Guy Ritchie Biography

Growing up in London, England, Guy Ritchie had an interest in film ever since he watched the 1969 Oscar-winning western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as a child. He started off his film career as a runner in 1993. In two years, Guy had built himself up in the industry and started to direct music promos for bands and commercials.

Saving every penny from this work, Guy soon had enough to invest it into writing and made a 20-minute short film, The Hard Case (1995).

This short led him to write and direct his first feature, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), which he produced with partner Matthew Vaughn after the two formed SKA Films. The low budget film was an immediate success with viewers and critics alike. It received a number of awards and nominations including BAFTA awards (won and nominated), British Independent Film Awards (nominated), Edgar Allen Poe Award (won) and MTV Movie Awards (won) to name a few. Most of the awards honored Guy for his efforts. The successful film was also followed by an exclusive deal with Ginger Productions for a TV series based on the movie.

For the beginning of the new millennium, Guy wrote and directed Snatch, starring Brad Pitt, Vinnie Jones, Benicio Del Toro and Ewen Bremner.

More recent credits include The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) with Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander, and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) starring Charlie Hunnam.

To the surprise of some, he was chosen to direct a Disney film: Aladdin (2019), starring Will Smith as the Genie and newcomer Mena Massoud in the title role. The live action adaptation of the hit animated movie wound up being in the top 10 earners at the 2019 domestic box office.

Guy followed that up with a return to his usual style: the ultra violent crime actioner The Gentlemen (2020), starring Henry Golding, Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant.

On December 22, 2000, Guy married Madonna, following the birth of their son, Rocco. They were divorced eight years later. Guy also has three children with second wife, Jacqui Ainsley.

Filmography (director):

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
RocknRolla (2008)
Revolver (2005)
Swept Away (2002)
Snatch (2000)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

Filmography (writer):

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
RocknRolla (2008)
Revolver (2005)
Swept Away (2002)
Snatch (2000)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)