Sam Mendes

Samuel (“Sam”) Alexander Mendes was born in Reading, England and is the only son of the British novelist, Valerie Mendes, and Jameson Mendes, a university professor. He is also the grandson of the Trinidadian novelist, Alfred Hubert Mendes. When Sam Mendes was 3 years old, his parents divorced and he and his mother subsequently moved to London. In 1976, he moved to Oxford and was educated at Magdalen College School. While at school, hge developed a passion and talent for cricket and was highlighted in the Wisden’s Cricketers’ Almanack as a “brilliant schoolboy cricketer”.

Mendes was married to actress Kate Winslet from 2003 to 2011 and they have one child together. In 2017, he married musician Alison Balsom and the couple welcomed a daughter the same year.

Key Dates & Events

• 1989 - Mendes makes his West End debut at the age of 24 with The Cherry Orchard at the Aldwych Theatre.
• 1990 - Mendes is appointed artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, where he remains for 12 years.
• 1993 - Mendes stages a revival of Cabaret, starring Alan Cummings as EmCee and Jane Horrocks as Sally Bowles.
• 1994 - Mendes revives Oliver at the London Palladium.
• 2000 - Mendes is appointed a CBE for his services to drama.
• 2003 - Mendes marries actress Kate Winslet. They divorce in 2011.
• 2006 - Mendes directs the world premiere of David Hare’s The Vertical Hour on Broadway.
• 2015 - Mendes collaborates with theatre designer Tom Piper on the National Theatre revival of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party.
• 2017 - Mendes marries musician Alison Balsom.
• 2018 - Mendes directs Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman on Broadway, winning the Tony Award for Best Director.
• 2018 - Mendes directs the English premiere of Stefano Massini’s The Lehman Trilogy.
• 2020 - Mendes is awarded a knighthood in the annual birthday honors.