Jez Butterworth

'Jeremy “Jez” Butterworth (born March 1969) is an English dramatist and film director.

Life and career

Butterworth was born in London, England, and attended Verulam Comprehensive School, St Albans and St John's College, Cambridge. His brother Steve is a producer and brothers Tom and John-Henry are also writers.

A major influence on Butterworth's work is 2005 Nobel Literature Laureate Harold Pinter: "I know and admire Harold Pinter enormously. He has a ginormous influence on me. Conversations with him have inspired my work."

Butterworth has had major success with his play Mojo (which premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in 1995). It won the Laurence Olivier, an Evening Standard and the George Devine awards. Butterworth wrote and directed the film adaptation of Mojo, released in 1997. This featured Harold Pinter. He directed and co-wrote with his brother Tom the film Birthday Girl (2001), which was produced by his brother Steve and starred Nicole Kidman.

Butterworth also achieved positive reviews with his plays The Night Heron (which premiered at the Royal Court in 2002) and The Winterling (also at the Royal Court in 2006).

In May 2007 Butterworth received the E. M. Forster Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

His play Parlour SongButterworth, J. (2009) Parlour Song, Nick Hern Books, London. ISBN 978-1848420267 opened to "rave reviews" at the Atlantic Theatre Company, in New York City in...
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