Samuel Alexander Mendes (born August 1, 1965) is an English stage and film director. His secondary education was at Magdalen College School, Oxford. As a stage director, he is probably best known for his production of The Blue Room, which offered among its many virtues an opportunity for people to see Nicole Kidman get her kit off. As a film director, he is still best known for his debut, American Beauty. Sam married English actress Kate Winslet on May 24, 2003 in the West Indies. The two are expecting their first child together in January 2004.
1992: became artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse theatre
1994: directed revival of Oliver (with score specially revised and added to by the original composer and lyricist, Lionel Bart) at the London Palladium; the show ran for four years, becoming, on July 81997, the longest-running show at that venue.
