Who Would’ve Thought That These Actors Are Directors, Too?

Being in front of the camera can be just as equally challenging as being behind it and calling the shots. While we may think that directors are the bosses, they still have to consider the many faces of the whole moviemaking process. They also have to answer to the writers, the producers, and the film or TV company. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that actors and actresses have kept to the front of the camera to avoid such complications. There are, however, a good number who have displayed a great degree of flexibility. Listed below are seven of the most significant actor-directors.

Ryan Gosling

If you think that Ryan Gosling is just someone who has launched a thousand memes and is all about courting women, you are greatly mistaken. The Are You Afraid of the Dark? actor is also a noted director. He was responsible for sitting at the director’s chair on How to Catch a Monster. He did not only direct it, but he also starred and wrote the movie, so you will see his name come up in the credits multiple times.

George Clooney

Husband of human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, George is not just an Academy Award-winning actor. He is also a famous director. Some of his works include Monuments Men, Ides of March and, Good Night and Good Luck. The actor’s directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, did not do well commercially, but it showed his massive potential for the craft. Perhaps someday soon, we might finally see his magnum opus.

James Franco

The Pineapple Express star is also the director behind Good Time Max, which garnered a high degree of praise at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. It tells the story of two brothers who followed two very different paths in life. He is also a director for advertisements, like “Techno Color Sunglasses,” which was meant to promote Gucci’s eyewear product lineup. Due to his accomplishments, Franco was given his very own star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Angelina Jolie

In a world typically dominated by male directors, we have Angelina Jolie. Already established as an actress, Jolie is now also making a mark as a filmmaker. She is the one behind the 2015 movie, By the Sea. We can credit other brilliant films to this global philanthropist, such as Unbroken and In the Land of Blood and Honey.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Being young is no excuse to slack off. This is why Joseph Gordon-Levitt has made the needed investments by taking up the director’s chair. We usually associate him with his character role in Snowden, but Gordon-Levitt is also the director behind Don Jon, a movie he wrote and starred in as well. Two other short films are attributed to the star, Morgan M. Morgansen’s Date with Destiny and Morgan and Destiny’s Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo.

Will Ferrell

The comedian might be funny in front of the camera, but when taking the role of a producer, he is serious and to the point. While technically he has not directed a film, he has produced so many, including Oh Lucy!, Hot Rod, and Welcome to Me. Apart from his investments in the movie scene, he is also the founder of a comedy website in 2007, which has attracted the attention of many online users.

Brad Pitt

Like Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt might not have directed a single film just yet, but he is also behind many films as a producer. Pitt has dropped significant investment money in movies like World War Z, Moneyball, and The Departed. Some of the more recent ones are Irresistible and Beautiful Boy. While his acting career may be quite packed, it’s nice to know Pitt still goes out of his way to help produce other films.