George Miller (filmmaker) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Miller AO
Miller in 2017
Born	(1945-03-03) 3 March 1945 (age 80) Chinchilla, Queensland, Australia
Education	Sydney Boys High School, Ipswich Grammar School
Alma mater	University of New South Wales
Occupation	Director producer writer
Spouse(s)	Sandy Gore ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 1992)​ Margaret Sixel ​ (m. 1995)​
Children	3
Relatives	Bill Miller (brother)
Awards	Full list

George Miller AO (born 3 March 1945) is a famous Australian filmmaker. For over 40 years, he has created popular movies. He is best known for the action-packed Mad Max films, which started in 1979. Two of these movies are considered among the greatest action films ever made.

Miller has won many awards, including an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar), a British Academy Film Award (BAFTA), and a Golden Globe Award. He first became famous for directing the Mad Max movies: Mad Max (1979), Mad Max 2 (1981), and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985).

He also directed the fantasy comedy The Witches of Eastwick (1987). Later, he made the medical drama Lorenzo's Oil (1992), which he also helped write. He produced and co-wrote the family movie Babe (1995) and directed its sequel, Babe: Pig in the City (1998).

In 2006, Miller won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature for Happy Feet, a movie about singing penguins. He also directed its sequel, Happy Feet Two (2011). He returned to the Mad Max series with the highly praised Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). This film won six Academy Awards, and Miller was nominated for Best Director. His most recent film in the series is the prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024).

Before becoming a filmmaker, Miller studied medicine at the University of New South Wales. He worked as a doctor for several years. He also helped start two film production companies: Kennedy Miller Mitchell and Dr. D Studios.

Early life and education

George Miller was born on March 3, 1945, in Chinchilla, Queensland, Australia. His parents, Jim and Angela, were Greek immigrants. His father's family changed their last name from Miliotis to Miller when they moved to Australia. His mother's family were Greek refugees from Turkey.

Miller went to Ipswich Grammar School and Sydney Boys High School. He then studied medicine at the University of New South Wales with his twin brother, John. In 1971, during his last year of medical school, George and his younger brother Chris made a short film. It was called St. Vincent's Revue Film and won first prize in a student contest.

In 1971, George met Byron Kennedy at a film workshop. They became good friends and started a film production partnership. In 1972, Miller finished his medical training at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. He spent his free time working on short experimental films. That same year, Miller and Kennedy started Kennedy Miller Productions. They worked together on many projects until Kennedy's death in 1983. Miller kept Kennedy's name in the company to honor him. Later, it was renamed Kennedy Miller Mitchell to include producer Doug Mitchell.

Career

Early films and Mad Max

Miller's first short film, Violence in Cinema: Part 1 (1971), caused a lot of discussion. It showed violence in a very direct way. In 1979, Miller directed his first full-length movie, Mad Max. He wrote the script with James McCausland in 1975. Kennedy Miller Productions funded the film independently. It became a huge international success.

Because of its popularity, Mad Max became a series. Two more sequels starring Mel Gibson followed: Mad Max 2 (also known as The Road Warrior) in 1981, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in 1985.

Between the second and third Mad Max films, Miller directed a part of the movie Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983). He remade a famous story called "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." A helicopter crash happened during the filming of another segment of this movie, which deeply affected Miller. This made him rethink how stunts were done in his future films. He also helped produce and direct several popular TV miniseries in Australia, like The Dismissal (1983).

Becoming a well-known director

In 1987, Miller directed The Witches of Eastwick. This movie starred famous actors like Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon, Cher, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Miller found making this film challenging. Jack Nicholson encouraged him to keep going. Miller said he learned a lot from Nicholson.

After The Witches of Eastwick, Miller mainly produced Australian films. He produced movies like Flirting and Dead Calm. He also produced TV miniseries such as Bangkok Hilton and Vietnam. These projects helped start the career of actress Nicole Kidman.

Miller returned to directing with the movie Lorenzo's Oil (1992). He co-wrote this biographical drama with Nick Enright. The film starred Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon. Critics praised the movie. Miller was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his writing.

Babe and Happy Feet films

In 1995, Miller produced and co-wrote the comedy-drama Babe, directed by Chris Noonan. The movie was a big hit with both critics and audiences. It received seven Academy Award nominations, including one for Miller for Best Adapted Screenplay. Miller then wrote and directed the sequel, Babe: Pig in the City (1998). Critics like Roger Ebert praised Miller's work on the sequel, calling it "literate, humane and wicked."

Miller also created the animated musical film Happy Feet (2006). This movie is about penguins in Antarctica. It was released in November 2006 and made a lot of money worldwide. It also earned Miller his fourth Academy Award nomination and his first win for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Critics noted how Miller brought deep feelings and a strong moral message to the film.

In 2007, Miller planned to direct a Justice League movie called Justice League: Mortal. However, due to a writers' strike and other delays, the film was put on hold. In 2011, the Happy Feet sequel, Happy Feet Two, was released.

Recent career

In 2012, Miller began filming Mad Max: Fury Road. This was the fourth movie in the Mad Max series, after many years of delays. Fury Road, starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, was released on May 15, 2015. The film was a huge success at the box office and received widespread praise from critics. Many called it one of the greatest action films ever made.

Mad Max: Fury Road received 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Miller himself was nominated for Best Director.

In 2018, it was announced that Miller would direct Three Thousand Years of Longing. This film, starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton, premiered in May 2022. Critics described it as a heartfelt fantasy adventure.

In 2017, Miller mentioned that he and co-writer Nico Lathouris had finished two more scripts for the Mad Max series. The next film in the series was reported to be Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. This film premiered in 2024 and was also highly praised.

Personal life

George Miller was married to actress Sandy Gore from 1985 to 1992, and they have a daughter. Since 1995, he has been married to film editor Margaret Sixel. They have two sons. Margaret Sixel has worked on many of Miller's films. Miller has said that being surrounded by strong women has made him a feminist.

Miller supports the Australian Film Institute and the Brisbane International Film Festival. He also helps the Sydney Film Festival. He has often said that the 1940 animated movie Pinocchio is one of his favorite films.

Filmography

Feature film

Producer

Other credits

Short film

Television

Producer

Music video

Video games

Awards and recognition

George Miller has won many important awards for his films. Here are some of the main ones:

• In 1996, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
• In 2007, he won The Queensland – United States Personal Achievement Award.
• In 2009, he received the French Order of the Arts and Letters.
• In 2016, he was the head of the jury for the main award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Images for kids

• 

  Miller at the Australian premiere of Happy Feet in 2006

• 

  Miller on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road, 2012

See also

In Spanish: George Miller para niños

• George Miller's unrealized projects