Andrew Adamson
He brought a grumpy green ogre to life, forever changing animation with a dose of anarchic humor and heart.
Born 1966 (age 60)·New Zealand filmmaker·Birthday: December 1·Generation X
Biography
Andrew Adamson emerged from the world of visual effects, cutting his teeth on projects like 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' television miniseries before landing at the then-fledgling DreamWorks Animation. His directorial debut, 'Shrek,' was a seismic event; it took the fairy tale rulebook and gleefully shredded it, delivering a film that was both technically groundbreaking and subversively funny. The movie's success, crowned with the first-ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature, cemented a new era where CGI animation could be witty, irreverent, and emotionally resonant for all ages. Adamson then pivoted to live-action, steering the first two 'Chronicles of Narnia' films with a sweeping, earnest grandeur that contrasted with 'Shrek's' cynicism, proving his versatility in bringing beloved literary worlds to the screen. His career represents a bridge between animation's traditional past and its digitally-driven, personality-rich future.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Andrew was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Andrew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Directed 'Shrek,' which won the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2002.
- Co-wrote and directed the commercially and critically successful sequel 'Shrek 2.'
- Successfully transitioned to live-action by directing and co-writing 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.'
- Helmed the first two films in the Narnia franchise, which grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide combined.
Did You Know?
He began his career as a lighting cameraman and visual effects artist in New Zealand.
He provided the voice for the 'Ghost of Christmas Present' in the 2009 film 'A Christmas Carol.'
He was a producer on the Oscar-nominated animated film 'Puss in Boots' (2011).
“Shrek came from asking, what if the ogre was the hero?”
