Todd Field facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Todd Field
Field attending the 73rd Berlin Film Festival
Born	William Todd Field (1964-02-24) February 24, 1964 (age 61) Pomona, California, U.S.
Education	Mt. Hood Community College Southern Oregon University American Film Institute (MFA)
Occupation	Filmmaker actor
Years active	1985–present
Spouse(s)	Serena Rathbun ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	4
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William Todd Field (born February 24, 1964) is an American filmmaker and actor. He is famous for directing movies like In the Bedroom (2001), Little Children (2006), and Tár (2022). These films have received many Academy Award nominations.

Todd Field himself has been nominated for six Academy Awards. These include nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Before becoming a director, he was an actor in films such as Eyes Wide Shut (1999). He also helped create the idea for the popular bubble gum brand, Big League Chew.

Early Life and Big League Chew

Todd Field was born in Pomona, California. His family owned a poultry farm there. When he was two, his family moved to Portland, Oregon. His dad became a salesman, and his mom worked as a school librarian. From a young age, Todd loved magic tricks and music.

As a child in Portland, Todd was a batboy for the Portland Mavericks. This was a minor league baseball team owned by actor Bing Russell. Bing's son, Kurt Russell, who also became a famous actor, played on the team. Todd and the team's pitching coach, Rob Nelson, created the first batch of Big League Chew bubble gum in Todd's family kitchen. In 1980, Rob Nelson and former baseball star Jim Bouton sold their idea to the Wrigley Company. Since then, over a billion pouches of Big League Chew have been sold worldwide.

Todd Field's Acting Career

Ashley Judd and Field in Victor Nuñez's Ruby in Paradise (1993)

Todd Field started acting in movies with Radio Days (1987), directed by Woody Allen. He then worked with famous directors like Stanley Kubrick and Carl Franklin.

Film critic Kevin Thomas once described Todd's acting. He said Todd looked like a regular American guy but could show many different feelings. He noted that Todd could surprise audiences and keep their attention on screen.

Later, two directors, Carl Franklin and Victor Nuñez, encouraged Todd to study directing. He joined the AFI Conservatory in 1992. His student film, Nonnie & Alex, won an award at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Other short films he made were shown in museums and festivals.

Todd Field's Filmmaking Journey

In the Bedroom (2001)

Filming In the Bedroom, 2000

Todd Field began his directing career in 2001 with In the Bedroom. He wrote and directed this film, which was based on a short story. The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards. These nominations included Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The film was shot in Rockland, Maine, where Todd Field lives with his family. His own house was even used for some scenes in the movie. His wife, Serena Rathbun, and actress Sissy Spacek helped with the set design. Todd himself operated the camera for many shots.

In the Bedroom first showed at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Critics praised the film for its patience and calm style. One critic, David Ansen, said Todd Field showed great skill in his first film. He believed Todd had secured his future as a director.

For his work on In the Bedroom, Todd Field was named Director of the Year by the National Board of Review. His script also won an award for Best Original Screenplay. The film won Best Picture from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. It also received many other awards and nominations.

Little Children (2006)

Perrotta and Field working on the script for Little Children, 2005

After several years of research for another project, Todd Field returned with Little Children in 2006. This movie was nominated for three Academy Awards. Two of these nominations were for the actors, Kate Winslet and Jackie Earle Haley.

With just two films, Todd Field had already helped his actors earn five Academy Award nominations. He also received three nominations for himself. The film was based on a novel and first premiered at the 2006 New York Film Festival.

Many of the people who worked with Todd on In the Bedroom also worked on Little Children. This included his wife, Serena Rathbun. Todd has often spoken about how important his wife is as his creative partner. He said she encouraged him to follow his dreams and make his own films.

A Long Break and New Projects

After Little Children, Todd Field did not direct another film for fifteen years. During this time, he worked on many different movie ideas. Some of these projects were planned to star famous actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Craig. He also worked on a TV series based on a novel, which would have been a very big and expensive show.

In 2022, Todd Field explained his long break. He said he focused on specific stories that were very hard to get made into movies.

Tár (2022)

Field and Blanchett at 79th Venice International Film Festival

Todd Field's third film, Tár, came out in 2022. It stars Cate Blanchett as a fictional conductor named Lydia Tár. The movie first showed at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Cate Blanchett won an award for Best Actress there.

Tár received six nominations for the 95th Academy Awards. These included nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay for Todd Field. Cate Blanchett was also nominated for Best Actress. The film also received five nominations at the 76th British Academy Film Awards.

For his work on Tár, Todd Field won Best Director from the London Film Critics' Circle and Los Angeles Film Critics Association. His script also won Best Original Screenplay. Many critics called Tár the best film of 2022.

Famous directors like Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson have praised Todd Field's work on Tár. Scorsese said that Todd's film was a refreshing change from movies that are too predictable. Anderson praised how every detail in the film was carefully planned and full of meaning.

Influences

Todd Field has shared some of his favorite films and directors. He enjoys classic movies like Man with a Movie Camera and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He has said that directors like Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg inspired him when he was young.

Filmography

Actor

Filmmaker

Awards and Nominations

Todd Field has received many awards and nominations for his films. Here are some of the most notable ones:

Academy Award Nominations for Actors Directed by Todd Field

Todd Field has directed several actors who received Oscar nominations:

See also

In Spanish: Todd Field para niños