DIRECTOR · BORN 1937
Ridley Scott
- Born
- 30 November 1937, South Shields, County Durham, England, UK
- Known for
- The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004), Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007), James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction (2018), Keepers of the Covenant: Making 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' (2015)
82 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
All facts (82)
- #001
Ridley Scott directed a Maxwell House coffee commercial starring Shakira Caine. Sir Michael Caine saw the commercial and was so struck by her beauty that he desperately sought her out. They have been married since 1973.
- #002
In 2007, Ridley Scott was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
- #003
In an interview, it was estimated that he had appeared in around 2,700 commercials.
- #004
Since Gladiator (2000), he has given a role to his life partner Giannina Facio in nearly all of his films. They finally married in June 2015.
- #005
He has directed seven actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Ruby Dee, Matt Damon and Christopher Plummer. Crowe won for his performance in Gladiator (2000).
- #006
He has dedicated several of his films to the memory of his family: Blade Runner (1982) to his brother Frank, Black Hawk Down (2001) to his mother, and The Counselor (2013) and Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) to his brother Tony. Ridley also paid tribute to his late brother Tony after The Martian (2015) won Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 2016 Golden Globes.
- #007
Coming from an army and fine arts background, he is a highly detail-oriented man who approaches every film project with the fervour of a general with a battle plan. His insistence on scrutinising details during the shooting of Alien (1979) led Sigourney Weaver to complain that he cared more about the sets and production design than about the cast.
- #008
He suffers from claustrophobia, a condition he actively tried to instil in the cast of Alien (1979) by making the living quarters of the Nostromo as cramped as possible.
- #009
Scott is said to have had a major influence on Canadian director James Cameron, who made the first sequel to Alien (1979) as well as iconic films such as The Terminator (1984), Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). Cameron admitted that he goes to see new Ridley Scott films because "… he is such an artist, he's such a filmmaker. I always learn from him".
- #010
In an interview with Wired magazine, Ridley Scott stated that the best science fiction films ever made are 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Alien, Blade Runner & On the Beach.
- #011
Together with his brother Tony Scott, he bought Shepperton Studios for £12 million in 1995.
- #012
On 17 May 2017 he received the TCL Chinese Theatre handprint ceremony. His hands and feet were set in cement in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. He had first stepped onto the famous pavement in 1960, when he had no intention of going into the film business. He was 22, recently graduated from university, and had saved enough money after working nine months in New York to travel to Los Angeles by Greyhound bus. "One of the big deals for me was to come to Hollywood," Scott recalled. "I stayed in a nearby boarding house and walked to Hollywood Boulevard. I remember standing outside looking at the footprints. I never, ever thought this would happen." [Various 2017].
- #013
The famous Super Bowl television commercial "1984", directed for the launch of Apple's Macintosh, was shot on Stage H at Shepperton Studios, where Scott had previously shot the exteriors for Alien (1979). Apple paid about $1 million for the single airing of the commercial during Super Bowl XVIII, in which the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins 38-9. Scott estimated a budget of around $350,000 for the commercial.
- #014
He was initially set to direct Dune (1984) but left the production after his elder brother died suddenly. Scott wanted to start working as soon as possible, but Dune would take too long to reach production. Scott decided to leave the project in favour of Blade Runner (1982), which was ready to go into production immediately.
- #015
The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated his net worth at $172 million.
- #016
In 2011 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- #017
He rejected the theatrical cut of Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and named the Director's Cut as the definitive version. At the TIFF press conference for The Martian (2015), he said that the only regret of his career was that film being recut.
- #018
He was reportedly preparing to direct The Hunger (1983), but decided to accept it upon hearing that David Bowie was involved in the deal. It became his brother Tony Scott's directorial debut.
- #019
He was 39 years old when he directed his first feature film, The Duellists (1977).
- #020
More than 50% of all the professional actors he has hired or worked with for his films come from prestigious drama schools and theatres such as the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford Upon Avon, The Globe Theatre, The Old Vic and the National Theatre in London, and he believes that actors are as great an asset on screen as they are on stage.
- #021
Ridley Scott directed three films selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry as "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982) and Thelma & Louise (1991).
- #022
In late 2005, Ridley Scott was preparing to direct "The Invisible World" from a screenplay by Dana Stevens, based on a review by Washington Post reporter David Ignatius. The film, which was to star Angelina Jolie, dealt with the kidnapping of a female journalist in Iraq. Jolie's pregnancy halted production at the time, however, and the project was postponed entirely. That sudden opening in Scott's schedule gave him the opportunity to direct American Gangster (2007) the following year.
- #023
One of Ridley Scott's favorite films is Muriel's Wedding (1994): "I've seen it 6 times, it's really fantastic." [Hollywood Reporter, Roundtable 2015].
- #024
In 1986, Enya's recording "Aldebaran" was dedicated to Ridley Scott.
- #025
Ridley Scott was approached to replace Bryan Singer as the director of Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
- #026
Ridley Scott's first feature film, The Duellists (1977), is based on a story by Joseph Conrad. In his next film, Alien (1979), the spaceship was known as the Nostromo and the escape shuttle as the Narcissus. Both are names taken from Conrad stories.
- #027
Ridley Scott considers The Counselor (2013) one of his best films.
- #028
In 2005, Ridley Scott ranked 5th on Empire magazine's (UK) list of "The Greatest directors ever!"
- #029
Ridley Scott owns the London-based visual effects company Mill Film. They did most of the effects work on Gladiator (2000).
- #030
Ridley Scott's education: West Hartlepool College of Art (1954-1958: Diploma in Design 1958, with distinction); Royal College of Art (1958 to autumn 1961: Master's in Graphic Design 1961). This was followed by two postgraduate courses at the RCA. He then received a travel scholarship and went to New York, where he gained experience in editing at Leacock/Pennebaker. A year later he returned to England and worked as an art director at the BBC. His skill at designing sets for television eventually led to designing sets for commercials. After taking the BBC's director training course, he left television. He decided to focus almost entirely on commercials and in 1965 founded his own commercial production company, Ridley Scott Associates.
- #031
Ridley Scott is the father of Jake Scott and Luke Scott with Felicity Heywood.
- #032
Like his brother Tony Scott, Ridley Scott is a passionate smoker of Montecristo Cuban cigars.
- #033
In 1994, Ridley Scott was set to direct "Hot Zone" from a screenplay by James V. Hart, based on Richard Preston's 1992 New Yorker article "Crisis in the Hot Zone." The film, which was to star Robert Redford and Jodie Foster, was based on the true story of the discovery of the deadly Ebola virus. Some of Scott's regular collaborators who were also set to work on the film included cinematographer Hugh Johnson and production designer Ken Davis. Various factors, including the development of the similarly plotted Outbreak (1995), led to the project's cancellation. On the day this happened, Scott was given a copy of the script for White Squall (1996) and decided to direct it. "Crisis in the Hot Zone" was eventually adapted as the National Geographic TV miniseries The Hot Zone (2019), on which Scott served as executive producer.
- #034
Ridley Scott frequently works as a producer and director on historically focused projects: The Duellists (1977), 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992), Gladiator (2000), The Pillars of the Earth (2010).
- #035
In 2011, Ridley Scott was said to be directing Blade Runner 2049 (2017) himself, but his work on Prometheus (2012), The Counselor (2013), Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), The Martian (2015) and Alien: Covenant (2017) meant he stepped back to serve only as executive producer.
- #036
For his services to the film industry, Ridley Scott was appointed a Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 2003 Queen's New Year Honours List.
- #037
Ridley Scott has worked with three Aragorns. His first theatrical film, The Duellists (1977), starred Sir Robert Stephens, who played Aragorn in the BBC radio adaptation. His breakthrough film, Alien (1979), featured John Hurt, who voiced the character in Ralph Bakshi's animated film The Lord of the Rings (1978). G. I. Jane (1997) starred Viggo Mortensen, who played the role in Peter Jackson's live-action adaptation.
- #038
Every one of Ridley Scott's feature films has at least one Oscar-nominated actor in its cast, and 15 of his feature films even have an Oscar-winning actor or actress in the cast [2015].
- #039
Ridley Scott has had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard since November 5, 2015.
- #040
Ridley Scott divides his time among homes in Hampstead (England), France and Los Angeles.
- #041
While at the Royal College of Art, Scott contributed to the college magazine ARK. He also helped establish the school's film studies department.
- #042
Scott's hand-drawn storyboards and personal notes for Alien (1979) were published in the Winter 2014 issue of Director Guild Quarterly in "Drawing Board: Alien Creature," pp. 58-59.
- #043
He received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art. [3 July 2015].
- #044
Years before production finally began, Scott was attached to direct Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006).
- #045
Scott could not direct Alien³ (1992) because he was busy working on 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992).
- #046
While the project was at Warner Bros., Scott was offered the chance to direct The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), with Brad Pitt in the lead role.
- #047
On 3 July 2015, Scott was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Royal College of Art at a ceremony held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. He recounted how he still keeps on his office wall the school report that placed him 31st out of 31 in his class, and how his teacher encouraged him to pursue what became his passion at art school.
- #048
Scott was asked to direct Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), but he was busy working on Black Hawk Down (2001).
- #049
Scott eventually left the BBC and, over the 10 years from 1967, directed hundreds of commercials, among them many award winners.
- #050
In January 2016, Scott was in early talks to direct a film version of The Prisoner (1967).
- #051
Scott watches a new film every night before going to sleep, a habit he refers to as his "bedtime story."
- #052
Family: Scott is the brother of director Tony Scott; the father of music video director Jake Scott; the son of Elizabeth Jean Scott; and, with Sandy Watson, the father of actress Jordan Scott.
- #053
Scott and Michael Mann each directed a Hannibal Lecter film. Both also frequently worked with an actor who played Jack Crawford. Mann directed Dennis Farina's first film, Thief (1981), and also used him in Miami Vice (1984). Scott cast Harvey Keitel in The Duellists (1977) and Thelma & Louise (1991). Keitel went on to play Jack Crawford in Red Dragon (2002).
- #054
Scott shot his first short film in 1961 while studying at the Royal College of Art. The film was called Boy and Bicycle (1965). It was financed by the RCA with £65 (for film and processing) and a Bolex 16mm camera (for free use for one month). The film would finally be completed (with music, score and titles) and copyrighted in 1965 with a £250 grant from the British Film Institute.
- #055
While working as a set designer at the BBC, Scott was assigned to design the Daleks for the new BBC TV science fiction series Doctor Who (1963). Because Scott could not attend the shoot at Ealing, he handed the work over to his colleague Raymond Cusick.
- #056
He was presented with a BAFTA Fellowship at the 2018 Awards.
- #057
Scott was considered to direct Jacob's Ladder (1990), Air Force One (1997) and the science fiction TV film Doctor Who: The Movie (1996).
- #058
After his family moved from Tyneside to Hartburn in Stockton, his father became a pilot on the River Tees. Ridley spent three years at Grangefield Grammar School in Stockton, Teesside. He was a mediocre student but an excellent artist. After leaving school, he went to Hartlepool College of Art in 1954.
- #059
It took Ridley Scott five years to set up The Duellists, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival despite mixed reviews.
- #060
His development and production company was named Percy Main Productions, after the place his father came from.
- #061
In the 1990s, Ridley Scott was developing a film adaptation of Richard Matheson's novel I Am Legend. The project was eventually filmed in 2008 by Francis Lawrence.
- #062
Ridley Scott was asked to direct Conan the Barbarian (1982) but turned it down.
- #063
Ridley Scott attended Tynemouth Grammar School before his family moved to Stockton.
- #064
Ridley Scott and his brother Tony control Shepperton Studios, the film production company Scott Free, and RSA (Ridley Scott Associates), a highly successful commercials company in both the UK and the US.
- #065
His sons Jake and Luke and his daughter Jordan work as directors, making films, music videos, commercials and promos.
- #066
Ridley Scott's first directing job was a commercial for instant porridge.
- #067
In 2008, Ridley Scott ranked 35th on The Telegraph's list of the 100 most powerful people in British culture.
- #068
Ridley Scott has his own production company, Scott Free, in London.
- #069
Ridley Scott was set to direct I Am Legend with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role, but the film was cancelled after Warner Brothers objected to its £75 million budget.
- #070
Ridley Scott was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 2024 King's New Year Honours for services to the UK film industry. He is a director and producer.
- #071
In 2001, Ridley Scott ranked 31st on Entertainment Weekly's Power List.
- #072
In 2003, Ridley Scott ranked 25th on Premiere magazine's annual Power 100 list; in 2002 he had been 30th.
- #073
In 2005, Ridley Scott ranked 28th on Premiere magazine's Power 50 list; in 2004 he had been 32nd.
- #074
Ridley Scott has directed more than 2,000 commercials.
- #075
Ridley Scott and his brother control Shepperton Studios, the film production company Scott Free, and RSA (Ridley Scott Associates), a highly successful commercials company both in the UK and in America.
- #076
Ridley Scott and his brother Tony were born at 192 Harton House Road, South Shields.
- #077
Ridley Scott has directed two films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Gladiator (2000) and The Martian (2015). The former won in the category.
- #078
His son Jake made his directorial debut with Plunkett & Macleane.
- #079
Although he is known as one of the best film directors, Ridley Scott began his career directing commercials and is estimated to have directed more than 2,000 of them.
- #080
Ridley Scott is divorced and the father of three children.
- #081
Ridley Scott studied at West Hartlepool College of Art and the Royal College of Art in London.
- #082
Ridley Scott was knighted in the 2003 New Year Honours.
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