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 directed 'Shrek,' which won the first Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Born in New Zealand in 1966, he started in visual effects, working on a 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' television miniseries before joining DreamWorks Animation. 'Shrek' shredded the fairy tale rulebook with technical innovation and subversive humor, proving CGI animation could be witty and emotionally resonant for all ages. Adamson then pivoted to live-action, directing the first two 'Chronicles of Narnia' films with sweeping earnestness. His career bridged animation's traditional past and its digitally driven 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?”
