Being a good actor is a difficult job in itself but being able to direct the same film you star in and it turning out to be good has always been extremely impressive. Over the last decade, there have been a handful of actors who have directed and starred in their films showcasing the versatile skillset they possess when it comes to the art form.
The actor-director phenomenon can be dated back to early in the art form’s history, with Orson Welle’s Citizen Kane being one of the best and most prominent examples. The trend has continued throughout the 2010s, getting great films from actors who have already made their mark in movies, television, or both and the duality of their artistry is evident in these projects.
The Town (2010)
Ben Affleck has had a pretty turbulent career but there’s no doubt that highs have been really high. From Good Will Hunting to Gone Girl, he has amazing roles that will be attached to him forever. Affleck has also taken the director’s chair a handful of times, with directorial credits dating as far back as the early 90s. But one of his best-directed films by far is 2010’s The Town starring himself.
Alongside a stacked cast including Rebecca Hall and Jeremy Renner, the film balances many themes without feeling cluttered. Following a collective of criminals in Boston, Doug McCray (Affleck) wants out of their last big heist after he falls in love with one of his hostages. With great performances all around, Affleck and Renner carry with Renner receiving a Best Supporting Actor nomination.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
With the film gaining somewhat of a resurgence in popularity on social media over the last year, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty directed by Ben Stiller is seeing newfound appreciation from audiences. The film sees the titular Walter Mitty use daydreaming as a source of escapism for his repetitive life, but he then embarks on the journey of a lifetime trying to get the perfect photo for his new bosses at Life magazine.
Also starring Stiller, the second film adaptation of the short story of the same name gets a modern take and is given a great amount of emotional depth leaving viewers inspired after watching. Stiller and co-star Adam Scott would reunite in the Apple TV+ original series Severance, with Stiller co-directing and Scott starring.
This Is The End (2013)
The late 2000s and early 2010s saw their fair share of apocalypse movies, with This Is The End easily being one of the funniest. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg rarely miss when collaborating and their directorial debut didn’t disappoint. With an ensemble cast starring as fictionalized versions of themselves (which includes Rogen), the film is an overall good time watching these celebrities face the apocalypse.
Goldberg also makes an uncredited cameo, becoming his first appearance in any feature film he’s worked on. This Is The End is filled with recognizable faces that audiences shouldn’t get too attached to as many of them hilariously meet their fictional fates.
What We Do In The Shadows (2014)
Before Taika Waititi cemented himself in the mainstream with Thor: Ragnarok, he’d built a solid body of work beforehand including 2014’s horror-comedy mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows. Waititi typically has some sort of role in most of his films, but What We Do In The Shadows saw him star as the vampire Viago who along with his vampire housemates are filmed by a documentary crew.
The film contains trademark Waititi humor, with all of the main vampires getting their moments to shine. Though the mockumentary genre is typically seen in the television format, it works just as well on the big screen and in this film in particular. The movie also inspired a TV series of the same name on FX, with Waititi recruiting Thor: Ragnarok composer Mark Mothersbaugh to pen the score.
Chef (2014)
Jon Favreau has directed a handful of gems in his career, with Elf and Iron Man probably being his most notable. But his 2014 feature Chef should arguably be held in the same regard as those, as he stars a man who opens a food truck after losing his job as head chef at a popular restaurant in LA.
While ultimately a feel-good, comeback story, Chef still finds introspective ways of dealing with family and the passionate chase of a dream. The story is authentic at its core and along with a solid cast that includes Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, and Emjay Anthony, there’s definitely comfort to be found with this film.
Fences (2016)
It would be hard to find an avid movie watcher that wouldn’t agree that Denzel Washington is one of the greatest actors of all time, as his resume speaks for itself. Out of the few films he’s simultaneously directed and starred in, Fences undoubtedly is the best one. Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, Fences tells the story of Troy Maxson who has trouble coming to terms with his past which affects his relationships with his family.
Washington creates his atmosphere for the on-screen adaption of the stage play of the same name, as he and Viola Davis’s performances are unmatched. The two jumped right into the role with ease, as they had already won Tony awards on Broadway for the same characters they portrayed on-screen.
A Quiet Place (2018)
By 2018, John Krasinksi had already made his mark in television history as his role as Jim Halpert in The Office is a huge part of one of the greatest sitcoms in history. Over his career, he’s tried his hand at directing feature films multiple times and it seems as if he’s gotten better with each attempt. 2018’s A Quiet Place is one of his best films yet, which starred Emily Blunt alongside himself.
Because Blunt and Krasinski are married in real life, the chemistry between the two in the horror thriller was easy to come by. With a refreshing plot and uniquely unpredictable, Krasinski lived up to the task of creating a modern horror classic.
A Star Is Born (2018)
Adapting an old story for modern audiences can be a challenge, but the next one and every after has the pressure of living up to the ones before it. A Star Is Born star and director Bradley Cooper took to this challenge, as his adaptation is the fourth version of the story, following the film of the same name in 1976.
Silver Linings Playbook saw Cooper get his first Oscar nomination 6 years earlier and A Star Is Born garnered him a few more. Cooper’s directorial debut saw him playing country singer Jack Maine alongside Lady Gaga who plays Ally Maine, a singer and Jack’s wife. The film saw similar story beats as its predecessors but was a hit with audiences being one of the most popular films of the year.
Wine Country (2019)
Amy Poehler has shown up in many places since breaking into the mainstream in the mid-2000s, most notably as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation. Her handful of directing experience on the beloved NBC sitcom translated itself to the big screen as she directed the Netflix original Wine Country in 2019.
As the title implies, the film sees Abby (Poehler) and her friends plan a trip to Napa Valley for a birthday but it doesn’t go as planned. Wine Country is a tribute to the trials and tribulations of friendship and features plenty of SNL alum.
Lingua Franca (2019)
Lingua Franca from actor-director Isabel Sandoval went under the radar since its release in 2019 due to a limited release, but the film saw more popularity when released on Netflix in 2020. The film comes in an era where many of its themes are put under a microscope, raising its relevance and importance from Sandoval’s point of view.
Lingua Franca is a character study of trans Filipina immigrant Olivia and her pursuit of a green card in the US and her relationship with Alex, the grandson of the woman she is taking care of. While Isabel Sandoval isn’t necessarily a mainstream filmmaker just yet, the indie nature she brings grounds the film and truly allows audiences to focus on both the story and overarching messages without leaning on one or the other.
