John Madden

John Philip Madden (born 8 April 1949) is an English director of stage, film, television, and radio. He is known for directing Shakespeare in Love (1998), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He has also gained recognition for directing The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) and its sequel The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015). Life and career Madden was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He was educated at Clifton College in Bristol. He was in the same house as Roger Michell, who became a friend and later also a director. He began his career in British independent films, and graduated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1970 with a B.A. in English Literature. He started work in television, including directing Helen Mirren in Prime Suspect 4, episodes of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (ITV, 1984–1994), and Inspector Morse (1990–1995). He directed the film Shakespeare in Love (1998), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and for which he was also nominated as Best Director. He lost to Steven Spielberg, who directed Saving Private Ryan. The film also won the Silver Bear at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.