Biography
Josie Rourke is an English theatre and film director. She was born in Salford, Greater Manchester, and studied English at New Hall, Cambridge. She trained as a resident assistant director at the Donmar Warehouse and later served as artistic director of the Bush Theatre from 2007 to 2011 and of the Donmar Warehouse from 2012 to 2019, the first woman to hold the latter post.
Rourke made her feature film debut directing Mary Queen of Scots (2018), which received Academy Award and BAFTA nominations. She has directed numerous stage productions, including Much Ado About Nothing (2011) and transfers to Broadway and the West End. In 2020 she directed the episode "Her Big Chance" of the BBC series Talking Heads, and in 2021 she directed and co-wrote the short film Rhythm of Life.
