Richard Linklater

Biography

Richard Linklater is an American film director, screenwriter and producer known for his independent filmmaking style, naturalistic storytelling and films exploring human relationships, youth culture and the passage of time. He is regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of American independent cinema.

Born on July 30, 1960, in Houston, Texas, United States, Richard Stuart Linklater developed an interest in literature and cinema during his early years. He attended Sam Houston State University but left his studies before graduating. He later worked on an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. During this period, he developed a strong interest in filmmaking after frequently visiting a repertory cinema in Houston.

Career

Linklater moved to Austin, Texas, where he purchased a Super 8 camera and began making films independently. In 1985, he founded the Austin Film Society to promote independent and international cinema. His first feature film, It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (1988), introduced his experimental filmmaking approach.

He gained widespread recognition with Slacker (1990), which portrayed the lives of unconventional young people in Austin. He followed it with the coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused (1993), which became a cult classic and helped establish his reputation in Hollywood.

Linklater achieved further success with the romantic drama Before Sunrise (1995), starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. The film was followed by Before Sunset (2004) and Before Midnight (2013), completing the acclaimed Before trilogy.

Throughout his career, he explored different genres and filmmaking techniques, including rotoscope animation, experimental storytelling, comedy, romance and drama. His film Boyhood (2014), which was filmed over 12 years with the same cast, became one of his most celebrated projects.

Notable Films

Some of his most recognised films include:

Slacker (1990)

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Before Sunrise (1995)

SubUrbia (1996)

The Newton Boys (1998)

Waking Life (2001)

School of Rock (2003)

Before Sunset (2004)

A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Me and Orson Welles (2008)

Bernie (2011)

Before Midnight (2013)

Boyhood (2014)

Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)

Last Flag Flying (2017)

Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2019)

Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood (2022)

Hit Man (2023)

Blue Moon (2025)

Nouvelle Vague (2025)

Awards and Recognition

Linklater has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career. He won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin International Film Festival for Before Sunrise (1995) and Boyhood (2014). Boyhood also earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Director in 2015, along with several Academy Award nominations. In 2015, he was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Personal Life

Linklater has maintained strong connections with Austin, Texas, where he has lived and developed much of his filmmaking career. He has three daughters, including actress Lorelei Linklater, who appeared in Boyhood. His longtime partner is Christina Harrison.