Bond film director Sir Sam Mendes was knighted at Windsor Castle Tuesday alongside a host of famous faces, including stars from the entertainment world, political luminaries and a close royal aide.
The cinema heavyweight received his gong for services to drama at a ceremony hosted by the Princess Royal, while stars of the small screen including Vicar Of Dibley co-writer Paul Mayhew-Archer and Emmerdale theme tune creator Tony Hatch also picked up honours.
Sir Sam won the best director award at the Oscars in 1999 for his first film, American Beauty, and he co-wrote, directed and produced the Oscar-winning 1917 in 2019, which was inspired by his grandfather’s stories of the First World War.
He has also been heavily involved with the theatre scene, working with Chichester Festival Theatre after graduation and enjoying a 12-year run as artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse until 2002.
His West End shows have included Cabaret, Oliver!, The Blue Room with Nicole Kidman and The Lehmen Trilogy for the National Theatre.
Sir Sam also directed two Bond films, 2012’s Skyfall and 2015’s Spectre.
Next autumn marks his first foray into solo screenwriting, with the release of Empire Of Light, starring Olivia Colman.
Set on the south coast of England in the 1980s, the film will also be directed by Sir Sam alongside cinematographer Roger Deakins and producer Pippa Harris.
-Source: Metro
