10 actors who are better directors
Being able to act and star in a slew of successful Hollywood roles is one magnificent accomplishment, especially over many decades of being able to stay consistently relevant, but being able to direct movies, whether they themselves star in it or not, is a completely separate challenge.
Directors don’t need to worry about learning lines and how they enhance the character on screen; they now must caretake and maintain an entire production: from costumes to lighting, to editing and more, making sure everything and everyone works well to tell the story exactly how they envision it. It’s not a step up turning from actor to director – it’s a leap. It takes a very special kind of person to seamlessly make this transition.
It takes an actor who understands the brilliance and art of filmmaking. Any actor that can make the transition well, or even just direct their own performance, is deserving of strong commendation.
There have been some outliers over the decades across Hollywood who have done this remarkably well. Today, we list some of the finest actors who are better directors below.
The 10 best actors who are better directors:
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck, for me, is someone you would have categorised as struggling in Hollywood over the last couple of decades to find the perfect role. After co-writing the Academy Award-winning Good Will Hunting, he bounced around Hollywood for years in flop after flop (Gigli, Daredevil, to name a couple).
When he decided to step into the director’s chair in 2007’s Gone Baby Gone, his fame and credibility as an artist began to soar in Hollywood. While Affleck wasn’t particularly unlikeable, he was a difficult one to cast as a lead in the movie, and as his track record got worse, he found himself lost in the early 2000s before he turned to directing.
From Gone Baby Gone, he has had a meteoritic rise helming The Town, Argo and Air. These films are all completely different from each other, which helps reflect the range Affleck is capable of once he shouts, “lights, camera, action!”
Clint Eastwood
It’s tough to decide whether Eastwood is a better actor or a director. Pushed to make the call, you can’t help but look at his filmography and be amazed at what he has accomplished. Eastwood is, to so many, the stern-faced, man-with-no-name cowboy hero. Over the last 30 years, he has directed such contrasting films, which completely counteracted the Dirty Harry persona he was famous for – such as Invictus, Gran Torino, and Million Dollar Baby.
Eastwood’s working pace is relentless, pushing almost a film out a year since 1971. He is a true legend of the screen.
Jon Favreau
At the risk of sounding too critical, it’s obvious Jon Favreau wasn’t going to win a ‘Best Actor’ award anytime soon. His roles have always been varied, Hollywood not particularly showing how exactly he fits in the movie. In general, studios have settled on having him be the loveable best friend. His first acting debut came from the independent film, Swingers, which was a break out for himself and Vince Vaughan – someone else of recent years who is desperate to break out of the typecast.
Favreau’s filmography is eclectic, but at the heart of his work, he remains set on creating fun, family adventure films. His relationship with Disney is clearly in full fruition as he was anointed to direct the live-action remakes of The Jungle Book and The Lion King. He is also currently helming the Disney+ darling The Mandalorian, where Favreau serves as the showrunner.
Jordan Peele
Peele, once at celebrity status due to the success of his comedy duo Key and Peele, did a complete career U-turn in 2016. When he wrote and directed Get Out, a sensational horror film that tackles race, identity and isolation, it firmly put him on a path as a unique voice in 21st-century horror.
Peele was always known for his comedy. But since Get Out, he has released a further two horror films and has executively produced the Candyman remake, which received a positive reception from critics and audiences. Peele has spoken out in promotion of his films for his love of the genre, his favourite films and how he hopes to contribute going forward.
Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson has endured a rocky career. This is mostly due to his erratic nature and controversial public comments. Regardless of this, Gibson has, in fact, made some very impressive films over his career and not just as an actor.
We can all recall Gibson in the Lethal Weapon franchise or in Mad Max, or even as Scottish warrior William Wallace. Gibson famously directed himself in Braveheart, and it went on to win ‘Best Picture’ at the Academy that year. He has also directed the foreign-language, heart-racing thriller Apocalypto as well as the jaw-dropping true story Hacksaw Ridge. He may not have the most original style with the camera, but you can’t deny he has a strong knack for telling a story.
Orson Welles
Orson Welles’ directorial debut, Citizen Kane, can very well be the strongest start to a career any director has ever had. While we often think of him as the powerful Charles Kane, you sometimes forget that Welles was the one who wrote and directed this timeless classic about capitalism and greed.
Welles definitely had magnetism on the screen, but his revolutionary approach to filmmaking was what made him stand out as a meteoric artist. He’s even famously directed early Shakespeare adaptions for the screen too.
Robert Redford
Redford is now most likely known for his directing efforts. Redford has helmed several acclaimed films throughout his career, including Ordinary People, which won four Academy Awards, and A River Runs Through It, which received critical praise for its cinematography. Where Redford differs from other filmmakers is his ability to capture the complexities of human relationships and emotions, often exploring themes of loss, family dynamics and the search for identity.
I’m sure plenty of moviegoers will still point to Redford’s celebrated roles as opposed to his directing, most iconically as the Sundance Kid, but Redford has worked and been hailed as a visionary in both mediums, which helps strengthen his case as one of Hollywood’s greats.
Rob Reiner
After casting an eye over the acting filmography of Reiner, it’s evident that there are plenty of classics to which he has contributed as a supporting actor. I’m talking about the likes of Sleepless in Seattle, Primary Colors and The Wolf of Wall Street.
However, his directorial oeuvre is far more significant for his personal journey as well as contemporary American cinema. When we consider Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap, with the list going on and on, it really is no competition.
Ron Howard
Ron Howard enjoyed a colourful acting career before he took his seat firmly behind the camera. He was the lead in George Lucas’ break-out film American Graffiti as well as Richie Cunningham in the beloved Happy Days TV series.
Howard attributed his start in directing to the B-movie director Roger Corman, who gave him the reigns to his first film, Grand Theft Auto. From then onwards, Howard has had a very strong career directing celebrated films such as Apollo 13, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Willow and A Beautiful Mind. You don’t see Howard in front of the camera anymore, but he is still pumping out top-tier films such as Thirteen Lives – a true story about the Thai football team that was trapped in a flooded cave.
Woody Allen
The neurotic and goofy Woody Allen has come under some controversy over recent years. With that aside, Allen has definitely made a strong impact on American cinema, with a ‘Best Picture’ winner under his belt – Annie Hall. In his earlier and more well-known works, he is often the front and centre – the face of the character who navigates New York and quips up with quirky, off-beat humour.
These days, he seems happy to just write and direct. His modern works may not be as well acclaimed as they once were, but he is still capable of producing a banger such as Midnight in Paris, where he teaches the viewer to enjoy the moment and not romanticise the past.
