Happy Birthday to Kiwi production designer Grant Major, who turns 59 today!
Grant Major was born on April 18, 1955 in Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand. He is perhaps best known for his Academy Award winning work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Though he may not be as much of a household name as some of the actors, his work most certainly is. Grant played a key role in the creation of some of the most well recognized Middle-earth locations from the LOTR trilogy. Massive sets such as Helm’s Deep, Hobbiton, Rivendell, Moria, and more were carefully constructed under his supervision. Without Grant’s keen eye and detail-oriented mind, we would not have the same picturesque version of Middle-earth that we all know and love today.
Grant’s list of awards and nominations for his production design on The Lord of the Rings trilogy is quite extensive! Take a look below:
The Fellowship of the Ring
- Academy Award nomination (2002 Best Art Direction-Set Decoration)
- BAFTA Film Award nomination (2001 Best Production Design)
- AFI Award (2001 Production Designer of the Year)
- Golden Satellite Award nomination (2002 Best Art Direction)
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Award (2002 Best Production Design)
- National Board of Review Award (2001 Outstanding Production Design)
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards – 2nd Place (2001 Best Production Design)
- Art Directors Guild – Excellence in Production Design Award nomination (2001 Period or Fantasy Film)
The Two Towers
- Academy Award nomination (2003 Best Art Direction-Set Decoration)
- BAFTA Film Award nomination (2002 Best Production Design)
- Art Directors Guild – Excellence in Production Design Award (2002 Period or Fantasy Film)
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Award (2003 Best Production Design)
The Return of the King
- Academy Award (2004 Best Art Direction-Set Decoration)
- BAFTA Film Award nomination (2003 Best Production Design)
- Art Directors Guild – Excellence in Production Design Award (2003 Period or Fantasy Film)
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award (2004 Best Production Design)
- Phoenix Film Critics Society Award (2004 Best Production Design)
- San Diego Film Critics Society Award (2003 Best Production Design)
- Golden Satellite Award (2004 Best Art Direction)
You can check out Grant’s website right here.
The Middle-earth News Team is pleased to wish Grant a very Happy Birthday!
