Sex, Death, Comedy: Enter the nuanced world of Shannon Murphy
Shannon Murphy is the director of 2019 debut hit Babyteeth (94% on rotten tomatoes at last check). I was moved to tears many times by the film and have since gone on to watch other things she has directed including Killing Eve, her episode of which was nominated for 3 EMMYs, Dave which is literally one of my favourite TV series and Dying for Sex, for which she won the Outstanding Directorial Achievement at the 2026 Director’s Guild of America (DGA) Awards.
I know being a female director of the highest calibre is not easy - add onto that being a single mother, continents away from your family. I wanted to know how she finds her voice and stands her ground in her industry, how she practices patience between projects and creates such emotionally sensitive and nuanced work.
In this episode we cover:
From Nairobi to Hong Kong: how a globally nomadic childhood shaped her creative voice
The reality of being a female director: bias, breakthroughs, and finding your own path in film & TV
Why the “female gaze” isn’t just important—it’s where the most exciting stories are right now
What it really feels like to premiere at Venice—and survive an 8-minute standing ovation
Why comedy is so hard: what works, what bombs, and how great directors fix it in real time
Inside high-pressure film sets: chaos, creativity, and leading hundreds of people
Creative intensity & recovery: the ebbs and flows of a creative life and how to balance it
Mentons:
Bertolt Brecht
Jim Henson’s Storyteller series by Anthony Mingela
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