Born in Torquay, Devon, England; educated at the National Film School, London. Deakins shot short films, documentaries and even a softcore vehicle for Koo Stark before emerging as one of England's leading cinematographers of the 1980s. His crisp, controlled color work ranges from the bleak canvases of 1984 (1984) and SID AND NANCY (1986) to the warm hues of PASCALI'S ISLAND (1988). Since 1989 Deakins has worked mostly in the US and has become known for his black-and-white and color work for the Coen Brothers. Other notable credits include AIR AMERICA and THE LONG WALK HOME (both 1990), BARTON FINK and HOMICIDE (both 1991), PASSION FISH and THUNDERHEART (both 1992), THE SECRET GARDEN (1993), THE HUDSUCKER PROXY and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (both 1994), ROB ROY (uncredited) AND DEAD MAN WALKING (both 1995), FARGO and COURAGE UNDER FIRE (both 1996), KUNDUN (1997), THE BIG LEBOWSKI and THE SIEGE (both 1998), THE HURRICANE and ANYWHERE BUT HERE (both 1999), THIRTEEN DAYS and O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (both 2000), THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE and A BEAUTIFUL MIND (both 2001), LEVITY, INTOLERABLE CRUELTY and HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG (all 2003), THE LADYKILLERS and THE VILLAGE (both 2004), JARHEAD (2005), NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH and THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (all 2007), DOUBT, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD and THE READER (all scheduled for 2008), and HAIL CAESAR (scheduled for release in 2009). A member of the Board of Governors of the Academy for the Cinematographers Branch from 2004 to 2007, Deakins (ASC) scored a rare double-nomination in 2008 for NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES...  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 1994: THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 1996: FARGO  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 1997: KUNDUN  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 2000: O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 2001: THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 2007: THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD  Nominated for Achievement in Cinematography 2007: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN 7 nominations