Paul Greengrass facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Greengrass CBE
Greengrass at the Bourne Ultimatum premiere in Hollywood, 2007
Born	(1955-08-13) 13 August 1955 (age 69) Cheam, Surrey, England
Alma mater	Queens' College, Cambridge
Occupation	Film director screenwriter producer
Years active	1978–present
Board member of	Directors UK (president)

Paul Greengrass is a famous English film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was also a journalist earlier in his career. He is known for making exciting action movies and realistic dramas.

Some of his most well-known films include the Bourne action movies like The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. He also directed United 93, which was about the events of September 11, 2001. For United 93, he won a BAFTA Award for Best Director. He also directed Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks.

In 2007, Paul Greengrass helped start Directors UK, which is a group for British filmmakers. He was their first president for several years. He has received many awards and honors for his work in film.

Paul Greengrass's Early Life

Paul Greengrass was born on August 13, 1955, in Cheam, Surrey, England. His mother, Joyce, was a teacher, and his father, Phillip, was a river pilot. Paul has a brother named Mark, who is a historian.

He went to schools like Gravesend Grammar School and Sevenoaks School. Later, he studied English literature at Queens' College, Cambridge.

Paul Greengrass's Career in Film

Paul Greengrass started his career in the 1980s. He first worked as a director for a TV show called World in Action, which was about current events. He also helped write a book called Spycatcher.

Early Films and TV Dramas

Greengrass began directing TV films that were based on real events. One of these was The One That Got Away. It was about a British soldier's experiences during the Gulf War. He also directed The Fix, which was about a British betting scandal.

In 1998, he directed The Theory of Flight. This film starred famous actors Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter. It explored important topics about people with disabilities.

Paul Greengrass (left) with actor Tom Hanks and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe at a film festival.

Important True-Story Films

Paul Greengrass directed The Murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1999. This film told the story of Stephen Lawrence, a young Black British man whose murder was not properly investigated by the police. The film showed how his mother's efforts led to questions about racism in the police force.

His next film, Bloody Sunday (2002), was about a tragic event in 1972 in Ireland. The film was made to look like a documentary. It won a top prize at the Berlin Film Festival.

In 2004, Greengrass helped write and produce a TV film called Omagh. This film was based on a real bombing that happened in 1998. It won an award for Best Single Drama. This was one of the few films Greengrass wrote but did not direct himself.

Directing the Bourne Series

Because of his work on Bloody Sunday, Paul Greengrass was chosen to direct The Bourne Supremacy in 2004. This was the second film in the Bourne series. The movie stars Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, a man who can't remember his past but finds out he was a top agent.

The Bourne Supremacy was a big success. It helped make Greengrass well-known and allowed him to make more personal films. He returned to direct The Bourne Ultimatum in 2007. This film was even more successful than the previous ones. He directed another Bourne film, Jason Bourne, which was released in 2016.

Other Notable Films

In 2006, Greengrass directed United 93. This film was about the hijacking of a plane on September 11, 2001. The movie was praised for its realistic, documentary-like style. Greengrass won a BAFTA award for Best Director for this film. He was also nominated for an Oscar.

His film Green Zone came out in 2010. It stars Matt Damon and is about a U.S. military team searching for weapons in Iraq. The film was inspired by real events but tells a fictional story.

In 2013, Greengrass directed Captain Phillips. This movie was based on the true story of the Maersk Alabama hijacking in 2009. It starred Tom Hanks as Captain Richard Phillips. The film was very popular and received many awards.

In 2017, Greengrass filmed 22 July. This movie is a drama about the 2011 attacks in Norway and what happened afterward. It was released on Netflix in 2018.

In 2020, he directed News of the World, which again starred Tom Hanks. This film is about a captain who travels across the country reading the news to people.

Paul Greengrass continues to work on new film projects. He is known for his exciting and realistic storytelling.

Paul Greengrass's Personal Life

Paul Greengrass is married to Joanna Kaye, who is a talent agent. They have three children together. He also has two other children from an earlier marriage. He is a fan of the Crystal Palace Football Club.

Paul Greengrass's Filmography

Movies

Television Work

Awards and Nominations

Paul Greengrass has received many awards and nominations for his films. Here are some of the most important ones:

See also

In Spanish: Paul Greengrass para niños