Ridley Scott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Ridley Scott GBE
Scott in 2015
Born	(1937-11-30) 30 November 1937 (age 87) South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England
Alma mater	West Hartlepool College of Art Royal College of Art
Occupation	Film director producer
Years active	1963–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Felicity Heywood ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1975)​ Sandy Watson ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1989)​ Giannina Facio ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	Jake Luke Jordan
Relatives	Tony Scott (brother)
Awards	Full list

Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a famous English film director and producer. He is known for making movies in exciting genres like science fiction, crime, and historical drama. His films often have a strong visual style and amazing atmosphere.

Ridley Scott is one of the highest-earning directors in the world. His movies have made billions of dollars! He has won many awards, including a special lifetime achievement award from BAFTA in 2018. He was even made a "Sir" by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003.

Scott studied at the Royal College of Art in London. He started his career in TV as a designer and director. Then he moved into making commercials. His first movie was The Duellists (1977). He became famous with his next film, Alien (1979).

His films take place in many different times and places. They often show cool city scenes. For example, he showed ancient Rome in Gladiator (2000). He also showed futuristic cities in Blade Runner (1982). And he took us to different planets in Alien and The Martian (2015).

Scott has been nominated for three Academy Awards for directing. These were for Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, and Black Hawk Down. Gladiator even won the Academy Award for Best Picture. His films Alien, Blade Runner, and Thelma & Louise are so important that they are kept safe in the United States National Film Registry.

Scott also works in television. He has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for TV films and documentaries.

Early Life and Learning About Film

Ridley Scott was born on 30 November 1937 in South Shields, England. His father was an officer in the army. Because of his father's job, Ridley's family moved around a lot. They lived in different parts of England, Wales, and Germany.

Ridley became interested in science fiction when he was a child. He loved reading books by H. G. Wells. He was also influenced by sci-fi movies like The Day the Earth Stood Still. But he said that Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey really showed him what was possible in filmmaking.

He went to art college in West Hartlepool. The industrial buildings there later inspired the look of his film Blade Runner. He then studied at the Royal College of Art in London. There, he helped start the college's film department. For his final project, he made a short film called Boy and Bicycle.

After college, he worked as a set designer for the BBC. He even worked on the popular TV show Z-Cars. In 1965, he started directing TV episodes for the BBC.

In 1968, Ridley and his younger brother, Tony Scott, started their own company. It was called Ridley Scott Associates (RSA). They made many commercials. One famous commercial was for Hovis bread in 1973. It was filmed on Gold Hill in Dorset and became a UK favorite.

Many members of the Scott family are directors. Ridley's sons, Jake and Luke, are directors. His daughter, Jordan Scott, is also a director. In 1995, Ridley and Tony bought Shepperton Studios, a famous film studio in England.

Making Movies: From the 1970s to Today

Starting with The Duellists and Alien

The Duellists (1977) was Ridley Scott's first full-length movie. It won an award at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is set during the Napoleonic Wars and is known for its accurate historical details.

After seeing Star Wars, Scott realized the power of big, special-effects movies. He decided to direct Alien (1979). This horror and science-fiction film made him famous around the world. Scott made a big change by making Ellen Ripley (played by Sigourney Weaver) the main hero. Ripley became a very famous movie character. Alien was one of the highest-earning films of 1979.

Scott later returned to the Alien universe. He directed Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017).

The 1980s: Blade Runner and More

After working on a film version of Dune, Scott directed Blade Runner (1982). This science-fiction film starred Harrison Ford. At first, it didn't do well in cinemas. But now, it's seen as a classic movie. Many critics say it's one of the most important sci-fi films ever made. It helped start the cyberpunk style. Scott has called Blade Runner his "most complete and personal film."

In 1985, Scott directed Legend, a fantasy film. It starred Tom Cruise and Tim Curry. Most of the movie was filmed inside a studio. Even though it didn't do well at first, it has become a cult classic.

Scott also directed Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) and Black Rain (1989). These films had some success at the box office.

The 1990s: Thelma & Louise and New Companies

Thelma & Louise (1991) was a big success for Scott. It starred Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon. It also helped make Brad Pitt a star. This film earned Scott his first nomination for an Academy Award for Best Director.

In 1995, Ridley and his brother Tony started a new company called Scott Free Productions. All of Ridley's movies since then have been made under this company. The brothers also bought a large part of Shepperton Studios.

The 2000s: Gladiator and Historical Epics

Scott's historical drama Gladiator (2000) was a huge success. It won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Russell Crowe won Best Actor for his role in the film. Scott was also nominated for Best Director. Many people say Gladiator brought back the "sword and sandal" movie style.

Scott then directed Hannibal (2001) and Black Hawk Down (2001). Black Hawk Down earned him another Oscar nomination for Best Director. In 2005, he made Kingdom of Heaven, a film about the Crusades. Scott later released a "director's cut" of Kingdom of Heaven, which was much more popular with critics.

He also worked with Russell Crowe again on A Good Year (2006) and American Gangster (2007). American Gangster was a big success and earned Scott another Golden Globe nomination. In 2008, he directed Body of Lies, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.

The 2010s: Sci-Fi and True Stories

In 2010, Scott directed Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe. He then returned to the Alien universe with Prometheus (2012). This film explored new ideas related to the original Alien story. It was a big success at the box office.

Scott also produced Life in a Day (2011), a documentary made from videos sent in by people around the world. He directed The Counselor (2013) and the biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014).

In 2014, Scott directed The Martian, starring Matt Damon. This film was a huge hit and became Scott's highest-earning movie. It was praised by critics and audiences.

He then directed Alien: Covenant (2017), a sequel to Prometheus. Scott also produced Blade Runner 2049 (2017), a sequel to his classic film.

In 2017, Scott quickly re-shot scenes for his film All the Money in the World. This was because one of the actors was replaced. He managed to finish the film on time for its release.

The 2020s: Recent Works and Future Plans

In 2020, Scott directed The Last Duel, a historical film. In 2021, he directed House of Gucci, a film about the famous fashion family.

Scott's next film was Napoleon (2023), a movie about the famous French leader Napoleon Bonaparte. It starred Joaquin Phoenix. He then directed Gladiator II (2024), a sequel to his hit film Gladiator.

Scott has many exciting projects coming up. He plans to direct a movie about the Bee Gees music group. He is also thinking about directing Gladiator III.

Television Projects

Ridley Scott has also been very active in television. In 2002, he was an executive producer for The Gathering Storm. This TV film was about Winston Churchill before World War II.

He and his brother Tony produced the CBS series Numb3rs (2005–10). This was a crime show about a math genius helping the FBI. They also produced The Good Wife (2009–2016), a legal drama.

Scott was an executive producer for Amazon's The Man in the High Castle (2015–16). He also produced The Terror (2018), a horror series about a lost Arctic expedition.

In 2020, Scott directed his first TV series in 50 years, Raised by Wolves. This sci-fi show is about androids trying to save humankind on a new planet.

Personal Life

Ridley Scott has been married three times. He has two sons, Jake and Luke, and a daughter, Jordan Scott. All three of his children are also directors. In 2015, he married actress Giannina Facio. He lives in London, France, and Los Angeles.

His older brother, Frank, passed away in 1980. His younger brother, Tony Scott, who was also a film director and business partner, passed away in 2012. Ridley has dedicated several of his films to his family members.

In 2013, Scott shared that he is an atheist.

How Ridley Scott Directs Films

Ridley Scott is known for his amazing visual style. His films often have beautiful photography and make you feel like you are really there. He pays great attention to how the sets and lighting look. Many filmmakers have been influenced by his style.

Scott often uses a slow pace in his movies until the action starts. He says he has a very good memory for images, which helps him plan out his scenes. He likes to use several cameras at once to film scenes quickly and efficiently.

A common theme in Scott's films is artificial intelligence. You can see this in Blade Runner, Alien, and Prometheus. These films make you think about what it means to be human.

Director's Cuts on DVD Scott loves the DVD format. He often provides special features like audio commentaries for his films. He believes it's great to give films "added life" beyond their cinema release.

He is also known for making "director's cut" versions of his movies. These are versions that show the film exactly how he wanted it to be. For example, the director's cuts of Legend and Kingdom of Heaven were much more popular than the original cinema versions.

Filmography

Awards and Honors

Sir Ridley Scott was made an Honorary Doctor at the Royal College of Art in 2015.

Ridley Scott was made a "Knight Bachelor" by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003. This honor was for his great work in the British film industry. He said he felt "stunned and truly humbled" to receive it. In 2024, he received an even higher honor from King Charles III.

He has been nominated for many top awards. These include three Academy Awards for directing and four Golden Globe Awards for Best Director. In 1995, he and his brother Tony won a special BAFTA award for their amazing contribution to British cinema. In 2018, he received the highest award from BAFTA, the BAFTA Fellowship, for his lifetime of achievements.

In 2007, Scott was added to the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. In 2011, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Scott has won three Hugo Awards for his films Alien, Blade Runner, and The Martian. In 2012, he was chosen by artist Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of the famous Beatles album cover, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This honored him as a British cultural figure. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art.

Academy Award Winning Performances in Scott's Films

Images for kids

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  Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset, where Scott filmed the 1973 Hovis television commercial

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  Portrait of Scott in Berlin in 2005 by German photographer Oliver Mark

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  Scott speaking with Prometheus stars Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender at Wondercon 2012 in Anaheim, California on 17 March 2012

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  Scott participates in a question and answer session about NASA's journey to Mars and his film The Martian, 18 August 2015

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  Blade Runner: The Final Cut showing at Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square, London in 2015

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  Scott with his third wife Giannina Facio at the world premiere of The Martian held at the Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2015

See also

In Spanish: Ridley Scott para niños

• Ridley Scott's unrealised projects