Andrew Niccol


Andrew M. Niccol is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director. He wrote and directed Gattaca, Simone, Lord of War, In Time, The Host, and Good Kill. He also wrote and co-produced The Truman Show, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay in 1999 and won him a BAFTA award for Best Screenplay. His films tend to explore social, cultural and political issues, as well as artificial realities or simulations.
His film Good Kill was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.

Early and personal life

Niccol was born in Paraparaumu, New Zealand, and grew up in Auckland, where he attended Auckland Grammar School beginning in 1973. He left New Zealand at age 21 and began directing TV ads in London, which he did for more than ten years before his directorial debut, Gattaca. During production of S1m0ne, he met model and actress Rachel Roberts, with whom he has two children, Jack, born in 2003 and Ava, born in 2008.

Career

Directing

Niccol has directed the films Gattaca, Simone, Lord of War, In Time, The Host, and Good Kill . He has also directed a short film entitled The Minutes, which is a documentary-esque, narrative tie-in to In Time that describes in more detail the world and characters from the film.
For his directorial debut and first film, Gattaca, he won a Best Film award from the Sitges - Catalan International Film Festival and both a Special Jury Prize and the Fun Trophy from the Gérardmer Film Festival.
For his film Lord of War, he received a Special Recognition for Excellence in Filmmaking from the National Board of Review.

Writing and producing

Niccol's breakthrough screenplay was his script for the film The Truman Show, directed by Peter Weir and starring Jim Carrey. He also served as a producer on the film. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and a Golden Globes nomination for Best Screenplay in 1999 and won a BAFTA award for Best Screenplay, a Saturn Award for Best Writing or Best Writer, an Awards Circuit Community Award for Best Original Screenplay and Best Motion Picture, a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, and an Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Screenplay.
In 1999, Niccol received the ALFS Award for "Screenwriter of the Year" from the London Critics Circle Film Awards for his screenwriting work on the screenplays of The Truman Show and Gattaca.
Niccol has written for all the films that he has directed, including Gattaca, Simone, Lord of War, In Time, The Host, and Good Kill. Out of the films he has written and directed, he has produced S1m0ne, Lord of War, In Time, Good Kill and Anon.
He also wrote and came up with the story for the film The Terminal, directed by Steven Spielberg. He also served as an executive producer on the film.

Filmography