Robert Richardson was born on August 27, 1955 in Hyannis, Massachusetts, USA as Robert Bridge Richardson. He is known for his work on Inglourious Basterds (2009), Django Unchained (2012) and Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). Prior to becoming a regular collaborator with such prominent directors as Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino, cinematographer Robert Richardson served his apprenticeship shooting second unit on "Repo Man" (1984) while filming television documentaries for PBS and the BBC. His television work led Stone to hire him to shoot "Salvador" (1986) and "Platoon" (1986), both of which required a cinéma vérité style that only a documentary cinematographer could offer. From there, he worked almost exclusively for Stone, filming "Wall Street" (1987), "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989) and "The Doors" (1991), while occasionally branching out to shoot films like John Sayles' "Eight Men Out" (1988) and "City of Hope" (1991). But it was his stunning work using a multitude of stock and cameras to create a documentary feel for "JFK" (1991), which earned the cinematographer his first Academy Award. While he sharpened the hyperkinetic style of "JFK" in "Natural Born Killers" (1994), "Nixon" (1995) and "U-Turn" (1997), Richardson was in-demand by other top Hollywood directors like Tarantino and Martin Scorsese, both of whom tapped the director of photography for films like "Bringing Out the Dead" (1999), "Kill Bill, Vol. 1" (2003) and "Kill Bill, Vol. 2" (2004). Richardson earned Oscars two and three for his work with Scorsese on "The Aviator" (2004) and "Hugo" (2011). As he continued to earn acclaim for projects like Tarantino's "Django Unchained" (2012), there was no doubt that Richardson was one of the finest cinematographers working in Hollywood.
Robert Richardson on KCRW
More from KCRW
Contenders for Trump’s second Cabinet, crypto donors as political players
NewsMany of former President Trump’s Cabinet members and executive branch staffers from his first administration have publicly disavowed him.
Election 2024: CA Props Explained
Election 2024We provide in-depth coverage of California elections with one aim: to give voters what they need to make informed decisions.
Netflix’s strong Q3 + what’s next for its films; ‘The Wild Robot’ director talks CG vs. tradition
EntertainmentMatt Belloni and Lucas Shaw dive into the impressive Q3 earnings posted by Netflix… And whether the streamer can fine tune its film strategy to achieve even further world domination.
Prop 3 is an insurance policy for same-sex couples, backers say
Election 2024Proposition 3 would enshrine the right for same-sex couples to marry in the California constitution. It would also repeal and replace language from 2008 that says otherwise.
Power of Latino voters, ‘Quiet in a World Full of Noise’ album
NewsAfter ugly comments about Latinos at a Trump rally over the weekend, the spotlight is on that demographic’s changing voting patterns and role in key swing states.
Weekend film reviews: ‘Here,’ ‘A Real Pain,’ ‘Blitz’
EntertainmentThe latest film releases include Here, A Real Pain, Blitz, and Emilia Perez.
LA teens would rather live without social media, says new docuseries
Child developmentFilmmaker Lauren Greenfield assesses how constant internet access affects the coming-of-age experience of pandemic teens in a new series called “Social Studies.”
Rock'n'roll groupies of the 1970s got in with bands, but could they make careers in music?
MusicAs a girl, Dee Dee Keel ditched the doldrums of Venice for the thrills of Hollywood.