- Despite directing Drive (2011), he doesn't have a drivers' license. He failed his driving test 8 times.
- Is a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki whom he considers one of the great masters and frequently watches his films together with his daughters.
- Danish Film School drop-out.
- Due to the commercial failure of Fear X (2003), he was forced to expand his successful debut feature Pusher (1996) into a trilogy. The sequels became huge successes and saved him financially.
- In an interview regarding the definition and risks of beauty, regarding The Neon Demon, for the BBC, he talked about his childhood, being very hard. He was laughed at because he is dyslexic and wasn't able to read and write properly and he also wasn't good at sports. He said he didn't have a girlfriend until he was 24 and famous. But with time he learned to look at all of those "weaknesses" as strengths, the things that make him who he is.
- Is a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick's films. He often worked with the cinematographer Larry Smith, who was frequent collaborator of Kubrick, for example on Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
- He didn't learn to read until he was thirteen.
- Favorite movies are Valley of the Dolls (1967), Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Carrie (1976), Suspiria (1977), The Shining (1980), Escape from New York (1981), Casino (1995), and Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
- In 2009, he was to develop a film biopic on the life of polemic and controversial English occultist, Aleister Crowley, with Tom Hardy (whom he had worked with on Bronson) as Crowley. As of 2016, the project hasn't been brought to fruition.
- Of his Pusher trilogy, he prefers the third movie, because it's the most experimental and risky one.
- He and his wife Liv Corfixen are the subjects of a theatrical documentary called Gambler (2006). The documentary follows the couple from their financial struggle after the failure of Fear X (2003) to the successful completion of the "Pusher" trilogy.
- Is a fan of the comic book series "The Incal" written by Alejandro Jodorowsky and illustrated by Jean 'Moebius' Giraud.
- Is color blind and can only perceive contrast.
- In his native Denmark, Nicolas is known as l'Enfant Sauvage (the Wild Child).
- He once stated that his greatest source of inspiration is Martin Scorsese and his films. As a salute to him, he used the main theme from Scorsese's Casino (1995) in the opening sequence of Bleeder (1999).
- Lars von Trier offered him a chance to direct Dear Wendy (2005), but he turned it down. According to Refn, it was largely because he felt von Trier was condescending to him and ignored his request of help in negotiating a deal so Refn could buy back the rights to the original "Pusher". Refn says he had told von Trier how important it was to him and was hurt when von Trier seemed to ignore his plea.
- Is a huge fan of John Carpenter's Escape from New York (1981).
- Owned a film company called Jang Go Star, which went bankrupt.
- Is a huge fan of the actress Jena Malone. Cast her in his movie 'The Neon Demon' with the possibility that she may play a character in 'The Avenging Silence.
- He's a fan of Breaking Bad (2008).
- Avid toy collector. In particular Japanese robots, Dr. Who Daleks, and replica Thunderbird vehicles.
- He has expressed a desire to make a superhero movie. He at one point wanted to direct Wonder Woman (2017).
- Member of the 'Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) since 2016.
- He has said that he would like to make a film adaptation of the DC Comics heroine Batgirl.
- In 2003, a biography, written by famed journalist Henrik List, was published about Nicolas, spanning his earlier years from Pusher (1996) to Fear X (2003).
- Half-brother of Kasper Winding. Ex brother-in-law of Brigitte Nielsen.
- His initials are "NWR" which by coincidence are the same letters of the music record label and genre "New Retro Wave," a genre which he arguably pioneered into the mainstream in the early 2010s.
- His favorite films and major influences include Alien (1979), Beauty & The Beast (1946), Cloverfield (2008), The Holy Mountain (1973), La Dolce Vita (1960), Man On Fire (2004), The Night Of The Hunter (1955), Peeping Tom (1960), Pretty Woman (1990), Sixteen Candles (1984), The Sweet Smell Of Success (1957), The Shining (1980), Suspiria (1977), To Die For (1995), Videodrome (1983), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and Cobra (1986).
- In 2008, he started a new production company called JGS (Jang Go Star) with longtime friends and business associates 'Lene Borglum' and Thor Sighvatsson.
- Son of Anders Refn.
- He is a big fan of the Sylvester Stallone action film Cobra (1986).
- Appeared in a series of interviews on Den 11. time (2007), opening up about his personal issues, his artistic failing and his highly publicized fall out with actor Kim Bodnia.
- Uncle of composer Julian Winding, who has scored some of his work.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content