Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott

Birthdate
November 30, 1937 (86 years old)
Place of Birth
South Shields, County Durham, England, UK
Known For
Directing

Details

Birthdate
November 30, 1937 (86 years old)
Place of Birth
South Shields, County Durham, England, UK
Known For
Directing

Biography

Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30, 1937) is an English filmmaker. He was raised in an Army family, meaning that for most of his early life, his father — an officer in the Royal Engineers — was absent. Ridley's older brother, Frank, joined the Merchant Navy when he was still young and the pair had little contact. During this time the family moved around, living in (among other areas) Cumbria, Wales and Germany. He has a younger brother, Tony, also a film director. After the Second World War, the Scott family moved back to their native north-east England, eventually settling in Teesside (whose industrial landscape would later inspire similar scenes in Blade Runner). He enjoyed watching films, and his favourites include Lawrence of Arabia, Citizen Kane and Seven Samurai. Scott studied in Teesside from 1954 to 1958, at Grangefield Grammar School and later in West Hartlepool College of Art, graduating with a Diploma in Design. He progressed to an M.A. in graphic design at the Royal College of Art from 1960 to 1962.

At the RCA he contributed to the college magazine, ARK and helped to establish its film department. For his final show, he made a black and white short film, Boy and Bicycle, starring his younger brother, Tony Scott, and his father. The film's main visual elements would become features of Scott's later work; it was issued on the 'Extras' section of The Duellists DVD. After graduation in 1963, he secured a job as a trainee set designer with the BBC, leading to work on the popular television police series Z-Cars and the science fiction series Out of the Unknown. Scott was an admirer of Stanley Kubrick early in his development as a director. For his entry to the BBC traineeship, Scott remade Paths of Glory as a short film.

He was assigned to design the second Doctor Who serial, The Daleks, which would have entailed realising the famous alien creatures. However, shortly before Scott was due to start work, a schedule conflict meant that he was replaced on the serial by Raymond Cusick.

At the BBC, Scott was placed into a director training programme and, before he left the corporation, had directed episodes of Z-Cars, its spin-off, Softly, Softly, and adventure series Adam Adamant Lives!

In 1968, Ridley and Tony Scott founded Ridley Scott Associates (RSA), a film and commercial production company.Five members of the Scott family are directors, all working for RSA. Brother Tony has been a successful film director for more than two decades; sons, Jake and Luke are both acclaimed commercials directors as is his daughter, Jordan Scott. Jake and Jordan both work from Los Angeles and Luke is based in London.

In 1995, Shepperton Studios was purchased by a consortium headed by Ridley and Tony Scott, which extensively renovated the studios while also expanding and improving its grounds.  

Ridley Scott's LGBTQ+ Titles

Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise
Director

Acting (57)

2024
The Making of Gladiator II as Self
2023
Faut Voir - L'hebdo cinéma as Self - Guest (1 episode)
2023
L'Âge d'or de la pub as Self (archive footage)
2023
Harrison Ford: Hollywood Hero as Self
2022
Film: The Living Record of Our Memory as Self
2021
The Making of the Last Duel as Self
2021
The Blade Runner Phenomenon as Self - Director (1982)
2021
Kreka: Dreamcatcher as Self
2019
Sword-and-Sandal as Self (archive footage)
2019
Memory: The Origins of Alien as Self (archival footage)
2018
Trumbull Land as Self (archive footage)
2018
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction as Self (5 episodes)
2018
The Dream Palace: A People's History of Tyneside Cinema
2017
Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies as Self
2017
Robin Hood - En vert et contre tous as himself
2016
The Long Way Home: Making 'The Martian' as Self
2015
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine as Himself (archive footage)
2015
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter as Self (2 episodes)
2015
Keepers of the Covenant: Making 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' as Self
2014
Truth of the Situation: Making 'The Counselor' as Self
2013
Trespassing Bergman as Self
2012
The Furious Gods: Making Prometheus as Self
2012
Bergmans video as Self
2011
Prophets of Science Fiction as Himself - Presenter (8 episodes)
2010
The Real Robin Hood as Self
2007
Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner as Self
2007
Sacrificial Sheep: The Novel vs. the Film as Self
2007
Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and Styling as Self
2007
The Light That Burns: Remembering Jordan Cronenweth as Self
2007
Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard as Self
2006
Black Rain: Making The Film as Self
2006
50 Films to See Before You Die as Self
2006
The Path to Redemption as Self
2005
Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema as Self
2005
Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us as Self
2005
Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator' as Self
2005
Nos Bastidores de Hollywood as Self
2004
Murder by Numbers as Self
2003
The Beast Within: Making Alien as Self
2003
Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey as Self
2002
Duelling Directors: Ridley Scott & Kevin Reynolds as Self
2002
The Alien Saga as Self (archive footage)
2002
The Essence of Combat: Making 'Black Hawk Down'
2002
Creating a Myth... the Memories of 'Legend' as Himself
2001
Breaking the Silence: The Making of Hannibal as Self
2001
Dino De Laurentiis: The Last Movie Mogul as Self
2000
Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport as Self
2000
On the Edge of 'Blade Runner' as Self
1999
The Alien Legacy as Self
1999
The Directors as Self (1 episode)
1997
Hollywood Halloween as Himself
1996
The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money as Self
1995
Kulturzeit as self (1 episode)
1986
A Turnip Head’s Guide To The British Cinema as Self
1979
Giger's Alien as Self
1977
The Hollywood Greats (1 episode)
1968
One of the Missing as Unionist officer (uncredited)

Directing (50)

You Should Be Dancing • Director
• Director
Bomb • Director
• Director
Freewalkers • Director
• Director
The Dog Stars • Director
• Director
2025
Dope Thief • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2024
Gladiator II • Director
• Director
2023
Napoleon • Director
• Director
2023
Behold • Director
• Director
2021
House of Gucci • Director
• Director
2021
The Last Duel • Director
• Director
2020
Raised by Wolves • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2019
The Journey • Director
• Director
2017
All the Money in the World • Director
• Director
2017
Alien: Covenant • Director
• Director
2017
Alien: Covenant - Prologue: The Crossing • Director
• Director
2017
Alien: Covenant - Prologue: Crew Messages • Director
• Director
2015
The Martian • Director
• Director
2014
Exodus: Gods and Kings • Director
• Director
2013
The Counselor • Director
• Director
2012
Prometheus • Director
• Director
2010
Robin Hood • Director
• Director
2008
Body of Lies • Director
• Director
2007
American Gangster • Director
• Director
2007
Cinema 16: European Short Films (U.S. Edition) • Director
• Director
2006
A Good Year • Director
• Director
2005
Le court des grands • Director
• Director
2005
All the Invisible Children • Director
• Director
2005
Kingdom of Heaven • Director
• Director
2005
Thunder Perfect Mind • Director
• Director
2003
Matchstick Men • Director
• Director
2003
Cinema16: British Short Films • Director
• Director
2001
Black Hawk Down • Director
• Director
2001
Hannibal • Director
• Director
2000
Gladiator • Director
• Director
1997
G.I. Jane • Director
• Director
1996
White Squall • Director
• Director
1993
The King of Ads, Part 2 • Director
• Director
1992
1492: Conquest of Paradise • Director
• Director
1991
The King of Ads • Director
• Director
1991
Thelma & Louise • Director
• Director
1989
Black Rain • Director
• Director
1987
Someone to Watch Over Me • Director
• Director
1985
Legend • Director
• Director
1982
Blade Runner • Director
• Director
1979
Alien • Director
• Director
1977
The Duellists • Director
• Director
1967
Robert • Director
• Director
1966
Adam Adamant Lives! • Director (3 episodes)
• Director (3 episodes)
1965
Boy and Bicycle • Director
• Director
1962
Z-Cars • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)

Production (138)

Alien: Earth • Producer (1 episode)
• Producer (1 episode)
Blade Runner 2099 • Executive Producer (2 episodes)
• Executive Producer (2 episodes)
A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii • Executive Producer (1 episode)
• Executive Producer (1 episode)
Mind MGMT • Producer
• Producer
War Party • Producer
• Producer
The Chronology of Water • Producer
• Producer
Trap House • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
First Ascent • Producer
• Producer
Outside • Producer
• Producer
Echo Valley • Producer
• Producer
Embraced by the Light • Producer
• Producer
Vicious • Producer
• Producer
Bomb • Producer
• Producer
Freewalkers • Producer
• Producer
Children of the Jungle • Producer
• Producer
Gladiator III • Producer
• Producer
2025
Dope Thief • Executive Producer (8 episodes)
• Executive Producer (8 episodes)
2025
Prime Target • Executive Producer (8 episodes)
• Executive Producer (8 episodes)
2024
Gladiator II • Producer
• Producer
2024
Alien: Romulus • Producer
• Producer
2024
A Sacrifice • Producer
• Producer
2023
Napoleon • Producer
• Producer
2023
A Haunting in Venice • Producer
• Producer
2023
Great Expectations • Executive Producer (6 episodes)
• Executive Producer (6 episodes)
2023
Boston Strangler • Producer
• Producer
2023
Still Missing Morgan • Executive Producer (4 episodes)
• Executive Producer (4 episodes)
2023
Kaleidoscope • Executive Producer (9 episodes)
• Executive Producer (9 episodes)
2022
Choose or Die • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2022
Death on the Nile • Producer
• Producer
2021
House of Gucci • Producer
• Producer
2021
The Last Duel • Producer
• Producer
2021
Naked Singularity • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Kipchoge: The Last Milestone • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Life in a Day 2020 • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2020
Jungleland • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2020
Raised by Wolves • Executive Producer (18 episodes)
• Executive Producer (18 episodes)
2020
The Donut King • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2020
Switzerlanders • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
FX's A Christmas Carol • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
Earthquake Bird • Producer
• Producer
2019
The Last Vermeer • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
Our Friend • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
The Hot Zone • Executive Producer (6 episodes)
• Executive Producer (6 episodes)
2019
The Aftermath • Producer
• Producer
2019
The Passage • Executive Producer (10 episodes)
• Executive Producer (10 episodes)
2018
Zoe • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2018
Strange Angel • Executive Producer (17 episodes)
• Executive Producer (17 episodes)
2018
American Woman • Producer
• Producer
2018
The Terror • Executive Producer (20 episodes)
• Executive Producer (20 episodes)
2017
All the Money in the World • Producer
• Producer
2017
Murder on the Orient Express • Producer
• Producer
2017
Newness • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2017
Blade Runner 2049 • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2017
Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House • Producer
• Producer
2017
2036: Nexus Dawn • Producer
• Producer
2017
Alien: Covenant • Producer
• Producer
2017
Alien: Covenant - Prologue: The Crossing • Producer
• Producer
2017
Phoenix Forgotten • Producer
• Producer
2017
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2017
The Good Fight • Executive Producer (24 episodes)
• Executive Producer (24 episodes)
2017
Taboo • Executive Producer (8 episodes)
• Executive Producer (8 episodes)
2016
Mindhorn • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2016
India In a Day • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2016
Morgan • Producer
• Producer
2016
Jean-Claude Van Johnson • Executive Producer (6 episodes)
• Executive Producer (6 episodes)
2015
Concussion • Producer
• Producer
2015
The Martian • Producer
• Producer
2015
Zero • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2015
Equals • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2015
Child 44 • Producer
• Producer
2015
Annabel's: A String of Naked Lightbulbs • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2015
The Man in the High Castle • Executive Producer (40 episodes)
• Executive Producer (40 episodes)
2014
Get Santa • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2014
Exodus: Gods and Kings • Producer
• Producer
2014
Italy in a Day - Un giorno da italiani • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2014
Halo: Nightfall • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2014
Klondike • Executive Producer (3 episodes)
• Executive Producer (3 episodes)
2013
Killing Kennedy • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2013
Out of the Furnace • Producer
• Producer
2013
The Counselor • Producer
• Producer
2013
Springsteen & I • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2013
Crimes of the Century • Executive Producer (8 episodes)
• Executive Producer (8 episodes)
2013
The East • Producer
• Producer
2013
Welcome to the Punch • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2013
Stoker • Producer
• Producer
2013
Killing Lincoln • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2012
The Polar Bears • Producer
• Producer
2012
Japan in a Day • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2012
World Without End • Producer (8 episodes)
• Producer (8 episodes)
2012
Coma • Executive Producer (2 episodes)
• Executive Producer (2 episodes)
2012
Loom • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2012
Britain in a Day • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2012
Prometheus • Producer
• Producer
2012
Ghost Recon: Alpha • Producer
• Producer
2012
The Grey • Producer
• Producer
2011
Life in a Day • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
Welcome to the Rileys • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
The Pillars of the Earth • Executive Producer (8 episodes)
• Executive Producer (8 episodes)
2010
Cyrus • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
The A-Team • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
Robin Hood • Producer
• Producer
2010
The Real Robin Hood • Producer
• Producer
2009
Cracks • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2009
The Good Wife • Executive Producer (156 episodes)
• Executive Producer (156 episodes)
2009
Into the Storm • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2009
Tell-Tale • Producer
• Producer
2008
Body of Lies • Producer
• Producer
2008
The Andromeda Strain • Executive Producer (2 episodes)
• Executive Producer (2 episodes)
2007
American Gangster • Producer
• Producer
2007
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford • Producer
• Producer
2007
The Company • Executive Producer (3 episodes)
• Executive Producer (3 episodes)
2006
A Good Year • Producer
• Producer
2006
Tristan & Isolde • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2006
Orpheus • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2005
In Her Shoes • Producer
• Producer
2005
Kingdom of Heaven • Producer
• Producer
2005
Numb3rs • Producer (118 episodes)
• Producer (118 episodes)
2003
Matchstick Men • Producer
• Producer
2002
Beat the Devil • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2002
Ticker • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2002
Hostage • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2002
The Gathering Storm • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2002
AFP: American Fighter Pilot • Producer (7 episodes)
• Producer (7 episodes)
2001
Black Hawk Down • Producer
• Producer
2001
Hannibal • Producer
• Producer
2000
The Last Debate • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2000
Gladiator • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2000
Where the Money Is • Producer
• Producer
2000
RKO 281 • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1998
Clay Pigeons • Producer
• Producer
1997
G.I. Jane • Producer
• Producer
1996
White Squall • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1994
The Browning Version • Producer
• Producer
1994
Monkey Trouble • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1992
1492: Conquest of Paradise • Producer
• Producer
1991
Thelma & Louise • Producer
• Producer
1987
Someone to Watch Over Me • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1965
Boy and Bicycle • Producer
• Producer

Writing (5)

Gladiator III • Writer
• Writer
2017
2036: Nexus Dawn • Screenstory
• Screenstory
2017
Alien: Covenant - Prologue: Meet Walter • Writer
• Writer
2017
Alien: Covenant - Prologue: Last Supper • Writer
• Writer
1965
Boy and Bicycle • Writer
• Writer

Camera (2)

1977
The Duellists • Camera Operator
• Camera Operator
1965
Boy and Bicycle • Director of Photography
• Director of Photography

Crew (2)

2018
Thlípsi • Thanks
• Thanks
2002
Duelling Directors: Ridley Scott & Kevin Reynolds • Thanks
• Thanks