Stephen Frears
Directing·June 20, 1941 — 85 years old·Leicester, England, UK
Stephen Arthur Frears (born 20 June 1941) is an English director and producer. He has directed numerous acclaimed films since the early 1980s, including My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), The Grifters (1990), High Fidelity (2000), The Queen (2006), Philomena (2013), Florence Foster Jenkins (2016), and Victoria & Abdul (2017). He has received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director.
Frears is also known for his work on various television programs, including Fail Safe (2000), The Deal (2003), Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight (2013), A Very English Scandal (2018), State of the Union (2019), and Quiz (2020). He has received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations, with one win.
In 2008, The Daily Telegraph named Frears among the 100 most influential people in British culture.
Known For
Filmography · 130
—Wilder & MeDirector2026Angela Allen: The Woman Who Saw Everything2025Innes Lloyd: The ProducerSelf (archive footage)2025Brian and MaggieDirector2025Brian and MaggieTVDirector · Executive Producer2025Brian and MaggieTVDirector2024Alec Guinness: A Class Actself2024The RegimeTVExecutive Producer · Director2024A Look Through His LensSelf2023The Rise of the Comic StripSelf2022Hans Zimmer: Hollywood RebelSelf2022The Lost KingDirector2022Reel BritanniaTVSelf2021Short Cuts: Dangerous LiaisonsOriginal Film Writer2021Back to BarrytownTVSelf2020In The Tracks Of - Alexandre DesplatSelf2020QuizTVExecutive Producer · Director2019Revisiting The Man in the White Suit2019The Loudest VoiceTVDirector2019Memories of Lindsay AndersonSelf2019State of the UnionTVExecutive Producer · Director2018Who Killed British Cinema?Self2018Seduction. Betrayal. Murder: The Making of The Grifters2018A Very English ScandalTVDirector · Executive Producer2018She's French2017Victoria & AbdulDirector2017Il était une fois... « The Queen »Self2016Alan Clarke: Out of His Own LightSelf2016Florence Foster JenkinsDirector · Writer2015The ProgramDirector2015Reflecting on My Beautiful Laundrette: A Conversation between Stephen Frears and Colin MacCabe2015French Cinema Mon AmourSelf2014Henri Langlois vu par...Self · Director2014Night Will FallProducer · Executive Producer2013PhilomenaDirector2013Muhammad Ali's Greatest FightDirector201230 Years of Comic Strip2012Lay the FavoriteDirector2012My Friend Sam: Living for the Moment2011Hans Zimmer: The Sound of HollywoodSelf2010Tamara DreweDirector2010Heavy RainHimself2009Once Upon a Time... 'Notorious'Self2009Jean CharlesExecutive Producer2009Great DirectorsSelf2009ChériNarrator (voice) (uncredited) · Director2007Here’s Looking at You, BoySelf2007The Making of 'The Queen'Self2006The QueenDirector2006Great British MenuTVSelf - Guest Judge2005Le court des grandsDirector2005Mrs. Henderson PresentsDirector2005EletrodomésticaThanks2005Michael Powell2004Lindsay Anderson: Lucky Man?Self (Archival)2004KulturplatzTVSelf2004Cast & Crew: If....Self - Interviewee2004The Route V50Director2003100 Greatest Sexy MomentsSelf2003The DealDirector2002Forever EalingSelf2002Dirty Pretty ThingsDirector2002Robert Altman in EnglandSelf2001All About Desire: The Passionate Cinema of Pedro AlmodovarNarrator2001LiamDirector2000Alan Clarke: His Own ManSelf2000Fail SafeDirector2000High FidelityDirector1998The Hi-Lo CountryDirector1997Beyond FearExecutive Producer1997Howard Hawks: American ArtistNarrator1996The VanDirector1996Mary ReillyDirector1995Typically British: A Personal History of British CinemaDirector1993Hollywood U.K.: British Cinema in the SixtiesTVSelf1993The SnapperDirector1992HeroDirector1991Director: Alan Clarke1990The GriftersDirector1988Dangerous LiaisonsDirector1988Mr Jolly Lives Next DoorDirector1987Sammy and Rosie Get LaidDirector1987Prick Up Your EarsDirector1986Hooray For HolyroodSelf1986Song of ExperienceDirector1986Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)Director of Photography · Director1985Shooting from the Heart: Chris Menges, CameramanSelf1985My Beautiful LaundretteDirector1985Screen TwoTVDirector1984December FlowerDirector1984The Bullshitters: Roll Out the GunbarrelDirector1984The HitDirector1983Saigon: Year of the CatDirector1983Walter and JuneDirector1982WalterDirector1982The Comic Strip Presents...TVDirector1982The Tractor FactorDirector1981Going GentlyDirector1980Bloody KidsDirector1979Long Distance InformationDirector1979One Fine DayDirector · Producer1979Afternoon OffDirector · Producer1978Doris and DoreenProducer · Director1978Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia WoolfDirector1978Long ShotBiscuit Man1978Cold HarbourDirector1978A Visit from Miss ProtheroDirector1977Black ChristmasDirector1977Able's WillDirector1977BBC2 Play of the WeekTVDirector1977Last SummerDirector · Producer1976Play ThingsDirector1976Early StrugglesDirector1975Three Men in a BoatDirector1975Sunset Across the BayDirector1974Match of the DayDirector1974PlayhouseTVDirector1973Second City FirstsTVDirector1972A Day OutDirector1972Full HouseTVDirector1971GumshoeDirector1971FollyfootTVDirector1971IncidentMan1970Play for TodayTVDirector1969Parkin's PatchTVDirector1968Tom Grattan's WarTVDirector1968The BurningDirector1967OmnibusTV1967ITV PlayhouseTVDirector1966Morgan: A Suitable Case for TreatmentAssistant Director