Jane Campion

Campion in 2003, photo by DFree/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Elizabeth Jane Campion

Place of Birth: Wellington, New Zealand

Date of Birth: 30 April, 1954

Ethnicity:
*father – English
*mother – Scottish, Irish, small amount of Welsh

Jane Campion is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director. She won the Academy Award for Best Director for The Power of the Dog (2021). She has also directed the films Sweetie, An Angel at My Table, The Piano (1993), The Portrait of a Lady (1996), Holy Smoke!, In the Cut, and Bright Star (2009), segments of 8 (2008) and To Each His Own Cinema, and the made-for-tv movie Two Friends (1986). She also wrote her The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay; Bright Star, and The Power of the Dog, co-wrote Sweetie, Holy Smoke!, and In the Cut; and wrote her short film segments. She co-created the mini-series Top of the Lake and Top of the Lake: China Girl, both of which she also directed and wrote for.

Jane is the daughter of Edith Campion (born Beverley Georgette Hannah), an actress, writer, and co-founder of the New Zealand Players theatre company, and Richard Mackiff/Meckiff Campion, a teacher, and theatre and opera director. Her father’s family were members of the Exclusive Brethren Christian Evangelical movement.

Jane has had two children, including actress Alice Englert, with her former husband, sound designer Colin Englert.

Jane’s paternal grandfather was John Stanley Campion (the son of John Antony/Anthony Campion and Elizabeth Mary Mackiff/Meckiff). Jane’s grandfather John was born in Belfast, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, to English parents. Jane’s great-grandfather John was born in Peterborough, Northamptonshire, the son of John Anthony Campion and Mary Parsons. Elizabeth was born in Bromley, St Middlesex, and was the daughter of John Meckiff and Ann Combes/Comber.

Jane’s paternal grandmother was named Eleanor Wright. Eleanor was born in Essex, England.

Jane’s maternal grandfather was George Alfred Hannah (the son of Robert Hannah and Hannah Ferguson). George was born in Wellington, New Zealand, to parents from Ireland. Robert founded the Hannahs footwear company. Robert was born in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, the son of John Hanna and Mary. Jane’s great-grandmother Hannah was born in Easkey, County Sligo, the daughter of George Ferguson and Catherine Morgan, who herself was born in Treforest, Glamorgan, Wales.

Jane’s maternal grandmother was Jessie Ann Armstrong (the daughter of David Armstrong and Isabella McLean). Jessie’s parents were born in Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland. David was the son of William Armstrong and Marion Dickson. Isabella was the daughter of Duncan Mclean and M. S. McIvor.

Source: Genealogy of Jane Campion – https://www.geni.com