Avengers director Joe Russo returns to UEA to share filmmaking tips with students and receive honorary degree
By: Communications
(Photo credit: David Kirkham)
On Tuesday (4 April), Joe visited the University of East Anglia (UEA) campus to host an informal opportunity for Drama, Film, and Creative Writing students to ask him questions about filmmaking and the film industry. During his visit, he also received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters.
Honorary degrees are awarded to acknowledge and reward individuals for outstanding accomplishments in their field or for exceptional contributions to the community. Having studied English and American Studies as a visiting student at the University for a semester in 1991, and taken modules in theatrical scriptwriting, Joe was awarded his honorary degree in recognition of his achievements within the film and television industry.
Joe Russo is an acclaimed American filmmaker and screenwriter, and currently the third-highest grossing director worldwide, alongside his brother Anthony Russo. Known together as the Russo brothers, they have directed many critically acclaimed films, including a quartet of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019), the latter being one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
During his return to UEA, Joe was also able to take a visit to the Sainsbury Centre, aka 'Avengers HQ', with the external facade of the art gallery on the University's campus having been used for the superhero compound in a number of the MCU films he directed.
Joe has also worked as director and producer for comedy series such as Arrested Development (2003-2005), Community (2009-2014), and Happy Endings (2011-2012), the former of which saw the Russo brothers win a Primetime Emmy Award for their work on the television sitcom. More recently, he has co-directed and co-produced Cherry (2021) and The Gray Man (2022), and served as a producer for the 2023 Academy Award winner for 'Best Picture' Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Joe Russo said: "I came to UEA as a writer and I left as an actor, so I went through a great transition in those six months while I was here. Acting led me to directing, and directing led me to where I am today. My experiences here at UEA changed me and made me who I am.
"When I was here at UEA, I remember I was asked to write and perform a monologue for a class and the professor at the time, Jon Hyde, mentioned that I could be an actor if I wanted to. He invited me to take part in American Buffalo, a play he was directing at the time down at the Waterfront theatre, and it was incredibly influential - it changed the entire trajectory of my life. Everything we did on that play over those following months really taught me everything I know about acting. That is one of my favourites memories from my time spent at UEA, though I also have a few good memories from the student pub!
"With enough hard work, creativity and discipline, you can go wherever you want to go. I think that's the great thing about universities, and UEA in particular - it fashioned me, moulded me, and gave me inspiration. I think this is an incredible place to study writing, to study creative arts, and to figure out who you are and what it is that you want to do with your life.
"I greatly appreciate the University recognising me with this honorary degree, but I'd also like to recognise the University and how it profoundly affected my life in the six months that I was here."
L-R: Ian Callaghan, UEA Chief Resource Officer; Emma Sutton-Pavli, UEA Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience and Education; Joe Russo; Prof Richard Hand, Head of UEA's School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing (photo credit: David Kirkham)
All the way from Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio), Joe Russo came to UEA in 1991 for two terms of study at the University, during the time that Tony Frost was Studio Director for UEA's Drama Studio.
Tony said: "Joe took one particularly significant module in Scriptwriting, where he was encouraged by his lecturers to perform the monologue he wrote for that course, which he did superbly.
"During his time in Norwich, Joe also got involved with UEA Drama Society and a Great Escape Theatre Company production of David Mamet's play American Buffalo; Joe's obvious acting skills made him an excellent addition to the cast. Joe's mother Patricia and brother Anthony also surprised him by coming from Cleveland to see the production. One of the people Joe met at UEA and acted with in American Buffalo, Jonty Rea, also co-starred in the first Russo brothers' film, Pieces."
Fiona Lettice, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research & Innovation, said: "It was a great pleasure to welcome Joe back to the University, and we congratulate him on his honorary doctorate.
"Joe's films are loved by millions across the world, and have no doubt inspired a huge number of our students. Not only that, but he has also helped put our campus on the map worldwide, with the Sainsbury Centre featuring in several different MCU films.
"The Russo brothers have a history of mentoring emerging talent and helping young storytellers gain a foothold in the film industry, which is really inspiring for our students. It was wonderful to welcome him on to campus and recognise his distinguished career with this honorary degree."
Joe Russo during his talk at UEA on filmmaking and the film industry
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