Anthony McCarten

Anthony McCarten – Life, Career, and Notable Works

Anthony McCarten (born 1961) is a prolific New Zealand-born novelist, playwright, and screenwriter, best known for penning—and often producing—major biopics such as The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour, Bohemian Rhapsody, and The Two Popes. Explore his life, creative journey, and the ideas behind his stories.

Introduction

Anthony McCarten is a contemporary New Zealand writer whose range spans novels, stage plays, and high-profile films. While he began his career in fiction and theatre, he gained global recognition through his work in cinema—as the screenwriter behind acclaimed biographical dramas. His ability to blend human emotion, historical forces, and narrative craft has made him one of the more prominent literary-to-film voices of the 21st century.

Early Life and Education

Anthony McCarten was born on 28 April 1961 in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Francis Douglas Memorial College in New Plymouth. The Taranaki Herald.

Later, McCarten pursued higher studies in the arts. He enrolled at Massey University and Victoria University of Wellington, where he studied creative writing under renowned poet and teacher Bill Manhire. It was during this period that he likely honed his narrative voice and launched into theatre and writing.

Early Career: Theatre, Novels, and Plays

Theatre & Playwriting

McCarten’s early efforts were in theatre. He wrote and co-wrote numerous plays—some under his own name, some with collaborators. Among his notable stage works:

• Ladies’ Night (co-written with Stephen Sinclair) — one of New Zealand’s most commercially successful plays, translated widely.

• Via Satellite — a play which McCarten would later adapt into a film.

• Pigeon English, Weed, Hang on a Minute, Mate, FILTH (Failed in London, Try Hong Kong), Four Cities — various theatrical works over the 1980s–1990s.

One early achievement: Via Satellite as a play won theatre-critics recognition in Wellington and the New Zealand Listener’s “Best Play” award in 1991.

Novels & Fiction

McCarten’s first novel, Spinners, was published in 1999. Esquire magazine listed it among the top ten novels of that year.

He followed it with:

• The English Harem (2002) — a novel that was later adapted for television (ITV).

• Death of a Superhero (2006) — which he later adapted into film and stage forms.

• Show of Hands (2008) — which he directed as a film adaptation.

• In the Absence of Heroes (2012) — a sequel of sorts to Death of a Superhero.

• Brilliance — a fictional take involving Thomas Edison and J. P. Morgan.

• funnygirl (2015) — a fictional account of a first Muslim female stand-up comedian.

• Going Zero (2023) — a more recent thriller novel.

Many of his novels have been translated into multiple languages (14 in some accounts) and received recognition in literary prizes.

Film & Screenwriting Success

While McCarten had been involved with adaptations of his own works earlier, his major break as a screenwriter and producer came through high-profile biopics.

Key Films

• The Theory of Everything (2014) — his adaptation of Jane Hawking’s memoir about Stephen Hawking. McCarten was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture (as producer). He also won two BAFTA awards related to this film.

• Darkest Hour (2017) — McCarten adapted the screenplay about Winston Churchill during a crisis phase in World War II.

• Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) — the biopic of Freddie Mercury / Queen.

• The Two Popes (2019) — an adaptation of his own stage work The Pope, exploring the relationship between Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI.

• Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022) — McCarten served as writer (and sometimes producer) for this later biographical project.

His cinematic works have earned multiple Academy Award nominations (notably for The Theory of Everything and The Two Popes) and recognition in major film awards circuits.

McCarten’s trajectory from novelist/ playwright to screenwriter-producer is emblematic of a creative mind adapting to new forms and reaching broader audiences.

Historical & Cultural Context

• McCarten’s rise took place during a period when the global appetite for biopics and “true story” films has grown significantly.

• Given his New Zealand origins, his international success shows how writers from relatively small literary markets can break into the mainstream through adaptable storytelling and engagement with universal themes (science, politics, music, faith).

• He represents a bridge between literary, theatrical, and cinematic worlds, navigating the tensions of fidelity to source material vs dramatic adaptation.

• His works often focus on intense, human-centered stories where external historical forces press on individuals (e.g. Hawking’s illness, world wars, ecclesiastical tension, celebrity life).

Legacy & Influence

• Translating stories across media: McCarten shows how one’s own novels and plays can be seeds for films, if one has the versatility and vision to remake them for screen.

• Humanizing famous lives: His cinematic successes rest on making iconic persons (Hawking, Churchill, Mercury, Popes) accessible, fallible, and emotionally resonant.

• Global footprint: A writer from New Zealand becoming a repeated Oscar contender demonstrates that creative ambition need not be limited by geography.

• Mentorship of narrative craft: His career offers a model for younger writers: start in theatre and fiction, learn structure deeply, and remain open to adaptation.

Personality, Style & Approach

McCarten is known for:

• Strong narrative drive: His works often move with purpose, blending personal arcs and external stakes.

• Emotional authenticity: Whether in novels or screenplays, characters feel flawed, recognizable, and passionate.

• Historical imagination tempered by research: In his biopic works, he balances factual grounding with narrative tension.

• Cross-genre fluidity: He shifts between genres (thriller, romance, biopic, comedy) while maintaining a coherent voice.

• Ambition and adaptability: His willingness to revisit, adapt, and reimagine his own works reveals a creative flexibility.

Notable Quotes & Thoughts

While McCarten is not as widely quoted as some literary giants, a few remarks and ideas attributed to him capture his outlook:

• On The Theory of Everything: He once said that when he read Jane Hawking’s memoir, he was struck by “the emotional honesty” and was compelled to blend the science and the romance.

• In discussing Churchill, he commented: “Because I’m not British, I wasn’t burdened by the myth of Churchill. I could come to it fresh.”

• On his crossing between novel and screenplay: he has expressed that adaptation is as much creative as “translation”—you must reshape, not just transfer. (implied by interviews)

Lessons from Anthony McCarten

From his life and work, several lessons emerge:

1. Cultivate versatility. McCarten’s success spans novels, plays, and films—don’t confine yourself to one medium.

2. Master the fundamentals before branching out. His grounding in narrative, character, and theatre gave him tools to succeed in screenwriting.

3. Be both respectful of history and brave in interpretation. Adapting real lives calls for empathy, rigor, and the courage to dramatize.

4. Revisit and reshape your own work. McCarten has returned to his own novels and plays, transforming them into new forms.

5. Aim for universal resonance. His works work globally because they root in human struggles: faith, ambition, mortality, creativity.

6. Use your origins as a perspective. His New Zealand background is never a limitation but informs his unique approach to big stories.

Conclusion

Anthony McCarten stands as a compelling example of a writer who refused to stay in one lane. From theatre and the written word, he evolved into a globally recognized screenwriter and storyteller whose works reach millions. His path encourages authors to be ambitious, adaptable, and deeply humane in their storytelling.

If you’d like, I can help you with sample passages, recommended works to begin reading, or a deeper dive into one of his films or novels. Do you want me to do that?