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Ridley Scott launched his film career with The Duellists in 1977, then directed the seminal sci-fi films Alien 1979 and Blade Runner 1982. He later helmed Oscar-winning Gladiator 2000 and earned a BAFTA Fellowship in 2018. Three of his films are in the National Film Registry.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Ridley Scott — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Ridley Scott by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Ridley Scott — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
Ridley Scott’s mother was Elizabeth Jean Scott, and his father was an officer in the Royal Engineers. The family moved across the UK and Europe before settling in Teesside. Born in South Shields in 1937, Scott was encouraged to develop his artistic talents. He studied at West Hartlepool College of Art and later the Royal College of Art, where he helped found the film department.
In 1962, Scott joined the BBC as a trainee set designer and directed his first episode of Z Cars in 1965. Frustrated by low pay, he moved into advertising and co-founded Ridley Scott Associates in 1967. His first feature film, The Duellists 1977, won the Jury Prize at Cannes. He then directed the science fiction horror Alien 1979 and the cyberpunk film Blade Runner 1982. Despite mixed reviews on release, Blade Runner later became one of the most important sci-fi films. Scott also directed the 1984 Apple Macintosh commercial. His later successes include Thelma & Louise 1991, Gladiator 2000, and Black Hawk Down 2001.
Scott married Felicity Heywood in 1964, with whom he had sons Jake and Luke. He later married Sandy Watson in 1979 and Giannina Facio in 2015. His daughter Jordan Scott is from a previous relationship. Scott’s younger brother, Tony Scott, was also a director. He suffers from claustrophobia, a condition he used to intensify the cramped sets of Alien.
In 2018, Scott received the BAFTA Fellowship for his contributions to cinema. Three of his films—Alien, Blade Runner, and Thelma & Louise—have been inducted into the National Film Registry. Director James Cameron cites Scott as a major influence. Scott was knighted in 2003 and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is remembered as one of the most visually innovative directors in film history.
The complete filmography of Ridley Scott — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by Ridley Scott — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
A wall of memorable lines from Ridley Scott — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
I’m a Moviemaker, Not a Documentarian. I Try to Hit the Truth.
A Friend of Mine Says, Art’s Like a Shark. You’ve Got to Keep Swimming, or Else You Drown. Keep Bouncing Around. People Always Ask Me, What’s the Plan? There Is No Plan. I Go to What Fascinates Me Next.
Audiences Are Less Intrigued, Honestly, by Battle. They’re More Intrigued by Human Relations. If You’re Making a Film About the Trappings of the Period, and You’re Forgetting That Human Relationships Are the Most Engaging Part of the Storytelling Process, Then You’re in Trouble.
The Digital and Theatrical Markets Are Two Different Marketplaces. I Think the Digital Marketplace – Thank God for It! – Is Like Having a Book on the Shelf: so You Can Actually Go to That Book and If It’s Four Hours Long, You Can Put It on Pause, You Can Have a Beer – No One’s Counting.
The Fundamental of Anything as a Director Is Material, Material, Material – Script, Script, Script – Once You Have the Script Everything Else Is Straightforward.
I Think It’s Remarkable That People Will Give You $10 Million to Go and Get Your Rocks Off.
Never Let Yourself Be Seen in Public Unless They Pay for It.
I Think Movies Are Getting Dumber, Actually. Where It Used to Be 50/50, Now It’s 3% Good, 97% Stupid.
I’m Not Criticizing Hollywood Because I Work There, I Partly Live There. but I’m Saying This Is the Way It Is, Commerce Is Taking Over Art. Commerce Has Become the Most Important Thing in the Film Industry. Hollywood Is an Industry, It’s Not an Art Form, Therefore They Have to Address the Bottom Line. but in a Way It’s Sad When You Get a Remake, Isn’t It?
I Think I Have Less Patience, Mainly Because I’m so Experienced. Because I’m so Experienced I Need the Very Best People Around Me. Because People Say, Well You Don’t Need a Terribly Good Camera Or, You Can Go and Do This, and I Say, No, No, No, No, You Don’t Understand. I Want the Earth. and I Want the Earth in 10 Minutes.
I Used to Agonize Over What to Do Next, but Now I Make a Movie a Year.
I’m a Yarnteller. My Job Is to Engage You as Much as I Can and as Often as I Can. I Love the Process and Still Continue to Adore the Process, Actually. I Don’t Get Attached to Anything. I’m Like a Good Antique Dealer. I’m Prepared to Sell My Most Valuable Table.
People Say a Good Score Is When You Don’t Notice It. I Say Bullshit. I’m Very Conscious of a Good Score and I’m Very Conscious of a Bad Score. and Anyone Who Says That Simply Doesn’t Know Music.
Little-known facts about Ridley Scott — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
A Maxwell House coffee commercial directed by Scott starred Shakira Caine. Sir Michael Caine saw it and was so captivated he searched for her; they married in 1973.
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame inducted Scott in 2007.
Scott cast his partner Giannina Facio in nearly all his films since Gladiator 2000; they married in June 2015.
Several of Scott’s films are dedicated to family: Blade Runner to his brother Frank, Black Hawk Down to his mother, and The Counselor and Exodus: Gods and Kings to his brother Tony. At the 2016 Golden Globes, he paid tribute to Tony after The Martian won.
Scott estimated in an interview that he directed approximately 2,700 commercials.
Canadian director James Cameron cites Scott as a major influence. Cameron made the first sequel to Scott’s Alien and admits he always learns from Scott.
Scott directed seven actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Ruby Dee, Matt Damon, and Christopher Plummer. Crowe won for Gladiator.
In 2012, artist Sir Peter Blake included Scott in a new version of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover to celebrate British cultural figures.
A stickler for detail, Scott’s intense scrutiny on Alien prompted Sigourney Weaver to complain he cared more about props and sets than the cast.
Scott suffers from claustrophobia and deliberately made the Nostromo quarters as cramped as possible on Alien to instill that feeling in the cast.
Scott and his brother Tony bought Shepperton Studios in 1995 for 12 million pounds.
In an interview with Wired, Scott named 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner, and On the Beach as the best science fiction films.
At a TCL Chinese Theatre handprint ceremony in 2017, Scott recalled first visiting Hollywood Boulevard in 1960 as a 22-year-old, never imagining he would have his prints there.
The famous 1984 Apple Macintosh commercial directed by Scott was filmed on Stage H at Shepperton Studios, where he had shot Alien landscapes. Apple paid about 1 million dollars for the Super Bowl spot; Scott estimated a budget of 350,000 dollars.
Scott was originally set to direct Dune 1984 but left after his older brother passed away, choosing Blade Runner instead because it could start production immediately.
Scott was the first choice to direct Point Break 1991 but chose Thelma & Louise instead.
The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated Scott’s net worth at 172 million dollars.
He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.
Scott disowned the theatrical cut of Kingdom of Heaven 2005 and considers the Director’s Cut definitive. He called re-editing that film his only career regret.
He passed on directing The Hunger 1983 after learning David Bowie was involved; it became Tony Scott’s directorial debut.
Scott was 39 years old when he directed his first feature film, The Duellists 1977.
Over half of the professional actors Scott has hired come from elite drama schools and theatre companies like the Royal Shakespeare Company, which he feels brings presence to the screen.
Scott has directed three films selected for the National Film Registry: Alien, Blade Runner, and Thelma & Louise.
In late 2005, Scott was preparing to direct The Invisible World starring Angelina Jolie, but her pregnancy halted production. The opening in his schedule allowed him to direct American Gangster 2007.
One of Scott’s favorite films is Muriel’s Wedding 1994; he has seen it six times and called it fantastic.
Enya’s recording Aldebaran from 1986 is dedicated to Scott.
Scott was approached to replace Bryan Singer as director of Bohemian Rhapsody 2018.
His first feature film, The Duellists, is based on a Joseph Conrad story. In Alien, the spaceship Nostromo and escape ship Narcissus are also names from Conrad stories.
Scott considers The Counselor 2013 one of his best films.
Empire magazine ranked Scott #5 on their 2005 list of the greatest directors.
Scott owns visual effects company Mill Film, based in London, which did the majority of effects work on Gladiator.
His education includes West Hartlepool College of Art 1954-1958, Diploma in Design with honors and Royal College of Art 1958-1961, M.A. in Graphic Design. He later had a traveling scholarship to New York, gaining editing experience at Leacock/Pennebaker.
Scott is the father of Jake Scott and Luke Scott with Felicity Heywood.
Like his brother Tony, Scott is an avid smoker of Montecristo Cuban cigars.
In 1994, Scott was slated to direct The Hot Zone from a script by James V. Hart, based on Richard Preston’s article. The project was canceled due to competition from Outbreak; Scott then directed White Squall.
Joel Silver’s first choice to direct Lethal Weapon 1987 was Scott, but Warner Bros. refused due to tensions from Blade Runner.
Scott is frequently involved as producer and director on historically oriented projects: The Duellists, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, Gladiator, and The Pillars of the Earth.
Scott was originally set to direct Blade Runner 2049 2017 but stepped back to executive producer due to other commitments.
Scott has worked with three actors who played Aragorn: Sir Robert Stephens The Duellists, John Hurt Alien, and Viggo Mortensen G.I. Jane.
He was awarded Knight Bachelor in the 2003 Queen’s New Years Honours List for services to the film industry.
All of Scott’s feature films have at least one Academy Award nominated actor, and 15 have an Oscar winner as of 2015.
Scott’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard, unveiled November 5, 2015.
He divides his time among homes in Hampstead UK, France, and Los Angeles.
While at the Royal College of Art, Scott contributed to the college magazine ARK and helped establish a film studies department.
He received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art on July 3, 2015.
Scott was attached to direct Perfume: The Story of a Murderer 2006 years before production began.
He was unable to direct Alien³ 1992 because he was busy with 1492: Conquest of Paradise.
His hand-drawn storyboards for Alien were published in the Winter 2014 issue of Directors Guild Quarterly.
Scott was offered the chance to direct The Wolf of Wall Street 2013 when it was at Warner Bros. with Brad Pitt starring.
In his honorary doctorate speech in 2015, Scott mentioned keeping his school report 31st out of 31 on his office wall, and how a teacher encouraged his artistic passion.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Ridley Scott.
Celebrities similar to Ridley Scott — same craft, ranked by reach.
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