Skip to content
Motif
Simon Cellan Jones

Simon Cellan Jones

Director, also producer · Born November 6, 1963 (62)

BAFTA Award winner · 1 other major award body

Simon Cellan-Jones is a Welsh television director and film director, who began his career as a production assistant in the mid-1980s, working on series such as Edge of Darkness. By the late 1980s he had worked his way up to become a director, and he gained credits on some of the most acclaimed British television productions of the 1990s. These included episodes of Cracker (1993) and Our Friends in the North (1996). He was nominated as the Best Newcomer at the British Academy Film Awards for his first feature film Some Voices (2000). Other television credits have included BBC One's Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking (2004) and More4's The Trial of Tony Blair (2007). He is the brother of Rory Cellan-Jones and the son of fellow director James Cellan-Jones.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 6, 1963 (62)
Works as
Director, also producer
Titles
25 on Motif · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 11% in 30 days

What are Simon Cellan Jones' films like?

Across their 9 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
40%
Survival
26%
Morality
16%
Society
8%
Power
6%
Self
3%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 5 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 3 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Melancholic
3
Hopeful
2
Warm
3
Joyful
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Feel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Simon Cellan Jones' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 25 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on HBO Max (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Simon Cellan Jones' titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 25 with a Motif page.

  • The Family Plan 2(2025)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Arthur the King(2024)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Family Plan(2023)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Diplomat(2023)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • See(2019)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Years and Years(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Shooter(2016)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Expanse(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Jessica Jones(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Ballers(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Bloodline(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Manhattan(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Power(2014)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Klondike (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · Creator

  • The Politician's Husband (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Magic City(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Borgias(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Boardwalk Empire(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Treme(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • On Expenses (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • How to Make It in America(2010)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Paradox (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Generation Kill(2008)

    Show 7 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Trial of Tony Blair(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Coup! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • The Queen's Sister (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking(2004)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Eroica (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • The One and Only(2002)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Some Voices(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Storm Damage(2000)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • In Your Dreams (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    Director

  • Our Friends in the North (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • Rik Mayall Presents: The Big One (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

    Director

  • The Riff Raff Element (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Cracker(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Rik Mayall Presents (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Bitter Harvest (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Came Out, It Rained, Went Back In Again (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Producer

  • The Missing Finger (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Director

  • Medics (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Looking After Number One (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Streetwise (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 27 episodes · Director

  • ScreenPlay Firsts (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • ScreenPlay (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Bill (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Sea-Change (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1976)

    as Schoolboy

  • Centre Play (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Schoolboy

Career shape

A full career of 48 titles from 1973 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Arthur the King (2024)

$41M worldwide

Highest rated

Generation Kill (2008)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Family Plan 2 (2025)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 48: 2 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting45 of 48: 41 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score82ndProducing4 of 48: 1 only producing, 3 with another roleOther crew1 of 48: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

48 titles, 4 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s4 · crew1990s11 · crew2000s10 · crew2010s17 · crew2020s4 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

a BAFTA Award from 8 major nominations, 1994–2008.

WinNomination
  1. 2008
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Single Drama
  2. 2006
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Director
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Single Drama
  3. 2001
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Single Drama
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
  4. 2000
    • Cannes award, nominated
  5. 1997
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Drama Serial
  6. 1994
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Simon Cellan Jones' films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 25 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 25 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · director

Storm Damage (2000)

84th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Boardwalk Empire (2010)

Midcredits 97th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 63/100 and the pacing 59/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Simon Cellan Jones' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 Motif titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 52 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 30 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 55 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 38 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Simon Cellan Jones work with?

People who share at least 2 of Simon Cellan Jones' Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mark Wahlberg shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers