George Miller (filmmaker)
George Miller was born on the 3rd of March 1945 in Chinchilla, Queensland. He studied medicine at the University of New South Wales alongside his twin brother John. In his final year of medical school during 1971, he and his younger brother Chris created a one-minute short film called St. Vincent's Revue Film. This student project won first prize in a competition. The following year, Miller attended a film workshop at Melbourne University where he met Byron Kennedy. They formed a lasting partnership that would define Australian cinema for decades. Miller completed his residency at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital while crewing on experimental films during his free time. He founded Kennedy Miller Productions with Kennedy in 1972 after leaving full-time medical practice.
Miller made his feature-length directorial debut with Mad Max in 1979. The script was written by Miller and James McCausland back in 1975. Kennedy Miller Productions independently financed the low-budget film which became an international success. Two sequels followed starring Mel Gibson including Mad Max 2 released as The Road Warrior in 1981. The trilogy concluded with Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in 1985. Between the second and third films, Miller directed a segment for Twilight Zone: The Movie titled Nightmare at 20,000 Feet. An infamous helicopter crash occurred during filming despite Miller not being present. The accident shook him and led to a re-evaluation of stunt work in future projects. He also co-produced television miniseries like The Dismissal in 1983 and The Cowra Breakout in 1984.
Miller transitioned to Hollywood with The Witches of Eastwick in 1987. Jack Nicholson starred alongside Susan Sarandon, Cher, and Michelle Pfeiffer. The production proved difficult enough that Miller quit the film twice. Nicholson held him there telling him to lose emotion and look at the work. Miller later said he learned more from Nicholson than anyone else. Cher recalled Miller calling her on the day after her 40th birthday to say they did not want her in the film because she was too old. After this troubled experience, Miller focused on producing Australian projects including Flirting and Dead Calm starring Nicole Kidman. He returned to directing with Lorenzo's Oil in 1992 which earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Warner Bros. eventually parted ways with Miller over the science fiction drama Contact after working on it for over a year.
Miller created Happy Feet released in November 2006 about penguins living in Antarctica. The film earned $363 million worldwide bringing Miller his fourth Academy Award nomination. He won the award for Best Animated Feature that same year. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times praised the film for its unusual depth of feeling. In mid-2007, Miller co-founded Dr. D Studios as a partnership between Kennedy Miller Mitchell and Omnilab Media. The Sydney-based digital animation studio released Happy Feet Two in 2011. Following the financially unsuccessful sequel and long delays on Mad Max: Fury Road, the studio closed down in 2013. Miller also produced Video Fool for Love in 1995 which dealt with editor Robert Gibson's personal life issues.
Principal photography began on Mad Max: Fury Road in 2012 after years of production delays. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron starred in the film released on the 15th of May 2015. Critics called it one of the greatest action films ever made while it became a box office success. The film received 10 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Miller himself was nominated for Best Director before winning six awards total. He announced Three Thousand Years of Longing in October 2018 which premiered at Cannes in May 2022. The film grossed $20 million worldwide against a budget of $60 million. In 2024 he directed Furiosa: A Man from the Wasteland starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. This spinoff premiered to critical acclaim at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
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Common questions
When and where was George Miller born?
George Miller was born on the 3rd of March 1945 in Chinchilla, Queensland. He studied medicine at the University of New South Wales alongside his twin brother John.
What film did George Miller direct after leaving medical practice?
George Miller made his feature-length directorial debut with Mad Max in 1979. The script was written by Miller and James McCausland back in 1975 before Kennedy Miller Productions independently financed the low-budget film which became an international success.
Which animated film won George Miller an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature?
George Miller created Happy Feet released in November 2006 about penguins living in Antarctica. The film earned $363 million worldwide bringing Miller his fourth Academy Award nomination and he won the award for Best Animated Feature that same year.
Who starred in the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road directed by George Miller?
Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron starred in the film released on the 15th of May 2015. Critics called it one of the greatest action films ever made while it became a box office success and received 10 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.
When did George Miller announce Three Thousand Years of Longing?
Miller announced Three Thousand Years of Longing in October 2018 which premiered at Cannes in May 2022. The film grossed $20 million worldwide against a budget of $60 million.