A South African-born British director and producer, born in Pretoria, South Africa. He studied at Cambridge. He had to back out of directing Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) due to a heart attack. He is known for Notting Hill (1999), Venus (2006), and Enduring Love (2004). He was married to Anna Maxwell Martin and Kate Buffery. He passed away on September 22, 2021.