Wes Anderson

Who is Wes Anderson?

Wes Anderson is an award-winning American film director, producer, and actor. He is best known for his work in movies like ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom.’ Famous for making films with distinctive visual and narrative style, Wes primarily focuses on making fast-paced comedies marked by more serious or melancholic elements like adultery and grief. Much appreciated for his ingenuity and originality, Anderson has always been a creative individual. He began writing plays and making super-8 movies when he was a young boy and aspired to become a writer. When he was a teenager, he accepted a part-time job as a cinema projectionist while studying in college. Owen Wilson, who would become an actor, was a college mate of his, and the two youngsters became good friends. The duo decided to work together and wrote the script for a short film called ‘Bottle Rocket’ (1994). This marked the beginning of a professional partnership that would lead the young men to successful careers in the film industry. After making a few other movies, Anderson received a major career breakthrough when he directed ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (co-written by Owen Wilson), which went on to become a critical and commercial success. Anderson is also the recipient of multiple awards, including the ‘BAFTA Award’ for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ in 2015 for ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel.’

Career

Anderson and Wilson wrote the script for a short film called ‘Bottle Rocket’ in 1994. The movie featured Wilson and his brother Luke. The movie caught the attention of director and producer James L. Brooks who helped the duo receive funds for making a full length feature film of the same name in 1996.

Once again collaborating with Wilson, Anderson made the film ‘Rushmore’ (1998), a comedy drama about an eccentric teenager named ‘Max Fischer.’ The movie, which received positive reviews from critics, helped launch Anderson’s career.

In 2001, he directed the film ‘The Royal Tenenbaums,’ which he had co-written with Owen Wilson. The film was about the lives of three gifted siblings whose eccentric father abandons them in their adolescent years. The film was met with mostly positive reviews.

He collaborated with writer Noah Baumbach for the first time and co-produced the comedy drama ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ in 2004. The film stars Bill Murray as the eponymous ‘Zissou,’ an eccentric oceanographer whose life’s ambition is to seek the “jaguar shark,” which is a fictional creature.

In 2005, he co-produced the movie ‘The Squid and the Whale’ with Peter Newman, Charlie Corwin, and Clara Markowicz. The plot revolves around two young boys who deal with their parents’ divorce. The film was exhibited at the 2005 ‘Sundance Film Festival’ where it received several awards. It was also nominated for the ‘Grand Jury Prize.’

He then went on to direct ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ (2007), which he co-wrote with Schwartzman and actor-screenwriter Roman Coppola. The film, which was about three estranged brothers, starred Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Adrien Brody in lead roles. The film included many of Anderson's signature themes and styles, such as despair, abandonment, and sibling relationships.

The film ‘Moonrise Kingdom,’ a coming-of-age drama, which he co-wrote with Roman Coppola, was released in 2012. The movie was described as an "eccentric, pubescent love story” and it featured newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. The film received critical praise and was nominated for an ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Original Screenplay.’

He directed ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ in 2014. The film received widespread acclaim from film critics and won the ‘Academy Awards’ for ‘Best Production Design,’ ‘Best Original Score,’ ‘Best Costume Design,’ and ‘Best Makeup and Hairstyling.’

He was the executive producer of the 2014 screwball comedy film ‘She's Funny That Way,’ which starred Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, and Imogen Pots in the lead. The movie received mixed reviews and failed at the box-office. He then served as the executive producer of the 2017 documentary ‘Escapes.’

He returned to direction with the 2018-released stop-motion animated comedy ‘Isle of Dogs,’ which he co-wrote with Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Kunichi Nomura. The movie was a critical and commercial hit and even garnered ‘Academy Award’ nominations for ‘Best Animated Feature film’ and ‘Best Original Score.’

As of 2020, the ingenious filmmaker is working on his comedy drama ‘The French Dispatch.’ Apart from producing and directing the movie, he has also co-written it alongside Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Hugo Guinness. The movie stars Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Frances McDormand in the lead.