Mark Peploe


Mark Peploe was an English screenwriter and film director. He was the brother of Clare Peploe, and the brother-in-law of director Bernardo Bertolucci.

Early life and career

Mark Peploe was born in Nairobi on 24 February 1943. His paternal grandfather was the renowned Scottish painter Samuel John Peploe, and his maternal great-great-grandfather was the German sculptor Adolf von Hildebrand. His mother, Clotilde Peploe, was a noted painter, and his father, Willy Peploe, worked as an art dealer. He had a sister, Clare Peploe, also a screenwriter.
He started making documentaries, but turned to writing scripts. He wrote the screenplay for the 1975 film The Passenger. He went on to write High Season with his sister Clare, as well as The Last Emperor with Bernardo Bertolucci. He won an Academy Award in the best adapted screenplay category for the latter. Peploe also helped write The Sheltering Sky and Little Buddha, both directed by Bertolucci.

Personal life and death

Peploe's partner was art historian Alina Payne. Prior to that, he was married to costume designer Louise Stjernsward, with whom he had a daughter, Lola.
Peploe died in Florence, Italy on 18 June 2025, at the age of 82.

Filmography

As Screenwriter

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1972The Pied PiperJacques DemyWriting Credit with Andrew Birkin and Jacques Demy
1975The PassengerMichelangelo AntonioniWriting Credit with Michelangelo Antonioni and Peter Wollen
1975Wanted: BabysitterRené ClémentWriting Credit with Nicola Badalucco, René Clément and Luciano Vincenzoni
1985Samson and DelilahSelfShort Film
Writing Credit with Frederick Seidel
Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Short Film
1987High SeasonClare PeploeWriting Credit with Clare Peploe
1987The Last EmperorBernardo BertolucciWriting Credit with Bernardo Bertolucci
Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay
David di Donatello for Best Script
Nominated - Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
1990The Sheltering SkyBernardo BertolucciWriting Credit with Bernardo Bertolucci
1991Afraid of the DarkSelfWriting Credit with Frederick Seidel
1993Little BuddhaBernardo BertolucciWriting Credit with Rudy Wurlitzer
1996VictorySelfWriting Credit with Frederick Seidel