Since he has spent the vast majority of his career behind the camera, there are lots of people who may not be familiar with Robert Eggers’ name and/or face. However, chances are you’ve probably heard of some of his projects. Eggers has directed three feature films including the 2019 movie The Lighthouse. His ability to bring stories to life is something that earned him respect from people all over the world. Robert’s latest movie, The Northman will be released on April 22 and his fan base is really looking forward to it. If Robert continues going at the pace he’s been working at, he could end up becoming one of the most well-known directors of his generation. Keep reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about Robert Eggers.
1. He’s A New Hampshire Native
Robert was born and raised in New Hampshire and he is very proud of his New England roots. When he was younger, he spent a lot of time visiting Plimoth Plantation which is a museum that was designed to replicate the settlement of Plymouth, Massachusetts. These days, however, Robert lives in New York City.
2. He’s Done A Little Bit of Acting
As mentioned earlier, Robert has spent most of his career behind the camera. However, he also has the skills to shine in front of it. When he moved to New York City, he enrolled in an acting conservatory. He made his on-screen debut in 2016 in a TV series called Electric Shorts. To date, this is his only on-screen acting credit.
3. He’s A Husband and Father
Throughout the years, Robert has chosen to be very private when it comes to her personal life. As a result, many people probably don’t know that he has been married for several years. His wife, Dr. Alexandra Shaker, is a clinical psychologist and the couple has one child together.
4. He Doesn’t Like Watching The Witch
The 2015 movie The Witch marked Robert’s directorial debut with a feature film. Although he was very proud of it at the time, his feelings have since changed. During an interview with The Guardian, Robert shared that he can’t stand to watch The Witch. He said, “It’s not that it’s bad, and the performances are great, but I was not skilled enough as a film-maker to get what was in my brain on to the screen. In The Lighthouse, I was able to do that. And The Northman, I’m proud of the movie, but not everything is quite what I hoped it would be. So I would like to do something with the scope and scale that I can actually get what’s in my imagination on to the screen”.
5. He’s Not Into Social Media
Since Rober is a private person who also enjoys working behind the scenes, it’s probably not too surprising to find out that he doesn’t have an interest in social media. In fact, it doesn’t look like he has verified accounts on any social media platforms. Fortunately for his fans, however, there are plenty of fan pages dedicated to him.
6. He Enjoys Doing Research
It goes without saying that creativity is part of Robert’s process, but most people probably don’t realize how much research goes into what he does. Robert told Vox, “…my entire process is research-based. With the creation of the physical world, the material world, I’m trying for it to be as accurate as possible.”
7. Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga Was One Of His Early Inspirations
At this point in his life, Robert Eggers has become an inspiration to lots of people. However, just like everyone else, there are things that have inspired him too. One of those things was the 1983 movie, Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga. When describing what the movie meant to him, Robert told Far Out Magazine, “Seeing how all the creatures were made, looking inside Jabba The Hut, all of the maquettes lined up, building the world… ‘This is a job?!’ I was always avidly watching special features and behind the scenes stuff. Of course, I still am”.
8. He Wants to Work On Smaller Projects
Working on major projects is something that Robert has always dreamed of. However, now that he’s accomplished that he’d like to take a step back. He told Collider, “I think I would prefer to do something smaller next. I would make a movie even bigger than this, as far as the experience of doing it, but I would want to have total control from the beginning. I’m very proud of the film and I’m very proud of my collaboration with the studio and everyone’s mutual support in the end, but it’s a lot harder working that way, I have to say.”
9. It’s Unclear If He’s Had Formal Filmmaking Training
While we know that Robert went to an acting conservatory in New York City, we weren’t able to find any information on what inspired him to get into the business in the first place or whether or not he’s had any kind of filmmaking education. Regardless, though, he has gotten a lot of on-the-job training over the years.
10. He’s A Big Ingmar Bergman Fan
Anyone who loves movies has a favorite filmmaker and Robert Eggers is no exception. While talking to Valley News, Robert revealed that Ingmar Bergman is his favorite filmmaker and has been a big influence on him throughout the years. Some of Bergman’s most well-known projects include The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries.
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