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Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson

Known For Directing
Birthday Jun 26, 1970 (55)
Birthplace Studio City, California, USA
Popularity 2 (history)
Updated Sep 12, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. Born in Los Angeles, Anderson developed an interest in filmmaking from a young age. An alumnus of the Sundance Institute, Anderson is famous for making often epic psychological drama films which often ... take place in San Fernando Valley and deal with characters seeking after redemption, forgiveness or loss; they also use wide framing as well as realistic or gritty cinematography. Anderson made his feature film debut with Hard Eight (1996). He found critical and commercial success with Boogie Nights (1997), set in the Golden Age of Porn, and received further accolades with Magnolia (1999), an ensemble piece set in the San Fernando Valley, and Punch-Drunk Love (2002), a romantic comedy-drama film. Anderson's 2007 film There Will Be Blood, about an oil prospector during the Southern California oil boom, achieved major critical and commercial success and was often cited as one of the greatest films of the 2000s. This was followed by The Master (2012) and Inherent Vice (2014). Anderson's eighth film, Phantom Thread, was released in 2017. He has directed music videos for artists including Fiona Apple, Radiohead, Haim, Joanna Newsom, Aimee Mann, Jon Brion and Michael Penn, and has also directed a documentary, Junun (2015), about the making of the album in India. More recently, he directed a short film accompanying Thom Yorke's Anima (2019), released on Netflix and in select IMAX theatres. Anderson's films are often characterized by their depiction of flawed and desperate characters, explorations of themes such as dysfunctional families, alienation and loneliness, a bold visual style that uses moving camera and long takes, and memorable use of music. He is noted for his frequent collaborations with actors Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Melora Walters, John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix and Daniel Day-Lewis, cinematographer Robert Elswit, costume designer Mark Bridges, and composers Jon Brion and Jonny Greenwood. His films have consistently garnered critical acclaim. Anderson has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, one Golden Globe Award and five BAFTA Awards, and has won a Best Director Award at Cannes, both Golden and a Silver Bear at Berlin and a Silver Lion at Venice. Description above from the Wikipedia article Paul Thomas Anderson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Headshots

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Filmography

Minority Report

Minority Report

2002

as Bus Passenger (uncredited)

Magnolia

Magnolia

1999

as Man Confiscating Sign (uncredited)

Beau Is Afraid

Beau Is Afraid

2023

Thanks

Napoleon

Napoleon

2023

Script Consultant

Licorice Pizza

Licorice Pizza

2021

Writer, Director of Photography

The Dead Don't Die

The Dead Don't Die

2019

Thanks

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh

2018

Additional Second Assistant Director

Phantom Thread

Phantom Thread

2017

Writer

Junun

Junun

2015

Camera Operator

Inherent Vice

Inherent Vice

2014

Writer

The Master

The Master

2012

Writer

There Will Be Blood

There Will Be Blood

2007

Writer

Couch

Couch

2003

Writer

Punch-Drunk Love

Punch-Drunk Love

2002

Writer

Corky Romano

Corky Romano

2001

Script Editor

Magnolia

Magnolia

1999

Writer

Flagpole Special

Flagpole Special

1998

Writer

Boogie Nights

Boogie Nights

1997

Writer

Hard Eight

Hard Eight

1996

Screenplay

Cigarettes & Coffee

Cigarettes & Coffee

1993

Writer

The Dirk Diggler Story

The Dirk Diggler Story

1988

Writer, Director of Photography

One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another

2025

Director

Licorice Pizza

Licorice Pizza

2021

Director

Anima

Anima

2019

Director

HAIM / Valentine

HAIM / Valentine

2017

Director

Phantom Thread

Phantom Thread

2017

Director

Junun

Junun

2015

Director

Inherent Vice

Inherent Vice

2014

Director

The Master

The Master

2012

Director

There Will Be Blood

There Will Be Blood

2007

Director

Mattress Man Commercial

Mattress Man Commercial

2003

Director

Couch

Couch

2003

Director

Punch-Drunk Love

Punch-Drunk Love

2002

Director

Magnolia

Magnolia

1999

Director

Flagpole Special

Flagpole Special

1998

Director

Boogie Nights

Boogie Nights

1997

Director

Hard Eight

Hard Eight

1996

Director

Cigarettes & Coffee

Cigarettes & Coffee

1993

Director

Production Assistant

Production Assistant

1992

Director

The Dirk Diggler Story

The Dirk Diggler Story

1988

Director

One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another

2025

Producer

Licorice Pizza

Licorice Pizza

2021

Producer

Anima

Anima

2019

Producer

Waterlily Jaguar

Waterlily Jaguar

2018

Executive Producer

Phantom Thread

Phantom Thread

2017

Producer

Inherent Vice

Inherent Vice

2014

Producer

The Master

The Master

2012

Producer

There Will Be Blood

There Will Be Blood

2007

Producer

Punch-Drunk Love

Punch-Drunk Love

2002

Producer

Magnolia

Magnolia

1999

Producer

Boogie Nights

Boogie Nights

1997

Producer

Organization Category Movie
Academy Awards Best Director There Will Be Blood Nominated
Academy Awards Best Director Phantom Thread Nominated
Golden Globes Best Director There Will Be Blood Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Director Magnolia Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Director There Will Be Blood Nominated
Venice Film Festival Best Director The Master Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Director Licorice Pizza Nominated
Television Credits

No data available

The Oscars

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 19, 1953

Leçon de Cinéma

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 20, 2004

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 5 11 15 8
2024 6 11 21 5
2024 7 13 18 8
2024 8 9 14 6
2024 9 5 11 3
2024 10 7 13 5
2024 11 6 9 3
2024 12 10 16 4
2025 1 12 18 6
2025 2 9 13 1
2025 3 3 13 0
2025 4 1 1 0
2025 5 2 3 1
2025 6 1 2 0
2025 7 1 1 1
2025 8 1 2 0
2025 9 2 5 1
2025 10 4 5 2

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 5 508 231
2024 6 331 29
2024 7 373 349
2024 12 438 70
2025 1 474 38
2025 2 544 100
2025 3 467 179
2025 7 440 107
2025 8 304 31
2025 9 188 4
2025 10 79 6

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