Born in London in 1972 to creative parents who founded a puppet theater, Joe Wright earned low marks in school due to dyslexia. But his learning disability was less of a barrier in the arts, where he explored interests in painting and acting. He began making short films with a Super-8 camera and eventually enrolled at the Camberwell College of Arts, studying fine art and cinema.

After earning a BAFTA nod for the short film "Crocodile Snap," Wright was awarded a filmmaking scholarship with the BBC. He went on to direct several television projects before making his feature film debut with the critically acclaimed period piece Pride & Prejudice.

Wright earned kudos again for his adaptation of Ian McEwan's sweeping epic, Atonement. The film won an Oscar for its original score, and Wright received BAFTA and Golden Globe nods for Best Director.