Andrea Arnold

Andrea Arnold is a prominent British filmmaker who in 2015 directed "American Honey," her first film for a Hollywood studio. Born into a working class family in Dartford, Kent, Arnold initially set her sights on becoming an actress. She moved to London in the late '70s and by the mid-'80s was widely known across Britain for hosting the popular children's program "No. 73" (ITV, 1982-88). By the early '90s, however, Arnold decided to turn her attention to writing and directing and moved to Los Angeles to study filmmaking at the American Film Institute. She directed her debut short film, "Milk," in 1998 and followed that up with "Dog" (1998) and "Wasp" (2003). "Wasp," which was loosely based on Arnold's own working class family, earned her an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short, thus signaling her rise as a major directing talent. Her debut feature, "Red Road" (2006), was equally as well-received, earning the prestigious Jury Prize at that year's Cannes Film Festival. Arnold directed two more films, "Fish Tank" (2009) and "Wuthering Heights" (2011), before helming her first project for an American studio with 2015's "American Honey." Widely anticipated upon its release, the film cemented Arnold's position as one of the most well-regarded British filmmakers of her generation.

Born in Dartford, Kent on April 5, 1961, Arnold had somewhat of a difficult childhood. Her father left when she was a young girl, thus leaving her mother to care for her and her three siblings. Growing up in a working-class household, Arnold dreamed of escaping her hometown and moving to London to become an actress. With that vision in mind, she dropped out of high school at 16 and moved to London two years later to live out her fantasy. She quickly earned a job as a background dancer on the popular British music show "Top of the Pops" (BBC, 1964-2006), and soon landed a coveted hosting gig on the children's program "No. 73." Arnold retained her hosting position throughout the show's six-year run, becoming a well-known face to millions of children across Britain. However, she also felt a growing sense of discomfort in front of the camera. Hence, when the show ended its run in 1988, Arnold packed her bags and moved across the pond to Los Angeles, where she began studying directing at the American Film Institute. After graduating from the program, Arnold moved back to Britain and in 1998 made her directorial debut with the well-received short film "Milk." Arnold made another short film three years later, with "Dog," before directing "Wasp" in 2003. That short earned Arnold the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short, thus giving her the confidence to direct a feature. Arnold's feature debut, 2006's "Red Road," was a critical hit both in England and abroad, and went on to earn the prestigious Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Arnold's next two films, "Fish Tank" and "Wuthering Heights," an adaptation of Emily Bronte's novel, were also well-received. After the success of "Wuthering Heights," it wasn't long before Hollywood came calling, and in 2015 Arnold directed her first film for an American studio, "American Honey." That film, about a group of teenage runaways who make their living selling magazine subscriptions, was released in 2015.