RATINGS: Cast & Crew

DOB: October 31, 1961

Background: Jackson gew up in Pukerua Bay, a coastal town near Wellington, New Zealand. He began making short films after family friends gave the Jacksons a Super 8 camera. He won a special prize for his 10-minute short "The Valley." Though he lacked formal training, he tought himself film techniques. At 16, he left school to work as a photo lithographer for a newspaper, and while working there saved money for film equipment.

Filmography: His feature film career began with horror comedies "Bad Taste" (1987) and "Dead Alive" (1992) and the puppet comedy "Meet the Feebles" (1989) before his breakthrough film, the drama "Heavenly Creatures" (1994), which earned him an Oscar nomination for his screenplay. After the horror film "The Frighteners" (1996), he set to work on the films that would launch him to international fame: the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (2001-2003), which would earn him seven Oscar nominations and three wins. He next directed a remake of "King Kong" (2005) and an adaptation of the novel "The Lovely Bones" (2009). His next two films are the two-part "Lord of the Rings" prequel, "The Hobbit."

Academy Awards: Wins - Best Picture ("The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," 2003), Best Director ("The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," 2003), Best Adapted Screenplay ("The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," 2003)

Best Picture nominations:
- "District 9" (2009); lost to "The Hurt Locker"
- "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002); lost to "Chicago"
- "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001); lost to "A Beautiful Mind"

Best Director nomination:
- "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001); lost to Ron Howard ("A Beautiful Mind")

Best Adapted Screenplay nomination:
- "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001); lost to Akiva Goldsman ("A Beautiful Mind")

Best Original Screenplay nomination:
- "Heavenly Creatures" (1994); lost to Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary ("Pulp Fiction")