Samuel Alexander Mendes (born August 1, 1965) in Reading, Berkshire, England, is a British stage and film director. His secondary education was at Magdalen College School, Oxford, and he later attended the University of Cambridge. As a stage director, he is probably best known for his production of The Blue Room, starring Nicole Kidman. As a film director, he is still best known for his debut, American Beauty. After a string of romances with actresses including Cameron Diaz, Calista Flockhart and Rachel Weisz, Sam married English actress Kate Winslet on May 24, 2003 in the West Indies. Their first child was born in December 22, 2003, a son named Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes. He also has a step-daughter, Mia Honey Threapleton, from Winslet's first marriage to Jim Threapleton.

Stage

• Won a Critics Circle Award for Best Newcomer after directing Judi Dench in The Cherry Orchard.
• 1990: Began directing for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
• 1992: became artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse theatre
• 1994: directed revival of Oliver! (with score specially revised and added to by the original composer and lyricist, Lionel Bart) at the London Palladium; the show ran for four years, becoming, on July 8 1997, the longest-running show at that venue.
• 1994: directed revival of Cabaret
• 1998: revival of Cabaret opens on Broadway; wins four Tony Awards, including Best Musical (Revival)
• 1998: directed David Hare's The Blue Room, starring Nicole Kidman (and Iain Glen ).

Film

• 1999: Film directorial debut: American Beauty; won Golden Globe Award for Film Directing and Academy Award for Directing.
• 2002: Road to Perdition (based on graphic novel by Max Allan Collins)
• 2005: Jarhead
• 2006: The Kite Runner
• 2006: Sweeney Todd

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