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Peter Jackson was born on October 31, 1961 in Wellington, New Zealand and grew up in a small town named Pukerua Bay where he developed an early interest in filmmaking.
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Peter Jackson began making films at the age of 8, starting with an 8 millimeter camera and using his friends as actors throughout his teen years -
Attended Kapiti College and later dropped out at the age of 16 to pursue an apprenticeship as a newspaper engraver to finance his film hobby.
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Peter Jackson was motivated and inspired through his friends and passion for filmmaking and the concept of low-budget, short, gorey sci-fi comedy films that later evolved into his feature-length debut "Bad Taste."
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Peter and Fran Walsh met in the final production stages of his film Bad Taste where they bonded over filmmaking and got married the same year, later collaborating on all of Peter's films as a writing partner. -
Bad Taste, Peter Jackson's first film, is a comedic science-fiction horror movie about an alien invasion in a fictional New Zealand village, harvesting humans for their fast food franchise. The film was shot in Northern Wellington over a span of four years. -
Meet the Feebles is an adult musical black comedy film about puppets presenting negativity and other hostile characteristics. The film is directed by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, their first movie together as a married couple. -
Wētā FX is a digital visual effects and computer animation company in Wellington, NZ. The company was founded by Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, and Jamie Selkirk in 1993 used for the production of "Heavenly Creatures." The company later produced the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Avatar, and other popular films. The company won seven Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects.
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Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh have co-produced numerous movies together after their debut with Meet the Feebles. Such as Heavenly Creatures, The Frighteners, King Kong, and the award winning series The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
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Billy Jackson is the first child of Peter and Fran and even appeared on screen for some of his father's films. -
Katie Jackson is the second child of Peter and Fran, born in 1996 and also appeared in her parents films with her brother, Billy Jackson. -
Beginning of December 2012, Peter Jackson, along with his wife and co-producer Fran Walsh, began the release of their Academy Award winning film series the Lord of the Rings, inspired from the author J. R. R. Tolkien who had originally created and published the LOTR and The Hobbit. Tolkien passed away in 1973, 12 years after Peter Jackson was born, so they never got the chance to meet one another. -
In February of 2004, Peter Jackson had won 3 Oscars at the 76th Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The last of the film trilogy "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" marked one of the most award-winning films with 11 Oscars during the same year. -
In 2011, Peter Jackson had been experiencing severe stomach pain, and was later hospitalized for a perforated ulcer. He underwent surgery and stayed in the hospital for around 2-3 months, with a clean recovery. Unfortunately, this health issue had pushed back the filming of "The Hobbit" but was able to resume his directing without further issues after being released from the hospital.
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9 years after The Lord of the Rings franchise came to an end, Peter Jackson released The Hobbit, another film inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien. The film series had won 1 Academy Award out of 8 total nominations. -
Peter Jackson's grandfather had fought in World War I, and his father fought during World War II, making these historical events significantly important to him and his career. He wanted people to understand what soldiers went through during war and created an immersive experience through film, later releasing "They Shall Not Grow Old." -
They Shall Not Grow Old is a documentary film directed by Peter Jackson that used real footage from World War I that was over 100 years old and unseen. Jackson had dedicated this film to his grandfather who served in WWI. -
Helped produce a Beatles documentary titled "The Beatles: Get Back" and later invested in a de-extinction company Colossal Biosciences that works to bring back a South Island giant moa in October of 2024
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Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh co-own an Air Force Base at Shelly Bay in Wellington, NZ. They had purchased the land to restore the bay's natural beauty and potentially use the land for arts and recreation. -
Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis are working on a new Lord of the Rings movie, marking the return of the popular franchise. The movie is titled The Hunt for Gollum and is expected to release in December of 2027.