Christopher Nolan to be Knighted by the British Royal Crown
British filmmaker Christopher Nolan and his wife, Emma Thomas, have been honored with knighthood and damehood, respectively, for their contributions to cinema. This recognition comes in the wake of the success of Nolan’s biopic “Oppenheimer” during the 2024 awards season.
Nolan recently won his first Oscar for best director for the film, which stars Cillian Murphy as the “father of the atomic bomb.” The London-born director had previously been nominated for six Academy Awards but had never won in the directing category until now.
Nolan and Thomas have worked together on numerous hit films, including “The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception,” “Interstellar,” “Dunkirk,” and “Tenet.” They founded the production company Syncopy and have four children together.
The director credits his wife for much of his success, stating that she always shared his vision for the importance of filmmaking. The couple met at University College London, where Nolan studied English Literature.
Nolan joins a long list of Hollywood figures who have received knighthood or damehood from the British Crown, including Patrick Stewart, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Hopkins, and Julie Andrews.
Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal have also praised Nolan for his support during challenging times in their careers. Hathaway revealed that Nolan helped her through online harassment after winning an Oscar, while Gyllenhaal appreciated the director’s kindness after he was not selected for a role in one of Nolan’s films.
With this latest honor, Christopher Nolan’s legacy as a pioneering filmmaker continues to be recognized and celebrated by the industry and the British royal family.