Oscar-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen has paid a moving tribute to much admired award-winning producer and first assistant director Adam Somner, who died just before Thanksgiving from anaplastic thyroid cancer.
They worked together on McQueen’s wartime movie Blitz, which seemed appropriate for two Londoners.
The highly regarded Somner was the go-to AD for the likes of Steven Spielberg, Paul Thomas Anderson and Ridley Scott.
Back in the day, early in his career, Somner was a third AD on Kenneth Branagh’s feature film debut Henry V, and he was remarkably organized and unflappable even then.
Here’s the full statement from McQueen:
I first met Adam Somner 12 years ago in Heathrow airport. He approached me to say he would love to work together one day. I had no idea who he was and then I found out. Since that day I have been trying to work with him on a project, and luckily we were able to do so on Blitz.
Adam Somner was the George Harrison of the film world. Dependable, reliable, always present but with a flair of adding way more to your game.
Just as Harrison took the Beatles to India, to prolong and expand their creative journey, Adam has done that for so many directors over the years. It is not a coincidence that he has his name on some of the best movies made over the last 30 years.
As a fellow Londoner we got on like a house on fire. He was encouraging to everybody on set. I remember when he brought an elderly gentlemen to help us out with the Café de Paris scene who was a first AD on Lawrence of Arabia.
I loved him like a brother. I had no idea that at such a late stage in my life I would meet someone who I consider one of my best friends. He was a working class hero.
Up until the very end we were talking about the next project. He is what filmmaking for me is about: courage, honesty, humor, and fundamentally love.
All things must pass.
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