Yahoo Movies Roger Michell, veteran director who helmed Notting Hill , dies at 65
Roger Michell, best known for directing the romantic comedy Notting Hill, died Wednesday at the age of 65. Michell's publicist confirmed the news to the Associated Press.
"It is with great sadness that the family of Roger Michell, director, writer and father of Harry, Rosie, Maggie and Sparrow, announce his death at the age of 65 on September 22nd," the publicist said in a statement.
Michell was born in South Africa and had a long career in theater, particularly in the U.K., where he was resident director at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He helmed two miniseries in the early '90s, including an adaptation of Hanif Kureishi's The Buddha of Suburbia and received two BAFTAs for his work: one for best miniseries (The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies) and one for best single drama (Persuasion).
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images Roger Michell
His first feature film credit was 1997's My Night With Reg, about a group of gay men who reflect on a friend who dies of AIDS. In 1999, Michell shot to stardom by directing the Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant-led romantic comedy Notting Hill. The film became a global hit and put Michell on the map in Hollywood, leading him to direct projects such as the 2002's Changing Lanes with Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson and 2006's Venus, which he wrote with Kureishi and which earned Peter O'Toole a final Oscar nomination.
Roberts posted on Instagram following news of Michell's death, sharing a photo and writing, "I loved every minute we spent together. RIP Robert Michell."
Michell's final films were 2019's Blackbird with Susan Sarandon and Kate Winslet and 2020's The Duke with Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren.
Related content:
