Craig Gillespie is an Australian film director. He is best known for his breakout hit Lars and the Real Girl and the Oscar-winning hit I, Tonya.
For Disney, he directed several films, including Fright Night, Million Dollar Arm, The Finest Hours, and Cruella. Additionally, he served as an executive producer and directed three episodes of the Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy.
Early life[]
Born and raised in Sydney, Gillespie moved to New York City at the age of nineteen to study illustration, graphic design and advertising at Manhattan's School of Visual Arts. Gillespie stated he had grown up as an atheist.
Career[]
Gillespie directed several episodes, including the pilot, of the first season of Steven Spielberg and Diablo Cody's television series The United States of Tara. He was set to re-team with Lars and the Real Girl lead actor Ryan Gosling for Dallas Buyers Club, a film telling the true story of Ron Woodroof, an electrician given six months to live after he was diagnosed with AIDS, but used a variety of drugs which he smuggled to other AIDS patients to live for another six years. However, the directing job instead went to Jean-Marc Vallée and Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof. In March 2010, it was announced that Gillespie would direct the Fright Night remake, starring Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, and Toni Collette for the lead roles. Gillespie and Sam Worthington won the 2009 Australians in Film Breakthrough Award.
In 2011, he directed the music video for Kid Cudi's single "No One Believes Me". Gillespie finalized his contract to direct an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies on April 18, 2011, but he later left the film. In April 2014, it was announced that Gillespie would direct the film The Finest Hours about the Coast Guard who tries to save the crews of two oil tankers in 1952. Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Josh Stewart, Graham McTavish, and Kyle Gallner star in the film for Walt Disney Pictures. The sets for the film were made in Quincy, Massachusetts.
Gillespie directed I, Tonya (2017), a biographical film revolving around figure skater Tonya Harding, starring Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, and Allison Janney. Gillespie has been announced to direct Gregg Allman's autobiography novel, My Cross to Bear into a feature film. In December 2018, it was announced that Gillespie will be replacing Alex Timbers (due to the latter's scheduling conflicts) as director for Disney's live-action spin-off of One Hundred and One Dalmatians; titled as Cruella, with Emma Stone set to portray Cruella De Vil.
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Fright Night | Yes | No |
| 2014 | Million Dollar Arm | Yes | No |
| 2016 | The Finest Hours | Yes | No |
| 2021 | Cruella | Yes | No |
| 2022 | Pam & Tommy | Yes | Yes |
