Stephen Frears
Known for directing · Born 20 June 1941 · 85 · Leicester, England, UK
133 credits
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
High Fidelity
2000
Philomena
2013
Florence Foster Jenkins
2016
The Queen
2006
Dangerous Liaisons
1988
Victoria & Abdul
2017
The Program
2015
Hero
1992
Dirty Pretty Things
2002
The Grifters
1990
Tamara Drewe
2010
State of the Union
2019
Acting (48)
2026Angela Allen: The Woman Who Saw EverythingFilm
2025Innes Lloyd: The ProducerSelf (archive footage)Film
2024Alec Guinness: A Class ActselfFilm
2024A Look Through His LensSelfFilm
2023The Rise of the Comic StripSelfFilm
2022Hans Zimmer: Hollywood RebelSelfFilm
2022Reel BritanniaSelf · 4 episodesSeries
2021Back to BarrytownSelf · 2 episodesSeries
2020In The Tracks Of - Alexandre DesplatSelfFilm
2019Memories of Lindsay AndersonSelfFilm
2019Revisiting The Man in the White SuitFilm
2018Who Killed British Cinema?SelfFilm
2018She's FrenchFilm
2018Seduction. Betrayal. Murder: The Making of The GriftersFilm
2017Il était une fois... « The Queen »SelfFilm
2016Alan Clarke: Out of His Own LightSelfFilm
2015French Cinema Mon AmourSelfFilm
2015Reflecting on My Beautiful Laundrette: A Conversation between Stephen Frears and Colin MacCabeFilm
2014Henri Langlois vu par...SelfFilm
201230 Years of Comic StripFilm
2012My Friend Sam: Living for the MomentFilm
2011Hans Zimmer: The Sound of HollywoodSelfFilm
2010Heavy RainHimselfFilm
2009ChériNarrator (voice) (uncredited)Film
2009Great DirectorsSelfFilm
2009Once Upon a Time... 'Notorious'SelfFilm
2007Here’s Looking at You, BoySelfFilm
2007The Making of 'The Queen'SelfFilm
2006Great British MenuSelf - Guest JudgeSeries
2005Michael PowellFilm
2004Cast & Crew: If....Self - IntervieweeFilm
2004Lindsay Anderson: Lucky Man?Self (Archival)Film
2004KulturplatzSelfSeries
2003100 Greatest Sexy MomentsSelfFilm
2002Forever EalingSelfFilm
2002Robert Altman in EnglandSelfFilm
2001All About Desire: The Passionate Cinema of Pedro AlmodovarNarratorFilm
2000Alan Clarke: His Own ManSelfFilm
1997Howard Hawks: American ArtistNarratorFilm
1995Typically British: A Personal History of British CinemaFilm
1993Hollywood U.K.: British Cinema in the SixtiesSelfSeries
1991Director: Alan ClarkeFilm
1986Hooray For HolyroodSelfFilm
1985Shooting from the Heart: Chris Menges, CameramanSelfFilm
1978The South Bank ShowSeries
1978Long ShotBiscuit ManFilm
1971IncidentManFilm
1967OmnibusSeries
Camera (1)
1986Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)Director of PhotographyFilm
Crew (1)
2005EletrodomésticaThanksFilm
Directing (74)
2022The Lost KingDirectorFilm
2019The Loudest VoiceDirectorSeries
2018A Very English ScandalDirector, Executive ProducerSeries
2017Victoria & AbdulDirectorFilm
2016Florence Foster JenkinsDirector, WriterFilm
2015The ProgramDirectorFilm
2014Henri Langlois vu par...DirectorFilm
2013PhilomenaDirectorFilm
2013Muhammad Ali's Greatest FightDirectorFilm
2012Lay the FavoriteDirectorFilm
2010Tamara DreweDirectorFilm
2009ChériDirectorFilm
2006The QueenDirectorFilm
2005Mrs. Henderson PresentsDirectorFilm
2005Le court des grandsDirectorFilm
2004The Route V50DirectorFilm
2003The DealDirectorFilm
2002Dirty Pretty ThingsDirectorFilm
2001LiamDirectorFilm
2000High FidelityDirectorFilm
2000Fail SafeDirectorFilm
1998The Hi-Lo CountryDirectorFilm
1996Mary ReillyDirectorFilm
1996The VanDirectorFilm
1995Typically British: A Personal History of British CinemaDirectorFilm
1993The SnapperDirectorFilm
1992HeroDirectorFilm
1990The GriftersDirectorFilm
1988Dangerous LiaisonsDirectorFilm
1988Mr Jolly Lives Next DoorDirectorFilm
1987Prick Up Your EarsDirectorFilm
1987Sammy and Rosie Get LaidDirectorFilm
1986Song of ExperienceDirectorFilm
1985My Beautiful LaundretteDirectorFilm
1985Screen TwoDirectorSeries
1984The HitDirectorFilm
1984December FlowerDirectorFilm
1984The Bullshitters: Roll Out the GunbarrelDirectorFilm
1983Saigon: Year of the CatDirectorFilm
1983Walter and JuneDirectorFilm
1982The Comic Strip Presents...DirectorSeries
1982WalterDirectorFilm
1982The Tractor FactorDirectorFilm
1981Going GentlyDirectorFilm
1980Bloody KidsDirectorFilm
1979One Fine DayDirector, ProducerFilm
1979Long Distance InformationDirectorFilm
1979Afternoon OffDirector, ProducerFilm
1978A Visit from Miss ProtheroDirectorFilm
1978Me! I'm Afraid of Virginia WoolfDirectorFilm
1978Cold HarbourDirectorFilm
1977Black ChristmasDirectorFilm
1977Last SummerDirector, ProducerFilm
1977BBC2 Play of the WeekDirectorSeries
1977Able's WillDirectorFilm
1976Early StrugglesDirectorFilm
1976Play ThingsDirectorFilm
1975Three Men in a BoatDirectorFilm
1975Sunset Across the BayDirectorFilm
1974PlayhouseDirectorSeries
1974Match of the DayDirectorFilm
1973Second City FirstsDirectorSeries
1973Sporting ScenesDirectorSeries
1972A Day OutDirectorFilm
1972Full HouseDirectorSeries
1971GumshoeDirectorFilm
1971FollyfootDirectorSeries
1970Play for TodayDirectorSeries
1969Parkin's PatchDirectorSeries
1968The BurningDirectorFilm
1968Tom Grattan's WarDirectorSeries
1967ITV PlayhouseDirectorSeries
1966Morgan: A Suitable Case for TreatmentAssistant DirectorFilm
—Wilder & MeDirectorFilm
Production (8)
2025Brian and MaggieExecutive Producer, DirectorSeries
2024The RegimeExecutive Producer, DirectorSeries
2020QuizExecutive Producer, DirectorSeries
2019State of the UnionExecutive Producer, DirectorSeries
2014Night Will FallExecutive ProducerFilm
2009Jean CharlesExecutive ProducerFilm
1997Beyond FearExecutive ProducerFilm
1978Doris and DoreenProducer, DirectorFilm
Writing (1)
2021Short Cuts: Dangerous LiaisonsOriginal Film WriterFilm