Debra Hayward (born 15 April 1964) is a British film producer. As Head of Film at Working Title Films, Hayward frequently served as an executive producer for the company's feature films, working alongside fellow Working Title executive Liza Chasin. After producing Les Misérables, she started her own production company, Monumental Pictures.

Life and career

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Born in Liverpool in 1964, the daughter of John I. Hayward and his wife Annetta Lansky,[1][2] Hayward joined Working Title Films in 1989, working as a producer’s assistant on films that include Fools of Fortune and Dakota Road. She later became a development executive for the company, and produced several films such as London Kills Me and Map of the Human Heart. Hayward served as Head of Film for Working Title and was creatively responsible for the company’s entire slate of feature films in conjunction with her American counterpart, Liza Chasin. Both Hayward and Chasin have served as executive producers on films that include Bridget Jones's Diary, Atonement and The Boat That Rocked. More recently Hayward has worked on critically acclaimed hits Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Senna. September 2011 saw the launch of her new production company Monumental Pictures.

Hayward's first solo film as producer was Les Misérables, which went on to win multiple awards, raising her profile.[3][4]

In 2014 she started her own production house, Monumental Pictures, with fellow producer Alison Owen.[5]

On 14 October 2018, it was announced that late singer Amy Winehouse's family had respectively signed a multi-million pound deal with Hayward’s film company, Monumental Pictures to make a biopic about her life, which will be directed by Alison Owen and produced by Hayward.[citation needed]

She is married to the English screenwriter Will Osborne and has four children.[3] He returned from California to marry Hayward, and they moved from London to Glandford, Norfolk.[6]

Filmography

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Year Film Role
1990 Fools of Fortune Assistant to Sarah Radclyffe
1994 Four Weddings and a Funeral Head of development: Working Title
1995 French Kiss
1996 Loch Ness Associate producer
1997 The Matchmaker Co-producer
The Borrowers
1998 What Rats Won't Do Head of development: Working Title
Elizabeth Co-producer
2001 Bridget Jones's Diary
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
2002 40 Days and 40 Nights
About a Boy
The Guru Executive producer
2003 Ned Kelly Co-producer
Johnny English
Love Actually
2004 Thunderbirds Executive producer
Wimbledon
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
2005 The Interpreter Co-producer
Pride & Prejudice Executive producer
Nanny McPhee
2006 United 93
Catch a Fire
2007 Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Mr. Bean's Holiday Co-producer
Atonement Executive producer
2008 Frost/Nixon
2009 State of Play
The Boat That Rocked
2010 Green Zone
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
Senna
2011 Paul
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Johnny English Reborn
2012 Les Misérables Producer
2013 I Give It a Year Executive producer
2016 Bridget Jones's Baby Producer
2019 How to Build a Girl
Cats
2024 Back to Black

References

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  1. ^ Debra HAYWARD, company-information.service.gov.uk, accessed 19 February 2021
  2. ^ “HAYWARD, DEBRA / LANSKY / LIVERPOOL S. 10D 1078”, General Register Index to Births in England and Wales (1964), ancestry.co.uk, accessed 19 February 2021 (subscription required)
  3. ^ a b Curtis, Nick (29 January 2013). "Debra Hayward: Heaven knows we were Les Misérables making this movie". Evening Standard. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Web Chat: Debra Hayward". Stylist.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  5. ^ Barraclough, Leo (24 September 2014). "Top U.K. Producers Alison Owen, Debra Hayward Join Forces". Variety. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  6. ^ Rowan Mantell, Couple’s amazing film-making odyssey brings them to Norfolk, Eastern Daily Press, 31 October 2014, accessed 17 February 2021
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