Researching Paul Anderson

Anderson's fifth film, There Will Be Blood (2007), about an oil prospector during the Southern California oil boom, achieved major critical and commercial success, and is often cited as one of the greatest films of the 2000s. This was followed by The Master (2012) and Inherent Vice (2014). Anderson's eighth film, Phantom Thread, was released in 2017. His ninth film, Licorice Pizza, was released in 2021. He has directed music videos for artists, including Fiona Apple, Radiohead, Haim, Joanna Newsom, Aimee Mann, Jon Brion and Michael Penn. Anderson directed a documentary, Junun (2015), about the making of the album of the same name in India. In 2019, he directed a short film accompanying Thom Yorke's Anima, released on Netflix and in select IMAX theatres.

Anderson's films are often psychological dramas and characterized by depictions of flawed and desperate characters, explorations of themes such as dysfunctional families, alienation, loneliness and redemption, and a bold visual style that uses moving camera and long takes. He is noted for his frequent collaborations with actors Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Melora Walters, John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix and Daniel Day-Lewis, cinematographer Robert Elswit, costume designer Mark Bridges, and composers Jon Brion and Jonny Greenwood.

His films have consistently garnered critical acclaim. Anderson has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, one Golden Globe Award, and five BAFTA Awards, and has won a Best Director Award at Cannes, both a Golden and a Silver Bear at Berlin, and a Silver Lion at Venice.

Educated at Balliol College, Oxford, and the London College of Printing, Anderson was deputy editor of European Nuclear Disarmament Journal (1984–87), reviews editor of Tribune (1986–1991), editor of Tribune (1991–93), and deputy editor of the New Statesman (1993–96), news editor of Red Pepper (1997–99) and deputy editor of the New Times (1999–2000). Since 1999 Anderson has worked as a contract subeditor on a number of publications, including The Guardian.

Anderson is co-author with Nyta Mann of Safety First: The Making of New Labour (1997), an analysis of how the changes made by Neil Kinnock to Labour Party policies led to the development of New Labour under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. In a review in The Guardian the Labour MP Roy Hattersley praised Safety First for its detailed coverage of such issues as John Prescott's transformation of ministerial governing, and the Party's "Euro- keynesianism," calling it the "best" book on New Labour. Anderson is also editor of Orwell in Tribune: "As I Please" and Other Writings (2006).

Anderson taught journalism at City University, London from 2000 to 2011 and subsequently at the University of Essex.

He started his career at Hull City before moving to Liverpool but made no league appearances for either club. Loan spells with Swansea City and Nottingham Forest resulted in a permanent move to the latter for whom he made nearly 100 league appearances. In 2012, he moved to Bristol City before signing for Ipswich Town the following year. In 2015, he moved to Bradford City. In the 2016 Summer transfer window he moved to Northampton Town on a free transfer after leaving Bradford City. In 2017 he joined Mansfield Town but left in 2019 and joined Plymouth Argyle. On 18 October Northampton Town announced they had signed the winger on a short-term deal.

He batted right-handed and bowled right-arm medium pace. He played two Yorkshire Second XI matches in 1987, and thirteen in 1988. He also appeared for Warwickshire under-25s.

Paul Anderson now owns Indigo Napier based in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

Anderson resigned in 2017 to take a job with the Governor's Office of Economic Development.

In July 2018, Anderson joined Boyd Gaming replacing Bill Noonan, who retired, as the Senior Vice President of Industry and Governmental Affairs.