{{short description|Australian director}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael Gracey | image = Michael Gracey at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Gracey at the [[2024 Toronto International Film Festival]] | birth_name = | birth_date = January 6, 1976 | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = Filmmaker | years_active = 1997–present | known_for = | notable_works = ''[[The Greatest Showman]]'' (2017)<br/>''[[Better Man (film)|Better Man]]'' (2024) }} '''Michael Gracey''' is an Australian filmmaker. He is best known for directing the films ''[[The Greatest Showman]]'' and ''[[Better Man (film)|Better Man]]''.
==Early life and career== Gracey grew up in [[Melbourne]] – in Carlton then Kew – then started working in visual effects and music videos before making his reputation in advertising, gaining a name for himself with his Christmas commercials in the UK and US.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/how-firsttime-australian-director-michael-gracey-landed-a-hollywood-musical-20171219-h07567.html|title=How first-time Australian director Michael Gracey landed a Hollywood musical|first=Garry|last=Maddox|date=20 December 2017|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=4 August 2018|archive-date=27 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227104509/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/how-firsttime-australian-director-michael-gracey-landed-a-hollywood-musical-20171219-h07567.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
Gracey worked for two years at [[animation]] and [[visual effects]] studio Animal Logic from 1994 to 1996 as an animator and visual effects compositor.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://campaignbrief.com/michael-gracey-joins-finch/|title=Michael Gracey joins FINCH|last=Green|first=Ricki|date=22 October 2020|work=Campaign Brief|access-date=11 January 2025}}</ref> He left the company to work at Complete Post, during which time Gracey met and began working with director [[Baz Luhrmann]], who invited him to work on ''[[Moulin Rouge!]]''. "We worked on what we called 'visual scrapbooks'," Gracey told shots.net. "Baz would shoot some footage of [[Nicole Kidman]] singing or something and we'd do little mock-ups, and cut mood reels together."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shots.net/news/view/65722-michael-gracey|title=Michael Gracey|last=Edwards|first=Danny|date=7 October 2009|work=Shots Magazine|access-date=11 January 2025}}</ref>
==Career== [[File:Michael Gracey at The Greatest Showman Australian premiere 2.jpg|thumb|right|Gracey at the premiere of ''The Greatest Showman Australian'']] Gracey made his feature [[directorial debut]] in 2017 with ''[[The Greatest Showman]]'' starring [[Hugh Jackman]] as [[P. T. Barnum]].<ref>{{cite web|first1=Pamela|last1=McClintock|first2=Borys|last2=Kit|title=Michael Gracey to Direct 'The Greatest Showman on Earth'|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-gracey-direct-greatest-showman-224459|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|accessdate=March 4, 2017|date=August 17, 2011|archive-date=4 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304115337/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-gracey-direct-greatest-showman-224459|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Lipshutz|first1=Jason|title=What 'La La Land' Hath Wrought: The 15 Biggest Movie Musicals Coming Soon|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/movies/7708972/upcoming-movie-musicals-la-la-land-disney|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|accessdate=March 4, 2017|date=February 28, 2017|archive-date=4 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304114620/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/movies/7708972/upcoming-movie-musicals-la-la-land-disney|url-status=live}}</ref>
Gracey was also slated to direct an adaptation of manga series ''[[Naruto]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=Lionsgate Ramping Up ‘Naruto’ Movie with Michael Gracey|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/lionsgate-naruto-movie-micahel-gracey-1201554281/|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|accessdate=March 4, 2017|date=July 31, 2015|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303170103/http://variety.com/2015/film/news/lionsgate-naruto-movie-micahel-gracey-1201554281/|url-status=live}}</ref> but was replaced by [[Destin Daniel Cretton]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=February 23, 2024 |title='Naruto' Movie in the Works with Destin Daniel Cretton Writing and Directing |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/naruto-movie-in-the-works-1235833511/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223193438/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/naruto-movie-in-the-works-1235833511/ |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |access-date=February 23, 2024 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> and an adaptation of the novel ''[[Daughter of Smoke and Bone]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|title=Michael Gracey Set to Direct Universal's 'Daughter of Smoke & Bone' Adaptation|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/michael-gracey-set-direct-universals-661636|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|accessdate=March 4, 2017|date=December 3, 2013|archive-date=4 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304115042/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/michael-gracey-set-direct-universals-661636|url-status=live}}</ref> which fell in [[development hell]].
In 2022, Gracey directed a short film for Tourism Australia, ''G'Day'', starring [[Rose Byrne]] and [[Will Arnett]], with cameos from [[Hamish Blake]] & [[Andy Lee (comedian)|Andy Lee]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-20 |title=Australia’s new short film invites you to Come and Say G’day |url=https://drifttravel.com/australias-new-short-film-invites-you-to-come-and-say-gday/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=Drift Travel Magazine |archive-date=22 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022092011/https://drifttravel.com/australias-new-short-film-invites-you-to-come-and-say-gday/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The commercial is the salient feature of the '''Come and Say G’day''<nowiki/>' campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-20 |first=Ricki |last=Green |title=Tourism Australia invites the world to 'Come and Say G'day' in global campaign |url=https://campaignbrief.com/tourism-australia-invites-the-world-to-come-and-say-gday-in-global-campaign-via-mc-saatchi/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=Campaign Brief |language=en-AU |archive-date=19 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019220055/https://campaignbrief.com/tourism-australia-invites-the-world-to-come-and-say-gday-in-global-campaign-via-mc-saatchi/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Gracey is a member of the Australian production company: FINCH.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael Gracey joins FINCH |url=https://www.filmink.com.au/public-notice/michael-gracey-joins-finch/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=FilmInk |language=en-AU |archive-date=22 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022092015/https://www.filmink.com.au/public-notice/michael-gracey-joins-finch}}</ref>
Gracey directed the [[Robbie Williams]] biopic ''[[Better Man (film)|Better Man]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/michael-gracey-interview-better-man-robbie-williams-hugh-jackman-1235079339/|title=‘Better Man’ Director Michael Gracey Explains How Robbie Williams Saved ‘The Greatest Showman’|first=Tomris|last=Laffly|date=23 December 2024|work=IndieWire}}</ref>
Gracey is COO of the recently formed entertainment company [https://www.instagram.com/graceyandcompany?utm%20source=ig%20web%20button%20share%20sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Gracey&CO]. He is doing this alongside his sister Cassandra Gracey, who has had a successful career in the Music Industry managing the likes of Ellie Goulding, Rita Ora and Simon Cowell's recently formed band [[December 10 (band)|December 10]] - who formed off the back of his Netflix documentary [[Simon Cowell: The Next Act|"Simon Cowell: The Next Act."]]
In 2026, Gacey directed an ad campaign for [[South Korea|South Korean]] video surveillance company [[Hanwha Vision]] for their new "Proactive Vision Intelligence" product featuring [[Amanda Seyfried]]. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hanwhavisionamerica.com/now-you-see/|title=Hanwha Vision Now You See|access-date=2026-05-11}}</ref>
==Filmography== '''Visual effects''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Notes |- | 1997 | ''[[Amy (1997 film)|Amy]]'' | Digital artist |- | 1998 | ''[[The Genie from Down Under]]'' | Visual effects artist (6 episodes) |- | 2001 | ''[[Cubbyhouse]]'' |rowspan=2| Digital compositor |- | 2002 | ''[[Double Vision (2002 film)|Double Vision]]'' |- | 2003 | ''[[Ned Kelly (2003 film)|Ned Kelly]]'' | Digital compositor – Complete Post<br/>Visual effects supervisor – Complete 2003 Post |- | 2005 | ''[[The Magician (2005 film)|The Magician]]'' | Visual effects supervisor |}
'''Director''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Director ! Producer ! Writer ! Notes |- | 2017 | ''[[The Greatest Showman]]'' | {{Yes}} | {{No}} | {{No}} | |- | 2021 | ''[[Pink: All I Know So Far]]'' | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | Documentary film |- | 2024 | ''[[Better Man (film)|Better Man]]'' | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | {{Yes}} | |- |{{To be announced}} |''[[Tangled (upcoming film)|Tangled]]'' |{{Yes}} |{{No}} |{{No}} |Live-action adaptation of ''[[Tangled]]'' (2010)<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Williams |first=Sophie |date=December 14, 2024 |title=Disney's Live-Acction Tangled is Happening-Michael Gracey in Discussions to Direct |url=https://maxblizz.com/disneys-live-action-tangled-is-happening-michael-gracey-in-discussions-to-direct/ |journal=Maxblizz}}</ref> |- |}
'''Executive producer''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Notes |- | 2019 | ''[[Rocketman (film)|Rocketman]]'' | Originally attached to direct the film before being replaced by [[Dexter Fletcher]] |- | 2023 | ''[[Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie]]'' | Also song lyrics |}
'''Special thanks''' * ''[[The Square (2008 film)|The Square]]'' (2008)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|1243905}} * [https://www.partizan.com/director/michael-gracey Profile at Partizan production company] * [http://www.mothprojects.com/directors/michael-gracey-director Profile at Moth Projects]
{{Michael Gracey}} {{Navboxes |title = Awards for Michael Gracey |list = {{AACTA Award Best Direction}} {{AACTA International Award for Best Direction}}}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Gracey, Michael}} [[Category:Australian film directors]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Best Director AACTA International Award winners]] [[Category:Best Director AACTA Award winners]] [[Category:Producers who won the Best Film AACTA Award]]