Samuel Alexander Mendes was born on August 1, 1965 in Reading, England, UK to parents James Peter Mendes, a retired university lecturer, and Valerie Helene Mendes, an author who writes children's books. Their marriage didn't last long, James divorced Sam's mother in 1970 when Sam was just 5 years-old. Sam was educated at Cambridge University and joined the Chichester Festival Theatre following his graduation in 1987. Afterwards he directed Judi Dench in The Cherry Orchard, for which he won a Critics Circle Award for Best Newcomer. He then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he directed such productions as Troilus and Cressida with Ralph Fiennes and Richard III. In 1992, he became artistic director of the reopened Donmar Warehouse in London, where he directed such productions as 'The Glass Menagerie' and the revival of the musical 'Cabaret', which earned four Tony Awards including one for Best Revival of a Musical. He also directed 'The Blue Room', starring Nicole Kidman. In 1999 he got the chance to direct his first feature film, American Beauty. The movie earned 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Mendes, which is a rare feat for a first time film director.
Road to Perdition (2002): $1,200,000
American Beauty (1999): $150,000

Dated Jane Horrocks. [1992 - 1995] Is a big cricket fan and is said to have incorporated the ideas of former England cricket captain Mike Brearly in his direction. Educated at Cambridge University in Cambridge, England, UK. Dated actress Calista Flockhart in the late spring and summer of 1999. Dated Rachel Weisz. [2001] Appointed a CBE in 2000. Taught cricket (his passion) at Summer Fields School, Oxford, UK after leaving school for a year. Ranked #91 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List. Sam married English actress Kate Winslet in the West Indies in May 2003. Resides in both New York City and London, England. Son, Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes, was born on December 22, 2003, in New York, and weighed 7 pounds and 13 ounces. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1996 (1995 season) for Best Director for both Company and The Glass Menagerie at the Donmar Warehouse. He was nominated for Best Director at the 1999 Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards for the 1998 production of The Blue Room. He was nominated for a 1998 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Director of the 1997 season for Othello at the Royal National Theatre. He was awarded the 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award: Special for his services and contributions as Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse for the past ten years. He was awarded the 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Director of 2002 for Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya in repertory company at the Donmar Warehouse in London. He was awarded the 2002 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama) for Best Director for both Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night performed at the Donmar Warehouse. He was awarded the 1995 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre) for Best Director for The Glass Menagerie. He was awarded the 1989 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Most Promising Newcomer as Director of Minerva Studio in Chichester, England. He was awarded the 2002 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Director for Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night performed at the Donmar Warehouse. Has a home in Cotswolds, England. He is of Portuguese descent. His grandparents were both Portuguese. Was nominated for Broadway's 1998 Tony Award as Best Director (Musical), along with collaborator Rob Marshall, for a revival of "Cabaret." Was born in the same hospital as his wife, Kate Winslet. In 2000 he won his first Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play for his production of The Real Thing In 1999 he was Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play for Electra Stepfather of Kate Winslet's daughter Mia Childhood friend of Tom Hollander.