Ranker FilmList RulesVote up the best directorial debuts of these actors-turned-directors.
Have you ever wanted to rank every actor-turned-director's first movie? Now’s your chance with this list of all the first movies of actor-directors. Maybe you like the actor but hate them as a director. There are also actors who turn out to be geniuses in the director's chair. Orson Welles, Robert De Niro, and Dennis Hopper all made classic films when they decided to put on their director's hat for the first time. They also acted in the first films they directed, but are they the best?
This list is also fun because everyone knows that Clint Eastwood directed Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, and Gran Torino, but did you know that Play Me Misty was the first movie he ever directed? Or that before Ben Affleck directed The Town and Argo, he directed his brother Casey Affleck in Gone Baby Gone? Use this list to satisfy your curiosity when it comes to the first films that were directed by famous actors.
Jordan Peele, Bradley Cooper, Olivia Wilde, Joel Edgerton, and Drew Barrymore are just some of the more contemporary examples of famous actors with directorial debuts. Bradley Cooper and Jordan Peele actually won Oscars for their films A Star is Born and Get Out. You'll even find a sequel on this list as Elizabeth Banks took the reigns on Pitch Perfect 2. Vote up the first movies by actors-turned-directors that you love and vote down the ones you thought were terrible.
1
Get Out
Jordan PeeleActors: Daniel Kaluuya, Catherine Keener, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones
Released: 2017
Get Out is a 2017 American horror film directed by Jordan Peele. A young African-American (Daniel Kaluuya) visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about... more
2
A Bronx Tale
Robert De NiroActors: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Chazz Palminteri, Domenick Lombardozzi, Lillo Brancato
Released: 1993
A Bronx Tale is a 1993 American drama film set in the Bronx during the turbulent era of the 1960s. It was the directorial debut of Robert De Niro that follows a young Italian-American teenager in The... more- 3
Dances with Wolves
Kevin CostnerActors: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Charles Rocket, Graham Greene, Maury Chaykin
Released: 1990
Dances with Wolves is a 1990 American epic western film directed, produced by, and starring Kevin Costner. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 book of the same name by Michael Blake and tells the... more - 4
Citizen Kane
Orson WellesActors: Orson Welles, Alan Ladd, Agnes Moorehead, Joseph Cotten, Arthur O'Connell
Released: 1941
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film produced by, co-written by, directed by and starring Orson Welles. The picture was Welles's first feature film. The film was nominated for Academy Awards in... more - 5
Caddyshack
Harold RamisActors: Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Brian Doyle-Murray, Ted Knight
Released: 1980
Caddyshack is a 1980 American sports comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis and Douglas Kenney. It stars Michael O'Keefe, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted... more - 6
A Star Is Born
Bradley CooperActors: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle
Released: 2018
A Star Is Born is a 2018 American musical romantic drama film directed by Bradley Cooper. A movie star (Cooper) helps a young singer/actress (Stefani Germanotta) find fame, even as age and personal... more - 7
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
George ClooneyActors: Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Drew Barrymore, Matt Damon
Released: 2002
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a 2002 biographical spy comedy film depicting the life of popular game show host and producer Chuck Barris, who claimed to have also been an agent for the Central... more - 8
Ordinary People
Robert RedfordActors: Mary Tyler Moore, Donald Sutherland, Adam Baldwin, Timothy Hutton, Elizabeth McGovern
Released: 1980
Ordinary People is a 1980 American drama film that marked the directorial debut of actor Robert Redford. It stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton. The story... more - 9
Antony and Cleopatra
Charlton HestonActors: Charlton Heston, Julian Glover, Fernando Rey, Warren Clarke, Freddie Jones
Released: 1972
Antony and Cleopatra is a 1972 film adaptation of the play of the same name by William Shakespeare made by the Rank Organisation. It was directed by Charlton Heston and produced by Peter Snell from a... more - 10
Shakes the Clown
Bobcat GoldthwaitActors: Adam Sandler, Robin Williams, Kathy Griffin, Florence Henderson, Bobcat Goldthwait
Released: 1992
Shakes the Clown is a 1992 American film directed and written by Bobcat Goldthwait, who performs the title role. It also features Julie Brown, Blake Clark, Paul Dooley, Kathy Griffin, Florence... more - 11
Sling Blade
Billy Bob ThorntonActors: Robert Duvall, Billy Bob Thornton, John Ritter, Dwight Yoakam, J. T. Walsh
Released: 1996
Sling Blade is a 1996 American drama film set in rural Arkansas, written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton, who also stars in the lead role. It tells the story of a man named Karl Childers with a... more - 12
Return of the Dragon
Bruce LeeActors: Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Nora Miao, Chung-Hsin Huang, Robert Wall
Released: 1972
Way of the Dragon is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts action comedy film written, produced and directed by Bruce Lee, who also stars in the lead role. This was Bruce Lee's only completed directorial... more - 13
Frailty
Bill PaxtonActors: Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Matt O'Leary, Levi Kreis
Released: 2001
Frailty is a 2002 psychological thriller film, directed by and starring Bill Paxton, and co-starring Matthew McConaughey. It marks Paxton's directorial debut. The plot focuses on the strange... more - 14
This Is the End
Evan Goldberg, Seth RogenActors: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride
Released: 2013
This Is the End is a 2013 American disaster comedy film directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and an adaptation of their 2007 short film Jay and Seth versus the Apocalypse. After a series of... more - 15
Harlem Nights
Eddie MurphyActors: Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Arsenio Hall, Roberto Durán, Redd Foxx
Released: 1989
Harlem Nights is a 1989 comedy film starring Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor and directed by Murphy. The film featured Michael Lerner, Danny Aiello, Redd Foxx, Della Reese and Murphy's brother Charlie... more - 16
The War Zone
Tim RothActors: Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton, Ray Winstone, Kate Ashfield, Annabelle Apsion
Released: 1999
The War Zone is a 1999 drama film directed by Tim Roth in his directorial debut and starring Ray Winstone, Tilda Swinton, Lara Belmont and Freddie Cunliffe. The film is written by Alexander Stuart... more - 17
Real Life
Albert BrooksActors: Albert Brooks, Harry Shearer, Charles Grodin, James L. Brooks, Nudie Cohn
Released: 1979
Real Life is an American comedy film released in 1979. The first feature directed by Albert Brooks, who also co-authored the screenplay, it is a spoof of the 1973 reality television program An... more - 18
Throw Momma from the Train
Danny DeVitoActors: Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito, Rob Reiner, Kate Mulgrew, Branford Marsalis
Released: 1987
Throw Momma from the Train is a 1987 American black comedy film directed by Danny DeVito, and starring DeVito and Billy Crystal, with Rob Reiner, Anne Ramsey, Branford Marsalis, Kim Greist, and Kate... more - 19
Paradise Alley
Sylvester StalloneActors: Sylvester Stallone, Tom Waits, Terry Funk, Ted DiBiase, Anne Archer
Released: 1978
Paradise Alley is a 1978 American sports film written and directed by Sylvester Stallone in his feature film directorial debut, who also starred in the role. After Stallone's success with the 1976... more - 20
The Man With the Screaming Brain
Bruce CampbellActors: Bruce Campbell, Stacy Keach, Ted Raimi, Tamara Gorski, Velizar Binev
Released: 2005
Man with the Screaming Brain is a 2005 science fiction/slapstick film co-written, produced, directed by and starring Bruce Campbell. It is Campbell's feature film directorial debut. The film was... more - 21
Whip It
Drew BarrymoreActors: Drew Barrymore, Ellen Page, Kristen Wiig, Jimmy Fallon, Juliette Lewis
Released: 2009
Whip It is a 2009 comedy-drama film written by Shauna Cross, based on her novel Derby Girl. The film is directed and co-produced by Drew Barrymore in her directorial debut. It stars Elliot Page as a... more - 22
Pitch Perfect 2
Elizabeth BanksActors: Skylar Astin, John Michael Higgins, Ester Dean, Chrissie Fit, Kelley Jakle
Released: 2015
Pitch Perfect 2 is a 2015 American music and comedy film written by Kay Cannon.... more - 23
Play Misty for Me
Clint EastwoodActors: Clint Eastwood, Donna Mills, Jessica Walter, Don Siegel, Cannonball Adderley
Released: 1971
Play Misty for Me is a 1971 American psychological thriller film, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, in his directorial debut. Jessica Walter and Donna Mills co-star. The original music score... more - 24
Antwone Fisher
Denzel WashingtonActors: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Salli Richardson, James Brolin, Joy Bryant
Released: 2002
Antwone Fisher is a 2002 American biographical drama film directed by and starring Denzel Washington in his feature film directorial debut. He also stars in the film as the psychiatrist Jerome... more - 25
Nothing but Trouble
Dan AykroydActors: Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Demi Moore
Released: 1991
Nothing but Trouble is a 1991 American horror comedy film directed by Dan Aykroyd. A businessman (Chevy Chase) and his friends are captured by a sadistic judge (Dan Aykroyd) and his equally odd... more
