List of film director and actor collaborations

Some film directors and actors have collaborated together numerous times and have become noteworthy for their partnerships. Note: In some instances, the body of work is too extensive to list all the films on which they worked together.

List of collaborations

Director Actor Films Ref.
Woody Allen Diane Keaton Men of Crisis: The Harvey Wallinger Story (1971), Sleeper (1973), Love and Death (1975), Annie Hall (1977), Interiors (1978), Manhattan (1979), Radio Days (1987), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) [1][2]
Pedro Almodóvar Antonio Banderas Labyrinth of Passion (1982), Matador (1986), Law of Desire (1987), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990), The Skin I Live In (2011), I'm So Excited (2013), Pain and Glory (2019) [2][3][4]
Penélope Cruz Live Flesh (1997), All About My Mother (1999), Volver (2006), Broken Embraces (2009), I'm So Excited (2013), Pain and Glory (2019) [2][3][4]
Robert Altman René Auberjonois Brewster McCloud (1970), MASH (1970), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), Images (1972), The Player (1992) [5]
Henry Gibson The Long Goodbye (1973), Nashville (1975), A Perfect Couple (1979), Health (1980)
Paul Thomas Anderson Philip Seymour Hoffman Hard Eight (1996), Boogie Nights (1997), Magnolia (1999), Punch-Drunk Love (2002), The Master (2012) [1][4]
Wes Anderson Bill Murray 10 different films from 1998 to the present. [1][2][6][5][4]
Luke Wilson Bottle Rocket (1996), Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Owen Wilson Bottle Rocket (1996), Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), The French Dispatch (2021)
Michelangelo Antonioni Monica Vitti Il Grido (1957), L'Avventura (1960), La Notte (1961), L'Eclisse (1962), Red Desert (1964), The Mystery of Oberwald (1980) [1]
Ingmar Bergman Bibi Andersson Smiles of a Summer Night (1955), The Seventh Seal (1957), Wild Strawberries (1957), Brink of Life (1958), The Magician (1958), Persona (1966), The Passion of Anna (1969), Scenes from a Marriage (1973) (incomplete) [1][7]
Max von Sydow 12 different films between 1957 and 1971.
Liv Ullmann 10 different films between 1966 and 2003.
Budd Boetticher Randolph Scott Seven Men from Now (1956), Decision at Sundown (1957), The Tall T (1957), Buchanan Rides Alone (1958), Ride Lonesome (1959), Westbound (1959), Comanche Station (1960) [7]
Tod Browning Lon Chaney 10 different films between 1919 and 1929. [7]
Tim Burton Johnny Depp Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Corpse Bride (2005), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Alice in Wonderland (2010), Dark Shadows (2012) [1][2][6][8][3][4]
Michael Keaton Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Dumbo (2019), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Helena Bonham Carter Planet of the Apes (2001), Big Fish (2003), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Alice in Wonderland (2010), Dark Shadows (2012)
James Cameron Bill Paxton The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997), Ghosts of the Abyss (2003, cameo) [8]
Arnold Schwarzenegger The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), T2-3D: Battle Across Time (1996) [1][4]
Leos Carax Denis Lavant Boy Meets Girl (1984), Mauvais Sang (1986), Mister Lonely (2007), Tokyo! (2008), Holy Motors (2012) [7]
John Carpenter Kurt Russell Elvis (1979, TV), Escape from New York (1981), The Thing (1982), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Escape from L.A. (1996) [8][4]
John Cassavetes Seymour Cassel Shadows (1958, uncredited), Too Late Blues (1961), Faces (1968), Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976), Opening Night (1977), Love Streams (1984) [7][5]
Gena Rowlands Shadows (1958, uncredited), Faces (1968), Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Opening Night (1977), Gloria (1980), Love Streams (1984)
Claude Chabrol Stéphane Audran 23 different films between 1959 and 1992. [7]
Coen brothers Frances McDormand Blood Simple (1984), Raising Arizona (1987), Miller's Crossing (1990, uncredited), Barton Fink (1991), Fargo (1996), The Man Who Wasn't There (2001), Burn After Reading (2008), Hail, Caesar! (2016), The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) [6]
Francis Ford Coppola Robert Duvall The Rain People (1969), The Godfather (1972), The Godfather Part II (1974), The Conversation (1974, uncredited), Apocalypse Now (1979) [5]
Diane Keaton The Godfather (1972), The Godfather Part II (1974), The Godfather Part III (1990)
Al Pacino
Sofia Coppola Kirsten Dunst The Virgin Suicides (1999), Marie Antoinette (2006), The Bling Ring (2013, cameo as herself), The Beguiled (2017) [2][6][3]
Ryan Coogler Michael B. Jordan Fruitvale Station (2013), Creed (2015), Black Panther (2018), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), Wrong Answer (2024), Sinners (2025) [6][3]
David Cronenberg Viggo Mortensen A History of Violence (2005), Eastern Promises (2007), A Dangerous Method (2011), Crimes of the Future (2022) [4]
Guillermo del Toro Doug Jones Mimic (1997), Hellboy (2004), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), Crimson Peak (2015), The Shape of Water (2017) [6]
Ron Perlman Cronos (1992), Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), Pacific Rim (2013), Nightmare Alley (2021), Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022) [8]
Clint Eastwood Morgan Freeman Unforgiven (1992), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Invictus (2009) [9][10]
Federico Fellini Marcello Mastroianni La Dolce Vita (1960), 8½ (1963), Roma (1972), La città delle donne (1980), Ginger e Fred (1986), Intervista (1987) [11]
Giulietta Masina Luci del varietà (1950), Lo sceicco bianco (1952), La strada (1954), Il bidone (1955), Le notti di Cabiria (1957), Juliet of the Spirits (1965), Ginger e Fred (1986) [12]
Paul Feig Melissa McCarthy Bridesmaids (2011), The Heat (2013), Ghostbusters (2016) [6]
David Fincher Brad Pitt Seven (1995), Fight Club (1999), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) [4]
John Ford Harry Carey 27 different films between 1917 and 1936. [2][7][5]
Ben Johnson Fort Apache (1948), 3 Godfathers (1948, uncredited), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950), Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
John Wayne 21 different collaborations between 1939 and 1964.
Antoine Fuqua Denzel Washington Training Day (2001), The Equalizer (2014), The Magnificent Seven (2016), The Equalizer 2 (2018), The Equalizer 3 (2023) [6][4]
Jean-Luc Godard Anna Karina A Woman Is a Woman (1961), Vivre sa vie (1962), Le petit soldat (1963), Bande à part (1964), Alphaville (1965), Pierrot le Fou (1965), Made in U.S.A. (1966), The Oldest Profession (1967, segment: "Anticipation"), [7]
Paul Greengrass Matt Damon The Bourne Supremacy (2004), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), Green Zone (2010), Jason Bourne (2016) [4]
D. W. Griffith Lillian Gish The Birth of a Nation (1915), Intolerance (1916), True Heart Susie (1919), Broken Blossoms (1919), Way Down East (1920), Orphans of the Storm (1921) (incomplete) [7]
Alfred Hitchcock Cary Grant Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), North by Northwest (1959) [1][2][7][5][4]
James Stewart Rope (1948), Rear Window (1954), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Vertigo (1958)
Howard Hawks Cary Grant Bringing Up Baby (1938), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), His Girl Friday (1940), I Was a Male War Bride (1949), Monkey Business (1952) [7]
Werner Herzog Klaus Kinski Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), Woyzeck (1979), Fitzcarraldo (1982), Cobra Verde (1987) [7]
Nicole Holofcener Catherine Keener Walking and Talking (1996), Lovely & Amazing (2001), Friends with Money (2006) [6][5]
Wong Kar-wai Maggie Cheung Days of Being Wild (1990), Ashes of Time (1994), In the Mood for Love (2000), 2046 (2004), [7][5]
Tony Leung Chiu-wai Chungking Express (1994), Ashes of Time (1994), Happy Together (1997), In the Mood for Love (2000), 2046 (2004), The Grandmaster (2013)
Akira Kurosawa Toshiro Mifune 16 different films between 1948 and 1965. [1][7]
Spike Lee Denzel Washington Mo' Better Blues (1990), Malcolm X (1992), He Got Game (1998), Inside Man (2006), Highest 2 Lowest (2025) [1][2][5]
Richard Linklater Ethan Hawke Before Sunrise (1995), The Newton Boys (1998), Waking Life (2001, cameo), Before Sunset (2004), Before Midnight (2013), Boyhood (2014) [6][4]
Anthony Mann James Stewart Winchester '73 (1950), Bend of the River (1952), The Glenn Miller Story (1953), The Naked Spur (1953), Thunder Bay (1953), The Far Country (1954), The Man from Laramie (1955), Strategic Air Command (1955) [7]
Adam McKay Will Ferrell Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Step Brothers (2008), The Other Guys (2010), Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) [6][4]
Christopher McQuarrie Tom Cruise Jack Reacher (2012), Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015), Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018), Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (2023), Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025)
Steve McQueen Michael Fassbender Hunger (2008), Shame (2011), 12 Years a Slave (2013) [1][3][4]
Jeff Nichols Michael Shannon Mud (2012), Midnight Special (2016), Loving (2016), The Bikeriders (2023) [1]
Christopher Nolan Michael Caine Batman Begins (2005), The Prestige (2006), The Dark Knight (2008), Inception (2010), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017, uncredited voice), Tenet (2020) [1][6][4]
Christian Bale Batman Begins (2005), The Prestige (2006), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Cillian Murphy Batman Begins (2005), Inception (2010), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Dunkirk (2017), Oppenheimer (2023)
Tom Hardy Inception (2010), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Dunkirk (2017)
Gary Oldman Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Oppenheimer (2023)
Yasujiro Ozu Setsuko Hara Late Spring (1949), Early Summer (1951), Tokyo Story (1953), Tokyo Twilight (1957), Late Autumn (1960), The End of Summer (1961) [7]
Chishū Ryū 52 different films between 1928 and 1962 [7]
Sam Raimi Bruce Campbell 14 different films from 1977 to the present. [8]
Kelly Reichardt Michelle Williams Wendy and Lucy (2008), Meek's Cutoff (2010), Certain Women (2016), Showing Up (2022) [6]
David O. Russell Jennifer Lawrence Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013), Joy (2015) [6][3]
Russo brothers Tom Holland Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Cherry (2021)
Chris Evans Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), The Gray Man (2022)
Martin Scorsese Robert De Niro 11 different films from 1973 to the present. [1][2][6][7][5]
Leonardo DiCaprio Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), The Audition (2015), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) [1][2][6][3][5][4]
Ridley Scott Russell Crowe Gladiator (2000), A Good Year (2006), American Gangster (2007), Body of Lies (2008), Robin Hood (2010) [3][4]
M. Night Shyamalan Bruce Willis The Sixth Sense (1999), Unbreakable (2000), Glass (2019), Split (2016, uncredited cameo)
Kevin Smith Ben Affleck Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Jersey Girl (2004), Clerks II (2006), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), Clerks III (2022) [13]
Steven Soderbergh George Clooney Out of Sight (1998), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Solaris (2002), Ocean's Twelve (2004), The Good German (2006), Ocean's Thirteen (2007) [3][4][14]
Matt Damon Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Ocean's Thirteen (2007), Che (2008), The Informant! (2009), Contagion (2011), Behind the Candelabra (2013), Unsane (2018, Cameo)
Channing Tatum Haywire (2011), Magic Mike (2012), Side Effects (2013), Logan Lucky (2017), Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023)
Steven Spielberg Tom Hanks Saving Private Ryan (1998), Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Terminal (2004), A Timeless Call (2008, short) (cameo only), Bridge of Spies (2015), The Post (2017) [2][6][3][4]
Chad Stahelski Keanu Reeves John Wick (2014), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019), John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Quentin Tarantino Samuel L. Jackson Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), Inglourious Basterds (2009, uncredited voice), Django Unchained (2012), The Hateful Eight (2015) [2][6][4]
Uma Thurman Pulp Fiction (1994), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
François Truffaut Jean-Pierre Léaud The 400 Blows (1959), Antoine and Colette (1962, short), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), Two English Girls (1971), Day for Night (1973), Love on the Run (1979) [7]
Denis Villeneuve Dave Bautista Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Dune (2021), Dune: Part Two (2024) [15]
Josh Brolin Sicario (2015), Dune (2021), Dune: Part Two (2024)
Josef von Sternberg Marlene Dietrich The Blue Angel (1930), Morocco (1930), Dishonored (1931), Shanghai Express (1932), Blonde Venus (1932), The Scarlet Empress (1934), The Devil is a Woman (1935) [7][5]
Joss Whedon Nathan Fillion Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003), Firefly (2001-02), Serenity (2005), Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008) [8]
John Woo Chow Yun-Fat A Better Tomorrow (1986), A Better Tomorrow II (1987), The Killer (1989), Once a Thief (1991), Hard Boiled (1992) [2]
Edgar Wright Simon Pegg Spaced (1999-2001), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), Grindhouse (Don't fake trailer), The World's End (2013) [4]
Joe Wright Keira Knightley Pride & Prejudice (2005), Atonement (2007), Anna Karenina (2012) [3]
Corey Yuen Jet Li Fong Sai-yuk (1993), Fong Sai-yuk II (1993), The Bodyguard from Beijing (1994), The New Legend of Shaolin (1994), My Father Is a Hero (1995) [16][17]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Staff (July 17, 2013). "10 Great Modern Day Actor/Director Collaborations". IndieWire. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n McPadden, Mike (March 3, 2016). "It Takes Two: The 15 Most Influential Actor-Director Movie Combos of All Time". VH1. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Staff (February 20, 2018). "15 potent Hollywood partnerships". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Morawetz, Kate (December 20, 2014). "Cinematic Collaborations: Amazing Actor Director Pairs". Entertainment Tonight Canada. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Staff (September 7, 2013). "Constellations of Directors and Their Stars". The New York Times. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Vo, Alex (March 6, 2018). "The Freshest Actor-Director Collaborations Working Today, Ranked by Tomatometer". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Staff (September–October 2013). "Trivial Top 20: Best Actor/Director Collaborations". Film Comment. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Bernardin, Marc (December 14, 2012). "7 greatest actor-director collaborations in sci-fi movies and TV". Syfy. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  9. ^ "Morgan Freeman & Clint Eastwood from Celebrity Collaborations". E! Online. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  10. ^ Germain, David (2009-12-09). "Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood, together again for "Invictus"". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  11. ^ Kilb, Andreas (1995-12-29). "Ein Nachruf auf Marcello Mastroianni: Der Mann, der alle Männer war". Die Zeit (in German). ISSN 0044-2070. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
  12. ^ Desmond, Norma (2014-02-13). "The Flick Chick: Partners in Crime: Fellini & Masina". The Flick Chick. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
  13. ^ "Ben Affleck & Kevin Smith from Celebrity Collaborations". E! Online. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  14. ^ "Matt Damon & Steven Soderbergh from Celebrity Collaborations". E! Online. Retrieved 2019-09-09.
  15. ^ "Actors/Actresses Denis Villeneuve Has Worked With". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  16. ^ "Corey Yuen, martial arts director and Jet Li collaborator, died in 2022, Hong Kong film federation confirms | Movies | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  17. ^ Frater, Patrick (2024-08-13). "Corey Yuen, Hong Kong Director and Action Choreographer, Revealed to Have Died in 2022". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-20.