Steven Spielberg, born on December 18, 1946, in Cincinnati, Ohio, is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and successful directors in the history of cinema. Spielberg’s career spans several decades, during which he has directed numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. Let’s delve into the life and achievements of this iconic filmmaker.
Personal Stats
- Date Birth:
- Source of Wealth: Movies, Self Made
- Self-Made Score: 8
- Philanthropy Score: 3
- Residence: Pacific Palisades, California
- Citizenship: United States
- Marital Status: Married
- Children: 7
- Education: Bachelor of Arts/Science, California State Long Beach
Early Life And Background
Spielberg was born to Leah and Arnold Spielberg, with his immediate family being Reform Jewish/Orthodox Jewish. His grandparents were Jews from Ukraine who had escaped to the United States to avoid the Russian army draft. Growing up, Spielberg’s family moved from Cincinnati to Phoenix, where he had his bar mitzvah ceremony. The Holocaust had a profound impact on Spielberg’s upbringing, as his parents frequently discussed it, and his father had lost several relatives in the tragedy. However, Spielberg admitted feeling embarrassed about his Jewish heritage during his younger years, though he later embraced it.
Early Passion For Film
Spielberg’s interest in filmmaking began at a young age. At 12 years old, he created his first home movie, featuring a train wreck with his toy Lionel trains. He continued to make amateur films throughout his adolescence, exploring various genres and honing his skills. His passion for filmmaking led him to join the Boy Scouts, where he made a short film for a photography merit badge. Spielberg’s dedication to his craft earned him the rank of Eagle Scout.
Education And Film Career Beginnings
After high school, Spielberg enrolled at California State University, Long Beach, with the intention of pursuing a career in filmmaking. However, he was rejected from the University of Southern California’s film school due to his average grades. Undeterred, Spielberg took matters into his own hands and began immersing himself in the world of cinema. A chance encounter with an executive at Universal Studios led to Spielberg being granted access to the studio, where he spent two months unofficially learning the ropes.
Breakthrough And Success
In 1968, Spielberg wrote and directed a short film titled “Amblin’,” which caught the attention of Universal Studios’ vice president, Sidney Sheinberg. Impressed by Spielberg’s talent, Sheinberg offered him a seven-year directing contract, making him the youngest director to sign such a deal with a major Hollywood studio. Spielberg quickly rose to prominence, directing television productions and eventually transitioning to feature films.
Blockbuster Films And Critical Acclaim
Spielberg’s breakthrough came with the release of “Jaws” in 1975, a summer blockbuster that became a cultural phenomenon. This success was followed by other box office hits, including “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977), “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982), and the original “Indiana Jones” trilogy (1981-1989). Alongside his blockbuster films, Spielberg explored more dramatic territory with films like “The Color Purple” (1985) and “Schindler’s List” (1993), which earned him critical acclaim and multiple Academy Awards, including Best Director.
Entering Film And Television
In 1969, Spielberg was hired to direct one of the segments for the pilot episode of Night Gallery, a television series written by Rod Serling and starring Joan Crawford. Despite initial skepticism from Crawford, Spielberg’s talent and intuitive inspiration were recognized by the actress and the show’s producers. This marked the beginning of Spielberg’s career in film and television.
During the early 1970s, Spielberg faced challenges in raising financing for his own low-budget films. Instead, he turned to writing screenplays and directing television episodes. He worked on various series such as Marcus Welby, M.D., The Name of the Game, Columbo, Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law, and The Psychiatrist. Although he was not entirely satisfied with this work, Spielberg used the opportunity to experiment with his techniques and learn about filmmaking. His work received positive reviews and impressed producers, allowing him to earn a steady income and relocate to Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles.
Spielberg’s breakthrough came in 1971 with his television film Duel, adapted from Richard Matheson’s short story. The film tells the story of a salesman who is chased by a psychotic tanker truck driver. Although Spielberg’s contributions to the film were initially not well received, executives at Universal recognized its potential and decided to promote it on television. Duel garnered positive reviews and led to Spielberg being signed by Universal to direct four television films. This paved the way for his transition into theatrical filmmaking.
Film Breakthrough
In 1974, Spielberg made his debut in a theatrical film with The Sugarland Express. Based on a true story, the film follows a married couple on the run trying to regain custody of their baby. Despite receiving positive reviews and winning Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival, The Sugarland Express did not perform well at the box office. Spielberg attributed this to Universal’s inconsistent marketing.
Producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown took a chance on Spielberg and offered him the opportunity to direct Jaws in 1975. The film, based on Peter Benchley’s novel, tells the story of a great white shark terrorizing a summer resort town. Filming proved to be challenging, with Spielberg facing near-drowning and boat-related accidents. However, Jaws became a critical and commercial success, winning three Academy Awards and grossing over $470 million worldwide. Spielberg’s innovative camera techniques and ability to create tension and suspense made him a household name in the film industry.
Spielberg continued his success with Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977, a film about encounters with UFOs. The film was popular among audiences and earned Spielberg his first Best Director nomination at the Academy Awards. It also won Best Cinematography and Best Sound Effects Editing. A Special Edition version of the film was released in 1980.
In 1979, Spielberg directed 1941, a big-budget action-comedy about Californians preparing for a Japanese invasion after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite grossing over $92 million worldwide, the film received negative reviews from critics.
Career Stardom
Spielberg’s collaboration with George Lucas on Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981 marked another milestone in his career. The film, starring Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, became a box office success and won five Academy Awards. Spielberg received his second Best Director nomination and Best Picture nomination for the film. Raiders of the Lost Ark was followed by sequels and established Spielberg as a prominent director in the industry.
In 1982, Spielberg directed E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, a heartwarming story about a young boy who befriends an alien. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and received an ecstatic reaction from audiences. It grossed $700 million worldwide and became a cultural phenomenon, spawning a range of merchandise. E.T. was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won Best Sound Effects, Best Special Effects, and Best Music.
Spielberg continued his success with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984, which he directed as a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film was a blockbuster hit and won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects. It was during the production of this film that Spielberg met his future wife, actress Kate Capshaw.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Spielberg’s films, including Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, solidified his reputation as a master storyteller and a director capable of creating blockbuster hits. His films resonated with audiences of all ages and showcased his ability to blend action, adventure, and emotion.
In 1985, Spielberg directed The Color Purple, an adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel. The film explored themes of race, gender, and identity in the early 20th century. Despite receiving critical acclaim and earning 11 Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, the film did not win any awards. However, Spielberg’s direction was praised, and The Color Purple remains a significant entry in his filmography.
Spielberg’s success continued in the following years with films like Empire of the Sun (1987), a World War II drama, and Always (1989), a romantic fantasy film. While these films did not achieve the same level of commercial success as some of his earlier works, they showcased Spielberg’s versatility as a director and his ability to tackle different genres.
In the 1990s, Spielberg directed some of his most iconic and critically acclaimed films. In 1993, he released Jurassic Park, a groundbreaking science fiction adventure film that brought dinosaurs to life using innovative visual effects. The film was a massive success, becoming the highest-grossing film at that time and winning three Academy Awards for Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects.
Schindler’s List (1993) is widely regarded as one of Spielberg’s greatest achievements. The film tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of over a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. Schindler’s List received universal acclaim, winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It showcased Spielberg’s ability to tackle serious and emotionally challenging subjects with sensitivity and artistry.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Spielberg directed a string of successful films, including The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Saving Private Ryan (1998), and A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001). Saving Private Ryan, a war drama set during World War II, earned Spielberg his second Academy Award for Best Director and further solidified his reputation as a master of visual storytelling.
Spielberg’s filmography continued to expand with films like Minority Report (2002), Catch Me If You Can (2002), War of the Worlds (2005), and Munich (2005). These films showcased his ability to tackle different genres, from science fiction to historical dramas, and demonstrated his versatility as a director.
In recent years, Spielberg has continued to direct and produce a wide range of films, including Lincoln (2012), Bridge of Spies (2015), and The Post (2017). He has also ventured into the realm of virtual reality with projects like Ready Player One (2018), which combined his love for storytelling with cutting-edge technology.
Spielberg’s contributions to the film industry have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is considered one of the most influential and successful directors in the history of cinema, with a filmography that spans multiple genres and has captivated audiences around the world.
Amblin Entertainment: Spielberg’s Production Company
In 1984, Steven Spielberg, along with Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy, founded the production company Amblin Entertainment. This company would go on to produce a number of successful films over the next few years. Spielberg served as either a producer or executive producer on nineteen feature films between 1984 and 1990. Some notable films from this period include The Goonies, The Money Pit, Joe Versus the Volcano, *batteries not included, Back to the Future, Cape Fear, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Spielberg’s producing work during this time was often aimed at children and teens, including animated shows like Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Freakazoid!, and Family Dog. He also produced the Don Bluth animations, An American Tail and The Land Before Time.
Amazing Stories: Spielberg’s Television Series
In 1985, NBC offered Spielberg a two-year contract to produce a television series called Amazing Stories. The show was marketed as a blend of The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Spielberg was given creative control and a budget of $1 million for each episode. However, after two seasons and disappointing ratings, the show was not renewed. Spielberg’s involvement as a producer varied widely from project to project, but he was known for respecting the filmmaker’s vision. Over the next decade, Spielberg’s producing work brought mixed critical and commercial performance. In 1992, he began to scale back producing, stating that it had been the least fulfilling aspect of his work in the last decade. However, in 1994, he found success producing the medical drama ER.
Collaboration With Warner Bros.
In the early 1980s, Spielberg developed a friendship with Warner Communications CEO Steve Ross, which led to him making films for Warner Bros. The collaboration started with The Color Purple in 1985, an adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The film was a departure for Spielberg, as it dealt with serious subject matter. Starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, The Color Purple was a box office hit and received eleven Academy Award nominations. Spielberg won Best Director from the Directors Guild of America for his work on the film.
Empire Of The Sun: Filming In Shanghai
In 1987, Spielberg shot Empire of the Sun, the first American film to be shot in Shanghai since the 1930s. The film, based on J. G. Ballard’s autobiographical novel, starred John Malkovich and a young Christian Bale. Empire of the Sun tells the story of a young boy who goes from living in a wealthy British family in Shanghai to becoming a prisoner of war in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. The film received mixed reviews at the time of its release but was praised by some critics, including Andrew Sarris, who called it the best film of the year. Empire of the Sun was nominated for six Academy Awards but was a commercial disappointment at the box office.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: A Comeback
In 1989, Spielberg directed Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the third installment in the Indiana Jones series. The film was a commercial success, earning $474 million at the box office. Spielberg considered it a comeback and acknowledged the amount he had learned from making the Indiana Jones series. In the same year, he also directed the romantic drama Always, a modern remake of one of his childhood favorite films. Always was commercially unsuccessful and received mixed reviews.
Hook And Jurassic Park: Return To Adventure
After a brief setback, Spielberg returned in 1991 with Hook, a film about a middle-aged Peter Pan played by Robin Williams. Despite being nominated for five Academy Awards, the film received mixed reviews from critics. In 1993, Spielberg directed Jurassic Park, based on Michael Crichton’s novel. The film used groundbreaking computer-generated imagery and became the highest-grossing film at the time. It won three Academy Awards and solidified Spielberg’s success in the industry.
Schindler’s List: A Personal And Critical Success
In 1993, Spielberg directed Schindler’s List, a film about Oskar Schindler, a businessman who saved over 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust. The film was a personal project for Spielberg, who wanted to embrace his heritage. Schindler’s List received critical acclaim and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Spielberg used his percentage of profits from the film to start the Shoah Foundation, a non-profit organization that archives testimonies of Holocaust survivors.
1994: Founding DreamWorks
In 1994, Spielberg took a break from directing to spend more time with his family and set up his new film studio, DreamWorks, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. Spielberg cited more creative control and distribution improvements as the main reasons for founding his own studio. DreamWorks’ investors included Microsoft founders Paul Allen and Bill Gates. Despite founding DreamWorks, Spielberg continued to operate Amblin Entertainment and direct films for other studios. He also helped design a Jurassic Park-themed attraction at Universal Orlando in Florida.
1997: The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad
After his hiatus, Spielberg returned to directing with a sequel to Jurassic Park: The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The film follows mathematician Ian Malcolm and his researchers as they study dinosaurs on a Jurassic Park island and are confronted by another team with a different agenda. Spielberg aimed to make the onscreen creatures more realistic than in the first film, using 3D storyboards, computer imagery, and robotic puppets. The Lost World: Jurassic Park was a box office success and one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
In the same year, Spielberg released Amistad, his first film under DreamWorks. The film is based on the true story of the events in 1839 aboard the slave ship La Amistad. Spielberg was initially hesitant to take on the project, fearing comparisons to his previous film Schindler’s List. Despite struggling to find an audience and underperforming at the box office, Amistad received critical acclaim for its reenactment of historical scenes.
1998: Saving Private Ryan
Spielberg’s 1998 release was Saving Private Ryan, a World War II epic about a group of U.S. soldiers sent to bring home a paratrooper whose three older brothers were killed in the same day of the Normandy landing. The film was praised for its direction and realistic portrayal of war. It grossed over $481 million worldwide and earned Spielberg his second Academy Award for Best Director. In August 1999, Spielberg and Tom Hanks were awarded the Distinguished Public Service Medal from Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen.
1999-2012: Career Expansion
In 2001, Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced Band of Brothers, a miniseries based on Stephen Ambrose’s book of the same name. The series won a Golden Globe for Best Miniseries. In the same year, Spielberg directed A.I. Artificial Intelligence, a loose adaptation of the short story “Supertoys Last All Summer Long” by Brian Aldiss. The film received mixed reviews but was a commercial success.
Spielberg collaborated with Tom Cruise for the futuristic neo-noir Minority Report (2002), based on the short story by Philip K. Dick. The film received critical acclaim and was named the best film of 2002 by Roger Ebert. Spielberg’s next 2002 feature, Catch Me If You Can, is about the adventures of a young con artist. The film was a critical and commercial success.
In 2004, Spielberg worked with Tom Hanks again in The Terminal, a lighthearted comedy about an Eastern European man stranded in an airport. The film received mixed reviews but was successful at the box office. In 2005, Spielberg directed a modern adaptation of War of the Worlds, which grossed over $600 million worldwide.
2005: Munich And Controversy
In 2005, Spielberg directed the film Munich, which tells the story of the Israeli government’s secret retaliation after the Munich massacre during the 1972 Olympic Games. The film explores themes of justice, revenge, and the moral complexities of violence. Munich received positive reviews for its intense storytelling and powerful performances. However, it also faced controversy and criticism from some who felt it portrayed a biased perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
2008: Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
After a long hiatus, Spielberg returned to the Indiana Jones franchise in 2008 with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The film reunited Harrison Ford as the iconic archaeologist and introduced new characters played by Shia LaBeouf and Cate Blanchett. While the film received mixed reviews from critics and fans, it was a commercial success, grossing over $790 million worldwide.
2011: War Horse And The Adventures of Tintin
In 2011, Spielberg directed two films: War Horse and The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. War Horse is a war drama based on the novel of the same name, which follows the journey of a young man and his horse during World War I. The film received critical acclaim for its emotional storytelling and stunning visuals.
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is an animated adventure film based on the popular comic book series by Hergé. Spielberg utilized motion-capture technology to bring the beloved characters to life. The film was a box office success and received positive reviews for its thrilling action sequences and faithful adaptation of the source material.
2015: Bridge Of Spies And The BFG
In 2015, Spielberg directed Bridge of Spies, a historical drama set during the Cold War. The film stars Tom Hanks as a lawyer who is tasked with negotiating the release of a captured American pilot. Bridge of Spies received critical acclaim for its compelling story, strong performances, and meticulous attention to detail.
The same year, Spielberg directed The BFG, a fantasy film based on the beloved children’s book by Roald Dahl. The film follows the friendship between a young girl named Sophie and a friendly giant. While The BFG received mixed reviews, it was praised for its visual effects and heartfelt performances.
Early 2009: The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn
In early 2009, Spielberg embarked on a new project, shooting the first film in a planned trilogy of motion capture films based on The Adventures of Tintin, written by Belgian artist Hergé. The film, titled The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, was co-produced by Peter Jackson and released in 2011. Unlike Spielberg’s previous works, this film was entirely computer animated. The film premiered on October 22 in Brussels, Belgium and was released in North American theaters on December 21 in Digital 3D and IMAX. It received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed over $373 million worldwide. The Adventures of Tintin won Best Animated Feature at the 69th Golden Globe Awards, making it the first non-Pixar film to win the award since its introduction.
2011: War Horse
Spielberg followed up The Adventures of Tintin with War Horse, a film shot in England during the summer of 2010. Released just four days after The Adventures of Tintin, on December 25, 2011, War Horse is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo. The film tells the story of the long friendship between a British boy and his horse Joey before and during World War I. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios, War Horse received critical acclaim and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In his review for Salon magazine, Andrew O’Hehir praised Spielberg’s pursuit of personal goals in the film.
2010-2011: The Pacific, Falling Skies, Terra Nova, And Super 8
Spielberg returned to the World War II theme in 2010, co-producing the miniseries The Pacific with Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman. The miniseries focuses on the battles in the Pacific Theater. The following year, Spielberg co-created Falling Skies, a science fiction series on the TNT network, with Robert Rodat. He also produced the 2011 Fox series Terra Nova, which follows the story of scientists who open a door allowing people to travel back 85 million years to prehistoric times. In the same year, Spielberg produced J.J. Abrams’ thriller Super 8.
2012: Lincoln
Spielberg directed the historical drama Lincoln in 2012, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln. Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, the film depicts the final four months of Lincoln’s life. Lincoln was shot in Richmond, Virginia and was released in the U.S. in November 2012. The film received critical acclaim, earning more than $250 million worldwide and receiving twelve Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. It won Best Production Design, and Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his portrayal of Lincoln.
2013-Present: Recent work
In 2013, Spielberg was initially set to direct American Sniper but left the project before production began. Instead, he directed Bridge of Spies in 2015, a Cold War thriller based on the 1960 U-2 incident. The film focuses on James B. Donovan’s negotiations with the Soviets for the release of pilot Gary Powers after his aircraft was shot down over Soviet territory. Bridge of Spies, written by the Coen brothers, received critical acclaim and was nominated for six Academy Awards, with Mark Rylance winning Best Supporting Actor.
In 2016, Spielberg directed The BFG, an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s book. The film was co-produced and released by Walt Disney Pictures, marking Spielberg’s first Disney-branded film. The BFG premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and received a wide release in the U.S. The film received mixed reviews, with some praising Spielberg’s direction and visual effects but criticizing its length.
A year later, Spielberg directed The Post, a political thriller based on the true story of The Washington Post’s role in publishing the Pentagon Papers in the 1970s. The film stars Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks and was released in December 2017. The Post received critical acclaim and was nominated for several awards, including Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
In 2018, Spielberg directed Ready Player One, a science fiction film based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Cline. The film is set in a dystopian future where people escape their reality by entering a virtual reality world called the OASIS. Ready Player One received positive reviews for its visual effects and nostalgic references to pop culture.
In addition to his film and television projects, Spielberg has also been involved in various other ventures. In 1984, he co-founded the production company Amblin Entertainment with Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy. Amblin Entertainment has produced numerous films, including The Goonies, Back to the Future, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
In 1994, Spielberg co-founded DreamWorks SKG, a film studio, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. DreamWorks has produced a wide range of films, including American Beauty, Gladiator, and Shrek. Spielberg continued to operate Amblin Entertainment while also directing films for other studios.
Spielberg has also dabbled in the world of video games. He collaborated with Electronic Arts (EA) on several games, including Boom Blox for the Wii and its sequel Boom Blox Bash Party. He is also the creator of EA’s Medal of Honor series. Spielberg has expressed his love for gaming and has played games such as the Monkey Island series and first-person shooters like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
In recent years, Spielberg has been involved in various upcoming projects. He is serving as an executive producer for a documentary about John Williams, directed by Laurent Bouzereau. Spielberg is also developing an original film centered around the character Frank Bullitt, played by Steve McQueen in the 1968 film Bullitt. Additionally, he is involved in the development of a World War II miniseries called Masters of the Air, based on the book by Donald L. Miller.
There have been reports of other prospective projects, such as an adaptation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life story and an adaptation of Lynsey Addario’s memoir It’s What I Do, with Jennifer Lawrence in the lead role. Spielberg was also set to direct a film adaptation of the Blackhawk comic book series and a miniseries based on the life of Napoleon. However, the status of these projects is currently unknown.
Filmmaking Style And Techniques
Spielberg often uses storyboards to visualize sequences in his films, except for E.T. and The Color Purple. He learned from the experience of filming Jaws to leave special effect scenes until last and exclude the media from filming locations. Spielberg prefers to shoot quickly, with large amounts of coverage, allowing for many options in the editing room. His shooting style typically includes extreme high and low camera angles, long takes, and handheld cameras. He also favors wide-angle lenses for creating depth. As his career evolved, Spielberg became more confident with elaborate camera movements.
Themes And Method
Spielberg’s films often explore the theme of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. The protagonists are usually flawed or limited individuals who become heroes. He frequently incorporates a childlike sense of wonder and faith, emphasizing the goodness in humanity. Childhood, loss of innocence, and the importance of parental figures are recurring themes in his work. Spielberg has also shown an interest in exploring extraterrestrial life, which stems from his own childhood fascination and his father’s passion for science fiction.
Collaborators
Spielberg has worked with several long-time collaborators throughout his career. Notably, editor Michael Kahn has edited almost all of Spielberg’s films since the 1970s. Production designer Rick Carter and writer David Koepp are also frequent collaborators. Producer Kathleen Kennedy has been one of Spielberg’s longest-serving collaborators. Spielberg has shown loyalty to his actors, often casting them repeatedly in his films. Tom Hanks, Harrison Ford, Mark Rylance, Richard Dreyfuss, and Tom Cruise are among the actors he has worked with multiple times. Spielberg’s partnership with composer John Williams is particularly notable, with Williams composing the scores for most of Spielberg’s films. Williams has won three Academy Awards for Best Original Score for his work on Spielberg’s films.
Spielberg’s Personal Life
Spielberg has been married twice. He first married actress Amy Irving in 1985, and they had a son named Max. They divorced in 1989. Spielberg then met actress Kate Capshaw, who converted to Judaism before their marriage in 1991. They have five children together, including two adopted children. Spielberg has credited Capshaw for bringing him back to Judaism. They live in Pacific Palisades, California, and East Hampton, New York.
Spielberg has faced instances of stalking and harassment in the past. In 1997, a man named Jonathan Norman stalked and attempted to enter Spielberg’s home. In 2001, a conspiracy theorist named Diana Napolis stalked Spielberg and accused him of being part of a satanic cult. She was committed to a mental institution and pled guilty to stalking.
In 2013, Spielberg purchased a mega-yacht called The Seven Seas for $182 million. He has put it up for charter, with a weekly rental price of $1.3 million. Spielberg is known for his philanthropic efforts as well. He has donated millions of dollars to various causes and organizations, including the USC Shoah Foundation, which he founded in 1994 to collect and preserve testimonies of Holocaust survivors.
Spielberg has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. He has won three Academy Awards for Best Director, for his work on Schindler’s List (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998), and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986. He has also been honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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Political Views
Spielberg has been known to support the U.S. Democratic Party and has made significant donations to the party and its nominees. He has been a close friend of former President Bill Clinton and worked with him for the USA Millennium celebrations. Spielberg endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and donated $1 million to Priorities USA Action, a super PAC supporting Clinton’s campaign.
Spielberg has also taken a stance on various social and political issues. He resigned as a member of the national advisory board of the Boy Scouts of America in 2001 due to his disagreement with the organization’s anti-homosexuality stance. He has been a vocal advocate for same-sex marriage and donated $100,000 to the “No on Proposition 8” campaign in California in 2008.
In 2008, Spielberg resigned as an advisor to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing due to the Chinese government’s inaction over the war in Darfur. He expressed his disappointment with the Chinese government and stated that his conscience would not allow him to continue business as usual.
Spielberg and his wife have also shown support for gun control in the United States. In 2018, they donated $500,000 to the March for Our Lives student demonstration advocating for stricter gun control laws.
Awards And Honors
Spielberg has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. He has won three Academy Awards, including two for Best Director (for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan) and one for Best Picture (for Schindler’s List). He has been nominated for Best Director nine times, making him the only director to receive a nomination from the Academy in six different decades.
Spielberg has also received other prestigious awards, such as the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1987 for his work as a creative producer. He has been honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1995, the Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 1999, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America. He has been recognized internationally, receiving the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1998 and the Legion of Honour in France in 2004.
Spielberg has been awarded honorary knighthood (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2001 for his services to the British film industry. He has also been recognized for his contributions to the world of entertainment and communication excellence, receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Hugh Downs Award for Communication Excellence, and the Philadelphia Liberty Medal.
In 2013, Spielberg was honored by the National Archives and Records Administration with a Records of Achievement Award for his film Lincoln, which focused on the 13th Amendment and the abolition of slavery. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, and he received a gold Blue Peter badge from the BBC children’s television program Blue Peter in 2016.
Steven Spielberg’s Net Worth
Steven Spielberg has amassed a substantial net worth of $4.8 billion. Through his groundbreaking films and successful production company, he has not only achieved immense financial success but has also left an indelible mark on the world of cinema.
