---
name: "Neil Jordan"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/neil-jordan"
fi1m_id: "neil-jordan"
imdb_id: "nm0001403"
tmdb_id: 17016
wikidata_id: "Q55428"
roles: ["Director","Writer"]
born: "25 February 1950"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "director"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-10-04T20:43:35.011548+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."
---

# Neil Jordan

## Identity

Neil Jordan

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/neil-jordan
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** neil-jordan
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001403
- **TMDB ID:** 17016
- **Wikidata ID:** Q55428
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Jordan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55428, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001403/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17016

Director and writer. Born 25 February 1950 in Sligo, Ireland.

## Details

- **Work:** Director, Writer
- **Born:** 25 February 1950, Sligo, Ireland
- **Active:** 1986–1998
- **Frequently works with:** [Stephen Woolley](https://film.one/person/stephen-woolley.md), [Stephen Rea](https://film.one/person/stephen-rea.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 1 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as director, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 68 (2), 1990s 78 (4)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 74 to 67 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Thriller 3, Comedy 2, Crime 2, Fantasy 2, Horror 2
- **Screen time:** 11 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $322m across 6 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Jordan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55428, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001403/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17016

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Mona Lisa*](https://film.one/film/mona-lisa.md) (83), [*Interview with the Vampire*](https://film.one/film/interview-with-the-vampire.md) (79)
- **Apple TV:** [*High Spirits*](https://film.one/film/high-spirits.md) (52)

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

## Fi1m on Neil Jordan

> Neil Jordan makes fantasy feel uncomfortably domestic and gives morally doubtful people enough humour to hold our attention. We rate him when he lets their behaviour explain them; prolonged speeches about their condition are harder going.

In *Interview with the Vampire* (1994), Lestat wants company, provided everyone learns to enjoy things his way. Neil Jordan makes that selfish wish funny and disturbing, and the household’s quarrels give us more to care about than the talk of eternity. We laughed at Tom Cruise’s pleasure in being monstrous, then felt slightly ashamed, because his charm never makes Lestat any less controlling. That is Jordan at his most persuasive: interested enough in an unpleasant character to find the comedy without excusing him.

His first feature, *Angel* (1982), began a long collaboration with Stephen Rea. Rea’s nuanced work in morally ambiguous roles is a useful fit for a director repeatedly drawn to people whose sense of themselves changes under pressure. *Mona Lisa* (1986) brought wider attention through its study of obsession and the London underworld. With *The Crying Game* (1992), the international breakthrough, identity and loyalty became the basis for a screenplay that keeps changing what we understand about its characters.

The studio adaptation *Interview with the Vampire* brings those interests into a shared home. Anne Rice adapts her own novel, and Jordan gives Lestat and Louis’s disagreement about being vampires enough feeling to make the arrangement matter. Their attraction, and the demands of living with Claudia, make the relationships disturbing without requiring a constant supply of scares. Cruise’s malicious wit is crucial: Jordan allows the pleasure of his company to complicate our response, while keeping his vanity and appetite for control in view.

The later films kept moving between literary adaptations, drama and genre work. *Breakfast on Pluto* (2005) revisited gender and identity as an episodic, comic coming-of-age story, while *Byzantium* (2013) continued the attraction to the supernatural. The later *Marlowe* (2023) drew criticism for revisiting familiar territory without the earlier impact.

Even in *Interview with the Vampire*, the remorse goes on too long. We become impatient when dialogue about immortality repeats what the characters’ behaviour has already made clear, and anyone looking for sustained scares has a considerable amount of recrimination to sit through. Start here for Cruise and for Jordan’s attention to the trouble these people have living together; expect to wish, occasionally, that someone would stop complaining.

## Biography

Neil Jordan is an Irish film director, screenwriter and novelist. Born in Sligo in 1950, he began his career as a writer, publishing the short-story collection *Night in Tunisia* in 1976 before moving into film with his directorial debut *Angel* (1982).

Jordan is best known for *The Crying Game* (1992), which he wrote and directed, and for directing *Interview with the Vampire* (1994). His other notable films include *Mona Lisa* (1986), *Michael Collins* (1996), *Breakfast on Pluto* (2005) and *Greta* (2019). He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for *The Crying Game*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, bbc.co.uk, independent.co.uk.*

## On Fi1m (6)

- *The Butcher Boy* (1998), Fi1m 74, Executive Producer, Director, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-butcher-boy.md)
- *Michael Collins* (1996), Fi1m 75, Director, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/michael-collins.md)
- *Interview with the Vampire* (1994), Fi1m 79, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/interview-with-the-vampire.md)
- *The Crying Game* (1992), Fi1m 82, Director, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-crying-game.md)
- *High Spirits* (1988), Fi1m 52, Writer, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/high-spirits.md)
- *Mona Lisa* (1986), Fi1m 83, Writer, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/mona-lisa.md)

## Complete filmography (37)

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

- *Marlowe* (2023), Director, Screenplay
- *Greta* (2019), Director, Screenplay, Executive Producer
- *Riviera* (2017), series, Creator
- *Byzantium* (2013), Director
- *The Borgias* (2011), series, Executive Producer, Director, Creator, Writer
- *Ondine* (2010), Writer, Director, Producer
- *A Film with Me in It* (2008), as Director
- *U2: The Joshua Tree (Bonus DVD)* (2007), Director
- *The Brave One* (2007), Director
- *Breakfast on Pluto* (2005), Director, Screenplay, Producer
- *Imagining Ulysses* (2004), Actor
- *Intermission* (2003), Producer
- *The Actors* (2003), Producer, Story
- *The Good Thief* (2003), Director, Executive Producer, Writer
- *The Last September* (2000), Executive Producer
- *Not I* (2000), Director
- *The End of the Affair* (1999), Producer, Director, Screenplay
- *In Dreams* (1999), Director, Screenplay
- *The Butcher Boy* (1998), Screenplay, Director, Executive Producer — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/the-butcher-boy.md)
- *Michael Collins* (1996), Director, Writer — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/michael-collins.md)
- *Lumière & Company* (1995), as (segment "John Boorman")
- *Interview with the Vampire* (1994), Director — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/interview-with-the-vampire.md)
- *The Crying Game* (1992), Director, Writer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-crying-game.md)
- *The Miracle* (1991), Writer, Director
- *Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter* (1990), Director
- *We're No Angels* (1989), Director
- *High Spirits* (1988), Director, Writer — Fi1m 52, [page](https://film.one/film/high-spirits.md)
- *The Courier* (1988), Executive Producer
- *Mona Lisa* (1986), Director, Writer — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/mona-lisa.md)
- *The Company of Wolves* (1984), Director, Screenplay
- *Night in Tunisia* (1984), Writer
- *Angel* (1982), Director, Writer
- *Traveller* (1981), Writer
- *The Making of Excalibur: Myth into Movie* (1981), Director, Producer
- *Mobile Homes* (1979), Writer
- *The Riker's Ghost*, Director
- *The Well of Saint Nobody*, Novel, Director, Screenplay

## Gallery

- ![Neil Jordan](https://film.one/media/person/80508/gallery-448af4ecf8a9.jpg) Neil Jordan — David Shankbone, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Neil_Jordan_by_David_Shankbone.jpg/1280px-Neil_Jordan_by_David_Shankbone.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Alicja Bachleda-Curuś, Colin Farrell and Neil Jordan at the premiere of Ondine at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.](https://film.one/media/person/80508/gallery-ff65f7e6b4d7.jpg) Alicja Bachleda-Curuś, Colin Farrell and Neil Jordan at the premiere of Ondine at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. — David Shankbone, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Alicja_Bachleda%2C_Colin_Farrell_%26_Neil_Jordan_by_David_Shankbone.jpg/1280px-Alicja_Bachleda%2C_Colin_Farrell_%26_Neil_Jordan_by_David_Shankbone.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Neil Jordan at the premiere of Byzantium, Toronto Film Festival 2012. He doesn't look very thrilled](https://film.one/media/person/80508/gallery-64bbaa097eba.jpg) Neil Jordan at the premiere of Byzantium, Toronto Film Festival 2012. He doesn't look very thrilled — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Byzantium_08_%288064509055%29.jpg/1280px-Byzantium_08_%288064509055%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Director Neil Jordan Bynzantium (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/80508/gallery-0d1deb8b44c6.jpg) Director Neil Jordan Bynzantium (2012) — Ross from hamilton on, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Director_Neil_Jordan_Bynzantium_%287979343670%29.jpg/1280px-Director_Neil_Jordan_Bynzantium_%287979343670%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Neil Jordan](https://film.one/media/person/80508/gallery-4bca9437c4be.jpg) Neil Jordan — Image via TMDB
- ![Neil Jordan at the premiere of Greta, 2018 Toronto Film Festival.](https://film.one/media/person/80508/gallery-f8c1fdf36726.jpg) Neil Jordan at the premiere of Greta, 2018 Toronto Film Festival. — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Greta_09_%2844028137164%29.jpg/1280px-Greta_09_%2844028137164%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Neil Jordan at the premiere of Greta, 2018 Toronto Film Festival.](https://film.one/media/person/80508/gallery-883909da8b2b.jpg) Neil Jordan at the premiere of Greta, 2018 Toronto Film Festival. — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Greta_10_%2844697587342%29.jpg/1280px-Greta_10_%2844697587342%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 1 nominated

- 1993: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (won), for *The Crying Game*
- 1993: Best Director (nominated), for *The Crying Game*

### Other awards — 3 won, 2 nominated

- Sitges Grand Honorary Award 2012: Sitges Grand Honorary Award (won)
- honorary doctorate 2010: honorary doctorate (won)
- European Film Award for Best Film 2006: European Film Award for Best Film (nominated), for *Breakfast on Pluto*
- European Film Award for Best Film 1998: European Film Award for Best Film (nominated), for *The Butcher Boy*
- Rooney Prize for Irish Literature 1981: Rooney Prize for Irish Literature (won)

*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/neil-jordan