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Tom Hooper (born 1972) is an English film and television director.
[edit] Biography
Hooper attended a prep school in Highgate, London and later the Westminster School. He took a gap year before reading English at Oxford University and during that time directed Painted Faces, a short that was later screened at the London Film Festival. During his time at Oxford he directed plays. Hooper's father, Richard Hooper, a director of United News & Media, introduced him to Matthew Robinson, the producer of the CBBC drama Byker Grove, who gave him the job of directing three 1997 episodes of the drama. Between 1998 and 2000, Hooper directed seven episodes of the BBC's flagship soap opera EastEnders, two of which won the programme the BAFTA Award for Best Soap Opera.[1]
In 1999 he directed two episodes of the ITV comedy drama Cold Feet. He was hired as part of producer Christine Langan's strategy of recruiting directors who had done little television work before. The series Hooper worked on was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series. His work on this programme lead Granada Television's head of comedy and drama Andy Harries to offer him the job of directing the sixth installment and revival of the Prime Suspect serial. Hooper initially decline the invitation but changed his mind when Helen Mirren, who played Jane Tennison, convinced him to take the job. Mirren was instrumental in getting Hooper hired as director for the 2005 historical serial Elizabeth. Her choice paid off for Hooper when he was presented the Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special in 2006.[1]
Other historical dramas include the BBC adaptations of Love in a Cold Climate and Daniel Deronda. In 2004 he directed Red Dust, which won the Special Jury Award at the International Film Festival of India. In 2005 he began work on Longford, a drama charting Lord Longford's attempts to secure the release of convicted serial killer Myra Hindley.[1] In February 2007 he began filming a biographical miniseries on John Adams for Playtone and HBO Films,[2] and is due to direct Peter Morgan's adaptation of The Damned Utd from April 2008.[3]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Brown, Maggie. "Prime candidate", The Guardian, 2006-10-16. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
- ^ Bonko, Larry. "Filming for 'John Adams' begins Thursday in Williamsburg", The Virginian Pilot, 2007-02-21. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.
- ^ Dawtrey, Adam. "Morgan prepares 'Queen' sequel", Variety, 2007-10-01. Retrieved on 2007-11-10.
[edit] External links
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