P.J. Hogan
P.J. HOGAN
Date of Birth: 1962
A native of Brisbane Australia, Hogan graduated from the Australian Film and Television School in 1984. His graduation film, Getting Wet (which he wrote, directed and edited) won an Australian Film Institute for Best Short Film. For the next 10 years he worked as a writer for hire and second unit director on a variety of projects, including the Australian TV series The Flying Doctors, Skirts and Lift Off. His feature directorial debut was The Humpty Dumpty Man (1986), which he also co-wrote, but it was the black comedy Muriel's Wedding (1994), starring Toni Collette as the Abba-loving Muriel, that brought him international acclaim. Written and directed by Hogan, Muriel's Wedding premiered at the 1994 Cannes Festival. The film was nominated for 11 Australian Film Institute Awards, winning four (including Best Film) and was nominated for BAFTA, Golden Globe and Writers Guild of America awards.
The film's success had Hollywood calling and Hogan was hired to helm his first American feature—the screwball comedy My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), a major studio release starring Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett. Hogan once again struck gold—the movie was a critical and commercial hit that grossed more than US$126 million worldwide. He then directed and co-wrote with his wife, Jocelyn Moorhouse, the comedy Unconditional Love (2002), starring Kathy Bates and Rupert Everett. The film wasn't as well received as his earlier successes, and Hogan moved on to write and direct a new version of Peter Pan (2003), based on J.M. Barrie's classic book.
Although Peter has been played by females in numerous stage adaptations, Hogan broke the trend and cast a boy, Jeremy Sumpter, in the title role. Shot in Australia and New Zealand, the film, which is darker than previous adaptations, starred Jason Isaacs as the evil Captain Hook. Before his next motion picture, the comedy Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009), Hogan directed a couple of TV projects.
Hogan makes his home in Los Angeles with his wife and their children.
Filmography:
Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)Peter Pan (2003)
Unconditional Love (2002)
My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
Muriel's Wedding (1994)
Sloth (1993)
The Humpty Dumpty Man (1986)