Julian Fellowes

JULIAN FELLOWES was catapulted into Hollywood's A-list of writers when he received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2002 for Gosford Park, which was his first produced film. His work was also honored by the Writer's Guild of America, The New York Film Critics' Circle and the National Society of Film Critics for Best Screenplay, and Fellowes was named ShoWest 2002's Screenwriter of the Year. Directed by Robert Altman, the film starred Emily Watson, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ryan Phillipe, and received a total of 7 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

His projects include Romeo and Juliet, directed by Carlo Carlei and produced by Ileen Maisel. He also wrote The Girl on the Landing, based on the novel by Paul Torday, a thriller about a young couple whose mundane life is reshaped once the husband starts being visited by strange hallucinations.

Fellowes created, wrote and executive produced the smash hit ITV series "Downtown Abbey," which launched in the UK and has been the season's most acclaimed new show. Set in a country house, between 1912 and 1914, this period drama focuses on the lives of the wealthy Crawleys and their servants and stars Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern and Penelope Wilton.

In 2005, Fellowes made his directorial debut with the critically acclaimed Separate Lies (Fox Searchlight), starring Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson and Rupert Everett, for which he received the Best Directorial Debut award from the National Board of Review. His second feature as both writer and director was From Time to Time, a haunting ghost story spanning two worlds and two centuries starring Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall and Dominic West. Fellowes adapted the screenplay from Lucy M. Boston's book "The Chimneys of Green Knowe" for Ealing Studios.

Other credits include the original screenplay for the biographical drama The Young Victoria, starring Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend and Paul Bettany. Produced by Graham King and Martin Scorsese's Initial Entertainment, the film received 3 Oscar nominations and won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design. He also wrote screenplay for Vanity Fair (2004), starring Reese Witherspoon and Jonathan Rhys Meyers directed by Mira Nair.

Expanding his talents to the world of publishing, Fellowes has authored 2 novels: the international bestseller, Snobs, (2005) a witty satire of the English class system and the clever mystery Past Imperfect, (2008/2009), like Snobs a Sunday Times Best Seller, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in the UK and by St. Martin's Press in the US. His critically acclaimed children's book The Curious Adventures of the Abandoned Toys was published by Henry Holt Books in 2007.

Not limiting his talents to film and publishing, Fellowes has also written the book for the Tony nominated stage production of "Mary Poppins." A co-production between Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, "Mary Poppins" continues its run as a record-breaking hit on the New York stage and on its national and international tour.

Educated at Ampleforth College in Yorkshire and Magdalene College, Cambridge, Fellowes studied at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He completed his training in repertory theatre at Northampton and Harrogate before making his West End debut in "A Touch of Spring" by Sam Taylor at the Comedy Theatre.

Prior to his writing and directing career, Fellowes was an actor best known for his portrayal of the incorrigible Lord Kilwillie in the BBC's popular Sunday night series, "Monarch of the Glen." He was also featured in "Aristocrats" (1999) as the 2nd Duke of Richmond for the BBC and in "For the Greater Good" (1991), also for the BBC, which was directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) and was his big acting break. In the cinema, he was seen in Shadowlands with Anthony Hopkins, Damage with Jeremy Irons, Place Vendome with Catherine Deneuve and Tomorrow Never Dies with Pierce Brosnan.

Fellowes's screenwriting career began in the 1990's in England with his successful, Emmy award winning adaptation of "Little Lord Fauntleroy," as well as the BAFTA nominated "The Prince and the Pauper," both for the BBC.

Fellowes lives with his wife, Emma, and their son, Peregrine, in London and Dorset, England.

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