Who Is Nicolas Roeg? Age, Biography and Wiki
Nicolas Roeg was born on August 15, 1928, in the UK and sadly passed away in 2018. Renowned for his unique vision in the film industry, Roeg was a pivotal figure in cinema, known for his innovative storytelling and stunning cinematography. His works, including films like Performance, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and Don't Look Now, have left a lasting impact on the art of filmmaking, influencing countless directors and cinematographers. In 2025, his legacy continues to be celebrated through screenings and retrospectives showcasing his contributions to film.
| Occupation | Cinematographer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | August 15, 1928 |
| Age | 96 Years |
| Birth Place | St John's Wood, London, England |
| Horoscope | Leo |
| Country | England |
Popularity
Nicolas Roeg's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific body measurements were not widely publicized during Roeg's lifetime, he was known for his charismatic presence both on and off camera. The importance of how filmmakers present themselves can often be seen in the films they create, and Roeg's artistic vision undoubtedly transcended mere physical attributes.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Nicolas Roeg was married twice. His first marriage was to actress and producer Wendy Vaughan in 1957, with whom he had three children. After their divorce, he married his second wife, Theresa Russell, in 1982. The couple had a son together. Throughout his life, Roeg was known to maintain a close-knit relationship with family, even as he pursued his demanding career in the film industry.
He had an older sister, Nicolette (1925–1987), who was an actress. His father, of Dutch origin, achieved considerable success in the diamond trade, until a failed South African investment saw him suffer heavy financial losses.
Of his initial attraction to the film industry, Roeg suggested it was sparked by a recording studio located opposite his home. Roeg was educated at the Mercers' School in London.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing in 2018, Nicolas Roeg's estimated net worth was around $10 million, attributed to his lengthy and successful career in film. While specifics on his earnings in 2025 are not applicable, his influential work continues to resonate, likely maintaining a legacy of financial success through continued interest in his films and potential posthumous earnings from his extensive body of work.
Career, Business and Investments
Nicolas Roeg's career spanned over five decades, where he not only worked as a director but also as a cinematographer and editor. His daring approach to filmmaking often incorporated unconventional narrative structures and visual styles. Roeg also ventured into producing films, ensuring a diverse portfolio that highlighted his eyeful creativity. His work is characterized by stark visuals, thought-provoking subjects, and a focus on the psychological depth of characters, characteristics that have become his hallmark.
Making his directorial debut 23 years after his entry into the film business, Roeg quickly became known for an idiosyncratic visual and narrative style, characterised by the use of disjointed and disorienting editing. For this reason, he is considered a highly influential filmmaker, cited as an inspiration by such directors as Steven Soderbergh, Christopher Nolan and Danny Boyle.
Social Network
As of 2025, while Nicolas Roeg himself may not actively participate in social media due to his passing, fans and cinema enthusiasts share their appreciation for his work on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Various fan pages continue to promote discussions about his films, ensuring his legacy lives on in online communities dedicated to cinema and film history.
Roeg's next film, Don't Look Now, is based on Daphne du Maurier's short story of the same name and starred Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland as a married couple in Venice mourning the death of their daughter who had drowned.
It attracted scrutiny early on due to a sex scene between Sutherland and Christie, which was unusually explicit for the time.
Roeg's decision to inter-cut the sexual intercourse with shots of the couple dressing afterwards was reportedly due to the need to assuage the fears of the censors and there were rumours at the time of its release that the sex was unsimulated.
The film was widely praised by critics and considered one of the most important and influential horror films ever made.
Education
Roeg attended the Paddington Technical School and later the London School of Film Technique. His formal education laid the groundwork for a prolific career in the film industry, where he honed his skills in cinematography and direction, ultimately leading to a groundbreaking career marked by iconic films and collaborative partnerships with illustrious actors and artists.
In conclusion, Nicolas Roeg's life and work remain influential in the film industry. His innovative approach and deep storytelling continue to inspire future generations of filmmakers, ensuring that his contributions to cinema will not be forgotten.
Similarly to Performance, Roeg cast musicians in leading roles for his next two films, The Man Who Fell to Earth and Bad Timing. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) stars David Bowie as a humanoid alien who comes to Earth to collect water for his planet, which is suffering from a drought. The film divided critics and was truncated upon its U.S.
release. Despite this, it was entered into the Berlin International Film Festival where Roeg was nominated for the Golden Bear. It is today considered an important science fiction film and is one of Roeg's most celebrated films.
Bad Timing was released in 1980 and stars Art Garfunkel as an American psychiatrist living in Vienna who develops a love affair with a fellow expatriate (played by Theresa Russell, to whom Roeg was later married), which culminates in the latter being rushed to hospital due to an incident the nature of which is revealed over the course of the film.
At first, it was disliked by critics, as well as by the Rank Organisation, its distributor, who allegedly described it as "a sick film made by sick people for sick people." Rank requested that their logo be taken off the finished film.
