Jump to content

Stuart Craig

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stuart Craig
OBE RDI
Born(1942-04-14)14 April 1942
Norwich, Norfolk, England
Died7 September 2025(2025-09-07) (aged 83)
Windsor, Berkshire, England
Education
OccupationProduction designer
Years active1967–2022
Spouse
Patricia Stangroom
​
(m. 1965)​
Children2
AwardsBest Art Direction
1982 Gandhi
1988 Dangerous Liaisons
1996 The English Patient
Best Production Design
1980 The Elephant Man
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2016 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Stuart Norman Craig OBE RDI (14 April 1942 – 7 September 2025) was a British production designer. In a career spanning a half-century, he won three Academy Awards and three BAFTAs. He was particularly known for his work with Stephenie McMillan on the Harry Potter films, and with Anna Pinnock on the Fantastic Beasts films.[1]

Life and career

[edit]

Background

[edit]

Stuart Norman Craig was born in Norwich on 14 April 1942.[2][3] His film career started upon his graduation from the Royal College of Art in 1966.[2][3]

In 1966, Craig married Patricia Stangroom, with whom he had two children.[2][3] He died from Parkinson's disease at his home in Windsor, Berkshire, on 7 September 2025, at the age of 83.[2][3][4]

Career

[edit]

Craig was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and won three: in 1982 for Gandhi, in 1988 for Dangerous Liaisons, and in 1996 for The English Patient. He was nominated for a BAFTA award sixteen times, including for the first six and last Potter films, and won three times: in 1980 for The Elephant Man, in 2005 for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and in 2016 for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.[2]

For his work on The English Patient, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2, Craig was nominated for an Art Directors Guild award and won the same for The English Patient and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.[citation needed] The Guild has also honoured Craig with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the awards ceremony on 16 February 2008.[5]

At Potter author J. K. Rowling's request, he worked with Universal Creative team to design the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park. Rowling said in a December 2007 interview on the Potter podcast PotterCast, "The key thing for me was that, if there was to be a theme park, that Stuart Craig … would be involved. … More than involved, that he would pretty much design it. Because I love the look of the films; they really mirror what’s been in my imagination for all these years".[6]

Craig was nominated for a BAFTA Award for six films in a row, namely the first six Harry Potter films.

Filmography

[edit]

As art director

As production designer

Year Title Director
1980 Saturn 3 Stanley Donen
The Elephant Man David Lynch
1982 Gandhi Richard Attenborough
1984 Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes Hugh Hudson
Cal Pat O'Connor
1986 The Mission Roland Joffé
1987 Cry Freedom Richard Attenborough
1988 Dangerous Liaisons Stephen Frears
Stars and Bars Pat O'Connor
1990 Memphis Belle Michael Caton-Jones
1992 Chaplin Richard Attenborough
1993 The Secret Garden Agnieszka Holland
Shadowlands Richard Attenborough
1996 Mary Reilly Stephen Frears
The English Patient Anthony Minghella
In Love and War Richard Attenborough
1998 The Avengers Jeremiah S. Chechik
1999 Notting Hill Roger Michell
2000 The Legend of Bagger Vance Robert Redford
2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Chris Columbus
2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Alfonso Cuarón
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Mike Newell
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix David Yates
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
2012 Gambit Michael Hoffman
2016 The Legend of Tarzan David Yates
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
2018 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
2022 Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Awards and nominations

[edit]

Academy Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1980 Best Art Direction The Elephant Man Nominated [7]
1982 Gandhi Won [8]
1986 The Mission Nominated [9]
1988 Dangerous Liaisons Won [10]
1992 Chaplin Nominated [11]
1996 The English Patient Won [12]
2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Nominated [13]
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Nominated [14]
2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Nominated [15]
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Nominated [16]
2016 Best Production Design Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Nominated [17]

British Academy Film Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1980 Best Production Design The Elephant Man Won [18]
1982 Gandhi Nominated [19]
1984 Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes Nominated [20]
1986 The Mission Nominated [21]
1989 Dangerous Liaisons Nominated [22]
1992 Chaplin Nominated [23]
1996 The English Patient Nominated [24]
2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Nominated [25]
2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Nominated [26]
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Nominated [27]
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Won [28]
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Nominated [29]
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Nominated [30]
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Nominated [31]
2016 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Won [32]
2018 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Nominated [33]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Pulver, Andrew (9 September 2025). "Stuart Craig, Oscar-winning production designer on The English Patient and Harry Potter, dies aged 83". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e Risen, Clay (9 September 2025). "Stuart Craig, Who Designed the Movie World of Harry Potter, Dies at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Thomas, Carly (8 September 2025). "Stuart Craig, Oscar-Winning Production Designer on 'Harry Potter' and 'Fantastic Beasts' Films, Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  4. ^ Stuart Craig Dies; Oscar-Winning Production Designer From Harry Potter Franchise & ‘The English Patient’ Was 83
  5. ^ King, Susan (11 January 2008). "Art Directors Guild lists nominations and honors for Harryhausen, Craig". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 January 2008.
  6. ^ Anelli, Melissa, John Noe, Sue Upton (23 December 2007). "PotterCast 131: Rowling Along" (Podcast). PotterCast. Retrieved 21 January 2008.{{cite podcast}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "53rd Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  8. ^ "55th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  9. ^ "59th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  10. ^ "61st Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  11. ^ "65th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  12. ^ "69th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  13. ^ "74th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  14. ^ "79th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  15. ^ "83rd Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  16. ^ "84th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  17. ^ "89th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Film | Production Design in 1981". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  19. ^ "Film | Production Design in 1983". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  20. ^ "Film | Production Design in 1985". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Film | Production Design in 1987". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  22. ^ "Film | Production Design in 1990". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  23. ^ "Film | Production Design in 1993". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  24. ^ "Film | Production Design in 1997". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  25. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2002". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  26. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2003". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  27. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2005". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  28. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2006". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  29. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2008". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  30. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2010". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  31. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2012". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  32. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2017". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  33. ^ "Film | Production Design in 2019". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stuart_Craig&oldid=1318198100"