Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan & wife Emma Thomas to receive knighthood and damehood after film's success

British filmmaker Christopher Nolan and his wife, producer Emma Thomas, are set to be honoured with a knighthood and damehood respectively for their contributions to film. This recognition follows the success of their biographical film "Oppenheimer," which dominated the awards season in 2024.

Recently, London-born Nolan, clinched his inaugural Oscar for directing the biopic centred on the renowned physicist often dubbed the "father of the atomic bomb." The film starred Irish actor Cillian Murphy in the lead role.

Despite being previously nominated six times for Academy Awards, Nolan had not secured an Oscar for directing until this year's ceremony, where he finally won the prestigious award. Together, Nolan and Thomas have collaborated on numerous acclaimed projects, including the iconic "The Dark Knight" trilogy (2005, 2008, 2012), "Inception" (2010), "Interstellar" (2014), "Dunkirk" (2017), and "Tenet" (2020).

Nolan, born in London to a British father and American mother, pursued his education in English at University College London (UCL), selecting the institution due to its filmmaking resources. It was at UCL where he crossed paths with his future wife, Thomas, with whom he shares four children – Flora, Oliver, Rory, and Magnus.

Jointly, they established and managed Syncopy, a production company responsible for many of their blockbuster hits. Nolan, upon receiving the British Film Institute (BFI) Fellowship for his significant contributions to cinema, attributed much of his success to his wife, emphasising her shared vision and understanding of the medium's importance.

In a separate recognition, Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive officer of Netflix, has been bestowed with an honorary CBE for his notable services to the creative industries. Sarandos, an American businessman, has overseen content operations at the streaming platform since 2000 and assumed his current role in July 2020.