{"id":1962228,"date":"2025-08-15T14:37:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T14:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=1962228"},"modified":"2025-08-15T14:37:28","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T14:37:28","slug":"20-movie-stars-you-may-not-have-realized-also-directed-the-movie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/20-movie-stars-you-may-not-have-realized-also-directed-the-movie\/","title":{"rendered":"20 movie stars you may not have realized also directed the movie"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Some actors not only shine in front of the camera, but they call the shots behind it, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Ben\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGK Films\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Ben Affleck didn\u2019t just star in Argo\u00a0\u2014 a 2012 espionage thriller \u2014 he directed the whole thing and ended up snagging an Oscar for Best Picture. Not bad for a guy who once played Daredevil.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Greta<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00a9 Kevork Djansezian-USA TODAY\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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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\u2019s artsy, raw, and a glimpse into her DIY filmmaking roots.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Issa<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIssa Rae Productions, Hoorae Media, Penny for Your Thoughts Entertainment, 3 Arts, HBO\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Issa Rae was the queen of multitasking on Insecure\u00a0\u2014 starring, producing, writing, and yes, directing. Honestly, is there anything she can\u2019t do?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Olivia<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNew Line Cinema, Vertigo Entertainment\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Olivia Wilde stirred up all kinds of buzz with Don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Donald<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRBA, Gilga, 343 Inc, MGMT Ent, FXP\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Donald Glover wore every hat possible on Atlanta, including director. He brought weird, wonderful, and wildly creative episodes to life\u2014all while also starring as the not-so-put-together Earn.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Bradley<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMetro Goldwyn Mayer, Live nation, Gerber Pictures, Peters Entertainment\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Angelina<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJolie Pas, Plan B Entertainment\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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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\u2026 or vice versa.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Jon<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAldamisa Entertainment, Fairview Entertainment, Fetisov Teterin Films, Prescience, Altus Media, Kilburn Media\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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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.)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Lena<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApatow Productions\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Love her or loathe her, Lena Dunham made waves with Girls. She didn\u2019t just star as Hannah; she also directed a few episodes and made awkward situations feel almost poetic.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Tina<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00a9 Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Mel\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00a9 Michael Holahan via Imagn Content Services, LLC\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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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.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Barbra<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00a9 Robert Hanashiro \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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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.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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13 of 20<\/p>\n

Denzel Washington<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\"Denzel<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBron Creative\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Denzel Washington directed Fences with the same intensity he brought to his performance. It\u2019s a masterclass in acting, directing, and emotionally wrecking an audience.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Elizabeth<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGold Circle Films\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Elizabeth Banks made Pitch Perfect 2 aca-awesome by stepping in as director while still delivering zingers as commentator Gail. Who says you can\u2019t harmonize and call the shots?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Mindy<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 Arts Entertainment\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Mindy Kaling created, wrote, starred in, and yes, directed episodes of The Mindy Project. She made multitasking look effortless while playing one of TV\u2019s quirkiest doctors.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Rob<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSpinal Tap Productions\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Rob Reiner directed and appeared in This Is Spinal Tap, the mockumentary that cranked the dial up to 11. It\u2019s still one of the funniest movies ever made, and he helped shape the whole genre.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Ben<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tParamount Pictures\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Ben Stiller doesn\u2019t just commit to the bit \u2014 he directs it, too. He was the mastermind behind both Zoolander and Tropic Thunder, giving us iconic moments like \u201cBlue Steel\u201d and that questionable fake movie within a movie.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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18 of 20<\/p>\n

Kerry Washington <\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\"Kerry<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShondaland\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Kerry Washington didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Amy<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOpen 4 Business Productions\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Amy Poehler directed episodes of Parks and Rec while keeping Pawnee running as Leslie Knope. Later, she stepped into the director\u2019s chair for Moxie, a teen comedy that brought all the feminist feels.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
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\"Seth<\/div><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tColumbia Pictures\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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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<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n