Peter Straughan became a sought-after screenwriter when his script The Men Who Stare at Goats, adapted from Jon Ronson's book, made the rounds. The script was subsequently filmed, with Grant Heslov directing and George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Stephen Lang, and Kevin Spacey starring.
His other credits as screenwriter include the Working Title Films production Sixty Six, directed by Paul Weiland and starring Helena Bonham Carter, Eddie Marsan, and Gregg Sulkin. He co-wrote the latter script with Bridget O'Connor, with whom he also wrote Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution. The latter movie was directed by Bille Eltringham and starred Catherine Tate. The third screenplay for the team was the adaptation of John le Carré's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; the soon-to-be released film, directed by Tomas Alfredson, stars Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, and Ciarán Hinds of The Debt.
Mr. Straughan adapted Toby Young's memoir into the feature How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, which was directed by Robert B. Weide and starred Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, and Jeff Bridges.
He wrote and directed the short film Gee Gee, starring David Morrissey and Elliot Cowan; and was adapting the book Second Lives, by Tim Guest, for director David Fincher.
Born and raised in Northeast England, Mr. Straughan studied English at university, where he got into the drama society and wrote his first play. When he finished school, he continued writing for theater before expanding his literary output into radio, television, and film. His work for stage includes Bones, which has been published by Methuen and which premiered in 1999 at Live Theatre in Newcastle, London; and Noir, also published by Methuen, which premiered in May 2002 on the main stage at Newcastle Playhouse as the first-ever Live Theatre/Northern Stage Ensemble co-production.
His dramatic works for radio include Metropolis, for BBC Radio 4, which won the Prix Italia; and M,for BBC Radio 3, which earned Mr. Straughan his second Prix Italia.
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