20 movie stars you may not have realized also directed the movie

Ben Affleck didn’t just star in Argo — a 2012 espionage thriller — he directed the whole thing and ended up snagging an Oscar for Best Picture. Not bad for a guy who once played Daredevil.

Before Barbie and Lady Bird made her a household name behind the camera, Greta Gerwig co-directed and starred in the indie film Nights and Weekends. It’s artsy, raw, and a glimpse into her DIY filmmaking roots.

Issa Rae was the queen of multitasking on Insecure — starring, producing, writing, and yes, directing. Honestly, is there anything she can’t do?

Olivia Wilde stirred up all kinds of buzz with Don’t Worry Darling, both onscreen and off. She directed and starred in the psychological thriller, even if the drama behind the scenes nearly stole the spotlight.

Donald Glover wore every hat possible on Atlanta, including director. He brought weird, wonderful, and wildly creative episodes to life—all while also starring as the not-so-put-together Earn. 

Bradley Cooper made his directorial debut with A Star Is Born and somehow also managed to hold his own next to Lady Gaga. Oh, and he sang … like, really sang in the film, too. Respect.

Angelina Jolie directed and starred opposite then-husband Brad Pitt in By the Sea, a moody drama about a crumbling marriage. Talk about art imitating life… or vice versa.

Jon Favreau whipped up the feel-good movie Chef … and starred in it too. (The film also made watchers worldwide immediately crave a Cuban sandwich.)

Love her or loathe her, Lena Dunham made waves with Girls. She didn’t just star as Hannah; she also directed a few episodes and made awkward situations feel almost poetic.

Tina Fey was already juggling writing, producing, and starring in 30 Rock, but she also stepped in to direct a few episodes. Liz Lemon would totally approve of that kind of overachievement.

Say what you will about Mel Gibson, but Braveheart was a massive hit. He directed and starred in the bloody flick and walked away with a couple of Oscars and a whole lot of blue face paint. 

Baraba Streisand’s directing game is just as strong as her vocals. She took the lead both on screen and behind the scenes in The Mirror Has Two Faces, proving once again she’s the definition of a legend. 

Denzel Washington directed Fences with the same intensity he brought to his performance. It’s a masterclass in acting, directing, and emotionally wrecking an audience.

Elizabeth Banks made Pitch Perfect 2 aca-awesome by stepping in as director while still delivering zingers as commentator Gail. Who says you can’t harmonize and call the shots?

Mindy Kaling created, wrote, starred in, and yes, directed episodes of The Mindy Project. She made multitasking look effortless while playing one of TV’s quirkiest doctors.

Rob Reiner directed and appeared in This Is Spinal Tap, the mockumentary that cranked the dial up to 11. It’s still one of the funniest movies ever made, and he helped shape the whole genre.

Ben Stiller doesn’t just commit to the bit — he directs it, too. He was the mastermind behind both Zoolander and Tropic Thunder, giving us iconic moments like “Blue Steel” and that questionable fake movie within a movie.

Kerry Washington didn’t just wear the white coat as Olivia Pope, she got behind the camera too. Washington directed a few episodes of Scandal, demonstrating that she had just as much power off-screen as she did on-screen.

Amy Poehler directed episodes of Parks and Rec while keeping Pawnee running as Leslie Knope. Later, she stepped into the director’s chair for Moxie, a teen comedy that brought all the feminist feels.

Seth Rogen co-directed this apocalyptic comedy where celebs played absurd versions of themselves. He somehow kept it all together while also dodging demons and riffing with James Franco.