Sam Yates (born August 1983) is a British director from Stockport who studied at Homerton College, Cambridge. Recognized as a Screen International Star of Tomorrow, Yates directed the acclaimed VANYA, adapted by Simon Stephens and starring Andrew Scott, which won the Olivier Award for Best Revival and other honors. His feature debut film Magpie, featuring Daisy Ridley, premiered at South by Southwest in 2024. Yates is known for his diverse work and superb casting, having directed talents like Ruth Wilson and Gemma Arterton. He is in a relationship with actress Charlie Murphy.
Apr 14 2024Early years and education
Yates grew up in Stockport and attended Poynton High School.16 He studied English with Education at Homerton College, Cambridge.
Career
Yates directed and co-created VANYA adapted by Simon Stephens and featuring Andrew Scott. The production won multiple awards including the Olivier Award for Best Revival,17 Best Revival at the What'sOnStage Awards, and Best Actor for Andrew Scott at the Critics' Circle and Evening Standard Awards. The filmed National Theatre Live production, directed by Yates, played in cinemas internationally and took over $2.5million at the box office.18
Yates' productions have been nominated for Olivier Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Murder Ballad (2017),19 and Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for The Phlebotomist by Ella Road (2019).20
He directed feature debut Magpie featuring Daisy Ridley and Shazad Latif. The film premiered at South by Southwest in 2024.21
Personal life
He is in a relationship with Irish actress Charlie Murphy.22
Work
Theatre
Film and television
| Year | Title | Production | Cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Towards Zero | Screenplay by Rachel Bennette, Mammoth Screen and BBC | Anjelica Huston, Matthew Rhys, Clarke Peters, Oliver Jackson-Coen, Mimi Keene |
| 2024 | Magpie | Screenplay by Tom Bateman, Werewolf, Agile, 55 Films | Daisy Ridley, Shazad Latif, Matilda Lutz |
| 2020 | Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar | Channel 5, Endemol Shine | Lyndsey Marshal, Jonah Hauer-King |
| 2016 | Auld Wives Lift | Bear's Den | Joseph Marcell, Lisa Dwyer Hogg |
| 2016 | All's Well That Ends Well | Shakespeare's Globe | Ruth Wilson, Lindsay Duncan |
| 2016 | Love's Labours Lost | Shakespeare's Globe | Gemma Arterton, David Dawson |
| 2016 | Cymbeline | Shakespeare's Globe | Hayley Atwell, Kevin Harvey |
| 2015 | The Hope Rooms | Rather Good Films | Andrew Scott, Ciarán Hinds |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Drama League Award | Outstanding Direction of a Play | VANYA | Nominated |
| 2025 | Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Director | VANYA | Nominated |
| 2025 | New York Outer Critic’s Circle | Best Revival | VANYA | Won |
| 2025 | Drama League Award | Outstanding Revival of a Play | VANYA | Won |
| 2025 | Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Solo Show | VANYA | Won |
| 2024 | Olivier Awards | Best Revival | VANYA | Won |
| 2024 | WhatsOnStage Awards | Best Revival | VANYA | Won |
| 2019 | Olivier Awards | Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre | The Phlebotomist | Nominated |
External links
References
"'Getting to know the byways of Muldoon's brain was joyous'". independent. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/theatre-arts/getting-to-know-the-byways-of-muldoons-brain-was-joyous-37036553.html ↩
"2016 RIIFF Awards". www.film-festival.org. Retrieved 23 February 2021. http://www.film-festival.org/award16.php ↩
Stephanie Merritt; Laura Barnett; Luke Jennings. "Rising stars of 2014". The Observer. Retrieved 15 February 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/jan/05/stage-rising-stars-2014-aisling-bea ↩
Gardner, Lyn (16 October 2014). "East is East review – a complex and comic portrait of a man adrift". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/oct/16/east-is-east-review-ayub-khan-din-stage ↩
"The El Train – review". the Guardian. 15 December 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/dec/15/the-el-train-review ↩
"Interview with director Sam Yates". www.thestage.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20171108160031/https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/interviews/2017/interview-with-glengarry-glen-ross-director-sam-yates/ ↩
Orlando Parfitt2016-11-21T13:02:00+00:00. "WATCH: trailer for 'The Hope Rooms' starring Andrew Scott". Screen. Retrieved 23 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) https://www.screendaily.com/news/watch-trailer-for-the-hope-rooms-starring-andrew-scott-/5111518.article ↩
"The El Train – review". the Guardian. 15 December 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/dec/15/the-el-train-review ↩
"Shakespeare Lives, Shakespeare's Globe The Complete Walk: Cymbeline". BBC. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p048j1mr/player ↩
"The Complete Walk: Love's Labour's Lost". IMDb. 23 April 2016. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6340422/ ↩
"Glengarry Glen Ross review – Christian Slater is top dog among cut-throat conmen". the Guardian. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/nov/09/glengarry-glen-ross-review-christian-slater-is-top-dog-among-cut-throat-conmen ↩
Treneman, Ann. "Review: The Starry Messenger at Wyndham's, WC2". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/star-quality-shows-in-this-entertaining-life-lesson-rwtc7zv8t ↩
Orlando Parfitt2016-11-21T13:02:00+00:00. "WATCH: trailer for 'The Hope Rooms' starring Andrew Scott". Screen. Retrieved 23 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) https://www.screendaily.com/news/watch-trailer-for-the-hope-rooms-starring-andrew-scott-/5111518.article ↩
Gardner, Lyn (16 October 2014). "East is East review – a complex and comic portrait of a man adrift". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/oct/16/east-is-east-review-ayub-khan-din-stage ↩
Treneman, Ann. "Review: The Starry Messenger at Wyndham's, WC2". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/star-quality-shows-in-this-entertaining-life-lesson-rwtc7zv8t ↩
Stephanie Merritt; Laura Barnett; Luke Jennings. "Rising stars of 2014". The Observer. Retrieved 15 February 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/jan/05/stage-rising-stars-2014-aisling-bea ↩
"Stars of London stage gather for Olivier awards 2024". the Guardian. 14 April 2024. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 June 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2024/apr/15/stars-of-london-stage-gather-for-olivier-awards-2024 ↩
"National Theatre Live: Vanya". https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3143335937/weekend/ ↩
Guardian Staff (6 March 2017). "Olivier awards 2017: full list of nominations". the Guardian. Retrieved 23 February 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/mar/06/olivier-awards-2017-full-list-of-nominations ↩
Brown, Mark; correspondent, arts (5 March 2019). "Olivier awards: Company and Come from Away lead nominations". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 February 2021. {{cite news}}: |last2= has generic name (help) https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/mar/05/olivier-awards-nominations-company-come-from-away ↩
Daniels, Robert (11 March 2024). "'Magpie': SXSW Review". Screen. Retrieved 7 June 2024. https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/magpie-sxsw-review/5191434.article ↩
Collcutt, Deborah collcutt (19 March 2021). "Peaky Blinders star Charlie Murphy's five siblings 'don't let fame go to her head'". Daily Express. Express Newspapers. Retrieved 8 March 2023. https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1412233/peaky-blinders-charlie-murphy-films-the-winter-lake ↩