Alfonso Cuarón Biography: Wife, Movies, Age, TV Shows, Net Worth, Awards, Wikipedia

Biography

Alfonso Cuarón Orozco, born on November 28, 1961, in Mexico City, is a celebrated Mexican filmmaker known for his masterful storytelling and striking visual style.

His diverse body of work includes critically acclaimed films such as Y Tu Mamá También (2001), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Children of Men (2006), Gravity (2013), and Roma (2018).

Cuarón’s films often delve into themes of human connection, survival, and identity, blending technical innovation with deep emotional resonance. His contributions to cinema have earned him multiple Academy Awards, solidifying his reputation as one of the most influential auteurs of modern filmmaking.

Mexican filmmaker
Alfonso Cuarón
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Alfonso Cuarón Orozco
Stage Name:	Alfonso Cuarón
Born:	28 November 1961 (age 63 years old)
Place of Birth:	Mexico City, Mexico
Nationality:	Mexican
Education:	National Autonomous University of Mexico, Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos
Height:	180 cm
Parents:	Alfredo Cuarón, Cristina Orozco
Siblings:	Carlos Cuarón, Mariana Cuarón, Alfredo Cuarón
Spouse:	Annalisa Bugliani (m. 2001–2008), Mariana Elizondo (m. 1980–1993)
Girlfriend • Partner:	Sheherazade Goldsmith (2011 – 2018).
Children:	Jonás Cuarón, Tess Bu Cuarón, Olmo Teodoro Cuarón
Occupation:	Filmmaker • Actor
Net Worth:	$50 million (USD)

Early Life & Education

Alfonso Cuarón Orozco was born in Mexico City, Mexico, on November 28, 1961. His Mexican heritage is deeply embedded in the cultural and intellectual landscape of his homeland.

While he was raised in a predominantly Catholic society, which was common in Mexico at the time, he has not publicly emphasized his personal religious beliefs, keeping that aspect of his life private.

Cuarón comes from a well-educated, middle-class family. His father, Alfredo Cuarón, was a nuclear physicist who worked with the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency, while his mother, Cristina Orozco, was a pharmaceutical biochemist. He has three siblings, including his brother Carlos Cuarón, a filmmaker and frequent collaborator. Less is publicly known about his other siblings, Alfredo Cuarón and Mariana Cuarón.

Cuarón attended the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) for his education, initially studying philosophy before shifting his focus to filmmaking. He later enrolled at the Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos (CUEC), UNAM’s prestigious film school.

However, he left before completing the program, reportedly due to creative disagreements over a student project. Instead, he gained hands-on experience in the film industry, paving the way for his successful career through practical work rather than formal credentials.

Career

Alfonso Cuarón’s career is a testament to his versatility and mastery across genres, solidifying him as one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation. He began his journey in the Mexican film industry during the 1980s, working as a technician and assistant director on various projects, including television.

This hands-on experience led to his directorial debut with Sólo con Tu Pareja (1991), a dark comedy co-written with his brother Carlos Cuarón. The film’s success caught Hollywood’s attention, paving the way for his international career.

Cuarón’s first English-language feature, A Little Princess (1995), an enchanting adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel, highlighted his talent for visual storytelling and emotional depth, earning critical acclaim. He followed this with Great Expectations (1998), a modernized take on Charles Dickens’ novel, though it received mixed reviews.

His major breakthrough came with Y Tu Mamá También (2001), a provocative, coming-of-age road film that delved into youth, desire, and mortality themes. The film’s critical and commercial success and its Oscar-nominated screenplay cemented his reputation as a daring and innovative storyteller.

In 2004, Cuarón directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third instalment in the iconic franchise. His darker, more atmospheric vision redefined the series, earning widespread praise and positioning the film as one of its most beloved entries. He then directed Children of Men (2006), a dystopian thriller renowned for its groundbreaking long takes and harrowing depiction of a collapsing society. The film earned multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing.

Cuarón’s career reached new heights with Gravity (2013), a visually groundbreaking space thriller starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The film’s technical innovation and immersive storytelling won him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Editing, alongside massive box-office success.

He then returned to his roots with Roma (2018), a deeply personal, semi-autobiographical film about a domestic worker in 1970s Mexico City. Shot in black and white and in Spanish, Roma earned him Oscars for Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Foreign Language Film, making him the first Mexican filmmaker to win Best Director.

Beyond directing, Cuarón has played a key role in producing and writing for various projects. He frequently collaborates with fellow Mexican filmmakers Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro González Iñárritu, collectively known as the “Three Amigos” of Mexican cinema.

Social Media

• Wikipedia: Alfonso Cuarón
• IMDb: Alfonso Cuarón
• Twitter: Alfonso Cuaron (@alfonsocuaron) · X
• Instagram: Alfonso Cuaron (@alfonsocuaron)
• Facebook: Alfonso Cuarón

Personal Life

Alfonso Cuarón is 63 years old, having been born on November 28, 1961.

Cuarón’s first marriage was to Mariana Elizondo, a Mexican woman he wed in 1980. The couple had one child together, a son named Jonás Cuarón, born in 1981, who has followed in his father’s footsteps as a filmmaker, notably co-writing Gravity and directing his projects. Cuarón and Elizondo divorced in 1993 after more than a decade together.

His second marriage was to Annalisa Bugliani, an Italian actress and journalist, in 2001. They had two children: a daughter, Tess Bu Cuarón, born in 2003, and a son, Olmo Teodoro Cuarón, born in 2005. This marriage ended in 2008, though Cuarón and Bugliani have maintained an amicable co-parenting relationship.

Since his second divorce, Cuarón has not remarried, and there is little public information about his dating history post-2008. He appears to prioritize his work and family over public romantic entanglements, with no confirmed relationships widely reported as of 2025.

Physically, Cuarón stands approximately 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) tall, though exact measurements are rarely emphasized in profiles about him.

Net Worth

Alfonso Cuarón’s net worth is estimated to be around $50 million. This wealth stems from his illustrious career as a Mexican filmmaker, director, producer, screenwriter, and editor.

His financial success is driven by critically acclaimed and commercially successful films like Gravity, which grossed over $723 million worldwide, and Roma, which earned him multiple Oscars.

Additional income from his production company, Esperanto Filmoj, and a lucrative deal with Apple TV for exclusive content further bolstered his fortune, placing him among his generation’s most financially successful directors.

Filmography

As Director (Feature Films)

• Sólo con Tu Pareja (1991) – Also co-writer and co-producer
• A Little Princess (1995)
• Great Expectations (1998)
• Y Tu Mamá También (2001) – Also co-writer, producer, and editor
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
• Children of Men (2006) – Also co-writer and editor
• Gravity (2013) – Also co-writer, producer, and editor
• Roma (2018) – Also writer, producer, cinematographer, and editor

As Director (Short Films and Segments)

• “The Shock” segment in Paris, je t’aime (2006) – Anthology film contribution
• The Possibility of Hope (2007) – Documentary short tied to Children of Men

As Producer (Selected Works)

• The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004) – Executive producer
• Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) – Produced, directed by Guillermo del Toro
• Rudo y Cursi (2008) – Produced, directed by Carlos Cuarón
• Biutiful (2010) – Associate producer, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
• The Witches (2020) – Produced, directed by Robert Zemeckis

As Writer (Selected Works)

• Sólo con Tu Pareja (1991) – Co-written with Carlos Cuarón
• Y Tu Mamá También (2001) – Co-written with Carlos Cuarón
• Children of Men (2006) – Co-written with Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby
• Gravity (2013) – Co-written with Jonás Cuarón
• Roma (2018) – Sole writer

As Cinematographer

• Roma (2018) – Took on this role after his frequent collaborator, Emmanuel Lubezki, was unavailable

As Editor (Selected Works)

• Y Tu Mamá También (2001) – Co-edited with Alex Rodríguez
• Children of Men (2006) – Co-edited with Alex Rodríguez
• Gravity (2013) – Co-edited with Mark Sanger
• Roma (2018) – Co-edited with Adam Gough

Television Work

• Hora Marcada (1986–1990) – Directed several episodes of this Mexican anthology series early in his career
• Believe (2014) – Directed the pilot episode and served as executive producer for this NBC series
• Disclaimer (2024) – Directed and wrote this Apple TV+ limited series, also serving as executive producer