festival | Palme d'Or | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Won |
Miller was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for his movies Capote (2005) and Foxcatcher (2014). He was also nominated for the David Lean Award for Direction at the BAFTAs in 2006.
He won the Best Director Award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival for Foxcatcher. This film was also part of the main competition for the Palme d'Or, which is the festival's highest award.
See also
In Spanish: Bennett Miller para niños
