Mike Figgis' early life was marked by a sense of adventure and creativity, as he grew up with four brothers and sisters in a council house in Newcastle Upon Tyne. At the tender age of 14, his family made a significant move to Thornyburn, near Bellingham, where he would go on to make his first film, "Redheugh".
After qualifying as a music teacher in Newcastle, Mike pursued his passion for music by playing in a band, "The Gasboard", alongside the renowned Brian Ferry. He then took his talents to London, where he spent three years studying music and playing with The People Band. Their debut album, produced by the legendary Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones, was a testament to Mike's musical prowess.
As he continued to hone his craft, Mike made a cameo appearance in the film "Stormy Monday" as a member of The Krakow Jazz Ensemble. This was just the beginning of his foray into the world of film, as he soon found himself drawn to the avant-garde theatre group, The People Show, as a musician.
However, it wasn't long before Mike's talents as an actor began to shine, and he spent the next decade touring the world, earning critical acclaim and great success. In 1980, he left the group to focus on writing, directing, and forming his own theatre company, The Mike Figgis Group.
This marked the beginning of a new era for Mike, as he crafted multimedia productions that incorporated an extensive use of film. His early projects, including "Redhugh", "Slow Fade", and "Animals of the City", won awards for their innovative blend of live action, music, and film.
One of these projects, "Redhugh", caught the attention of Channel 4, which financed his first feature film, "The House". Mike's next film, "Stormy Monday", which he wrote, directed, and scored, solidified his position as a full-fledged feature filmmaker.
Mike's debut in American films came with "Internal Affairs", which he directed and co-scored. He went on to coax the legendary Kim Novak out of retirement to star in "Liebestraum", a film he also directed and scored. One of his most notable achievements came with "One Night Stand", which won the Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival.
