# Morten Tyldum

Morten Tyldum (Norwegian:; born 19 May 1967) is a Norwegian film director. He is best known in his native Norway for directing the thriller film Headhunters (2011), based on the novel by Jo Nesbø, and internationally for directing the historical drama The Imitation Game (2014), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, and the science fiction drama Passengers (2016).

## Early life

Tyldum was born in Bergen, Norway. He was educated at the School of Visual Arts in New York. He originally wanted to be a musician, but abandoned the ambition when he entered film school.

## Career

He had his feature film debut with Buddy in 2003, a film that won great popular and critical acclaim. Previously he had worked in television, music videos, commercials and short films. He had been named Film Talent of the Year by the newspaper Dagbladet in 1999.
Since Buddy, he has made the movie Fallen Angels in 2008 and Headhunters (Hodejegerne) in 2011. Headhunters is based on the 2008 novel by same name written by Jo Nesbø. It became the highest-grossing Norwegian film that year.
He made his English language debut with the historical drama The Imitation Game, about the life of mathematician Alan Turing, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. The Imitation Game immediately became an international success, and was nominated for eight Oscars at the 87th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and a Best Director nomination for Tyldum himself.

## Personal life

Tyldum lived in Beverly Hills with his wife Janne and their child. They also maintained a house in Norway. After he divorced his wife and her death by suicide, he moved back to Oslo, Norway, with his son.

## Filmography

Film
* Buddy (2003)
* Fallen Angels (2008)
* Headhunters (2011)
* The Imitation Game (2014)
* Passengers (2016)
Short film
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1996 | Lorenzo | |
| 2000 | Fort Forever | |
| 2002 | H | Segment of Folk flest bor i Kina |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer | Notes |
| 1991 | U - rett og slett | Yes | No | |
| 1992 | U - Verden | Yes | No | |
| 1992-1994 | U | Yes | No | 19 episodes |
| 1993 | U - Vår Vår | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | U - Musikk | Yes | No | Miniseries |
| 1994 | U-natt | Yes | No | 1 episode |
| 1994 | U - Åtte & 1/2 | Yes | No | 8 episodes |
| 1996 | En mann må gjøre det han må | Yes | No | TV movie |
| 2017 | Counterpart | Yes | Yes | Episode "The Crossing" |
| 2018 | Jack Ryan | Yes | Yes | Episode "Pilot" |
| 2020 | Defending Jacob | Yes | Yes | Miniseries |
| 2023 | Silo | Yes | Yes | 3 episodes |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Title | Result |
| 2002 | Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival - Special Prize | Buddy | Won |
| 2002 | Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival - FIPRESCI Prize | Buddy | Won |
| 2002 | Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival - Award of Independent Cinema Owners | Buddy | Won |
| 2003 | Warsaw International Film Festival - Audience Award | Buddy | Won |
| 2003 | Norwegian International Film Festival - Audience Award | Buddy | Won |
| 2003 | Norwegian International Film Festival - Most Enjoyable Film | Buddy | Won |
| 2003 | Molodist International Film Festival - Best Film Award | Buddy | Nominated |
| 2003 | Bratislava International Film Festival - Grand Prix | Buddy | Nominated |
| 2003 | Amanda Awards, Norway - Best Nordic Newcomer | Buddy | Nominated |
| 2004 | Sofia International Film Festival - Grand Prix | Buddy | Won |
| 2004 | Amanda Awards, Norway - Best Film | Buddy | Won |
| 2008 | Amanda Awards, Norway - Best Director | Fallen Angels | Won |
| 2011 | Philadelphia Film Festival - Audience Award | Headhunters | Won |
| 2012 | European Film Awards - Audience Award | Headhunters | Nominated |
| 2012 | Amanda Awards, Norway - Public Choice Award | Headhunters | Won |
| 2013 | BAFTA Film Award - Best Foreign Film | Headhunters | Nominated |
| 2014 | Hollywood Film Awards - Best Director | The Imitation Game | Won |
| 2015 | AACTA International Awards - Best Direction | The Imitation Game | Nominated |
| 2015 | Directors Guild Awards - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film | The Imitation Game | Nominated |
| 2015 | Academy Award for Best Director | The Imitation Game | Nominated |