P. J. Hogan Explained

Birth Name:Paul John Hogan
Birth Date:30 November 1962
Birth Place:Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Years Active:1984–present
Notable Works:Muriel's Wedding
My Best Friend's Wedding
Peter Pan
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Spouse:Jocelyn Moorhouse
Children:4

Paul John Hogan (born 30 November 1962)[1] is an Australian film director and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the films Muriel's Wedding (1994), My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Peter Pan (2003) and Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009).

Early life

Hogan was born in Brisbane, Queensland. As a teenager, he lived on the North Coast of New South Wales and attended Mt St Patrick's College. He was said to have had a difficult time in high school as he was a victim of bullying. His film Mental is based upon his difficult adolescent years.[2]

Career

Hogan's directorial debut was the short film Getting Wet, made in 1984. This film won him an AACTA Award for Best Short Fiction Film. He then went on to direct minor films. In 1991, he was the assistant director of the Australian film Proof. In the early 1990s, he wrote for several television series, including The Flying Doctors in 1991 and for Lift Off in 1992.

Hogan's first big hit was the 1994 Australian film Muriel's Wedding, which helped launch the careers of actors Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths. He both wrote and directed this film, and was nominated for Best Director at the AACTA Awards. The success of the film also led him to be chosen by Julia Roberts to direct his 1997 American debut My Best Friend's Wedding, which also starred Cameron Diaz and Dermot Mulroney.

Hogan followed this with the comedy Unconditional Love (which was filmed in 1999 but not released until 2003), and 2003's big budget adaptation of Peter Pan, starring Jason Isaacs as Captain Hook, Jeremy Sumpter as Peter Pan and Rachel Hurd-Wood as Wendy. Despite positive reviews, the 2003 Peter Pan film failed at the box office. The following year he directed a pilot for a remake of the cult soap opera Dark Shadows, which was not picked up for broadcast, and created the story for the 2008 musical film The American Mall. He then directed Confessions of a Shopaholic (starring Isla Fisher), an adaptation of the novel The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic.[3] In 1999, both Hogan and Moorhouse through Hogan Moorhouse Pictures signed a first look deal with Sony.[4]

In 2012, he reunited with Muriel star Collette for the comedy Mental.[5] Hogan will direct an adaptation of Blue Balliett's book Chasing Vermeer.[6]

Personal life

Hogan is married to film director Jocelyn Moorhouse. They have four children, two of whom are autistic.[7] [8]

In April 2019, Moorhouse spoke on the ABC Television program Australian Story about how their relationship had developed and how having the children had affected their personal and professional lives, including a move back to Australia from the US.[9] [10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorWriterNotes
1984Getting Wet Short film
1986The Humpty Dumpty Man
1988To Make a Killing
1994Muriel's Wedding Nominated- BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
Nominated- AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
1997My Best Friend's Wedding
2002Unconditional Love
2003Peter Pan
2009Confessions of a Shopaholic
2012 MentalNominated- AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
2015The DressmakerAlso executive producer

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterNotes
1987The Bartons Episode "The Siege of the Bartons"
1990The Flying Doctors Episode "Poets' Corner"
Skirts
1991The Miraculous Mellops 2 episodes
1992Lift Off
1993Seven Deadly SinsEpisode "Sloth"
2004Dark ShadowsUnaired pilot
2008The American Mall TV movie

Notes and References

  1. http://www.nndb.com/people/907/000174385/ NNDB
  2. http://theweekendedition.com.au/mapmagazine/p-j-hogan/ Theweekendedition.com.au
  3. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=23133 P.J. Hogan to Direct Shopaholic - ComingSoon.net
  4. Web site: Carver. Benedict. 1999-01-29. Oz pix pair wed best friend Sony. 2021-06-13. Variety. en-US.
  5. Web site: Mental starts to walk red carpet at AIMC opening night. 20 July 2012. Australian International Movie Convention. 24 July 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121018062231/http://www.movieconvention.com.au/icms_docs/130093_Media_Release_-_Opening_Night_Premiere.pdf. 18 October 2012.
  6. Web site: Joshua. Tyler. Mental Page on Toni Collette Online. Toni Collette Online. 19 July 2012. 20 July 2012.
  7. News: THR Staff. Watch THR's Full, Uncensored Actress Roundtable With Jennifer Lawrence, Brie Larson and More. 12 January 2016. The Hollywood Reporter. 6 January 2016.
  8. News: Neill. Rosemary. Dressmaker director Jocelyn Moorhouse on Kate Winslet and Eucalyptus. 12 January 2016. The Australian. 26 September 2015.
  9. Web site: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Filmmakers Jocelyn Moorhouse and PJ Hogan juggle movies and having children with autism. Greg. Hassell. 15 April 2019. 15 April 2019.
  10. Web site: Australian Story (iview). Australian Broadcasting Corporation.