David McNally Biography

Date of Birth: 1960

David McNally grew up in Montreal, and although he initially intended to further his studies at university, his creative instincts took over, and he soon dropped out to tour with a rock band called The Pinups. He left the group when his own graphic design business took off. Not long after, fashion retailer Le Château hired McNally to become their in-house fashion video director. With his music background, the leap to making music videos came naturally, and he began directing videos for Canadian artists such as Celine Dion. His award-winning work paved the way for McNally to expand into the lucrative world of television commercials.

Doing spots for clients such as Budweiser, he began to win major international advertising awards such as Cannes, Clios, Bessies, Tellys, and more. His Budweiser Lobster commercial, aired during the 1998 Super Bowl, had the distinction of not only being voted the most popular Super Bowl commercial by beer drinkers in a USA Today poll, but was voted Top Super Bowl Spot by Entertainment Weekly magazine, as well as being featured among the Top 10 commercials of 1999 by the industry publication AdWeek.

His work gained so much attention within the industry that producer Jerry Bruckheimer askedMcNally to direct a feature film. Although Coyote Ugly (2000) received uncomplimentary reviews from many critics, it went on to make a profit at the box office.

Bruckheimer next hired McNally to direct Kangaroo Jack (2003), starring Jerry O’Connell and Anthony Anderson, about a kangaroo who inadvertently steals mob money from the two lead characters.

McNally now makes his home in Los Angeles.

Filmography:

Kangaroo Jack (2003)
Coyote Ugly (2000)