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Born in Leicester, Frears read law at Cambridge, but it was the stage which captured his interest. He joined London's Royal Court Theatre on a directorial apprenticeship, then entered the film industry to look, listen and learn as director's assistant. He worked with Karel Reiz on Morgan - A Suitable Case For Treatment, Albert Finney in Charlie Bubbles and Lindsay Anderson on If before directing his own film - a thirty-three minute short called The Burning dealing with racial tension in South Africa.

He teamed up again with Albert Finney in 1971 on Gumshoe, but this time it was Frears who was in the director's chair.

A long standing association followed with BBC TV Drama and over the next twelve years he directed twenty-four of their most highly acclaimed productions working with Alan Bennet, Neville Smith, Peter Prince, David Hare, Tom Stoppard and Christopher Hampton.

His next feature film was Bloody Kids, followed by The Hit, My Beautiful Launderette, Prick up Your Ears, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid and Dangerous Liaisons. He went on to direct two films in Hollywood - The Grifters with John Cusack, Angelica Huston and Annette Bening (the two actresses both won Academy Award nominations) and Hero, starring Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis and Andy Garcia.

Returning to Europe, he made Roddy Doyle's The Snapper for BBC TV in Ireland and, before starting work on The Van, directed Mary Reilly with Julia Roberts and John Malkovich.

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