A critically acclaimed director who made a name for himself on the British stage before transitioning to feature films, Stephen Daldry was born in Dorset, England, on May 2, 1961. As a young man, he apprenticed to a clown, who taught him how to swallow fire and walk on a tightrope, among other skills.

Daldry made a splash with his Oscar-nominated feature film debut, Billy Elliot (2000), the charming tale of a working-class boy with dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. He also took the reins as director when the movie was adapted into a Broadway musical five years later, presenting the story in a whole new medium.

Continuing a winning pattern, Daldry's adaptation of The Hours (2002) received critical buzz and a second Oscar nomination. His third feature, the World War II-era drama The Reader (2008), won similar praise and earned the director Oscar and Golden Globe nods.