The Insider Interviews - GLADIATOR Screenwriter William Nicholson

This latest iteration of our long-running Insider Interviews series is with William Nicholson, the prolific screenwriter behind such hits as Gladiator, Shadowlands, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Breathe, amongst many others.

William Nicholson Biography

Though perhaps most known for his work as a screenwriter, William Nicholson is a writer across film, novels, theatre and television. And this breadth was visible right from the start of his career, when he wrote a TV play (Shadowlands), which then became a stage play, which then became an Oscar-nominated film.

In addition to his stage, film and TV work, he is also a prolific novelist, most notably in the fantasy genre, with his Wind on Fire and Noble Warriors trilogy.

But it is screenwriting where William Nicholson has his most notable credits. He’s been twice Oscar-nominated and has also worked as a writer-director on a number of occasions. Moreover, he has written screenplays for some of the biggest directors in Hollywood, such as Jerry Zucker, Ridley Scott, Tom Hooper, Angelina Jolie and Ron Howard.

So we sat down to talk with him about why he loves screenwriting compared to other mediums, his writing routine and his excitement at the future for young writers.