Andy Goddard

Andy Goddard (born 5 June 1968) is a Welsh film and television director and screenwriter, recognized for his versatile work across British and American series as well as feature films exploring historical and thriller narratives.^[1] Goddard began his career with the short film Little Sisters (1997), which earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Short Film in 1998.^[1] He gained prominence in television directing episodes of acclaimed series such as Torchwood (2006–2011), Law & Order: UK (2009–2014), Doctor Who (2008, including "The Next Doctor"), and Downton Abbey (2010–2016, including the 2012 Christmas special).^[2] By the mid-2010s, he expanded into American television, helming episodes of Once Upon a Time (2011–2018) and later high-profile projects like Altered Carbon (Netflix, 2018), Carnival Row (Amazon, 2019–2023, where he also served as executive producer), and Marvel's Netflix series including Daredevil, Luke Cage, and The Punisher.^[3] Most recently, he directed and executive produced episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple TV+, 2023).^[3] In film, Goddard's feature debut was Set Fire to the Stars (2014), which he co-wrote with Celyn Jones and directed, depicting the 1950 visit of poet Dylan Thomas to New York and starring Elijah Wood; the film won three Welsh BAFTA Awards in 2015 and was nominated for the Michael Powell Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2014.^[3][4] He followed with A Kind of Murder (2016), an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel The Blunderer starring Jessica Biel and Eddie Redmayne,^[5] and Six Minutes to Midnight (2020), a World War II spy thriller co-written with Eddie Izzard and Celyn Jones, which received the ReFrame Stamp for gender-balanced production in 2021.^[3][6] Goddard divides his time between the UK and the US, continuing to develop projects such as the series Edgelands.^[3]

Early life and education

Upbringing

Andy Goddard was born on 5 June 1968 in Pembroke Dock, Wales.^[7] He relocated with his family during his early years and grew up on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.^[8] Specific details on family life remain limited in available records. He later transitioned to Edinburgh for formal education.^[8]

Academic background

Andy Goddard pursued media studies at Edinburgh Napier University in Edinburgh, focusing on film, photography, and television.^[8] As part of the university's undergraduate program in film, Goddard trained at what would become the Screen Academy Scotland, a leading center for practice-based higher education in screen arts established through collaboration between Edinburgh Napier University and Edinburgh College of Art.^[9][10] This environment, supported by funding from the Scottish Film Council and taught by industry professionals, emphasized hands-on filmmaking experiences that shaped his approach to directing.^[10] Goddard graduated in the early 1990s from this program, after which he immediately sought opportunities to apply his skills in short-form narrative projects.^[10]

Professional career

Early career and short films

Andy Goddard entered the film industry in the late 1990s, focusing on short films that showcased his emerging voice in narrative storytelling.^[8] Goddard's debut short film, Little Sisters (1997), which he wrote and directed, centers on themes of adolescent rebellion and social tension in a working-class Scottish seaside town. The story follows three teenage girls—Laura, Minty, and Nicola—who waste time at a bus stop and become embroiled in a verbal and physical confrontation with four local football lads, escalating from banter to a desperate fight for survival. Produced by STV, Scottish Screen, and Prime Cuts on 16mm film with a runtime of six minutes, the project drew on Goddard's recent academic training to blend gritty realism with dynamic pacing, marking his initial foray into professional production.^[3][11] This film served as a breakthrough, highlighting his ability to capture the raw energy of youth and earning early industry notice for its assured direction.^[12] Building on this momentum, Goddard directed and wrote Yabba Yabba Ding Ding (1999), a three-minute satirical piece produced by FilmFour Lab in collaboration with the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Edinburgh Bytes, shot on digital video. The short humorously explores rivalry and accidental creativity through the absurd conflict between two characters, "Orange" and "Blue," who paint opposing walls only to discover their combined efforts form an abstract artwork, poking fun at the pretensions of modern art.^[3][13] In 2000, he followed with Rice Paper Stars, another self-written directorial effort for BBC's Tartan Shorts anthology series, produced on 16mm film. This comedic drama depicts a jilted bride, intoxicated and distraught, navigating a nightmarish "handbag-disco" environment, where events in the ladies' toilets spiral into a high-stakes farce blending heartbreak with chaotic absurdity.^[3][14] These early shorts helped Goddard forge key connections within the Scottish and UK film ecosystem, including partnerships with public broadcasters like STV and BBC, as well as funding bodies such as Scottish Screen and FilmFour Lab, which provided essential support for emerging filmmakers transitioning from education to professional work.^[3]

Television directing

Goddard established himself as a television director with the BBC science fiction series Torchwood, helming six episodes across its first two seasons from 2006 to 2007, including "Countrycide" and "Dead Man Walking."^[3] His work on the show highlighted his adeptness at blending horror and temporal elements within episodic constraints.^[8] In 2008, he directed the Doctor Who Christmas special "The Next Doctor," further showcasing his command of sci-fi narratives and atmospheric tension.^[3] Transitioning to procedural drama, Goddard directed ten episodes of ITV's Law & Order: UK between 2009 and 2014, spanning seasons 1 through 3, such as "Unsafe" and "Skeletons."^[3] He then contributed to the period ensemble Downton Abbey, directing five episodes in 2011 and 2012, including the 2012 Christmas special, where he navigated complex interpersonal dynamics among large casts.^[3] Goddard's portfolio expanded into American television starting in the mid-2010s, with genre projects like ABC's Once Upon a Time, where he directed the 2013 episode "Save Henry."^[15] In 2016, he served as lead director for three episodes of ITV's thriller The Level.^[3] He directed multiple installments in Marvel's Netflix Defenders universe from 2015 to 2018, including the Daredevil episode "Regrets Only," two Luke Cage episodes such as "Manifest," the Iron Fist episode "Bar the Big Boss," and two The Punisher episodes like "Crosshairs."^[3] These contributions emphasized gritty action sequences and character-driven intensity in superhero storytelling.^[16] Later projects included the Netflix sci-fi series Altered Carbon, with the 2018 episode "Nora Inu," focusing on introspective flashbacks amid high-stakes intrigue.^[17] For Amazon's fantasy drama Carnival Row, he directed five episodes across its first two seasons and served as executive producer, starting with 2019's "Unaccompanied Fae" and "Grieve No More."^{[3] [18]} Most recently, Goddard directed two episodes of Apple TV+'s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters in 2023 while also executive producing, blending monster-scale spectacle with family ensemble arcs. Throughout his television career, Goddard's approach evolved to prioritize visual storytelling over dialogue-heavy scenes, a skill honed in the fast-paced environment of British TV like Torchwood and Downton Abbey, where tight schedules demanded efficient handling of ensemble interactions and genre tropes.^[19] This efficiency translated to larger-scale U.S. productions, such as the Marvel series, where he helped craft distinctive, moody visuals amid action-oriented sci-fi elements.^[16]

Feature films

Andy Goddard's transition to feature films built on his television directing experience, allowing him to helm narrative-driven stories with greater creative control. His directorial debut, Set Fire to the Stars (2014), marked a significant step, where he also co-wrote the screenplay with Celyn Jones, drawing from the real-life 1950 visit of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas to the United States. The film explores the tense week-long retreat between Thomas and his American host, poet John Brinnin, as Brinnin attempts to sober up the self-destructive Welsh writer ahead of a major reading in New York, blending admiration with the chaos of idolization. Reception was mixed, with critics praising the atmospheric 1950s period recreation and strong performances but noting thematic inconsistencies in its portrayal of literary hero worship.^[20][21][22] Goddard's second feature, A Kind of Murder (2016), saw him take on co-production duties alongside directing, adapting Patricia Highsmith's 1954 novel The Blunderer. Set in 1960s New York, the psychological thriller follows architect Walter Stackhouse, whose fascination with a notorious murder case strains his marriage and leads to suspicion when his wife dies under mysterious circumstances, echoing Highsmith's signature themes of moral ambiguity and obsession. The film received divided reviews, commended for its stylish noir aesthetics and period authenticity but critiqued for underdeveloped tension in its mystery elements.^[5][3][23] In Six Minutes to Midnight (2020), Goddard again co-wrote the screenplay, this time with Celyn Jones and Eddie Izzard, crafting a WWII espionage thriller rooted in pre-war historical tensions. The story unfolds in August 1939 at a fictionalized version of the real Augusta Victoria College, a finishing school in coastal England for daughters of Nazi elite, where undercover British agent Thomas Miller (Izzard) poses as a teacher to thwart a sabotage plot, clashing with the school's formidable headmistress (Judi Dench). Drawing from the actual institution's role in fostering Anglo-German ties amid rising fascism, the film highlights espionage intrigue on the eve of war, though critics found its blend of historical fact and fictional drama uneven, with praise for the premise's timeliness over execution.^[24][25][26] Across these features, Goddard's work exhibits consistencies in period settings that evoke mid-20th-century unease and literary or historical inspirations, often adapting true events or novels to probe themes of deception, identity, and cultural collision.^[20][5][24]

Filmography

Television

Andy Goddard began directing for television in 2001 and continues to work in the medium as of 2024.^[27] Over his career, he has directed more than 40 episodes across various series, with a focus on British dramas early on and American genre shows later.^[7]

Torchwood (2006–2008)

Directed 6 episodes.

• Season 1, Episode 6: "Countrycide" (2006)
• Season 1, Episode 11: "Combat" (2006)
• Season 2, Episode 3: "To the Last Man" (2008)
• Season 2, Episode 5: "Adam" (2008)
• Season 2, Episode 7: "Dead Man Walking" (2008)
• Season 2, Episode 8: "A Day in the Death" (2008)

Doctor Who (2008)

Directed 1 episode (Christmas special).^[28]

• "The Next Doctor" (2008)

Downton Abbey (2011–2012)

Directed 5 episodes.^[29]

• Season 2, Episode 3 (2011)
• Season 2, Episode 6 (2011)^[29]
• Season 3, Episode 3 (2012)^[30]
• Season 3, Episode 4 (2012)^[29]
• Christmas Special: "A Journey to the Highlands" (2012)^[31]

Other Series

• Stacey Stone (2001): 1 episode^[7]
• The Bill (2002): 1 episode^[32]
• Teachers (2003): 1 episode^[27]
• The Long Firm (2004): 1 episode^[27]
• Mine All Mine (2005): 1 episode^[27]
• Being Human (2010): 1 episode^[27]
• Upstairs Downstairs (2010): 1 episode^[27]
• Law & Order: UK (2011): 1 episode^[33]
• Atlantis (2013): 1 episode^[27]
• Dracula (2013): 1 episode^[27]
• The Honourable Woman (2014): 1 episode^[27]
• Once Upon a Time (2015): 1 episode^[33]
• Gracepoint (2015): 1 episode^[27]
• The Returned (2015): 1 episode^[27]
• Damien (2016): 1 episode^[27]
• Outcast (2016): 1 episode^[27]
• The Level (2016): 3 episodes^[27]
• 12 Monkeys (2017): 1 episode^[27]
• Bosch (2017): 1 episode^[27]
• American Gothic (2017): 1 episode^[27]
• Marvel's The Punisher (2017): 2 episodes^[27]
• Altered Carbon (2018): 1 episode^[27]
• Carnival Row (2019): 5 episodes^[27]
• Marvel's Daredevil (2018): 1 episode^[27]
• Marvel's Iron Fist (2018): 1 episode^[27]
• Marvel's Luke Cage (2018): 1 episode^[27]
• Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023): 2 episodes^[3]
  • Season 1, Episode 9: "Beyond Logic"^[34]
  • Season 1, Episode 10: "Axis Mundi"^[35]

Film

Andy Goddard's feature film directing credits, drawn from his professional portfolio, are listed below.^[3]

Other media

Goddard directed several short films early in his career, including Little Sisters (1997), a 6-minute 16mm drama that earned the DM Davies Award at the Welsh International Film Festival and a BAFTA nomination for Best Short Film.^[3] In 1999, he wrote and directed Yabba Yabba Ding Ding, a 3-minute DV short produced by FilmFour Lab and screened at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.^[3] His 2000 shorts include Rice Paper Stars, a 16mm comedy-drama about a jilted bride's chaotic day, which was a runner-up for the BBC2 Talent Awards and nominated for Best Short Film at BAFTA Scotland.^[14][3] Also that year, Goddard co-wrote and directed Kings of the Wild Frontier, a 24-minute DigiBeta adaptation of an Ian Rankin story, starring Stuart Wilkinson, who won a BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Television Performance.^[3][36] In other formats, Goddard directed the music video for Gustaffson's "On Broadway" in 2024, a black-and-white vignette set in Wilton's Music Hall starring Daniel Ings as a tortured artist alter-ego of frontman Andrew Gower.^[37][38]

Awards and nominations

BAFTA recognitions

Andy Goddard's early career received significant recognition from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in 1998, when he was nominated for the Best Short Film award for Little Sisters, co-directed with Nic Murison.^[39] This nomination, part of the BAFTA Film Awards, marked one of his initial accolades in the industry and spotlighted his ability to craft compelling narratives in the short film format.^[40] Building on this foundation, Goddard earned another BAFTA nomination in 2015 at the BAFTA Cymru Awards for Original Screenplay for Set Fire to the Stars, co-written with Celyn Jones.^[41] The film, a biographical drama about poet Dylan Thomas, led the nominations that year with seven nods across various categories, though it secured wins in production design, makeup and hair, and original music rather than writing.^[42] This recognition affirmed BAFTA's endorsement of Goddard's transition from shorts to feature-length screenwriting, enhancing his profile in Welsh and broader British filmmaking circles.^[3] These BAFTA honors, spanning nearly two decades, illustrate the academy's role in validating Goddard's evolving contributions to cinema, from innovative short works to scripted features that blend historical insight with dramatic tension.^[43]

Festival and other awards

Goddard's debut short film Little Sisters (1997) received significant recognition at international film festivals. It won the DM Davies Award at the Welsh International Film Festival in 1997. The following year, the film earned the Gold Hugo Award for Best Narrative Short at the 34th Chicago International Film Festival. Additionally, it claimed the Jacques Tati Trophy in the Grand Prix Competition Européenne at the 7th Festival du Film de Vendôme.^[3] His feature debut Set Fire to the Stars (2014) garnered nominations at prominent festivals. At the Edinburgh International Film Festival, it was nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film and the Audience Award. In 2015, the film received nominations for Best Screenplay and the Audience Award at the Miami International Film Festival. Later, it won four awards at the London Unrestricted View Film Festival in 2016, including Best Feature, Best Actor for Celyn Jones, Best Score, and Best Editing.^[3][44] For Six Minutes to Midnight (2020), Goddard and the film were nominated at the 8th Annual National Film Awards in 2022: the film for Best British Film and Goddard for Best Director. The production also won the Best Narrative and Animated Feature at the ReFrame Stamp Awards in 2021, recognizing its gender-balanced creative leadership.^[45][46][3]