Roger Michell

Born: 1957
Where: South Africa

The playwright and director is probably best known for the award-winning British comedy Notting Hill starring Hugh Grant.

Other highlights include the BAFTA-winning Jane Austen adaptation of Persuasion and the award-winning TV drama Buddha of Suburbia.

After directing student films while at Cambridge, he had a spell in London as a stage hand before working alongside Danny "Trainspotting" Boyle.

The Royal Shakespeare Company paid his rent for some years and then he received his feature break directing the film adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Persuasion.

Originally shown on BBC and later released by Columbia TriStar, the movie earned five BAFTA awards including Best Drama.

Subsequent movies included the Belfast-set Titanic Town with Julie Walters and his screen adaptation of his own West End production of My Night With Reg.

Then came Notting Hill, which starred Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant and went on to make $360 million worldwide and establish Michell as an internationally known director.

Michell's next project was to direct the film adaptation of Captain Corelli's Mandolin, but he suffered a heart attack and was replaced by director John Madden.

However, he was soon back in the director's chair with 2002's Changing Lanes, starring Ben Affleck and Samuel L Jackson.

Recent work includes the compelling family drama The Mother, starring Daniel Craig and Anne Reid.