David Yates
Birthdate – October 8, 1963 (61 Years Old)
Birthplace – St. Helens, Merseyside, England, UK
Director David Yates has carved out an unusual feature directorial career as a specialist in big-screen adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s massively successful Harry Potter universe and the Harry-adjacent Fantastic Beasts franchise. After a steady TV career that stretched from 1994 to 2005, Yates directed the well-received Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), followed in steady succession by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) and the two-part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010 and 2011).
After a detour into the world of Edgar Rice Burroughs with The Legend of Tarzan (2016), with Alexander Skarsgård, Yates has directed the first three in the Fantastic Beasts series, including The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).
David Yates is set to direct the fourth and fifth feature installments. He has worked regularly on Warner Bros. productions since 2007, one of the longest current track records in the industry for a director collaborating with a single studio.
Videos
Personal Details
David Yates has two siblings—brother Andrew and sister Beverley. He grew up in a village near the Merseyside community of St. Helens in Great Britain. As a film student at the University of Essex, Yates helped create the Film and Video Production Society. David Yates attended the National Film and Television School for additional filmmaking training. He is married to Yvonne Walcott. His height is 6’ 1”.
Filmography
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
(2016)
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
(2022)
The Legend of Tarzan
Director (2016)
Some Facts About David Yates
Founder: David Yates is a founder of the British directors association, Directors UK.
Record: Yates has directed more Harry Potter movies than any other director.
Family Tree: Yates is British football player Theo Walcott’s uncle.
Awards
Winner, Best Feature Film, BAFTA Children’s Award (2011); Nominee, Outstanding British Film of the Year, BAFTA (2017).
