These 14 A-Listers Successfully Proved They Can Do It All By Directing And Acting In The Same Film

1 year ago 7

Bradley Cooper's new film Maestro is the second time he's directed and starred in the same movie.

As the teaser makes clear, Bradley also directed the film. It's his follow-up movie to 2018's A Star Is Born, and he's notably directed and starred in both films.

It's not uncommon for actors to find themselves behind the camera in the director's seat. In fact, Bradley exists in a long lineage of acclaimed performers who've acted in their own directorial efforts. Here are a handful of other A-Listers who've pulled double duty:

1. Michael B. Jordan made his directorial debut this year with Creed III, the third film in the Creed franchise. He's starred in the film series since 2015.

2. Olivia Wilde's 2022 film Don't Worry Darling may have starred Florence Pugh and Harry Styles as a 1950s couple, but her character plays a pivotal supporting role.

3. Halle Berry directed her first film, Bruised, in 2020. She also starred in the movie about a former UFC fighter attempting a comeback.

4. Brie Larson directed and starred in the Netflix film Unicorn Store in 2017. "My hope is that people watch the movie, and women can watch it and they can either go, 'Wow, I can’t believe she did that, I want to do that,'" she told USA Today of directing the film.

5. Don Cheadle portrayed the late jazz musician Miles Davis in 2015's Miles Ahead. The film was also his directorial debut.

6. Natalie Portman made her full-length directorial debut in 2015 with A Tale of Lave and Darkness, which was an adaption of Amos Oz's memoir of the same name. Natalie also starred in the film as Amos's mother, Fania Klausner.

7. Chris Evans directed and starred in the 2014 New York City rom-com Before We Go. Alice Eve played the female lead opposite him.

8. Joseph Gordon-Levitt made his full-length directorial debut in 2013 with Don Jon. He starred alongside Scarlett Johansson in this New Jersey rom-com.

9. Ben Affleck's first directorial effort was 2007's Gone Baby Gone, which he didn't appear in. His second film, 2010's Boston crime thriller The Town, was the first time Ben directed himself on screen.

10. Drew Barrymore made her feature film directorial debut with Whip It in 2009. She had a supporting role in the film, which starred Elliot Page as a teen who comes of age in a roller derby league.

11. George Clooney has directed himself in numerous films, including Good Night, and Good Luck; Leatherheads; and The Idea of March among others. But the first time he did so was in 2002 with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

12. Denzel Washington has also repeatedly directed himself on screen, as was the case for the films The Great Debaters and Fences. Like George, the first time Denzel did so was in his directorial debut: 2002's Antwone Fisher.

13. Barbra Streisand has directed three films, and she's starred in each one. Her directorial debut happened in 1983 with Yentl. She then pulled double duty again in the '90s with The Prince of Tides and The Mirror Has Two Faces.

14. Spike Lee may be best known as a director, but he got his start acting in his own films, including his mainstream directorial debut She's Gotta Have It in 1989.

How many of these films have you seen, and which is your favorite? Better yet, which acclaimed actor-directors didn't make this list that definitely should have? Tell us in the comments below!

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