---
name: "Oliver Stapleton"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/oliver-stapleton"
fi1m_id: "oliver-stapleton"
imdb_id: "nm0822975"
tmdb_id: 16425
wikidata_id: "Q967126"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "12 April 1948"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-04T20:46:08.968800+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."
---

# Oliver Stapleton

## Identity

Oliver Stapleton

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/oliver-stapleton
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** oliver-stapleton
- **IMDb ID:** nm0822975
- **TMDB ID:** 16425
- **Wikidata ID:** Q967126
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Stapleton, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q967126, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822975/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16425

Cinematographer. Born 12 April 1948 in London, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 12 April 1948, London, England, UK
- **Active:** 1985–1999
- **Frequently works with:** [Stephen Frears](https://film.one/person/stephen-frears.md), [Paul Rudd](https://film.one/person/paul-rudd.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 80 (2), 1990s 76 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 74 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Comedy 3, Romance 2, Crime 1, Science Fiction 1
- **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $108m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Stapleton, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q967126, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822975/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16425

## Streaming the US now

- **Pluto TV:** [*The Snapper*](https://film.one/film/the-snapper.md) (82), [*The Cider House Rules*](https://film.one/film/the-cider-house-rules.md) (61)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Earth Girls Are Easy*](https://film.one/film/earth-girls-are-easy.md) (74)

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

## Biography

Oliver Stapleton is an English cinematographer. Born in London in 1948, he graduated from the University of Cape Town with a degree in psychology and from the National Film and Television School. He began his career with the student film *Shadowplay* and later worked on music videos and commercials for artists including a-ha, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and The Human League.

Stapleton has shot numerous feature films, with notable credits including *The Grifters* (1990) and *The Snapper* (1993), both directed by Stephen Frears. He has maintained long collaborations with directors including Frears, Julien Temple and Michael Hoffman. He is co-head of cinematography at the National Film and Television School and has served as president of the British Society of Cinematographers.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *The Cider House Rules* (1999), Fi1m 61, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-cider-house-rules.md)
- *The Snapper* (1993), Fi1m 82, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-snapper.md)
- *The Grifters* (1990), Fi1m 84, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/the-grifters.md)
- *Earth Girls Are Easy* (1988), Fi1m 74, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/earth-girls-are-easy.md)
- *My Beautiful Laundrette* (1985), Fi1m 85, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/my-beautiful-laundrette.md)

## Complete filmography (70)

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

- *The People We Hate at the Wedding* (2022), Director of Photography
- *Completely Bad News* (2019), Director of Photography
- *Seduction. Betrayal. Murder: The Making of The Grifters* (2018), Actor
- *The Comedian* (2016), Director of Photography
- *Interview with Oliver Stapleton* (2015), Actor
- *Hot Pursuit* (2015), Director of Photography
- *Unfinished Business* (2015), Director of Photography
- *The Best of Me* (2014), Director of Photography
- *Dinner and a Movie* (2013), Technical Advisor
- *The Guilt Trip* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Will* (2011), Director of Photography
- *Don't Be Afraid of the Dark* (2010), Director of Photography
- *Unthinkable* (2010), Director of Photography
- *The Proposal* (2009), Director of Photography
- *How to Lose Friends & Alienate People* (2008), Director of Photography
- *The Water Horse* (2007), Director of Photography
- *The Hoax* (2006), Director of Photography
- *Casanova* (2005), Director of Photography
- *An Unfinished Life* (2005), Director of Photography
- *Cheeky* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Ned Kelly* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Buffalo Soldiers* (2002), Director of Photography
- *The Shipping News* (2001), Director of Photography
- *Birthday Girl* (2001), Director of Photography
- *Pay It Forward* (2000), Director of Photography
- *State and Main* (2000), Director of Photography
- *The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Journey of Radiance* (2000), Director of Photography
- *The Cider House Rules* (1999), Director of Photography — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/the-cider-house-rules.md)
- *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (1999), Director of Photography
- *The Hi-Lo Country* (1998), Director of Photography
- *The Object of My Affection* (1998), Director of Photography
- *The Designated Mourner* (1997), Director of Photography
- *Jazz '34* (1997), Director of Photography
- *One Fine Day* (1996), Director of Photography
- *The Van* (1996), Director of Photography
- *Kansas City* (1996), Director of Photography
- *Restoration* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Look Who's Talking Now!* (1993), Director of Photography
- *The Snapper* (1993), Director of Photography — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-snapper.md)
- *Hero* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Let Him Have It* (1991), Director of Photography
- *The Grifters* (1990), Director of Photography — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-grifters.md)
- *She-Devil* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Cookie* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Danny the Champion of the World* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Earth Girls Are Easy* (1988), Director of Photography — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/earth-girls-are-easy.md)
- *Mr Jolly Lives Next Door* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Sammy and Rosie Get Laid* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Aria* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Prick Up Your Ears* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Running Out of Luck* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Absolute Beginners* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Private Enterprise* (1986), Cinematography
- *Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)* (1986), Cinematography
- *My Beautiful Laundrette* (1985), Director of Photography — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/my-beautiful-laundrette.md)
- *Restless Natives* (1985), Director of Photography
- *David Bowie: Jazzin' for Blue Jean* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Slags* (1984), Cinematography
- *Eddie Monsoon - a Life?* (1984), Cinematography
- *Fela Kuti: Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Bad News* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Mantrap* (1983), Director of Photography
- *The Rupert Bear Story: A Tribute to Alfred Bestall* (1982), Director of Photography
- *The Secret Policeman's Other Ball* (1982), Director of Photography
- *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (1981), Director of Photography
- *The Comic Strip* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Land Apart* (1974), Still Photographer
- *Shadow Play*, Director

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography 1986: MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography (won), for *The Sun Always Shines on T.V.*

*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/oliver-stapleton