Eric Fellner, CBE (born 10 October 1959)^[1] is a British film producer. He is the co-chairman (along with Tim Bevan) of the production company Working Title Films.

Early life and education

Fellner was born in England. From 1972 to 1977, he was educated at Cranleigh School, a boarding independent school for boys (now co-educational), in Surrey in South East England, followed by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Career

Among Fellner's more than 125 as producer or executive producer are Moonlight and Valentino, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Dead Man Walking, Fargo, Notting Hill, Billy Elliot, United 93, Bridget Jones's Diary, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Frost/Nixon and Senna, Johnny English Reborn, Contraband, Les Misérables, I Give It a Year, About Time, Rush, The Theory of Everything, Billy Elliot the Musical Live, The Danish Girl, Bridget Jones’s Baby, Baby Driver, Darkest Hour, Johnny English Strikes Again, Yesterday, Emma, Rebecca, Cyrano, The Swimmers, and Matila The Musical.

Working Title has a separate deal covering television with Universal’s corporate sibling, NBCUniversal International Studios. ^[2] It is now one of Britain's largest production company with offices in London and Los Angeles and its films have grossed over $8.5 billion worldwide. ^[3] Successes include Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) which has grossed over US$250 million worldwide. Dead Man Walking and Fargo won Oscars in 1996 and 1997 respectively, while Elizabeth (1998), Atonement (2007) and Frost/Nixon were all nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award.

Critical and commercial hits include My Beautiful Laundrette, Sid and Nancy, The Interpreter, About a Boy, Notting Hill, Elizabeth, Fargo, Dead Man Walking, Bean, High Fidelity, Johnny English, Billy Elliot, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, A Serious Man, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Love Actually, Shaun of the Dead, Pride & Prejudice, Nanny McPhee, United 93, Mr. Bean's Holiday, Hot Fuzz, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Burn After Reading, Frost/Nixon, Atonement, Paul, Senna, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Anna Karenina, Les Misérables, I Give It a Year, About Time, Rush, Two Faces of January, Trash, The Theory of Everything, Legend, Everest, The Danish Girl, Hail, Caesar!, Bridget Jones’s Baby, Baby Driver, Darkest Hour, Victoria & Abdul, The King of Thieves, Johnny English Strikes Again, Mary Queen of Scots, Radioactive, Yesterday, Emma, The High Note, Rebecca, Cyrano, Last Night in Soho, Ticket to Paradise, What's Love Got to Do with It?, Catherine Called Birdy, Matila The Musical and Polite Society.

Recognition

• He was awarded the C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to the British film industry.
• In 2013, he and Bevan received the David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures from the Producers Guild of America.^[4]
• In 2013, he was Awarded a Career Achievement Award at Zurich Film Festival.
• 2018: Cinematic Production Award of the Royal Photographic Society

Personal life

Fellner has five children. 3 from his marriage and two with his long-time partner who is photographer Laura Bailey and they live in London.

Philanthropy

He is the Chairman of Into Film which is a charity which aims to put film at the heart of children and young people’s educational, cultural and personal development. Along with his business partner Tim Bevan, Lisa Bryer, David Heyman, Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson he founded the London Screen Academy in September 2019, a sixth form school teaching behind the camera skills to a student body of 800. ^[5]

Filmography

Film

Television

Executive producer

Producer

• Frankie's House (1992) (Television film)

Thanks

• Independent Lens (2005) (Documentary)