From a childhood spark to Netflix success, an award-winning producer returns home after conquering Hollywood.
Louise Lovegrove and her Emmy(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
At the age of 11, Louise Lovegrove watched a behind the scenes documentary about the making of the Empire of the Sun on TV at home in Manchester. She was spellbound by how the coming of age epic by Steven Spielberg was created.
“I just thought, ooh, the person with the megaphone yelling ‘cut’ and ‘we are doing this’ – that’s what I want to do,” she says. “It spurred from there really.”
It was the moment a seed was sown which would take her to Hollywood. Now that career has been crowned with an Emmy – the TV equivalent of an Oscar.
She has won the accolade for “Rebel Ridge”, shown on Netflix, and voted the best TV movie. She was executive producer.
Louise Lovegrove and her Emmy(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
The intelligent crime thriller tells how a former Marine collides with police corruption and racism when he arrives in a Louisiana town to post bail for his cousin.
Born and raised in Withington before moving to Heaton Mersey Louise attended St. Paul’s Primary School, then Parrs Wood High, and later went on to study at the University of Manchester.
At 21, she moved to Los Angeles to begin a career in film, starting out as a production assistant through an internship.
In 2001, she completed a Master’s degree in Film at Goldsmiths, University of London, to help advance her career in the U.S. industry. From there, she steadily worked her way up through the production ranks — from production manager to line producer, and eventually to producer.
Louise Lovegrove as a pupil at Parrs Wood High(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
After a year in LA, she relocated to New York, where she lived for 12 years before returning to the West Coast in 2013.
Now she is back near her roots, in Didsbury, drawn by the increasing opportunities in the UK and EU film industries, and a desire to expand beyond the familiar production circles in the U.S.
She continues to work regularly in the States and travels back and forth as needed.
Louise, 47, said: “I did a joint honours in business and TV production at the University of Manchester. I wasn’t really going to go to University because I am not that academic and did not do that well at Parrs Wood.
“Knowing I wasn’t going to get the grades I was originally going to do horse training. But at the very last minute I decided to go through clearing. I chose the Manchester course because in its second year it had an extensive internship. I thought I can use that as an apprenticeship and get my feet in the ground in the business.
Louise Lovegrove on her graduation day at the University of Manchester with her late father, Frank, who inspired her to break into the film industry. (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
“In my second year I went to Los Angeles to work with a film director. Late in September I thought I would never finish my degree, but thought I needed it for points on the immigration system.
“I joined the last year on time and as soon as I finished my course I went back to the States. I was a second assistant director for a couple of years.
“When I was studying I had a part-time job at TGI Friday’s and a friend there was on the managerial track. She said part of the philosophy of the training was that you work in every department, so you know what it is to be a bartender, hostess, and waitress. I always adopted that philosophy when I entered the movie business.
“I thought if I am going to be a producer I want to work through the different departments to be a better manager. So I went through the grip, the lighting department, and others so I got the basics of craft of each department. Then I became a production manager and from there a line producer.”
Well deserved – Louise Lovegrove with her Emmy back in Manchester. (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Her late father, Frank, was a huge influence on her career. “My dad was in the merchant navy and he travelled the world a couple of times. He had the most fascinating stories about different communities and different cultures. He really instilled in me and my brother, don’t worry too much about your academic grades, the world is your oyster, go and do whatever you want.
“He urged us to try our hand at challenging things. He was a huge influence and inspiration behind me packing my bags and going off into the big wide world, especially Hollywood.
“My dad’s encouragement and adventurous spirit inspired me to pursue a global career.”
Louise added: “After my dad died and we sold his house we didn’t have any base in Manchester as my brother lived in Canada. I thought in 2023 I will base myself in Manchester not London as there is more work up here than in London anyway. Also I have friends and family here.”
Louise Lovegrove collects her Emmy with colleagues, Anish Savjani, Neil Kopp, and Jeremy Saulnier, for the film Rebel Ridge.
Rebel Ridge is a riveting movie which has the same kind of setting and tension as the 1967 classic In the Heat of the Night which was based in a small Mississippi town and starred the late Sidney Poitier.
“The story comes from the forfeiture law in the States. In low economic communities, especially in the South, people get targeted by police as the areas don’t have enough money to run the Sheriff’s Department. The police are allowed to confiscate money and then it falls on the victims to fight to get their money back. It is an abuse of power and that is what the film is really about,” said Louise.
She is very proud of her Emmy. “I have worked really hard – again another trait from my dad. It is really nice to be recognised and have some validation.”
The film Rebel Ridge stars Aaron Pierre and Don Johnson.
Her work ethic is deep rooted. At the age of 12 she tried to get a paper round at her local newsagent but was turned away because she was too young. While studying she later washed pots in a restaurant in Cheadle, was a waitress, and a hotel receptionist. “I have done all the elbow grease jobs,” she says.
She has several major projects lined up. These include working on the film Grendel which is a sequel to Beowulf, with stars, Jeff Bridges, Sam Elliot being filmed in Spain, and Reptilia, starring Mikey Madison and Kirsten Dunst which is a thriller about a dental hygienist who gets drawn into the exotic animal trade after being seduced by a mermaid.
Asked if she was ever starstruck while working, she reveals a loyalty to her Manc background and says: “I worked on the table read for the musical version of Finding Neverland and Gary Barlow put the music together for it so he was there working that day. Totally starstruck! Not by the Jennifer Lawrence’s, the Emma Stone’s, Ron Howard’s – but by Gary Barlow yes!”
“It feels great to be home. I have had some good work in Wales and London. When you are on the road all the time you feel you are never quite content where you are. Now I feel grounded.”