John Michael McDonagh

John Michael McDonagh (born 1967) is a British-Irish filmmaker. He wrote and directed The Guard and Calvary (2014), with the former earning him a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Early life John Michael McDonagh was born to Irish parents in the Camberwell area of London in 1967. His mother was a part-time housekeeper from Killeenduff, while his father was a construction worker from Lettermullen. He holds both British and Irish citizenship, referring to himself as "London Irish" because he does not "feel particularly British [or] particularly Irish". He and his brother were raised in Camberwell while spending summers in Killeenduff. He made his first foray by writing and directing the short film The Second Death (2000), on which his brother served as an executive producer. The film received critical acclaim, becoming the most financially successful independent Irish film of all time. Among several honours, McDonagh was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay. His next film, Calvary (2014), received acclaim. His next two films, War on Everyone (2016) and The Forgiven (2021), received mixed reviews.

In 2014, McDonagh spoke of plans to end the "trilogy" he started with The Guard and Calvary with a film titled The Lame Shall Enter First. It will follow a paraplegic ex-policeman in London who has developed a hatred for non-disabled people and gets caught up in a new investigation after one of his friends is murdered. It is intended to be an amalgamation of themes and tones present in the first two films. He has also mentioned numerous other forthcoming projects such as Fear Is the Rider, a thriller starring Abbey Lee and Christopher Abbott; and The Bonnot Gang, a period gangster film about the titular French anarchist gang;

McDonagh frequently works with the same actors, including Brendan Gleeson, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot, Marie-Josée Croze, and Caleb Landry Jones. He has also frequently worked with cinematographer Larry Smith and composer Lorne Balfe.

Personal life McDonagh has been married to Australian film producer Elizabeth Eves since 2003.

Filmography Short film Year Title Director Writer 2000 The Second Death

Feature film Year Title Director Writer Producer 2003 Ned Kelly 2011 The Guard 2014 Calvary 2016 War on Everyone 2021 The Forgiven