The director Adam Driver called “one of the best”
For someone who only made their feature film debut in 2011, Adam Driver has done a staggering job of working with a mind-blowing array of the finest directorial talents cinema has to offer, and he’s nowhere near being done.
Signalling an intent that would go on to define his filmography, the actor’s first-ever movie role was that of Walter Lyle in Clint Eastwood’s biographical drama J. Edgar. Since then, he’s collaborated with some of the greatest creative minds in the industry while at the same time enhancing his own reputation as one of the most naturally talented performers of his generation.
Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, Martin Scorsese’s Silence, Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky, Spike Lee’s BlackKklansman, Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die, Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci, Michael Mann’s Ferrari, and Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis paints the picture of somebody who only wants to work with the best.
In fact, Driver was so determined to work with a name he viewed as “one of the best directors working today” that he persevered with a project for seven years as a star and producer through its multiple iterations before the end product was finally released.
Leos Carax had gained international attention for his poetic depictions of love, and when it was announced he was going to be making his English-language filmmaking debut on the musical romantic comedy Annette, Driver was revealed as part of the cast in November 2016.
Rihanna was intended to be his co-star, but when the production shifted over to Amazon Studios, the pop superstar was no longer involved, with Michelle Williams brought on instead. Shooting was set to begin in the summer of 2017, but Driver’s own commitments to Star Wars repeatedly pushed back the start date.
Annette was back on the blocks in May 2019, with Williams also gone in favour of Marion Cotillard, but the film still wouldn’t premiere until the 2021 edition of the Cannes Film Festival. As both the leading man and producer, Driver spent half a decade attached to Annette before it was finally screened to the public, underlining his commitment to realising Carax’s vision.
Not that its co-writer and director even noticed after admitting to IndieWire that he had no idea Driver was even producing until the credits were added. “I only found out he was doing that when we did the credits,” he said. “Obviously, it’s important to him. I know he has powers and he used them to help the film. But we don’t talk about that.” Fortunately for Carax, those ‘powers’ helped bring Annette across the finish line after multiple delays.
