Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis

Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He has written and directed five feature films: Hard Eight (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), Magnolia (1999), Punch-Drunk Love (2002) There Will Be Blood (2007), and soon to be released, The Master (2012). He has been nominated for five Academy Awards — There Will Be Blood for Best Achievement in Directing, Best Motion Picture of the Year, and Best Adapted Screenplay; Magnolia for Best Original Screenplay; and Boogie Nights for Best Original Screenplay.

Anderson has been hailed as being "one of the most exciting talents to come along in years" and "among the supreme talents of today." In 2004, Anderson was ranked 21st on The Guardian's list of the 40 best directors. In 2007, Total Film named him the 20th-greatest director of all time. In 2011, Entertainment Weekly named him the 11th-greatest working director calling him "one of the most dynamic directors to emerge in the last 20 years."