Peter Jackson

Born Oct. 31, 1961, in Pukerua Bay on New Zealand's North Island, Peter Jackson began making movies with his parents' 8mm camera when he was only 8 years old.

Jackson's first professional movies, in his early 20s, were gory horror flicks (Bad Taste in 1987, Meet the Feebles in 1989 and Braindead in 1992). In 1994, he astonished audiences and critics with Heavenly Creatures, based on the true story of two teenage girls who commit a murder.

In 1999, Jackson embarked on one of the biggest undertakings in cinematic history by filming three movies at once: the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was released over three years (The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, The Two Towers in 2002 and The Return of the King in 2003). All three films topped the box office, delighting fans and critics alike and earning more than a half-dozen Oscars.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

2013 PG-13

Director Peter Jackson extends the Lord of the Rings saga with this second installment of Bilbo Baggins's dramatic experiences in Middle Earth. Accompanied by Gandalf and 13 dwarves, Bilbo journeys toward a confrontation with the dragon Smaug.