Barring a few exceptions, Hollywood directors are often only as good as their ability to work with actors. Accordingly, actors themselves may seem particularly suited for the job of director. It’s a transition much easier said than done, however, and one that tends to yield more misses than hits. Indeed, one needs to look no further than “The Jesus Rolls” to grasp that John Turturro is certainly no Coen brothers. Then again, most directors can’t really act, with few even bothering to try.
Yet an impressive number of actors have stepped behind the camera and proven themselves adept. Clint Eastwood, for example, has earned more Academy Awards and nominations for his work as a director than he has as an actor. Ben Affleck and Greta Gerwig appear to be following suit, with several major directorial efforts under their respective belts and more on the way. Who else has made the transition and yielded a great film in the process? Let’s find out.
Stacker researched multi-hyphenates, choosing 25 actors who have directed one great film. To be included, the actor had to have directed at least one movie with an IMDb user rating over 6.5 and a Metascore of over 65.
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