Roland Emmerich

Biography

Roland Emmerich is a German film director and producer of blockbuster films like The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Godzilla (1998), Independence Day (1996), and The Patriot (2000).

 Before fame, he originally wanted to be a production designer, but decided to be a director, after watching the original Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). 

Emmerich began his career in his native Germany. In his youth, he pursued painting and sculpting. While enrolled in the director's program at a film school in Munich, his student film The Noah's Ark Principle (1984) went on to open the 1984 Berlin Film Festival. 

The feature became a huge success and was sold to more than 20 countries. In an amazing trivia, he directed his first feature, The Noah's Ark Principle (1984), in 1984. He is openly gay and a campaigner for the LGBT community.

A director/writer/producer with a flair for special effects-driven action, German Roland Emmerich made himself at home in blockbuster-hungry 1990s Hollywood. Born and educated in West Germany, Emmerich studied production design as well as direction at the Munich Film and Television School. 

After his student film, The Noah's Ark Principle, debuted at the 1984 Berlin Film Festival, Emmerich formed his production company Centropolis and directed supernatural fantasies Making Contact (1986) and Ghost Chase (1987), and the straight-to-video action film Moon 44 (1990). 

On the latter, he met actor Dean Devlin who subsequently switched jobs to become Emmerich's writing and producing partner once Emmerich set up shop in Hollywood.

After making his solo Hollywood debut directing Jean-Claude Van Damme in the cyborg action fest Universal Soldier (1992), Emmerich and Devlin revealed a talent for conjuring A-level action spectacles out of B-movie scenarios with their first film together, Stargate (1994).

 A space odyssey mixing ancient Egyptian and high-tech wizardry, Stargate became an unexpected hit. Emmerich hit his blockbuster stride with his next film, Independence Day (1996). 

With its eye-popping destruction of major cities and climactic annihilation of a spacecraft via portable computer, Independence Day blew away its summer movie competition on the strength of its visual flash. 

Geared to repeat with the endlessly- and creatively-hyped version of Godzilla (1998), Emmerich instead faced the conundrum of directing a $100 million grossing film that did not live up to box office expectations.

 Emmerich and Devlin next turned their epic visions to the decidedly lower-tech (but still CGI-enhanced) action of the American Revolution in the Mel Gibson summer vehicle The Patriot (2000).

Credits Sylvester Stallone with giving him his big break. Stallone was impressed with Moon 44 (1990) and began recommending Emmerich to producers all around Hollywood.

His five favorite films are Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Cinema Paradiso (1988), The Godfather (1972), and Citizen Kane (1941).

Is one of the few openly gay directors in Hollywood. Although he claims to have encountered a certain degree of homophobia from studios, he nevertheless feels that as a director, coming out has not harmed his career in the way that it did for some high-profile actors (who had difficulties finding work afterward). By his own admission, he can still do the movies that he wants to make.

Donated $150,000 to the Outfest's Legacy Project, which is dedicated to gay and lesbian film preservation, the largest gift in the festival's history (2006).

Along with other celebrities, he raised money for women's rights in the developing world.

His nickname of "Das Spielbergle aus Sindelfingen" (translated as "lil' Spielberg of Sindelfingen") sounds flattering, but it was actually bestowed upon him in the 1980s by the German media as an insult. 

Emmerich made his films in English and in the style of the latter part of the "New Hollywood" era. This did not sit well with German movie critics who still preferred the conventional styles that were influenced by the French New Wave and the New German Cinema.

Since directing The Day After Tomorrow (2004), he has tried to focus the public's attention on the issue of global warming.

Turned down the offer to direct Die Another Day (2002).

He lists The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Towering Inferno (1974), and Earthquake (1974) (disaster movies) as his favorites.

Emmerich was interested in doing Transformers (2007), but Dreamworks wanted Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay over him.

Was originally considered to direct Spider-Man (2002).

Frequently casts members of a particular group of actors in minor roles in his movies. This group includes John Storey, David Pressman, Erick Avari, Leon Rippy, Christopher John Fields, Derek Webster, Jack Moore, and Steve Giannelli, among others. 

All of these actors appeared in at least three films directed by Emmerich, including Universal Soldier (1992), Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998), and The Patriot (2000). All of these films were produced by Centropolis Entertainment, the company co-founded by Emmerich.

His movie The Noah's Ark Principle (1984) has been the most high-budgeted film-school examination film (DEM 1,000,000) in Germany (1984).

Emmerich is best known for his action disaster films and is most identifiable with his trademarks, which include blowing up national landmarks, destroying cities, and focusing heavily on extravagant special effects. 

Emmerich joked that White House Down (2013) actually was a step down from his previous more over-the-top action films. Emmerich directed Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), 10,000 BC (2008), 2012 (2009), and White House Down (2013).

 He is a great fan of disaster movies and is attracted to tearing down cities. If you see a disaster film, then you know it's him.

Produced The Visitor (1997), Eight Legged Freaks (2002), and 2012 (2009), each of which features a major character who hosts his own radio show dealing with the paranormal and conspiracy theories. Each character also broadcasts from their camper.

Brother of Ute Emmerich.

Attended the School of Television and Film in Munich from 1977 to 1981.

Lives in Beverly Hills, California.

Supported Hillary Clinton's 2008 electoral campaign.

President of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 55th Berlin International Film Festival in 2005.

Graduated from the Hochschule Fur Film & Fernsehen.