Craig Gillespie

Recognized for his sharp, offbeat comedy and ability to inspire honest performances, Australian Craig Gillespie is a critically acclaimed feature, TV, and commercial director.
Walking a tightrope between the comedic and the mundane, Gillespie brings a unique tonality to his projects across all filmed media. Craig’s features have grossed over $205 million at the box office, and have included collaborations with Ryan Gosling, Colin Farrell, Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Jon Hamm, Toni Collette, and Margot Robbie.

Gillespie’s most recent feature, I Tonya, chronicles disgraced competitive figure skater Tonya Harding's rise and fall at the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, when she plotted to dash another Olympic hopeful’s dreams. The dark comedy premiered at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival and went on to earn 25 major award nominations, including two Golden Globe nods for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, and Best Actress for Margot Robbie’s performance as Tonya Harding, and one Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe win for Allison Janney’s portrayal of Tonya’s mom. In addition to SAG and BAFTA wins for Janney, Critics’ Choice Awards for Robbie and Janney, and other noms, including one from the WGA for Best Original Screenplay, the film heads to the Oscars with three nominations, one for Robbie, another for Janney and a third for Best Editing.

In 2016, Gillespie directed “The Finest Hours.” Based on Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias’ book detailing a Coast Guard rescue in 1952, the film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, and Eric Bana.

In 2014, Gillespie helmed Disney’s “Million Dollar Arm,” which features Jon Hamm as sports agent that recruits talented Indian cricket players to play Major League Ball. In 2011, Craig directed a remake of Fright Night, the 1985 cult comedy-horror classic. WGA Award-winning writer Marti Noxon’s rendition stars Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell, and earned high praise from discriminating cult followers and critics alike.

Craig Gillespie made his foray into feature directing with the critically acclaimed Lars and the Real Girl, starring Oscar-nominee, Ryan Gosling. Hailed by the LA Times as an “implausible feat of sustained imagination,” and the Wall Street Journal as “an almost perfect movie with flawless performances,” Nancy Oliver’s screenplay was nominated for an Oscar, while Gillespie’s film won numerous critics’ awards and festival prizes.

Gillespie served as producer and director of the Showtime series, “The United States of Tara,” directing the pilot episode that helped actress Toni Collette earn an Emmy and a Golden Globe. Penned by Oscar-winning Juno scribe, Diablo Cody, the show bears Gillespie’s unmistakable stamp of dancing on the boundary between comedy and drama, while maintaining a clear directorial presence.

For his strong and singular body of commercial work, Gillespie has been honored with some of the most prestigious accolades, including many awards from the Clios, LIAA, D&AD, One Shows, Effies, Addys, statues in Cannes, the DGA award, and an Emmy.