---
name: "Andrew Lesnie"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/andrew-lesnie"
fi1m_id: "andrew-lesnie"
imdb_id: "nm0504226"
tmdb_id: 1313
wikidata_id: "Q505940"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "1 January 1956"
died: "27 April 2015"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 13
average_fi1m_score: 69
average_over: 13
updated: "2026-10-05T04:52:08.661897+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Andrew Lesnie

## Identity

Andrew Lesnie

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/andrew-lesnie
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** andrew-lesnie
- **IMDb ID:** nm0504226
- **TMDB ID:** 1313
- **Wikidata ID:** Q505940
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lesnie, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q505940, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0504226/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1313

Cinematographer. Born 1 January 1956 in Sydney, Australia. Died 27 April 2015.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 1 January 1956, Sydney, Australia
- **Died:** 27 April 2015
- **Active:** 1995–2014
- **Frequently works with:** [Fran Walsh](https://film.one/person/fran-walsh.md), [Peter Jackson](https://film.one/person/peter-jackson.md), [Philippa Boyens](https://film.one/person/philippa-boyens.md), [Ian McKellen](https://film.one/person/ian-mckellen.md), [Carolynne Cunningham](https://film.one/person/carolynne-cunningham.md), [Andy Serkis](https://film.one/person/andy-serkis.md), [Elijah Wood](https://film.one/person/elijah-wood.md), [Barrie M. Osborne](https://film.one/person/barrie-m-osborne.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 88 (1), 2000s 75 (7), 2010s 57 (5)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 69 to 67 across 13 titles
- **Score spread:** 6 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 3 under 60
- **Genres:** Action 9, Fantasy 9, Adventure 8, Drama 5, Comedy 2, Family 2
- **Screen time:** 31 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $8,533m across 13 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lesnie, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q505940, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0504226/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1313

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md) (90), [*The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug*](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug.md) (65), [*The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey*](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.md) (60), [*The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies*](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies.md) (54)
- **Disney+:** [*The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king.md) (88), [*Babe*](https://film.one/film/babe.md) (88), [*The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers.md) (85), [*Rise of the Planet of the Apes*](https://film.one/film/rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes.md) (80)
- **Apple TV:** [*The Lovely Bones*](https://film.one/film/the-lovely-bones.md) (46), [*The Last Airbender*](https://film.one/film/the-last-airbender.md) (24)
- **Netflix:** [*King Kong*](https://film.one/film/king-kong-2005.md) (81)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*I Am Legend*](https://film.one/film/i-am-legend.md) (65)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Andrew Lesnie (1956–2015) was an Australian cinematographer. He studied at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and began working in the camera department in the late 1970s, later shooting documentaries, commercials and Australian feature films.

His international breakthrough came with *Babe* (1995), directed by Chris Noonan, and its sequel *Babe: Pig in the City* (1998). He subsequently collaborated with director Peter Jackson on the *Lord of the Rings* trilogy (2001–2003) and the *Hobbit* trilogy (2012–2014). Lesnie won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001).

Other credits include *King Kong* (2005), *I Am Legend* (2007), *Rise of the Planet of the Apes* (2011) and *The Water Diviner* (2014). He was a member of the Australian Cinematographers Society and the American Society of Cinematographers.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, latimes.com, nytimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (13)

- *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies* (2014), Fi1m 54, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies.md)
- *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug* (2013), Fi1m 65, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug.md)
- *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey* (2012), Fi1m 60, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.md)
- *Rise of the Planet of the Apes* (2011), Fi1m 80, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes.md)
- *The Last Airbender* (2010), Fi1m 24, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-airbender.md)
- *The Lovely Bones* (2009), Fi1m 46, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lovely-bones.md)
- *I Am Legend* (2007), Fi1m 65, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-legend.md)
- *Happy Feet* (2006), Fi1m 71, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/happy-feet.md)
- *King Kong* (2005), Fi1m 81, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/king-kong-2005.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King* (2003), Fi1m 88, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers* (2002), Fi1m 85, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001), Fi1m 90, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md)
- *Babe* (1995), Fi1m 88, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/babe.md)

## Complete filmography (45)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Water Diviner* (2014), Director of Photography
- *The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies* (2014), Director of Photography — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-battle-of-the-five-armies.md)
- *Healing* (2014), Director of Photography
- *The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug* (2013), Director of Photography — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug.md)
- *The Turning* (2013), Director of Photography
- *The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey* (2012), Director of Photography — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.md)
- *Rise of the Planet of the Apes* (2011), Director of Photography — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes.md)
- *The Last Airbender* (2010), Director of Photography — Fi1m 24, [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-airbender.md)
- *The Lovely Bones* (2009), Director of Photography — Fi1m 46, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lovely-bones.md)
- *Bran Nue Dae* (2009), Director of Photography
- *Shine a Light* (2008), Director of Photography
- *I Am Legend* (2007), Director of Photography — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-legend.md)
- *Happy Feet* (2006), Director of Photography — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/happy-feet.md)
- *King Kong* (2005), Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/king-kong-2005.md)
- *Love's Brother* (2004), Director of Photography
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King* (2003), as Corsair of Umbar (uncredited) · Director of Photography — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king.md)
- *The Long and Short of It* (2003), as Grizzled Painter
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers* (2002), Director of Photography — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers.md)
- *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* (2001), Director of Photography — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring.md)
- *The Sugar Factory* (1999), Director of Photography
- *Babe: Pig in the City* (1998), Director of Photography
- *Doing Time for Patsy Cline* (1997), Director of Photography
- *Two If by Sea* (1996), Director of Photography
- *Babe* (1995), Director of Photography — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/babe.md)
- *Fatal Past* (1994), Director of Photography
- *Spider and Rose* (1994), Camera Operator, Director of Photography
- *Temptation of a Monk* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Daydream Believer* (1992), Director of Photography
- *The Shrimp on the Barbie* (1990), Director of Photography
- *The Delinquents* (1989), Director of Photography, Camera Operator
- *Incident at Raven's Gate* (1989), Camera Operator
- *Boys in the Island* (1989), Director of Photography
- *The Rainbow Warrior Conspiracy* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Schwarzenegger: Total Rebuild* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Around the World in Eighty Ways* (1988), Second Unit Director of Photography
- *Dark Age* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Australian Dream* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Cyclone Tracy* (1986), series, Director of Photography
- *Fair Game* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Unfinished Business* (1985), as Telegraph Boy
- *Fantasy Man* (1985), Director of Photography
- *Dead Easy* (1982), as Focus Puller
- *Early Frost* (1982), Additional Photography
- *The Killing of Angel Street* (1981), as Clapper Loader
- *The Comeback* (1980), Director of Photography

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won

- 2002: Best Cinematography (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won

- 2004: Best Cinematography (won), for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/andrew-lesnie