Peter Hewitt

An unapologetic populist, British director Peter Hewitt grew up above his parents' candy store in the seaside resort town of Brighton. On Sunday afternoons, he and his six siblings would buy sweets downstairs, then come back up to watch that afternoon's movie on television. Soon he was making movies in the backyard, then got a job as a theater usher. While a student at the National Film School, Hewitt's graduate short, "The Candy Show," won Best Short Film from the BAFTAs (the British equivalent of the Oscars) in 1990. The positive attention brought him to Hollywood, where he beat out 50 directors for the chance to direct the sequel to the popular time-traveling comedy "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey." A series of children's films followed, including the tepid "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" adaptation "Tom and Huck" and the more ambitious fantasy "The Borrowers," a well-received update of Mary Norton's beloved novel about a family of miniature people. In 2001, Hewitt directed actress Keira Knightley in her first leading role as Robin Hood's daughter Gwyn in the television movie "Princess of Thieves." His biggest commercial success yet arrived with 2004's popular if critically-derided "Garfield: The Movie." Subsequent films like 2006's superhero comedy "Zoom" attracted equally bad reviews without the attendant box office returns.