Bafta-winning director created hit

NOTTING Hill director Roger Michell was the son of a British diplomat and was born in South Africa and lived in Beirut, Damascus and Prague as a child.

He was educated at Clifton College in Bristol.

Michell, who was 65, had an acclaimed career in the theatre, and was resident director at the Royal Shakespeare Company for six years.

Among his theatre credits are Nina Raine’s Consent, Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming and Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, with many of his productions playing at the National Theatre.

His production of Blue/Orange by Joe Penhall, starring Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln and Chiwetel Ejiofor, won numerous awards and transferred to the West End.

Notting Hill, his biggest big screen hit, was a box office juggernaut and earned him a Bafta nomination.

Also among Michell’s film credits is Enduring Love, starring Daniel Craig; Morning Glory, with Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton; and Changing Lanes, starring Ben Affleck and Samuel L Jackson.

He also directed the big screen version of My Cousin Rachel, as well as Venus, starring Peter O’Toole and Jodie Whittaker.

Michell won a Bafta for his adaptation of Persuasion, as well as for his two-part TV drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, written by Peter Morgan, telling the true-life story of a retired Bristol schoolteacher falsely accused of murder, and starring Jason Watkins in the title role.

Mr Jefferies was one of Michell’s teachers in his own schooldays at Clifton College.

Earlier this month, Michell had been in the US at the Telluride Film Festival, promoting his upcoming film The Duke, starring Dame Helen

Mirren, Jim Broadbent and Matthew Goode.

He was also in production on a theatrical documentary about the Queen.

Notting Hill star Julia Roberts said on Instagram: “I loved every minute we spent together. RIP Roger Michell,” before adding a broken heart emoji.

Watkins, Samuel West and Eddie Marsan were also among those from the worlds of film and TV sharing memories of the director.

Watkins tweeted: “My beautiful friend Roger Michell has gone. How can you leave us now? I’m devastated.

“My mate and collaborator – I owe him so much.”

Michell was previously married to actress Kate Buffery, with whom he had two children.

He later married actress Anna Maxwell Martin and they also had two children before their separation.