John Madden (director)


John Philip Madden is an English director of stage, film, television, and radio. He is known for directing the period romantic comedy film Shakespeare in Love, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 71st Academy Awards ceremony.

Life and career

Madden was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He was educated at Clifton College in Bristol. He was in the same house as Roger Michell, who became a friend and later also a director. He began his career in British independent films, and graduated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1970 with a B.A. in English Literature.
He started work in television, including directing Helen Mirren in Prime Suspect 4, episodes of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and Inspector Morse.
He directed the film Shakespeare in Love, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and for which he was also nominated as Best Director. He lost to Steven Spielberg, who directed Saving Private Ryan. The film also won the Silver Bear at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.
Madden has since directed several films, including Proof, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and its sequel, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Madden is serving as a Jury Member for the digital studio Filmaka, a platform for undiscovered filmmakers to show their work to industry professionals.

Works

Television

Poppyland Prime Suspect 4After The War Inspector Morse episodesThe Adventures of Sherlock Holmes episodesThe Widowmaker 1990. Madden insisted on casting David Morrissey in the lead.Masters of Sex pilot

Plays

Plays he has directed include Arthur Kopit's Wings, and the world premiere in 1980 of Jules Feiffer's Grown Ups at the American Repertory Theatre.

Radio

Between 1981 and 1996, Madden directed a series of radio adaptations of Star Wars in a BBC/NPR co-production, which included versions of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi scripted for radio by Brian Daley.
Before it was produced for the stage, Madden directed Wings for NPR's Earplay series, in a production that won the Prix Italia.

Accolades

Academy Awards
YearTitleCategoryResult
1999Shakespeare in LoveBest DirectorNomitated

BAFTA Film Awards
YearTitleCategoryResult
1999Shakespeare in LoveDavid Lean Award for DirectionNomitated
2013The Best Exotic Marigold HotelOutstanding British FilmNomitated

BAFTA TV Awards
YearTitleCategoryResult
1991The WidowmakerBest Single DramaNomitated

David di Donatello Awards
YearTitleCategoryResult
1999Shakespeare in LoveBest Foreign FilmNomitated

Directors Guild of America Awards
YearTitleCategoryResult
1999Shakespeare in LoveOutstanding Directing - Feature FilmNomitated

Golden Globe Awards
YearTitleCategoryResult
1999Shakespeare in LoveBest Director - Motion PictureNomitated