‘Notting Hill,’ ‘The Duke’ Director Roger Michell Dies at 65

LONDON—Roger Michell, the British stage, television, and movie manager whose movies see the indelibly fashionable romcom “Notting Hill,” has died, his household said Thursday. He was 65.

Michell’s household said successful a connection that helium died connected Wednesday. They didn’t disclose the spot oregon origin of death.

“It is with large sadness that the household of Roger Michell, director, writer and begetter of Harry, Rosie, Maggie and Sparrow, denote his decease astatine the property of 65 connected September 22nd,” said the connection released done Michell’s publicist.

Born successful South Africa, wherever his begetter was posted arsenic a British diplomat, Michell began his directing vocation with British theaters including the Royal Court, the National Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

He made acclaimed tv bid successful the 1990s, including adaptations of Hanif Kureishi’s caller “The Buddha of Suburbia” and Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.”

On the large screen, his biggest commercialized deed was “Notting Hill,” the Richard Curtis-penned drama astir an awkward romance betwixt a movie prima played by Julia Roberts and a London bookshop owner, played by Hugh Grant.

After its merchandise successful 1999 it was for a clip the highest-grossing British movie successful history, and Michell followed it with Hollywood thriller “Changing Lanes,” starring Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson.

He was courted to nonstop a James Bond film—the 1 that became “Quantum of Solace”—but turned it down because, helium aboriginal said, the movie “had everything, but nary script.”

He mostly made films successful Britain, often drafting superb performances from actors. They see 2003 merchandise “The Mother,” with Anne Reid and Daniel Craig; the adjacent year’s “Enduring Love,” based connected an Ian McEwan caller and again starring Craig; and “Venus,” which gained Peter O’Toole an Academy Award information successful 2007.

Later films included “Hyde Park connected Hudson,” a 2012 humanities play starring Bill Murray arsenic President Franklin D. Roosevelt; Daphne du Maurier adaptation “My Cousin Rachel,” starring Rachel Weisz, released successful 2017; and “The Duke,” a real-life creation heist communicative starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren that premiered astatine the 2020 Venice Film Festival.

At the clip of his decease helium was moving connected a documentary astir Queen Elizabeth II.

Michell was joined twice: to histrion Kate Buffery, and aft their divorcement to histrion Anna Maxwell Martin, from whom helium was separated. He is survived by some women and by his 4 children, 2 from each relationship.

By Jill Lawless