Send us your questions for Sam Mendes
Three and a half decades into a career arguably more storied than that of any other British film and theatre director, Sam Mendes continues to push boundaries. In fact, he has just chalked up a professional first: his debut solo original screenplay. The project? Empire of Light, a hymn to the magic of cinema, also directed by Mendes, starring Olivia Colman, Toby Jones and Colin Firth. The film will hit our screens in January, a big month for Mendes, which will also see the return to the West End of his acclaimed production of The Lehman Trilogy, fresh from a Tony award-winning run on Broadway.
As a young man, Mendes was more interested in cricket than drama. But he developed a passion for theatre at Cambridge University and stepped into the role of artistic director at the Donmar Warehouse just three years after graduating. His lauded productions of Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins, Cabaret and David Hare’s The Blue Room, for which he brought Nicole Kidman to the London stage, drew the attention of Hollywood. His debut movie, American Beauty, won five Oscars in 1999.
On stage, Mendes has directed hit after hit, ranging from musicals such as Gypsy and Oliver! to Jez Butterworth’s
The Ferryman. On screen, he has brought us Revolutionary Road, Roadto Perdition,1917 and the James
Bond films Skyfall and Spectre.
Now’s your chance to quiz Mendes about his extraordinary career. What’s the outlook for the performing arts in a recession, perhaps? Does he still play cricket? And who does he fancy for the next Bond?
To submit a question, email review@observer.co.uk, tweet @ObsNewReview, or use the form below by 4pmFriday 18 November
Send your questions
We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature. We will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For more information please see our terms of service and privacy policy.
If you are 18 years or over, you can get in touch by filling in the form below. Your responses are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. One of our journalists will be in contact before we publish, so please do leave contact details.