 In addition to Steven Spielberg (I) (qv), other candidates for the  directors job were Jonathan Demme (qv), Brad Silberling (qv)  and Terry Gilliam (qv). Gilliam was J.K. Rowling (qv)s initial  favorite but the studio finally picked Chris Columbus (qv) to  direct because he had experience directing child actors. Columbus  was also asked many times by his daughter to direct and he agreed  after he read her copy of the book.