A New Zealand film director, producer, actor and screenwriter, known for his Lord of the Rings film trilogy, adapted from the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien. He is also known for his 2005 remake of King Kong and as the producer of District 9.

He won international attention early in his career with his 'splatstick' horror comedies, before coming to mainstream prominence with Heavenly Creatures, for which he shared an Academy Award Best Screenplay nomination with his wife, Fran Walsh.

Jackson has been awarded 3 Academy Awards in his career, including the award for Best Director in 2003.