Animals were harmed in these films
Many actors say they couldn't imagine doing anything else for a job. However, with successful acting often comes fame and wealth, and with it the ability to try out some interesting new ideas. For these celebrities, that meant taking a seat in the director's chair.
Some of these actors have only directed once, others a handful of times. But there are a few actors and actresses that have become downright comfortable in the role. Click through this gallery to find out which actors have directed films as well. Some may surprise you!
Jesse Eisenberg's directorial debut, 'When You Finish Saving the World,' is a dramatic comedy which follows a politically-committed mother (played by Julianne Moore) and her ambitious musician son (played by Finn Wolfhard), who craves social media fame. It opened with a special, non-competition screening in Cannes in 2022.
Maggie Gyllenhaal made quite the splash with her feature directorial debut 'The Lost Daughter,' a film adaptation of Elena Ferrante's novel of the same name. The psychodrama stars Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, and Jessie Buckley in what is being hailed as some of their best, most electric performances to date. In the 2022 Oscar nominations, Gyllenhaal earned a nod for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Colman and Buckley received Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress nods, respectively, for playing different versions of the same character.
Gyllenhaal spoke to Deadline after the good news and expressed her hope that the Oscars will only continue to see and celebrate more women telling honest stories that only women could tell. "We’ve gotten used to a certain kind of storytelling, a certain kind of language, a certain kind of hero and heroine that look and behave a certain way,” she said.
Bryce Dallas Howard hit her stride as an actress in films like 'Jurassic World' and 'The Help,' but she's really shining in the director's chair. Fans sung her praises online after Chapter 5, of 'The Book of Boba Fett,' aired, campaigning for Howard to direct the next 'Star Wars' flick or an entire series. Even better, they're not surprised she did such a great job because she previously directed two episodes (Chapters 4 and 11) of 'The Mandalorian,' which had great reviews.
Gabourey Sidibe made her directorial debut with 'Pale Horse,' a psychological thriller centered on a reclusive African-American author with multiple sclerosis. The 'Precious' and 'Antebellum' actress' project was produced via Gamechanger Films, which focuses on productions by and about women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities, Page Six reports.
Halle Berry made her directorial debut with the film 'Bruised' (2020) in which she also stars as the lead role. The film, a drama about a washed-up MMA fighter, was reportedly offered nearly US$20 million by Netflix for the worldwide distribution rights. “I am speechless," Berry tweeted. "Thank you @netflix for believing in my vision.”
Oscar-winning actress Regina King made her feature film directorial debut at the Venice Film Festival on September 7 2020, where she premiered ‘One Night in Miami,’ and simultaneously became the first African American female director to be selected in the festival’s history.
Ben Affleck rose to fame in the 1990s alongside Matt Damon, and has starred in a successive stream of films since. He has also directed many movies, including ‘Gone Baby Gone’ (pictured).
Dakota Johnson made her directorial debut working behind the scenes of the music video for Coldplay's 'Cry Cry Cry.'
Eva Longoria opened up about the drastic difference there is in pressure when it comes to her as a female and Latina director, on top of being a first-time director. At the Kering Women in Motion talk at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, said she "felt the weight of my community” and “the weight of every female director” when production started on 'Flamin’ Hot,' a film which tells the inspirational story about a Frito-Lay janitor who invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, per Variety.
“We don’t get a lot of bites at the apple,” Longoria said about Latina directors, adding that her movie wasn't low budget. "When was the last Latina-directed studio film? It was like 20 years ago. We can’t get a movie every 20 years."
Sean Penn has had many memorable performances over the years, including acting alongside Al Pacino in ‘Carlito’s Way.’ He directed 'Into The Wild,' 'The Pledge,' and ‘The Crossing Guard’ (pictured).
Gary Oldman has gained a reputation as a very talented and versatile actor over the past few decades. He made ‘Nil by Mouth’ in 1997 as a raw look at the kind of life he experienced growing up in London.
Robert De Niro is best known for his iconic parts in some of the most memorable films in cinematic history. In 1993, he directed ‘A Bronx Tale’ (pictured), which he also starred in.
Danny DeVito is a talented actor and director, mainly in comedy, but also in some serious films. In 2002, he directed ‘Death to Smoochy’ (pictured), which is a very dark comic tale.
On November 14, Taylor Swift announced a surprise music video with a 10-second teaser clip for her newly released song, 'I Bet You Think About Me,' which was included on her re-recorded 'Red' album. With the announcement, she also revealed that the video is directed by none other than Blake Lively. "I finally got to work with the brilliant, brave, & wickedly funny @blakelively on her directorial debut," Swift wrote on social media. "Join us as we raise a toast, and a little hell."
Warren Beatty has a long-standing career as an actor, having been in the world of cinema for several decades. He has also directed a number of films, including 1998’s ‘Bulworth’ (pictured).
Kevin Costner has had a steady career as an actor, producer and director. His film ‘Dances with Wolves’ (pictured) was extraordinarily successful and received much critical acclaim.
Forest Whitaker has a long and varied career as an actor. His directing credits are far fewer, but he did direct the successful 1995 film, ‘Waiting to Exhale’ (pictured).
Mel Gibson has been a famous actor for decades now, starring in very famous movie franchises such as ‘Lethal Weapon.’ He has directed several films, one of which was ‘Apocalypto.’
See also: Directors who hate their own movies
Actors who got into directing
They crossed to the other side of the camera
MOVIES Directors
Many actors say they couldn't imagine doing anything else for a job. However, with successful acting often comes fame and wealth, and with it the ability to try out some interesting new ideas. For these celebrities, that meant taking a seat in the director's chair.
Some of these actors have only directed once, others a handful of times. But there are a few actors and actresses that have become downright comfortable in the role. Click through this gallery to find out which actors have directed films as well. Some may surprise you!