Stephen Frears

Known for: Directing
Born: June 20, 1941, Leicester, England, UK
Movies: 102

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.

Upcoming Stephen Frears Movies

Wilder & Me

Release date TBA

Best-Known Movies

7.1

High Fidelity

2000

7.3

Philomena

2013

6.7

Florence Foster Jenkins

2016

6.9

The Queen

2006

7.2

Dangerous Liaisons

1988

6.9

Victoria & Abdul

2017

6.4

The Program

2015

6.3

Hero

1992

6.9

Dirty Pretty Things

2002

6.5

The Grifters

1990

Filmography

2026	Angela Allen: The Woman Who Saw Everything
2025	Innes Lloyd: The Producer	Self (archive footage)
2024	Alec Guinness: A Class Act	self
2024	A Look Through His Lens	Self
2023	The Rise of the Comic Strip	Self
2022	Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel	Self
2020	In The Tracks Of - Alexandre Desplat	Self
2019	Revisiting The Man in the White Suit
2019	Memories of Lindsay Anderson	Self
2018	Who Killed British Cinema?	Self
2018	Seduction. Betrayal. Murder: The Making of The Grifters
2018	She's French
2017	Il était une fois... « The Queen »	Self
2016	Alan Clarke: Out of His Own Light	Self
2015	Reflecting on My Beautiful Laundrette: A Conversation between Stephen Frears and Colin MacCabe
2015	French Cinema Mon Amour	Self
2014	Henri Langlois vu par...	Self
2012	30 Years of Comic Strip
2012	My Friend Sam: Living for the Moment
2011	Hans Zimmer: The Sound of Hollywood	Self
2010	Heavy Rain	Himself
2009	Once Upon a Time... 'Notorious'	Self
2009	Great Directors	Self
2009	Chéri	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
2007	Here’s Looking at You, Boy	Self
2007	The Making of 'The Queen'	Self
2005	Michael Powell
2004	Lindsay Anderson: Lucky Man?	Self (Archival)
2004	Cast & Crew: If....	Self - Interviewee
2003	100 Greatest Sexy Moments	Self
2002	Forever Ealing	Self
2002	Robert Altman in England	Self
2001	All About Desire: The Passionate Cinema of Pedro Almodovar	Narrator
2000	Alan Clarke: His Own Man	Self
1997	Howard Hawks: American Artist	Narrator
1995	Typically British: A Personal History of British Cinema
1991	Director: Alan Clarke
1986	Hooray For Holyrood	Self
1985	Shooting from the Heart: Chris Menges, Cameraman	Self
1978	Long Shot	Biscuit Man
1971	Incident	Man

Directing, Writing & Producing

2022	The Lost King	Director
2017	Victoria & Abdul	Director
2016	Florence Foster Jenkins	Director, Writer
2015	The Program	Director
2014	Henri Langlois vu par...	Director
2014	Night Will Fall	Producer
2013	Philomena	Director
2013	Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight	Director
2012	Lay the Favorite	Director
2010	Tamara Drewe	Director
2009	Chéri	Director
2006	The Queen	Director
2005	Le court des grands	Director
2005	Mrs. Henderson Presents	Director
2004	The Route V50	Director
2003	The Deal	Director
2002	Dirty Pretty Things	Director
2001	Liam	Director
2000	Fail Safe	Director
2000	High Fidelity	Director
1998	The Hi-Lo Country	Director
1996	The Van	Director
1996	Mary Reilly	Director
1995	Typically British: A Personal History of British Cinema	Director
1993	The Snapper	Director
1992	Hero	Director
1990	The Grifters	Director
1988	Dangerous Liaisons	Director
1988	Mr Jolly Lives Next Door	Director
1987	Sammy and Rosie Get Laid	Director
1987	Prick Up Your Ears	Director
1986	Song of Experience	Director
1986	Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)	Director
1985	My Beautiful Laundrette	Director
1984	December Flower	Director
1984	The Bullshitters: Roll Out the Gunbarrel	Director
1984	The Hit	Director
1983	Saigon: Year of the Cat	Director
1983	Walter and June	Director
1982	Walter	Director
1982	The Tractor Factor	Director
1981	Going Gently	Director
1980	Bloody Kids	Director
1979	Long Distance Information	Director
1979	One Fine Day	Director, Producer
1979	Afternoon Off	Director, Producer
1978	Doris and Doreen	Producer, Director
1978	Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia Woolf	Director
1978	Cold Harbour	Director
1978	A Visit from Miss Prothero	Director
1977	Black Christmas	Director
1977	Able's Will	Director
1977	Last Summer	Director, Producer
1976	Play Things	Director
1976	Early Struggles	Director
1975	Three Men in a Boat	Director
1975	Sunset Across the Bay	Director
1974	Match of the Day	Director
1972	A Day Out	Director
1971	Gumshoe	Director
1968	The Burning	Director

Data from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.