British director and noted family, the son of actor Sir Laurence Olivier and his third wife, Joan Plowright, the second of the actor's four children. The family has taken exception to much that has been written about his dad in books and articles. He had therapy for three years after the death of Sir Laurence.
Richard became a theater director in London's West End. He married a Canadian, Shelley, seven years older and a holistic health consultant who studied dance and psychology at Canadian Universities. They have two kids, Troy, 13 and Ali, 11 (2001) and live in London.
By 2000, Richard was giving two-and three-day seminars that teach leadership and business skills to executives, using Shakespearean plays to illustrate his points and charging up to $7,000 a day.