The Queen of England strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Indian clerk in Director Stephen Frears’ new biographical drama, Victoria & Abdul.
Frears’ film tells the incredible but true story of how Queen Victoria, against convention and the wishes of her household and inner circle, became friends with Abdul Karim, a young man recently arrived from India to participate in her golden jubilee celebration; and how that relationship helped her see a changing world through new eyes and joyfully reclaim her humanity.
On September 17, following the DGA membership screening in New York, Frears sat down with Director Stephen Belber (Match) to discuss the making of Victoria & Abdul.
In addition to Victoria & Abdul, Frears has more than 60 directing credits including the feature films Florence Foster Jenkins, Philomena, Dirty Pretty Things, High Fidelity, Hero, The Grifters, Dangerous Liaisons, Prick Up Your Ears and My Beautiful Laundrette. He earned a DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series for Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight and another in that same category for Fail Safe (shared with Martin Pasetta [live broadcast direction by]). He also garnered a DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for his 2006 feature The Queen. Frears has been a DGA member since 1991.