Andy Tennant is an American television and movie director, screenwriter who is best known for movies Hitch, Sweet Home Alabama and Ever After.After completing high school Tennant studied theatre at the University of Southern California before beginning his career in television.Throughout the late eighties and early nineties he moved from television series to television series working in Ferris Bueller, The Wonder Year and Parker Lewis Can't Lose.He moved into movies in 1995 when he directed It Takes Two, starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and moved on to Fools Rush In in 1996 with Salma Hayek.But it was his 1998 movie Ever After, which starred Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott, where he really made his name as a director.Danielle (Drew Barrymore), orphaned by her father's death, is raised by a wicked and snotty stepmother (Anjelica Huston) and her two daughters.
When she accidentally stumbles onto Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), the future King of France, the two inspire one another to resolve their respective troubles at home in this romantic fable.
An adaptation of fairly tale Cinderella was met well with the critics and it went on to gross $100 million at the international box office.
Up next for Tennant was Anna and the King, based on the story of Anna Leonowens an English teacher in Siam, starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat.
English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens has done something that women of the Victorian age simply never do: The young widow has travelled thousands of miles with her son to a land that is largely unknown to the Western world.
She arrives in Siam with adventure in her eyes and a Siamese primer in her hand. Whatever awaits her in this strange new world, there is no turning back.
Anna has been employed to educate the king’s fifty-eight children. She knows very little of King Mongkut, apart from the fact that his people revere him as a god.
She brings with her an "East vs. West" prejudice against the king, considering him to be uncivilized.
She soon realizes that her views are more than matched by the ruler’s own preconceptions about the West and particularly this impertinent English woman.
But over time, Anna and the King share a growing connection. Anna discovers that Mongkut is a true man of vision who is leading Siam to take its place among the nations of the modern world. And the King recognizes that Anna has shined a light not only on him and his family, but on Siam itself.
The film caused some controversy when released as it seemed to suggest a romance between Anna and the King of Siam.
Due to some distortions of Thai history the film was banned in Thailand despite five script rewrites in a bid to win the support of the Thai government.
But 2005's Hitch, starring Will Smith, has provided Andy Tennant with his biggest critical and commercial hit.
Will Smith stars as Alex Hitchens, an urban "date doctor" who helps the common man woo the woman of his dreams.
Hitch will use any means necessary, dance lessons, back waxing, to instill romantic confidence in his clientele. Why? He was once a lonely wallflower himself, who learned about love and heartbreak the hard way.
His latest project, Albert Brennaman (Kevin James), may be his most difficult. Brennaman, a junior accountant prone to clumsiness, has fallen head-over-heels for one of his clients, Allegra Cole (Amber Valleta), a well-known celebrity.
To complicate things further, Hitch's dating dogma is shaken when he meets and falls for a beautiful gossip columnist, Sara Melas (Eva Mendes), whose sharp wit easily pierces his cool façade.
Conflict arises when Melas uncovers Hitch's true profession and blames him for her best friend being dumped.
The film went on to gross over $386 million at the global box office and was the tenth biggest grossing film of 2005 in America.
Tennant's new project reunites Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in romantic comedy adventure Fool's Gold.
Ben 'Finn' Finnegan (McConaughey) is a good natured, surf burn turned treasure hunter who is obsessed with finding the legendary 18th century Queen's Dowry, 40 chests of exotic treasure that was lost at sea in 1715.
In his quest Finn has sunk everything, including his marriage to Tess (Hudson) and his more rust than trusty salvage boast 'Booty Calls'.
Just as Tess is starting to re-build her life, working aboard a mega yacht owned by billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), Finn discovers a vital clue to the treasure's whereabouts.
Certain that his luck will change with the newfound information Finn manoeuvres himself aboard Nigel's yacht, using his good natured charm, and convinces the tycoon and his Blackberry wielding, celebutante daughter Gemma to join him in pursuit of the Spanish treasure.
Against Tess' better judgement, the search rekindles her love.. of discovery.
But they are not the only ones after the treasure. Finn's mentor turned nemesis Moe Fitch (Ray Winstone) has also set out to claim the prize.
Fool's Gold is out now.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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