Barry Sonnenfeld

Born: 1st April 1953
Where: New York

The only child of overprotective Jewish parents, Barry's mother warned him if he went "to what she called 'sleep-away school' - what others call 'college' - she would commit suicide".

So, he went to New York University where he majored in political science, all the while living at home.

He then attended Hampshire College in Massachusetts. After graduation, he worked in photo lab in New York, then returned to NYU for graduate film studies.

After graduating, Barry claims to have served as cinematographer on at least nine pornographic films shot over a 22-day period.

Barry started working as director of photography, in the Oscar-nominated In Our Water.

Then Joel and Ethan Coen called him to work on Blood Simple, followed by Raising Arizona and Miller's Crossing.

Barry earned his first feature credit as a second unit director on Misery, after which he segued to the director's chair with The Addams Family. He played a key role in developing Forrest Gump, bringing Tom Hanks, a friend since Big, on board, before deciding to make Addams Family Values instead.

Though he regretted his choice for some time, his career didn't suffer as he immediately enjoyed his first critical hit with Get Shorty.

Barry delivered the biggest blockbuster of 1997, the sci-fi comedy Men in Black, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith.

He worked with Smith again for the feature version of the 1960s TV series Wild Wild West, and although it wasn't a great hit, they saw success when they teamed up again for the sequel, Men In Black II, a huge box-office hit.