He was born on the Isle of Wight to an Italian/Scottish father and a mother who came from the Gorbals, Glasgow, Scotland. He went to Sandown Grammar School. He is a graduate of the University of Hull where he completed both his undergraduate and graduate courses.

During the 1980s he worked in television, script editing the children's drama series Grange Hill for the BBC and later writing The Storyteller series for Jim Henson and episodes of the popular ITV detective drama Inspector Morse.

His move into film occurred in 1990, when Truly, Madly, Deeply � a one-off drama he had written and directed for the BBC's Screen One anthology strand � became a major success when released to cinemas. This was Minghella's first work as a director, and he only chose to direct it himself as he thought that it would be little-watched and give him an opportunity to learn the craft before embarking on bigger projects. In order to make the film he had turned down an offer to direct an episode of Inspector Morse, which he thought would be a much higher-profile assignment. He won an Academy Award for his work as director of The English Patient.

Anthony Minghella is currently the chairman of the British Film Institute. He vocally supported I Know I'm Not Alone, a film of musician Michael Franti's peacemaking excursions into Iraq, Palestine and Israel.

He is married to Hong Kong-born choreographer, Carolyn Choa. His brother, Dominic Minghella, is also a successful scriptwriter, and his son, Max Minghella, is an actor.

He is a big Portsmouth FC fan and appeared on a Channel 4 documentary Hallowed Be Thy Game talking about his passion for the club.