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
42 Interesting Facts About Ridley Scott
- #003
In an interview, it was estimated that he had appeared in around 2,700 commercials.
- #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.
- #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.
- #015
The 2009 Sunday Times List estimated his net worth at $172 million.
- #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.
- #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.
- #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).
- #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.
- #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.
- #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.
- #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).
- #048
Scott was asked to direct Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), but he was busy working on Black Hawk Down (2001).
- #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."
- #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.
- #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).
- #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.
- #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.
- #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.
- #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.
- #081
Ridley Scott studied at West Hartlepool College of Art and the Royal College of Art in London.
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