Justin Martin

Justin Martin is an Australian director of theatre, film, and television who has worked mainly in England. He is known for his solo direction of the National Theatre production of Suzie Miller's play Prima Facie in 2021, as well as for his collaborations with director Stephen Daldry. One such collaboration is Stranger Things: The First Shadow, still running in the West End after beginning its run in December 2023. His plays have also had Broadway runs. has received a BAFTA TV Award as well as nominations for two Laurence Olivier Awards and a Drama Desk Award.

Early life and education Justin Martin grew up in Australia.

He moved to London to be with a partner, and found that he enjoyed working there.

Martin worked as an associate director for Daldry's award-winning stage productions of the David Hare play Skylight, starring Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan (2014); The Audience, starring Helen Mirren (2013); and The Inheritance (2018–9), all of which played on the West End and Broadway.

He worked as co-director with Daldry The Jungle (2017–2019), Kyoto (2024–5), and Stranger Things. As co-directors, the pair "divide up the show and then come back together to look at what the other has done". The work was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play.

In 2021 he directed (solo) the West End production of Suzie Miller's play Prima Facie starring Jodie Comer, for which he was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director.

In December 2023 Martin began co-directing (with Daldry) the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel to the Netflix streaming series at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End. Together they received a nomination for the Olivier Award for Best Director. the play is still running at the Phoenix.

In July 2025, Martin directs Rosamund Pike in the West End debut of another National Theatre production of a Suzie Miller play, called Inter Alia. He said in mid-2025 that the pair had another collaboration planned, finishing a trilogy of legal dramas. as well as overseeing successful and record-breaking NT Live performances of Skylight (2014), The Audience (2015), and Prima Facie (2022), which hit number one at the UK cinema box office twice.

Activism Martin is an associate artist with Good Chance Theatre - a company dedicated to making work with and about refugees. He has directed a number of works for them, including working on a number of promos for "The Walk" - a theatre festival spanning 8000 km from The Syrian border to Manchester.

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Project Result Ref.2019 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Director of a Play The Jungle 2022 BAFTA TV Award Best Single Drama Together 2023 Laurence Olivier Award Best Director Prima Facie 2024 Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Credits Theatre Year Title Playwright Credit Venue Refs.2011 Billy Elliot Lee Hall Resident director National tour 2015 Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway 2014 Skylight David Hare Associate director Wyndhams Theatre, West End 2015 John Golden Theater, Broadway 2017 The Jungle Joe Robertson and Joe Murphy Director The Young Vic, London 2019 St. Ann's Warehouse, New York 2018 The Inheritance Parts 1 & 2 Matthew López Associate director The Young Vic, London 2020 Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway 2022 Prima Facie Suzie Miller Director Harold Pinter Theatre, West End 2023 John Golden Theater, Broadway 2023 Stranger Things: The First Shadow Kate Trefry Director Phoenix Theatre, West End 2024KyotoJoe Robertson and Joe MurphyDirectorSwan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 2025@sohoplace, West End

Television Year Title Credit Notes Ref.2013 The Audience Associate director National Theatre Live 2014 Skylight Associate director National Theatre Live 2016–2017 The Crown Second unit director Netflix series; 12 episodes 2021 Together Co-director BBC Television film 2022 Prima Facie Director National Theatre Live 2023 The Lovers Director Sky Atlantic series; 6 episodes