Legendary auteur Ridley Scott talks career paths and north-east roots, en route to Gladiator II.
Ridley Scott, one of the world’s foremost filmmakers is edging his way towards 90, yet the notion of retirement is still nowhere close nearby. This is a man who almost defines the term ‘auteur’, and someone responsible for a collection of the most incredible movies in cinematic history, including those produced under Ridley Scott Associates.
North-East Beginnings
Ridley was born in South Shields, and he credits the area for providing him with the foundations of success. “I am so proud of where I’m from,” he begins, still pushing out that familiar north-east accent, a testament to his roots that shaped Ridley Scott’s storytelling.
He says: “My dad was a shipping worker and then brigadier in the army. We moved about but finally settled in the north-east, in Hartburn, County Durham.
“When I was young I discovered that my great uncle, Dixon Scott, was a filmmaker and something of a driving force behind Tyneside Cinema, which was a purpose-built newsreel venue in Newcastle – and it’s still there today.”
A Different Career Path?
Yet had Ridley gone with his first love and intended profession, we may never have got to see those astounding pieces of art.
“When I came out of the Royal Academy of Arts in the early 1960s, I wanted to be a fashion photographer. David Hockney went there, Francis Bacon lectured there – I was really inspired.
“I got a travelling scholarship and went to New York, showed a whole load of agencies my portfolio and they loved it.”
The Turning Point: Filmmaking Begins
However, despite crossing paths with legendary photographer Bert Stone, the offer of immediate work wasn’t there, delaying his rise to becoming an executive producer. “He said ‘come back in a month and I’ll give you a job as my assistant’.
“I couldn’t wait that long, so I doorstepped the great documentarians Donn Pennebaker and Richard Leacock in the lift. By the time it arrived at the third floor, they’d employed me!”
Ridley began working on the police series Z Cars and Softly, Softly. His first feature film was The Duellists in 1977 and, in 1995, he and his late brother Tony founded Scott Free Productions. The duo also acquired Shepperton Studios and the revitalisation of the British film industry was underway.
A Legacy of Iconic Films and Commercials
From Blade Runner to Alien, Black Hawk Down to Thelma & Louise, The Last Duel to The Martian, Ridley’s influence has been profound. In addition, he also directed over a slew of brilliant commercials, including the iconic Hovis cobbled street ad featuring a boy on a bike.
These days the 86-year-old divides between London, Los Angeles and France. And the next project? “The small matter of Gladiator II”, he says, with a rumoured £300m budget and anticipated November release.
“It feels like we’re coming back to an old friend, and it’s very exciting.”
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