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Emerald Fennell Born
Emerald Fennell was born in Hammersmith, London, into a creative family. Her father was a jewelry designer. -
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Lifelong Influences
She was influenced by many people, like Roald Dahl, Gothic Fairytales, and Angela Carter, because she was into feminist horror and satire in films. -
Diagnosed with Dyslexia
Fennell had a hard time with dyslexia, but it gave her a better advantage in storytelling. -
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Oxford University
Fennell studied English Literature at Greyfriars, Oxford. At that time, she acted in student productions, which helped her gain the attention of talent agents. -
Anna Karenina
Fennell had a minor role alongside Keira Knightley, which marked one of her first main screen performances. -
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Female Directors in Hollywood
Many female directors were becoming noticed, and Fennell's debut aligned with Women like Greta Gerwig and Olivia Wilde. -
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Brexit and UK Culture War
Britain went through political difficulties, which influenced the fourth one in the film Saltburn and some of her TV work. -
#Metoo movement
The film Promising Young Women was heavily influences by the movement and the exposure of Harvey Weinstein which centered around rape culture. -
Marries Chris Vernon
Because her personal life is so private, we do not know many details, but she married producer and filmmaker Chris Vernon, who assists her with some of her work. -
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Camilla in The Crown
She played Camilla Parker Bowles and got lots of praise for the complexity of her character. -
Appointed Head Writer for Killing Eve Season 2
When Fennell took over, she earned an Emmy nomination for the series and added a new layer of femme-forward energy. -
COVID-19
Promising Young Woman was planned to be theatrically released earlier, but had to be pushed back and changed to a hybrid model because of the pandemic. The film was still very successful and won many awards. -
Promising Young Woman Premieres
At the Sundance film festival, the movie shocked audiences with its nature. It was then picked up by Focus Features and became a successful film. -
Oscars
Fennell won an Oscar for best original screenplay because of the diversity and accountability of her films, and it was a big breakthrough for women in the directing and screenwriting field. -
Named in Time Magazine’s 100 Next List
She was recognized by Time as an influential leader who was shaping the future. She was highlighted for her bold and strong storytelling after Promising Young Woman. -
First Child
Fennell revealed she was pregnant with her first child at the Oscars while filming Promising Young Woman. -
Wins Oscar
She won an Oscar for best original screenplay and was the first British woman to win the award solo. She gained more attention because of her layered storytelling. -
Announces Saltburn as Next Film Project
The erotic thriller was made, and it was produced by Margot Robbie's LuckyChap. -
Saltburn released
This film was released, and viewers either loved it or did not enjoy it. It was a dark and exciting film that made headlines and proved she was a filmmaker who was not afraid of stepping out of the normal filmmaker's ways. -
Rumored to Direct Zatanna for DC Studios
There is talk about Fennell maybe writing and directing the film about a magician superhero. -
References
The Guardian – Profile of Emerald Fennell
Catherine Shoard. “Emerald Fennell: the Wickedly Funny Screen Princess of Darkness.” The Guardian, 29 Mar. 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/mar/29/emerald-fennell-the-wickedly-funny-screen-princess-of-darkness. Accessed 22 June 2025. -
References
IndieWire – Saltburn Review
Ryan Lattanzio. “Review: Saltburn’s Gothic Camp Shows Why Emerald Fennell Is a Filmmaker to Watch.” IndieWire, 12 Sept. 2023, https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/saltburn-review-emerald-fennell-1234901015/. Accessed 22 June 2025. -
References
IMDb – Emerald Fennell
Emerald Fennell. IMDb, IMDb.com, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2193504/. Accessed 22 June 2025. Variety – Margot Robbie Promising Young Woman
Rebecca Rubin. “Margot Robbie, Emerald Fennell, Josey McNamara on Promising Young Woman Podcast.” Variety, 6 Apr. 2021, https://www.variety.com/2021/awards/awards/margot-robbie-emerald-fennell-josey-mcnamara-promising-young-woman-podcast-1234941060/. Accessed 22 June 2025. -
References
Gold Derby – Saltburn Oscar Speech
Mattergenz. “Did Emerald Fennell Thank Saltburn in Her 2021 Oscar Speech?” Gold Derby, 2023, https://www.goldderby.com/article/2023/saltburn-emerald-fennell-2021-oscar-speech/. Accessed 22 June 2025.