Gilliam started his career as an animator and strip cartoonist. He joined Monty Python as the animator of their works, but eventually became a full member and was given acting roles. The only Monty Python member not born in Britain, Gilliam became a naturalised British citizen in 1968 and formallyrenounced his American citizenship in 2006.
Terrence Vance Gilliam was born on 22 November 1940 inMinneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Beatrice (née Vance) and James Hall Gilliam.[3] His father was a travelling salesman forFolgers before becoming a carpenter. Soon after, they moved to nearbyMedicine Lake, Minnesota.[7] In 1952, the family moved to the Los Angeles neighborhood ofPanorama City. Gilliam attendedBirmingham High School. During high school, he began to avidly readMad magazine, then edited byHarvey Kurtzman, which would later influence Gilliam's work.[8]
Gilliam was a member ofMonty Python's Flying Circus from its outset, credited at first as an animator (his name was listed separately after the other five in the closing credits) and later as a full member. His cartoons linked the show's sketches together and defined the group's visual language in other media, such as LP and book covers and the title sequences of their films.[12] His animations mix his own art, characterised by soft gradients and odd, bulbous shapes, with backgrounds andmoving cutouts from antique photographs, mostly from theVictorian era.
Gilliam as Cardinal Fang in "The Spanish Inquisition" sketch during the Python reunion,Monty Python Live (Mostly), in 2014A character of limited intelligence and vocabulary,Gumby (played by Gilliam) flower arranging at the 2014 reunion. The Gumbys were part of the Pythons' satire on 1970s television condescendingly encouraging more involvement from the "man in the street".
He also appeared in several sketches, though he rarely had main roles and did considerably less acting in the sketches. Gilliam did, however, have some notable sketch roles, such as Cardinal Fang of theSpanish Inquisition; the bespectacled commenter who said, "I can't add anything to that!" in the sketch "Election Night Special"; Kevin Garibaldi, the brat on the couch shouting "I want more beans!" in the sketch "Most Awful Family in Britain 1974" (episode 45); the Screaming Queen in a cape and mask in "The Visitors"; andPercy Bysshe Shelley in "Ant Poetry Reading". More frequently, he played parts that no one else wanted to play, generally because they required a lot of makeup or uncomfortable costumes, such as a recurring knight in armour who ended sketches by walking on and hitting one of the other characters over the head with a plucked chicken. He also designed the covers of most of the Monty Python albums, includingAnother Monty Python Record,The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief,Monty Python Live at Drury Lane, and all of their later film soundtrack albums.[13]
In 1975, Gilliam began his career as a director by co-directingMonty Python and the Holy Grail withTerry Jones. Gilliam was responsible for photography and also appeared as both Patsy and the Old Man from Scene 24, while Jones guided the actors' performances. It was the only Python film directed by Gilliam, though he continued to act in their subsequent projects.
As Python started to take longer breaks between projects followingMonty Python and the Holy Grail, Gilliam became a solo filmmaker, building upon the experience he had acquired. In 1977, he directed his first film outside the group,Jabberwocky, also a comedy set in theMiddle Ages. It featured Python member Michael Palin in the lead role, and was based on thepoem of the same name. In 1978, he publishedAnimations of Mortality, an illustrated, tongue-in-cheek, semi-autobiographical how-to guide to his animation techniques and the visual language in them.[14]
The "Trilogy of Imagination", written by Gilliam, about "the ages of man", consisted ofTime Bandits (1981),Brazil (1985), andThe Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988). All are about the "craziness of our awkwardly ordered society and the desire to escape it through whatever means possible."[15] All three films focus on these struggles and attempts to escape them through imagination:Time Bandits through the eyes of a child,Brazil through the eyes of a man in his thirties, andMunchausen through the eyes of an elderly man. In the summer of 1986, he cut ties withArnon Milchan and20th Century Fox and started directingMunchausen through his own new Prominent Films banner independently.[16]
In the 1990s, Gilliam directed a trilogy of Americana:The Fisher King (1991),12 Monkeys (1995), andFear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), which took place on North American soil and, while still surreal, had fewer fantastical plots than his previous trilogy.[17]
In 1999, Gilliam attempted to filmThe Man Who Killed Don Quixote, which was budgeted at US$32.1 million, making it among the highest-budgeted films to use only European financing; but in the first week of shooting, the actor playingDon Quixote (Jean Rochefort) suffered aherniated disc, and a flood severely damaged the set. The film was cancelled, resulting in an insurance claim of US$15 million.[18] Despite the cancellation, the aborted project did yield the 2002 documentaryLost in La Mancha, produced from film from a second crew that had been hired by Gilliam to document the making ofQuixote. After the cancellation, both Gilliam and the film's co-lead,Johnny Depp, wanted to revive the project. The insurance company involved in the failed first attempt withheld the rights to the screenplay for several years[19] with the production on hold until 2008.[20][21]
In 2005, Gilliam releasedThe Brothers Grimm, followed later in the year byTideland. In 2006, Gilliam made his debut as theatre director by directing the stage showSlava's Diabolo, created and staged by the Russianclown artistSlava Polunin. The show combined Polunin's clown style, characterised by deep nonverbal expression and interaction with the audience, with Gilliam's rich visuals and surrealistic imagery. The show premiered at the Noga Hall of the Gesher Theatre inJaffa,Tel Aviv, Israel.
In January 2007, Gilliam announced that he had been working on a new project with his writing partner Charles McKeown. One day later, the fansiteDreams reported[25] that the new project was titledThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus; the following October,Dreams confirmed that this would be Gilliam's next project and was slated to starChristopher Plummer andTom Waits.[26] Production began in December 2007 in London.[27] On 22 January 2008, production of the film was disrupted following the death ofHeath Ledger in New York City.Variety reported that Ledger's involvement had been a "key factor" in the film's financing.[28] Production was suspended indefinitely by 24 January,[29] but in February the actorsJohnny Depp,Jude Law, andColin Farrell signed on to continue Ledger's role, transforming into multiple incarnations of his character in the "magical" world of the film.[30][31] Thanks to this arrangement the principal photography was completed on 15 April 2008, on schedule. During the filming, Gilliam was accidentally hit by a bus and suffered a broken back.[32] The film had successful screenings including a premiere at the62nd Cannes Film Festival. The UK release for the film was scheduled for 6 June 2009, but was pushed back to 16 October 2009. The USA release was on 25 December 2009. Eventually, this $30 million-budgeted film had grossed more than $60 million in worldwide theatrical release and received twoAcademy Award nominations. The film's end credit states that the film is dedicated to the memories of Ledger andWilliam Vince. Depp, Farrell, and Law donated their proceeds from the film to Ledger's daughter.[33]
Gilliam made his opera debut at London'sEnglish National Opera (ENO) in May 2011, directingThe Damnation of Faust, byHector Berlioz.[34] On 16 September 2012, the production opened at theVlaamse Opera inGhent,Belgium, in the opera's original French-language version and received praise from critics and audiences alike. After a number of performances in Ghent, the production moved to the opera house inAntwerp for a sold-out run of performances.
In July 2012, Gilliam revealed plans for a film which would be shot inBucharest, Romania. He denied that it would beDon Quixote but refused to give any further details.[35] On 13 August 2012, this project was announced to beThe Zero Theorem, set to start shooting in Bucharest on 22 October, produced by Dean Zanuck (son of the lateRichard D. Zanuck, who was originally to produce the film in 2009), with worldwide sales handled byVoltage Pictures, Toronto, and starring the Academy Award–winnerChristoph Waltz in the lead (replacingBilly Bob Thornton, who had been attached to the project in 2009).[36][37][38][39][40][41][42]The Zero Theorem premiered at the70th Venice International Film Festival on 2 September 2013.[43][44]
In June 2014, Gilliam followed up on his success withFaust with a new ENO production of another opera by Berlioz, the rarely performedBenvenuto Cellini.[45]
After regaining the rights to the screenplay ofThe Man Who Killed Don Quixote, Gilliam restarted preproduction in 2008, withJohnny Depp still attached to the project.[46] The film was to be reshot completely, with Rochefort's role recast.Michael Palin reportedly entered into talks with Gilliam about stepping in for Rochefort and playing Don Quixote.[47] However, Gilliam revealed on the Canadian talk showThe Hour on 17 December 2009 thatRobert Duvall had been cast to play Quixote, before the film was postponed once again.[48] In January 2014, Gilliam wrote on Facebook that "Dreams of Don Quixote have begun again".[49] At theCannes Film Festival in 2016, it was confirmed thatThe Man Who Killed Don Quixote was going to be made, with Michael Palin andAdam Driver in starring roles.[50] In March 2017, filming finally began, with Driver andJonathan Pryce starring.[51] On 4 June 2017, Gilliam announced that the shooting of the film was complete.[52] The film premiered on 19 May 2018, as the closing film of the2018 Cannes Film Festival (where it received astanding ovation), and was released in French theatres the same day.[53][54][55][56]
His production ofInto the Woods, which he co-directed with Leah Hausman, premiered at theTheatre Royal, Bath in August 2022 to positive reviews.[57]
In June 2024, Gilliam announced the making of a new film calledCarnival: At the End of Days.[58] It was to star Depp, reuniting with Gilliam, along with Bridges, Driver, andJason Momoa. Production was reported to begin in April 2025 according to Gilliam. Johnny Depp was to playSatan, and Jeff Bridges was playGod in the film.[59] In an interview in July of 2025 Gilliam stated that if the film was ever to be made it would require an extensive rewrite, as it no longer fit with the current world.[60] In an October 2025 interview at the58th Sitges Film Festival, Gilliam announced that he has shifted his focus away fromCarnival: At the End of Days to resurrect his long dormant projectThe Defective Detective, as he is "more interested in a script I wrote thirty years ago for Paramount. There are new people at the studio now, and I have a new agent in Hollywood, and I'm trying to move the project forward. I'd like to direct it before I die. It's calledThe Defective Detective and it should be my last film."[61]
Gilliam at the 36th Deauville American Films Festival in 2010
In addition to film projects as director, Gilliam has been involved with developing projects for other artists and mediums. On 16 December 2010,Variety reported that Gilliam was to "godfather" a film called1884, described as an animatedsteampunk parody ofGeorge Orwell'sNineteen Eighty-Four, with several former Pythons lending their voices to the project; Gilliam was to be credited as "creative advisor".[62] On 15 May 2013, Gilliam was signed on to executive produceThe White Circus, a "darkfairy tale" adventure-romance that was to starChloë Grace Moretz,Asa Butterfield,Andrea Riseborough andChristian Friedel.[63]
Fifteen years after the publication of Gilliam'sAnimations of Mortality, between the release of the CD-ROM gameMonty Python's Complete Waste of Time in 1994, which used many of Gilliam's animation templates, and the making of Gilliam's filmFear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Gilliam was in negotiations with Enteractive, a software company, to tentatively release in the autumn of 1996 a CD-ROM under the same title as his 1978 book, containing all of his thousands of 1970s animation templates as licence-freeclip arts for people to create their ownflash animations, but the project hovered in limbo for years,[64][65] probably because Enteractive was about to downsize greatly in mid-1996 and changed its focus from CD-ROM multimedia presentations to internet business solutions and web hosting in 1997[66] (in the introduction to their 2004 bookTerry Gilliam: Interviews,[65] David Sterrit and Lucille Rhodes claimed that the internet had overwhelmed the "computer-communications market" and gave this as the reason that theAnimations of Mortality CD-ROM never materialised). Around the time of Gilliam's filmThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), the project had changed into the idea of releasing his 1970s animation templates as a licence-free download ofAdobe After Effects or similar files.[citation needed]
Gilliam has been married to British makeup artistMaggie Weston since 1973. She worked onMonty Python's Flying Circus, many of the Python films, and Gilliam's films up toThe Adventures of Baron Munchausen. They have three children: Amy Rainbow (born 1978), Holly Dubois (born October 1980), and Harry Thunder (born 3 April 1988), all of whom have also appeared in or worked on several of his films.
In 1968, Gilliam obtained British citizenship. He held dual American and British citizenship for the next 38 years, until he renounced his American citizenship in January 2006.[67][68] In an interview withDer Tagesspiegel,[69] he described the action as a protest against then-PresidentGeorge W. Bush, and in an earlier interview withThe A.V. Club, he also indicated that it was related to concerns about future tax liability for his wife and children.[70][71] As a result of renouncing his citizenship, Gilliam was permitted to spend 30 days each year in the United States over the next ten years, "less than any European".[69] Holly followed suit, renouncing her American citizenship in 2017.[72]
He maintains a residence in Italy near theUmbria–Tuscany border. He has been instrumental in establishing the annual Umbria Film Festival,[73] held in the nearby town ofMontone. Gilliam also resides inHighgate, London.[74]
Gilliam has been covered several times for his views ontransgender people andcancel culture. He also called#MeToo a "witch hunt". He also said, "There are many victims in Harvey's life, and I feel sympathy for them, but then, Hollywood is full of very ambitious people who are adults and they make choices."[75]
Gilliam has said multiple times that he "identifies" as ablack person. He also states he is a "blacklesbian in transition".[76] His views on whether or not this is a joke or sincere belief are ambiguous, sometimes even in the same interview.[75] He said "When I do interviews I'm playing around, talking, joking. I'm not on a soapbox, I'm not trying to proclaim a truth, just throwing out ideas. You say something and it's a headline and then... boom! How do we bring back context and nuance into the discussion?"[77] Reacting to the concept of diversity in comedy, he said "... this is bullshit. I no longer want to be a white male, I don't want to be blamed for everything wrong in the world: I tell the world now I'm a black lesbian... My name is Loretta and I'm aBLT, a black lesbian intransition." He later said "That all comes from "Life of Brian," when Eric [Idle's character], whose name is Stan, says "I want you to call me Loretta. I want to be a woman." People now might take offense at that. And when offense becomes so easy, it takes the fun out of offending!"[78]
He blames the groupStonewall for his view which was reported byThe Times as "organisations and politicians feeling under pressure to put trans inclusivity aboveconcerns for women." Describing theBBC and government departments cutting some ties with Stonewall, he said "Maybe common sense is rising again."[79]
Gilliam expressed support[80] when a UK ex-police officer won a legal challenge regarding allegedtransphobic tweets the officer made.[81] He stated "if you don't agree with [activists], you're then a transphobe, a homophobe... No! I'm a phobe-phobe! I hate hate!"[82]
In 2021, his production ofInto the Woods was set to play atThe Old Vic. The production was cancelled and moved to an unrelated theater, the Theatre Royal. This was reportedly due to "staff unrest at ... Gilliam's involvement".[83] Gilliam was reportedly asked to apologize for his #MeToo comments, but "further offended staff" with his online recommendation ofDave Chappelle's Netflix special.[84] The Old Vic said in a statement "Ahead of any season announcement, senior management at the Old Vic would meet with the directors who are programmed to work in the season as a matter of course to discuss our culture and values. This happened with the co-directors ofInto the Woods, Terry Gilliam and Leah Hausman."[85]
Gilliam stated on Facebook "The Old Vic allowed itself to be intimidated into cancelling our production ... by a small group of closed-minded, humour-averse ideologues on their staff ... as if they are victims of some cruel injustice desperately fighting for their freedom! My unspeakable crime was recommending my Facebook followers to watch a Netflix special by a brilliant and provocative American comedian".[86] Gilliam later specified that Chappelle was the "comedian" he recommended.[84][77]
Gilliam has been involved with a number of charitable and humanitarian causes. In 2009, he became a board member ofVidere Est Credere (Latin for "to see is to believe"), a UK human rights charity.[87] Videre describes itself as giving "local activists the equipment, training and support needed to safely capture compelling video evidence of human rights violations. This captured footage is verified, analysed and then distributed to those who can create change."[88] He participates alongside movie producerUri Fruchtmann, music producerBrian Eno and executive director of Greenpeace UKJohn Sauven.
^Shawn Adler (15 February 2008)."Heath Ledger's Final Film to Go Forward – With Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell in His Role". MTV. Archived fromthe original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved15 February 2008.Report: The three actors have signed on to complete film. ... Heath Ledger died last month at the age of 28, but his final performance will live on – thanks to a little creativity and some famous friends. ... Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell have all signed on to film scenes as Ledger's character in Terry Gilliam's 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,' a magical re-telling of the Faust story, according to Aintitcoolnews.com. The announcement serves as a tribute to the man many have called one of the best actors of his generation.
_CROPPED.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
