Taylor Hackford Film director, producer, screenwriter and actor Date of Birth: 31.12.1944 Country: USA

Biography of Taylor Hackford

Taylor Edwin Hackford is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film and has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the film industry.

Born on December 31, 1944, in Santa Barbara, California, USA, Taylor is the son of Mary, a waitress, and Joseph Hackford. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1986, where he focused mainly on international relations and economics. After completing his education, Taylor volunteered for the Peace Corps in Bolivia, where he began making high-quality films in his spare time using an 8mm camera.

Although he initially pursued a career in law, Taylor decided to join the mailroom department at KCET Channel after receiving an offer. He went on to win an Academy Award in 1979 for his short film "Teenage Father," for which he served as both the director and screenwriter. In 2005, he received the Film Society Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing.

During the production of the film "An Officer and a Gentleman," Richard Gere opposed the ending where his character, Zack Mayo, ultimately ends up with the actress Debra Winger, whose character initially pursued him for mercenary reasons (to marry an officer). Gere did not support the sentimental ending, believing that it would not work. Initially, Hackford listened to the respected actor's opinion, but during rehearsals, with the right music and tempo, he felt a chill run down his spine. The ending remained the same and ultimately left many viewers tearful. Even Gere later agreed with Hackford's decision.

Hackford deliberately kept actor Louis Gossett Jr., who played the tough Sergeant Emil Foley, separate from the other actors during filming to further intimidate them during physically demanding training scenes. The film received six nominations at the Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and two Golden Globe Awards.

Taylor Hackford has directed and produced several other films, including "An American Hero for All," "Blood In, Blood Out," "Dolores Claiborne" (co-written by Stephen King), "The Devil's Advocate" (starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves), "Proof of Life," and the documentary "Lionel Richie: Collection." In 2009, Hackford was set to direct and produce two projects simultaneously, "The Woman Next Door" and "Love Ranch."

On April 11, 2006, Hackford announced that he would make his Broadway debut with the film "Leap of Faith" from 1992, starring Steve Martin. Hackford decided to adapt the film into a musical for the Broadway stage. The music was composed by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Glenn Slater, and the debut performance was scheduled for the 2007-2008 season. Hackford chose "Leap of Faith" specifically, even though he was offered the opportunity to adapt his own film "Ray" for Broadway.

Hackford has been married to Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren since 1997. They first met while Hackford was directing his drama film "White Nights," in which Mirren played the role of Galina Ivanova. The couple has been married for 12 years, and their relationship began with Mirren never promising to become Hackford's wife. Hackford has two adult children from his previous marriages.