Sam Taylor-Johnson

Early life

Samantha Taylor-Wood was born in Croydon, London. Her father, David, left the family when she was nine. Her mother, Geraldine, is a yoga teacher and astrologist. She has a younger sister, Ashley, and a maternal half-brother, Kristian.

Taylor-Wood grew up near Streatham Common in south London until her parents' divorce. The family then moved into an old schoolhouse in Jarvis Brook in East Sussex, and Samantha went to Beacon Community College. She later attended Goldsmiths, University of London.

Career

Fine art

Taylor-Johnson began exhibiting fine-art photography in the early 1990s. One collaboration with Henry Bond, titled 26 October 1993, featured Bond and Taylor-Johnson reprising the roles of Yoko Ono and John Lennon in a pastiche of the photo-portrait made by photographer Annie Leibovitz—a few hours before Lennon was assassinated, in 1980.

In 1994, she exhibited a multi-screen video work titled Killing Time, in which four people mimed to an opera score. From that point multi-screen video works became the main focus of her work. Beginning with the video works Travesty of a Mockery and Pent-Up in 1996. One of Taylor-Johnson's first United Kingdom solo shows was held at the Chisenhale Gallery, east London, in September–October 1996. She was nominated for the annual Turner Prize in 1998. She won the Illy Café Prize for Most Promising Young Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale.

In 2000, she created a wraparound photomural around scaffolding of the London department store Selfridges while it was being restored; the mural featured 21 cultural icons including Elton John, musician Alex James, and actors Richard E. Grant and Ray Winstone. The poses of the figures referenced famous works of art from the past and recent movies. The following year, she photographed the cover and sleeve for John's 2001 album Songs From the West Coast.

In 2002, Taylor-Johnson was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to make David, a video portrait of David Beckham—whom she depicted sleeping. She is perhaps best known for her work entitled 'Crying Men' which features many of Hollywood's glitterati crying, including Robin Williams, Sean Penn, Laurence Fishburne and Paul Newman. In 2006, she had a survey exhibition at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, England.

2014 saw a new photographic exhibition by Taylor-Johnson, of the private apartment of Mademoiselle Chanel at The Saatchi Gallery. Entitled ‘Second Floor,' the series of 34 photographs captured the private rooms of Coco Chanel at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris.

''Nowhere Boy''

In August 2008, she was chosen to direct Nowhere Boy, a biopic about the childhood of John Lennon. Speaking about her experience directing the film, in September 2010. The 53rd annual London Film Festival screened the film as its closing presentation on 29 October 2009. The film was released in the UK on Boxing Day in 2009 to positive reviews. she was nominated for a BAFTA award on 21 January 2010.

Other music, film and television work

In her 2004 film installation "Strings" at White Cube, ballet dancer Ivan Putrov was suspended by a harness above four musicians playing the slow movement from Tchaikovsky's Second String Quartet, filmed in the Crush Bar of the Royal Opera House. In 2006, she contributed the short film Death Valley to the British version of Destricted. In July 2006 she was appointed as a Governor of the British Film Institute.

In 2008, she directed a short film Love You More, written by Patrick Marber and produced by Anthony Minghella. The film includes two songs by the Buzzcocks and features a cameo appearance by the band's lead singer Pete Shelley. In February 2009, Taylor-Wood, collaborating with Sky Arts chose to interpret "Vesti la giubba" from Pagliacci.

In 2011, she directed the R.E.M. music video "Überlin". The clip starred her then-fiancé Aaron Johnson, who "throws some kung-fu kicks, attempts some pirouettes, prances, punches the air, chicken walks, tries out some bunny impressions, and, at one point, fondles his bottom".

In September 2011, she collaborated with Solange Azagury-Partridge on the short film Daydream. This was aired to support the launch of Azagury-Partridge's new jewellery collection, 24:7. Under the direction of Taylor-Wood, Liberty Ross plays a beautiful woman in her bedroom, bejewelled by her lover, played by JJ Feild. The original music was composed by Oscar winner Atticus Ross, and the director of photography was John Mathieson.

Taylor-Johnson directed the film adaptation of E. L. James' erotic novel, Fifty Shades of Grey, made by Universal Pictures and Focus Features. Taylor-Johnson was in pole position to direct Fifty Shades Darker (the sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey), but decided to walk away from the much-discussed franchise after she was involved in a number of disagreements with author E.L. James. In June 2017, Taylor-Johnson said that she regretted directing the first film.

In July 2022, it was announced that the feature film Back to Black, a biopic based on the life and career of British singer Amy Winehouse would be directed by Taylor-Johnson.{{cite news|first= Laura |last= Snapes |title= Amy Winehouse Biopic Back to Black Moving Forward at StudioCanal with Sam Taylor-Johnson Directing

Personal life

Taylor-Johnson has had cancer twice. In December 1997, at age 30, she was treated for colon cancer. In 2000, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Taylor-Johnson practices yoga and Transcendental Meditation, of which she says, "I wouldn't be able to survive everything without the meditation that I do. It's what I think has made me able to cope with the madness".

Taylor-Johnson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to the arts.

Marriages and children

She married art dealer and gallerist Jay Jopling in 1997; they have two daughters together, born in April 1997 and September 2006. In September 2008, the couple announced that they were separating amicably after 11 years of marriage.

She began a relationship with actor Aaron Johnson soon after filming wrapped on the 2009 set of Nowhere Boy. The couple met when Johnson auditioned for the role of John Lennon in Nowhere Boy in late 2008.

The couple announced their engagement at the film's premiere in October 2009. They married at Babington House, Somerset, on 21 June 2012 and both took the surname Taylor-Johnson. They have two daughters together, born on 7 July 2010 and on 18 January 2012. They split time between Los Angeles, California, and a farm near Bruton, Somerset, in England.

Discography

She has released three songs in collaboration with Pet Shop Boys:

• 1999: "Je t'aime... moi non plus" included in compilation book/album We Love You (Candy Records)
• 2003: "Love to Love You Baby" under the pseudonym Kiki Kokova (Lucky Kunst)
• 2008: "I'm in Love with a German Film Star" (Kompakt)

Filmography

Short film

Feature film

Television

References

References

1. "Samantha Louise TAYLOR-JOHNSON - Personal Appointments".
2. "Sam Taylor-Johnson OBE born 1967".
3. (March 4, 2024). "Happy Birthday my darling @samtaylorjohnson". Instagram.
4. "Film4/MirageCV".
5. Peter Wilson. (26 December 2009). "Sam Taylor-Wood: somewhere woman". The Australian.
6. Miranda Sawyer. (11 November 2001). "Miranda Sawyer meets Sam Taylor-Wood". The Observer.
7. Richard Corliss, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20101011224254/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2024434,00.html Nowhere Boy: Lennon and McCartney Before the Beatles]," Time/CNN, 8 October 2010
8. "Sam Taylor-Wood, British (1967 – )". rogallery.com.
9. "Sam Taylor-Wood & Sir Elton John in "Art and Celebrity" (2003)". Art Design Café.
10. "National Portrait Gallery – Portrait – NPG 6661; David Beckham ('David')". Npg.org.uk.
11. Hickling, Alfred. (17 May 2006). "Sam Taylor-Wood". The Guardian.
12. (22 July 2014). "Through Coco Chanel's keyhole with Sam Taylor-Johnson". The Telegraph.
13. (21 September 2010). "John Lennon | Lennon Sign Calmed Director Taylor-Wood".
14. [http://www.ballet-dance.com/200412/articles/TaylorWood20041100.html Burt, Ramsay. Sam Taylor-Wood – 'New Work' – Art exhibition at White Cube November 2004. Ballet Dance Magazine.] {{Webarchive. link. (26 July 2012 , accessed 2 March 2017.)
15. Barraclough, Leo. (2006-07-27). "BFI taps three governors".
16. (18 October 2009). "Opera Shorts". Sky Arts.
17. (2 March 2011). "R.E.M. Work With Sam Taylor-Wood". Clash.
18. Ben Walsh. (7 March 2011). "Please put the camera away, darling... – Features – Films". The Independent.
19. (19 September 2011). "Daydream by Sam Taylor-Wood for Solange Azagury-Partridge". YouTube.
20. (25 February 2008). "'Daydream' By Sam Taylor-Wood For Solange Azagury-Partridge". Wallpaper.
21. "SAM TAYLOR-JOHNSON TO DIRECT '50 SHADES' MOVIE".
22. Zoe Shenton. (26 March 2015). "Sam Taylor-Johnson QUITS Fifty Shades Of Grey franchise". mirror.co.uk.
23. (16 June 2017). "Fifty Shades Director Regrets Making The Film". Screen Rant.
24. (11 June 2017). "Sam Taylor-Johnson reveals Fifty Shades regret: 'EL James didn't like me'". The Telegraph.
25. Kate Summerscale. (15 December 2007). "Sam Taylor-Johnson: the bigger picture". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
26. Appleyard, Bryan. (23 March 2014). "Fifty shades of Sam Taylor-Johnson". [[The Sunday Times Magazine]].
27. {{London Gazette. (11 June 2011)
28. Sherna, Noah. (20 September 2008). "Art couple Taylor-Wood and Jopling to separate after 11 years' marriage". [[The Independent]].
29. Carter, Lance. (2010-10-07). "Aaron Taylor Johnson on Researching and Auditioning for the Role of John Lennon in 'Nowhere Boy'".
30. Staff, M. W.. (2008-08-27). "Kick-Ass Is Filming in Toronto This September and October".
31. Shone, Tom. (2010-09-30). "Director Sam Taylor-Wood on Her John Lennon Biopic, 'Nowhere Boy' -- New York Magazine - Nymag".
32. (2019-11-12). "Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson Open Up About Why They're One of Hollywood's Most Private Couples".
33. (27 November 2009). "Aaron Johnson, fiancé of artist Sam Taylor-Wood, considers himself 'a very lucky man'". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
34. (23 June 2013) [http://www.sheptonmalletjournal.co.uk/50-Shades-Grey-film-directed-Sam-Taylor-Johnson/story-19367650-detail/story.html 50 Shades of Grey film to be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson] {{webarchive. link. (22 May 2014 . ''Shepton Mallet Journal''. Retrieved on 18 April 2015.)
35. Eden, Richard. (7 November 2010). "Sam Taylor-Wood: I'd love another child with Aaron Johnson". The Daily Telegraph.
36. (25 January 2012). "Aaron Johnson, Sam Taylor-Wood Welcome Daughter Romy Hero". People.
37. (25 January 2012). "Sam Taylor-Wood's baby is another Hero | Showbiz". London Evening Standard.
38. O'Malley, Katie. (13 November 2019). "Aaron Taylor-Johnson Describes The Moment He Fell For Wife Sam Taylor-Johnson And Discusses Their Age Gap".
39. (2024-03-19). "The anti-James Bond: Why kale-growing Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be a 007 like no other".
40. "Various - We Love You".
41. "Love to love you, baby - Kiki Kokova".
42. (20 September 2008). "Kompakt press release". petshopboys.co.uk.