Stephen Frears (Leicester, 20 June 1941) is a British film director and producer. After starting his career in television with the BBC, he achieved international success with *My Beautiful Laundrette* (1985), a work that explores the social and racial tensions of Thatcherite England. His career continued with acclaimed films such as the period drama *Dangerous Liaisons* (1988) and the noir *The Grifters* (1990), for which he received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Director. His versatile filmography includes highly successful films such as *High Fidelity* (2000), *The Queen* (2006), which earned him his second Academy Award nomination, and *Philomena* (2013), both of which were nominated for Best Picture. His films are known for their focus on actors' performances and their sharp analysis of social and class dynamics. Among his numerous accolades are the BAFTA Fellowship in 2007 and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2017.