Neil LaBute

Born: 19 March 1963
Where: Detroit, Michigan

The writer and director first made waves with his controversial debut feature, In The Company of Men.

The film portrays two bored co-workers who decide to romance a young deaf woman, and then do everything possible to destroy her emotionally.

LaBute had developed an intense interest in theatre and film at high school, and was accepted at the film school at Brigham Young University.

While at BYU, LaBute joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a decision that was to intrigue his many critics.

After graduation, he then studied at the University of Kansas and New York University and went on to study drama at London's Royal Academy.

In 1993 LaBute received the Association for Mormon Letters Award for Drama for his play In the Company of Men and he decided to shoot it as a film.

He entered the film, which was shot for a paltry $25,000, into the Sundance Film Festival�and won the Film-makers Trophy.

With awards and buzz from critics, In the Company of Men far exceeded expectations at the box office and earned over 10 times what it cost to make.

Your Friends and Neighbors, again based on his own screenplay, cast Aaron Eckhart n the lead role but also featured Amy Brenneman, Catherine Keener, Nastassja Kinski, Jason Patric and Ben Stiller.

LaBute's next feature was his first studio picture Nurse Betty, based on an original screenplay by John C Richards.

A departure budget and style-wise for LaBute, the dark comedy starred Morgan Freeman and Renee Zellweger, who won a Golden Globe Award.

Next up was the softer, less focussed Possession, based on the Booker Prize winning book by AS Byatt, and starring Eckhart and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Recent work includes an adaptation of his stage play The Shape of Things, starring Paul Rudd and Rachel Weisz.