Andrew Dominik

{{Infobox person

| image = Andrew Dominik (cropped2).jpg

| caption = Dominik at the Australian premiere of Killing Them Softly, 2012

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|10|07|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand

| birth_name =

| nationality = Australian{{cite web|last=Dalton|first=Ben|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/andrew-dominik-on-blonde-reaction-im-really-pleased-that-it-outraged-so-many-people/5177138.article|title=Andrew Dominik on 'Blonde' reaction: "I'm really pleased that it outraged so many people"|quote=I'm Australian, from Melbourne – I came of age in the 80s when to offend your audience was a solemn duty.|work=Screen International|date=5 December 2022|access-date=14 January 2024}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|screenwriter}}

| notable_works =

| alma_mater = Swinburne Film School

| years_active = 2000–present

| children = 1

}}

Andrew Dominik (born 7 October 1967) is an Australian film director and screenwriter. He has directed the crime film Chopper (2000), the Western drama film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), the neo-noir crime film Killing Them Softly (2012), and the biographical psychological drama Blonde (2022). He has also directed the documentary film One More Time with Feeling (2016) and two episodes of the Netflix series Mindhunter in 2019.

Early life and career

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Andrew Dominik has lived in Australia since he was two years old.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} He graduated from Melbourne's Swinburne Film School in 1988.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

In the early 1990s, Dominik began collaborating with Australian film producer Michele Bennett on music videos and commercials in Sydney.{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Jake |date=27 August 2021 |title=Death threats, boycotts and a white witch: Inside the making of Chopper |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/death-threats-boycotts-and-a-white-witch-inside-the-making-of-chopper-20210820-p58kgm.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}

Career

=2000–2012: Early career and acclaim =

His career in films began in 2000 when he directed Chopper based on notorious Australian criminal Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read, starring Eric Bana and Simon Lyndon.{{cite news |work=The World Today |title='Chopper' the film to be released next week |first=Lisa |last=McGregor |url=http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s156517.htm |date=27 July 2000}} Chopper received generally positive reviews,{{cite web |work=Rotten Tomatoes |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chopper/ |title=Chopper}} and Bana in particular was widely praised for his intense portrayal of Chopper. The Australian Film Institute awarded the film with Best Director (Dominik), Best Actor (Bana), and Best Supporting Actor (Lyndon).{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2000/film/news/australian-chopper-ups-beyond-1117789434/|title=Australian 'Chopper' ups Beyond|date=21 November 2000|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=27 April 2019}}

His next film was The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, based on the novel of the same name which he came across in a second-hand bookstore.{{cite interview |url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/the-assassination-of-jesse-james-by-the-coward-robert-ford-andrew-dominik-interviewthe-assassination-of-jesse-james-by-the-coward-robert-ford-andrew-dominik-interview |title=The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford |subject=Andrew Dominik |work=Your London Reviews |publisher=IndieLondon |access-date=1 May 2014 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The film explores the peculiar relationship between Jesse James and his eventual assassin Robert Ford. Pitt was a big fan of Dominik's first feature Chopper, and had hoped to collaborate with the filmmaker in the future, especially when Pitt had the chance to work with Chopper star Eric Bana in Troy. Pitt contacted the director, and with a big star interested to lead his new film, Dominik was therefore able to get Warner Bros. to finance the production.

Principal shooting in Canada was completed in 2005, though The Assassination's 2006 release was delayed to a fall 2007 release, largely due to studio interference with the film's editing process.{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Salisbury |work=Time Out London |title=Andrew Dominik: interview |url=http://www.timeout.com/film/features/show-feature/3798/andrew-dominik-interview.html |date=November 2007}} Dominik and Pitt were pulling for a less quick-paced and more contemplative cut of the film while the studio wanted "less contemplation and more action". There were reportedly more than a dozen edited versions of the film at one time fighting to be the final cut, the longest version being over four hours.{{cite interview|subject=Andrew Dominik |url=http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/8838 |interviewer=Charlie Rose |title=Charlie Rose |publisher=charlierose.com |access-date=1 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403173209/http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/8838 |archive-date=3 April 2013 }} The disputes during post-production lasted for over a year before a final version was settled upon. Over an hour of scenes were deleted for the theatrical version, but Dominik remarked he was still very proud of the theatrical version of the film.{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/day-and-night/the-big-interview-andrew-dominik-the-assassination-of-jesse-james-1233098.html | work=Irish Independent | first=Paul | last=Whitington | title=The Big Interview: Andrew Dominik, 'The Assassination of Jesse James' | date=30 November 2007}} The film garnered two Academy Award nominations: Best Cinematography (Deakins) and Best Supporting Actor (Affleck).

Dominik reteamed with Brad Pitt in their second collaboration (after The Assassination of Jesse James) in a thriller/dark comedy based on George V. Higgins' Boston-set crime novel Cogan's Trade.{{cite news |author=Panasiewicz, Kevin |url=http://www.collider.com/2010/11/02/andrew-dominik-casey-affleck-cogans-trade/ | work=Collider | title=Andrew Dominik and Casey Affleck Possibly Reteaming for COGAN'S TRADE | date=2 November 2010}} The film was renamed Killing Them Softly. Shooting began in January 2011 and wrapped in May 2011.{{cite news |url=http://artsandentertainmentplayground.com/2011/05/05/brad-pitts-%E2%80%98cogan%E2%80%99s-trade%E2%80%99-is-in-the-can/ |author=Mike Stringer |work=A&E Playground | title=Brad Pitt's 'Cogan's Trade' is in the Can |date=5 May 2011 |access-date=29 May 2011}} The film competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/58878.html |title=2012 Official Selection |access-date=19 May 2012 |work=Cannes |date=5 May 2012 }}{{cite web |author=Dave Calhoun |url=http://www.timeout.com/london/feature/2547/cannes-film-festival-2012-line-up-announced |title=Cannes Film Festival 2012 line-up announced |access-date=19 April 2012 |work=Timeout |archive-date=20 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220123336/http://www.timeout.com/london/feature/2547/cannes-film-festival-2012-line-up-announced |url-status=dead }} and was released through the Weinstein Company.

= 2016–present =

In 2016, Dominik completed One More Time with Feeling, a documentary about his friend Nick Cave and the emotional consequences of the tragic death of Cave's son.{{cite web|url=http://weekend.gazeta.pl/weekend/1,152121,20763246,film-o-nieobecnosci-nick-cave-opowiada-o-traumie-ktora-przezywa.html#TRwknd |title=Film o nieobecności. Nick Cave opowiada o traumie po śmierci nastoletniego syna |first=Artur |last=Zaborsky |trans-title=A film about absence. Nick Cave tells of trauma after the death of his teenage son |language=pl |work=Weekend Gazeta.pl |access-date=3 October 2016}} The film premiered at the 2016 Venice Film Festival. The critical aggregator website Metacritic awarded the film a score of 91, indicating "universal acclaim".{{cite web| url = http://www.metacritic.com/movie/one-more-time-with-feeling/critic-reviews| title = Critic Reviews One More Time with Feeling| date = 30 September 2016| access-date = 24 November 2016| publisher = metacritic.com}} Dominik joined David Fincher for season 2 of Netflix series Mindhunter, which debuted in late 2019.{{cite web|last1=Sharf|first1=Zack|title='Mindhunter' Season 2: David Fincher Returning to Direct, Joined by Andrew Dominik and More – Report|url=http://www.indiewire.com/2018/04/mindhunter-season-2-directors-david-fincher-andrew-dominik-1201954817/|website=IndieWire|access-date=8 May 2018| date=19 April 2018}} Dominik directed two episodes.

In 2022, Dominik completed Blonde, based on Joyce Carol Oates's fictional Marilyn Monroe memoir of the same name, which was scheduled to start shooting in January 2011 but the project was put on hold when he announced Killing Them Softly. In 2014 Jessica Chastain was in talks to play Monroe.{{cite web |url=http://www.thewrap.com/jessica-chastain-play-marilyn-monroe-andrew-dominik-blonde-brad-pitt-plan-b |title=Jessica Chastain to Play Marilyn Monroe in Andrew Dominik's 'Blonde' (Exclusive) |publisher=TheWrap |date=22 April 2014 |access-date=1 May 2014}} In late 2019, Cuban actress Ana de Armas was cast in the lead role. Blonde had its world premiere at the 79th Venice Film Festival on 8 September 2022,{{cite web|url=https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2022/venezia-79-competition/blonde|title=Biennale Cinema 2022 {{!}} Blonde|website=La Biennale di Venezia|date=25 July 2022 |access-date=30 August 2022}} and was released in the United States on 16 September 2022, before its streaming release on 28 September 2022, by Netflix. It is rated NC-17 for its graphic sexual content and is the first NC-17 film released through a streaming service.{{Cite web |date=28 October 2021 |title=What to Expect From Netflix's 'Blonde' |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/whats-going-on-with-blonde-marilyn-monroe-biopic-netflix |access-date=21 August 2022 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=16 June 2022 |title='Blonde' Trailer: Ana de Armas Stuns as Marilyn Monroe in Netflix's NC-17 Drama |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/blonde-trailer-ana-de-armas-marilyn-monroe-1235296128/ |access-date=28 July 2022 |website=Variety}}

In 2025, Dominik finished production on a documentary for Apple Original Films called Bono: Stories of Surrender, about the making of the U2 singer and songwriter Bono. The film will premiere globally on May 30 on Apple TV+.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/bono-stories-of-surrender-apple-documentary-including-immersive-first-feature-version-for-apple-vision-pro-1236302222/|title=Apple Sets Premiere Of 'Bono: Stories Of Surrender;' U2 Singer's Docu To Include First Immersive Feature Version For Apple Vision Pro|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|date=26 February 2025|access-date=2 March 2025}}

Unrealised projects

In 2003, Paramount Pictures approached Dominik and offered him to direct an adaptation of Alfred Bester's 1953 novel The Demolished Man, but as time passed, the project eventually became stuck in development hell when there were disagreements about the screenplay.[http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4887527-1.html Dominik Hits 'demolished' At Paramount] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201213902/http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4887527-1.html |date=1 December 2007 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/webexclusives/2007/09/last-man-standing-by-nick-dawson.php |title=Last Man Standing |publisher=Filmmaker Magazine |date=September 2007 |access-date=1 May 2014}} By 2003, Dominik had also written an adapted screenplay for The Killer Inside Me, an acclaimed noir novel by Jim Thompson, and was at one point considered to direct it, but dropped out.{{cite web |author=Stax|publisher=IGN |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/12/18/the-stax-report-script-review-of-the-killer-inside-me|title=The Stax Report: Script Review of The Killer Inside Me |date=18 December 2003 |access-date=6 June 2020}} Michael Winterbottom eventually directed the 2010 film.

In 2007, Cormac McCarthy's Cities of the Plain was in development with James Franco starring.{{cite news |title=Last Man Standing |work=Filmmaker Magazine: Web Exclusives |first=Nick |last=Dawson |url=http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/webexclusives/2007/09/last-man-standing-by-nick-dawson.php |date=28 January 2008 }}{{cite interview|subject=Andrew Dominik |title=Assassination of Jesse James: Andrew Dominik |interviewer=Emmanuel Levy |url=http://www.emanuellevy.com/article.php?articleID=7539 |publisher=www.emanuellevy.com |year=2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502005023/http://www.emanuellevy.com/article.php?articleID=7539 |archive-date=2 May 2014 }} In a 2008 interview, Dominik stated that he has interest in adapting Jim Thompson's Pop. 1280. In 2010, Dominik was writing a script for an American remake of the 2006 French thriller Tell No One. It was unclear if he intended to direct the film.{{cite news|url=http://www.filmjunk.com/2010/08/11/andrew-dominik-writing-tell-no-one-remake/ | work=Film Junk | title=Andrew Dominik Writing Tell No One Remake| date=20 October 2010}}

In 2014, it was announced that Dominik would write a 3D remake of Shaolin Temple with Justin Lin set to direct.{{cite web|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|url=https://deadline.com/2014/08/andrew-dominik-to-script-shaolin-temple-for-helmer-justin-lin-823415/|title=Andrew Dominik To Script 'Shaolin Temple' For Helmer Justin Lin|date=22 August 2014|access-date=14 October 2022}} In 2017, Netflix picked up War Party, a Navy SEAL adventure film written by Dominik and Harrison Query with Tom Hardy attached to star and Ridley Scott set to produce under Dominik's direction.{{cite web|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tom-hardy-ridley-scott-teaming-up-navy-seal-movie-war-party-986685/|title=Tom Hardy, Ridley Scott Team for Navy SEAL Movie 'War Party'|date=16 March 2017|access-date=14 October 2022}}

Around the time of Blonde, Dominik's name was also linked as screenwriter/director of a project called Sturlungar,{{cite web|last=Khan|first=Sara|url=https://www.ibtimes.com/andrew-dominik-compares-marilyn-monroes-biopic-blonde-citizen-kane-raging-bull-3478324|title=Andrew Dominik Compares Marilyn Monroe's Biopic 'Blonde' To 'Citizen Kane' And 'Raging Bull'|website=International Business Times|date=April 19, 2022|access-date=March 24, 2025}} which was to be a television series for Truenorth about the Sturlungs, a powerful, wealthy family clan during the time of the Icelandic Commonwealth in 13th century Iceland. Leifur B. Dagfinnsson, Grant Hill, Fridrik Thor Fridriksson and Kristinn Thordarson were attached as executive producers.{{cite web|url=https://www.truenorth.is/showcase/sturlungar|title=Sturlungar|website=Truenorth|access-date=March 24, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240622192042/https://www.truenorth.is/showcase/sturlungar|archive-date=June 22, 2024|url-status=live}}

Influences

In the 2012 Sight & Sound poll of the greatest films of all time, Dominik chose:{{cite web |author=British Film Institute |url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/sightandsoundpolls/2012/voter/867 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825225249/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/sightandsoundpolls/2012/voter/867 |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 August 2012 |title=Andrew Dominik Sight & Sound 2012 |publisher=Explore.bfi.org.uk |date=2012 |access-date=1 May 2014}}

Apocalypse Now (1979)
Badlands (1973)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Blue Velvet (1986)
Marnie (1964)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Raging Bull (1980)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
The Tenant (1976)

Personal life

Dominik has one son. He was engaged to actress Bella Heathcote in 2017.{{cite interview |url=http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/andrew-dominik-jgiro.php |title=Andrew Dominik, 'Killing Them Softly' director: "I'm Not Interested In Ordinary People"|subject=Andrew Dominik |publisher=Filmschoolrejects.com |date=30 December 2012 |access-date=1 May 2014}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Director ! Writer
2000 \| Chopper \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}}
2007 \| The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}}
2012 \| Killing Them Softly \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}}
2022 \| Blonde \| {{Yes}} \| {{Yes}}

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Director

! Writer

2000

| Chopper

| {{Yes}}

2007

| The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

| {{Yes}}

2012

| Killing Them Softly

| {{Yes}}

2022

| Blonde

| {{Yes}}

Documentaries

One More Time with Feeling (2016)
This Much I Know to Be True (2022)
I Don't Work for Peanuts, I Work for God (2024){{cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/armory-show-overhaul?srsltid=AfmBOooFlBT-pxHAYDseTacmUt55cMPo8pbSlvPcXcHQNqms5bJzGxS9|title=Scenes From an Ari Emanuel–Level Overhauled Armory Show|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=September 11, 2024}}
Bono: Stories of Surrender (2025)