Neil Jordan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neil Jordan
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Jordan at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival
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Neil Patrick Jordan
25 February 1950 Sligo, County Sligo, Ireland
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| Alma mater | University College Dublin (B.A., 1972) |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouse(s) | Vivienne Shields (divorced) Brenda Rawn
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 5 |
Neil Patrick Jordan (born 25 February 1950) is a famous Irish film director, writer, and novelist. He is known for creating many different types of movies, from exciting thrillers to deep dramas.
Neil Jordan first became known for his collection of short stories called Night in Tunisia. This book won an important award, the Guardian Fiction Prize, in 1979. After working for the Irish TV channel RTÉ, he directed his first movie, Angel, in 1982.
Some of his most well-known films include the crime thrillers Mona Lisa (1986) and The Crying Game (1992). He also directed the vampire movies Interview with the Vampire (1994) and Byzantium (2012). Other popular films are Michael Collins (1996), The Butcher Boy (1997), and Breakfast on Pluto (2005).
Neil Jordan has won many awards for his films. These include an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar), two BAFTA Awards, and a Golden Lion award. In 1996, France gave him a special honor called the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
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Early Life and School
Neil Jordan was born in Sligo, Ireland. His mother, Angela, was a painter, and his father, Michael, was a professor. He went to school at St. Paul's College, Raheny.
Later, Neil studied Irish history and English literature at University College Dublin. He finished his studies in 1972. While at university, he got involved in student theater. There, he met Jim Sheridan, who also became a famous Irish film director.
Career Highlights
Neil Jordan started his career in the late 1970s. He worked for RTÉ, which is Ireland's national television and radio broadcaster. He even helped write stories for a children's fantasy TV show called Wanderly Wagon.
His first book of short stories, Night in Tunisia, was published in 1976. It won the Guardian Fiction Prize in 1979, which was a big achievement.
In 1981, a famous director named John Boorman was filming Excalibur in Ireland. He asked Neil Jordan to be a "creative associate" on the film. A year later, John Boorman helped Neil make his first full-length movie, Angel. This film was about a musician caught up in the difficult times of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. An actor named Stephen Rea starred in it, and he has been in many of Neil Jordan's films since then.
During the 1980s, Neil Jordan directed other successful films. These included The Company of Wolves and Mona Lisa. Both of these movies were made in England.
Neil Jordan's films are very unique and cover many different styles. He has made big Hollywood movies like Interview with the Vampire. He has also made smaller, more personal films that are shown in arthouse cinemas. He also helped create the TV series The Borgias, which was about a powerful Italian family.
Neil Jordan often tells stories that are connected to the history of Northern Ireland. For example, The Crying Game and Breakfast on Pluto both deal with events from The Troubles. Even though they cover similar topics, these two films are very different in style. The Crying Game is a serious thriller, while Breakfast on Pluto is a funny and artistic story.
He also likes to tell stories about children or young people. Examples include The Miracle and The Butcher Boy. While most of his films feel very real, he sometimes directs movies that are more magical or dreamlike. These include The Company of Wolves, High Spirits, and Interview with the Vampire.
After his early films became popular, Neil Jordan went to Hollywood. There, he directed High Spirits and We're No Angels. Later, he returned to Ireland to make The Crying Game. This film was a huge success and was nominated for six Academy Awards. Neil Jordan won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for this movie.
The success of The Crying Game brought him back to American filmmaking. He directed Interview with the Vampire, which was a very popular film. He also directed the crime drama The Brave One, starring Jodie Foster.
In 2009, Neil Jordan wrote and directed an Irish film called Ondine, which starred Colin Farrell. He also directed Byzantium (2012), a vampire movie with Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton. His most recent film is the thriller Greta (2018).
Personal Life
Neil Jordan has five children. He lives in Dalkey, a town near Dublin, Ireland.
In 1996, Neil Jordan received a special French award called the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He has also received many honorary degrees from universities like Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin.
Selected Filmography
Here are some of the films Neil Jordan has directed or written:
- 1982 – Angel (Director, Writer)
- 1984 – The Company of Wolves (Director, Writer)
- 1986 – Mona Lisa (Director, Writer)
- 1992 – The Crying Game (Director, Writer)
- 1994 – Interview with the Vampire (Director)
- 1996 – Michael Collins (Director, Writer)
- 1997 – The Butcher Boy (Director, Writer)
- 1999 – The End of the Affair (Director, Writer, Producer)
- 2005 – Breakfast on Pluto (Director, Writer, Producer)
- 2007 – The Brave One (Director)
- 2009 – Ondine (Director, Writer, Producer)
- 2012 – Byzantium (Director)
- 2018 – Greta (Director, Writer)
- 2022 – Marlowe (Director, Writer)
Selected Television Work
- 2011–2013 – The Borgias (Director, Writer, Executive Producer, Creator)
- 2017–2020 – Riviera (Writer, Executive Producer, Creator)
See also
In Spanish: Neil Jordan para niños
