Sam Mendes is an English stage and film director best known for his Academy Award-winning film American Beauty. He has also directed several other films, including Skyfall, Spectre, and Revolutionary Road. Mendes was born in Reading, England, and began his career as a theatre director in London's West End. He won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play in 1999 for his production of Cabaret. In 2000, he made his feature film debut with American Beauty, which won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.