Julian Fellowes

A theatrically trained actor who became an Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Julian Fellowes enjoyed a prominent career before the camera before stepping behind it to write the Oscar-winning film "Gosford Park" (2001) and creating the multi-award-winning series "Downton Abbey" (BBC/PBS, 2010-16). Prior to both, Fellowes delivered quality performances in "The Bunker" (CBS, 1981) opposite friend Anthony Hopkins, as well as in the biblical miniseries "Peter and Paul" (CBS, 1981) and "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (CBS, 1982). Following more onscreen turns, including in Richard Attenborough's "Shadowlands" (1993), he made his screenwriting debut with an adaptation of "Little Lord Fauntleroy" (1994), but primarily stayed in front of the camera with "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) and as a cast member of the British series "Monarch of the Glen" (BBC, 2000-05). In 2001, Fellowes wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for Robert Altman's "Gosford Park" and transitioned more permanently to a behind-the-scenes role. He adapted William Makepeace Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" (2004) and made his directing debut with "Separate Lies" (2005), only to earn his share of deserved criticism for writing the much-maligned Johnny Depp-Angelina Jolie thriller "The Tourist" (2010). But he recovered nicely by creating the highly-acclaimed series, "Downton Abbey," which won numerous awards, attracted loyal fans around the world, and cemented Fellowes' place as one of England's most esteemed talents.