Guy Ritchie biography

Synopsis

Born in 1968 in England, director Guy Ritchie became famous for directing witty and suspenseful films including Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. He became additionally famous in 2000 when he wed American pop star Madonna.

Profile

Born September 10, 1968 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. Throughout his childhood, Ritchie struggled with dyslexia, dropping out of Stanbridge Earls school at 15 then getting expelled from Sibford School for drug use. He eventually turned his attention to filmmaking, directing his first short in 1995 titled The Hard Case.

In 1998, Ritchie received critical praise for his witty and suspenseful feature film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. In 2000, he released another successful caper comedy, Snatch, this time featuring such Hollywood heavy hitters as Brad Pitt, Benicio del Toro, and Dennis Farina.

In 2000, Ritchie married pop star Madonna and subsequent projects focused on his new wife, including the controversial music video "What It Feels Like for a Girl" and 2002's disappointing film Swept Away. His next film, 2005's casino-themed Revolver, was critically panned.

Together, Ritchie and Madonna have a son, Rocco John. They adopted a Malawian baby boy, David Banda, in 2006. In October of 2008, however, the couple announced that they were officially splitting after eight years of marriage.