Submitted by mywordswillgowithyou t3_yhbzhq in movies
Gaspar Noe’s recent film The Vortex stars italian director Dario Argento, as an old man with Alzheimer’s. I also remember Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind with Francois Truffaut and Gus van Sant’s film To Die For with a small role with David Cronenberg. I was curious if anyone knew any other films that featured well known directors. I would not consider an appearance by directors who include themselves (Hitchcock, Tarantino).
The guy who gets his face rubbed by Selma Hayek's foot. That significant role?
Also Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror.
And if you want to go way back, Golden Girls, as an extra.
He is also on Little Nicky as a weird priest guy.
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Didn’t Tarantino direct the first half of the film?
Not that im aware of, but that doesn't mean no.
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Yes. Tarantino directed the first half, Rodriguez the second. But for guild crediting purposes Tarantino has no directing credit on it.
IIRC they each wrote the half they directed too
Wasn't it the grind house double feature that was that way? Planet Terror was Rodriguez and Death Proof was Tarantino?
It’s both
Ah... wasn't aware of the Planet Terror portion being both directors.
No I meant that both the grindhouse double feature and from dusk till dawn were directed by both
Sydney Pollack - Michael Clayton and Eyes Wide Shut especially.
Of course! Sydney Pollack. Excellent in eyes wide shut.
Todd Fields, who played Nick Nightingale, also ended up being a director
Also Tootsie
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Sydney Pollack was one of the most underrated actors ever.
>Sydney Pollack
Also Death Becomes Her.
Martin Scorsese in Quiz Show (1994), his scene with Rob Morrow was pretty good.
Werner Herzog as the main villain in the first Jack Reacher film with Tom Cruise.
Scorsese has a bit in Taxi Driver too. He liked putting his mom in his movies too.
Yea, saw his parents in his documentary "Italianamerican". Can see how they shaped Scorsese as a person and a filmmaker.
“That you should see! That you should see.”
While not a movie, Herzog in The Mandalorian first season.....
And don’t forget Shrimply Pibbles from Rick and Morty
Damn, Herzog is appearing in some good stuff as a villain in his later career.
Scorsese in Dreams and
Herzog in Julien Donkeyboy as well
He is awesome in it too
No argument there. He is awesome.
Oh that’s a good one. I remember him in that.
Yea he was good. Sorry, i edited to include herzog in jack reacher.
>Martin Scorsese in Quiz Show (1994), his scene with Rob Morrow was pretty good.
Not a movie, but he was also great in the WWZ audiobook.
Peter Bogdanovitch had a pretty significant role on the Sopranos. Guillermo del Toro is a main character in the video game Deathstranding.
Death Stranding was a great movie interrupted by a game of lots of walking.
I enjoyed the walking more
GDT and Nicholas Winding-Refn were the models for those characters, but were played by professional VAs.
🤔
"You're Next" features indie horror director Ti West.
"Shark Tale" features Martin Scorsese.
AND Joe Swanberg
John Huston in Chinatown (1974). He has other acting credits as well, but I think that's probably his most well known.
Also Roman Polanski has a very small role in Chinatown which he was the director
Definitely. Good call. Chinatown is great.
He was great in one of the first episodes of the '80s "Hitchcock Presents" as a man who plays a game to cut off a guy's fingers.
I haven’t seen that, I’ll have to check it out!
Based on a W. Somerset Maugm short story. Later remade by Quentin Tarantino in 4 rooms.
Since nobody has said the obvious I have to point to Erich von Stroheim in Jean Renoir’s The Grand Illusion and Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard.
I was looking for this one
I have never seen The Grand Illusion. It’s been on my list for years. Lol. But love Sunset Boulevard. Wasn’t Cecil B Demille in it as well?
Apparently Demille was in it. I just remember the famous line Gloria Swanson says. You should definitely check out The Grand Illusion. I really like that movie!
I was gonna say this, but then I saw he actually started his career as an actor and has more acting credits than directing ones, so I don't know if it really counts. Anyway, I really liked him in Five Graves to Cairo too, really good minor Wilder film.
We should call them “Diractors”
That took me a minute because I thought I misspelled the word. But now I see what you did! Lol
Richard Attenborough was an actor before he was a director, but when he did Jurassic Park he hadn't done an acting role in film in over 10 years.
Attenborough was also in “The Great Escape” with an all-star cast.
Nightbreed has David Croneberg as an actor and was directed by the author Clive Barker.
Werner Herzog has done plenty of acting in others' films and directed quite a lot.
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Akira Kurosawa used Scorsese in Dreams
Cronenberg is so good in Nightbreed.
Such a cool role.
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Reiner started out as an actor.
Meathead. Also Carl Reiner was an actor/director.
Spike Jonze is in the entire movie Three Kings.
taika waititi - think he directed thor when he was also playing korg. I can't remember if he directed Jo Jo rabbit too, but he played a big role in there.
Also very good in "Free Guy"
He was ryans roomate in green lantern too
He co-directed What We Do in the Shadows (movie not show) and was one of the main characters.
Mike Judge has a supporting role in Extract
And a cameo in Office Space
He also voiced Kenny unhooded in South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.
Orson Wells, he directed a few movies he acted in. If I remember correctly he also directed himself on stage some too.
Welles plays either the protagonist or the villain (usually the villain) in all of his completed features except 2 or 3
"Touch of Evil" is a fantastic movie. He cast himself as a corrupt, alcoholic, fat, murderous police officer.
Spielberg had a small role in The Blues Brothers as well as cameos as himself in Austin Powers In Goldmember and Paul.
Fritz Lang in Contempt
Scorsese in Guilty By Suspicion
Lars Von Trier directed himself and Jorgan Leth in The Five obstructions
Jean Pear Melville cameo in Breathless
I hate Lars Von Trier but Five Obstructions is so damn good
David Lynch is in the upcoming Spielberg flick, The Fablemans.
He was so good in Louie!
I suspect it's only one scene. He's playing John Ford whom Spielberg met at some point.
Rob Reiner
There are a couple of directors cast in Wim Wenders’ “Der amerikanische Freund”
I can only think of Nicholas Ray and Samuel Fuller, but I remember there being more.
Sam Fuller also made an appearance in Pierrot le Fou
The Town directed by Ben Affleck and starring him is a personal favourite of mine
John cassavetes
If directors who star in their own films and not just feature count, Jacques Tati. He did really interesting comedies with lots of visual gags that inspired the character for Mr Bean, and directed what is for me one of the best movies ever made in PlayTime.
Wild Strawberries stars Victor Sjostrom, Sweden's most notable director before Bergman
Orson Welles has a number of acting credits in other peoples' movies. I think the oddest one is in Pasolini's short satirical film La Ricotta, where he plays an arrogant American director and his voice is dubbed over completely in Italian (probably as satire of the practice, which was common in Italian movies at the time).
Scorsese plays Van Gogh in the incredible Kurosawa film, Dreams.
Otto Preminger in Stalag 17
Thats a good one. Scorsese as Van Gogh and i remember Herzog played the father in that film. Have notbseen Julien for years now, should revisit that.
I would add David Cronenberg in "Nightbreed" by Clive Barker. He played a creepy serial killer with a mask that has buttons for eyes.
Tom Savini in Dawn Of The Dead and Nightriders
He's so good in Knightriders.
Don't know if Richard Attenborough counts, since he did a lot of acting before he started directing, but he recieved an Oscar for best director for Gandhi, but everybody probably knows him best for his role in Jurassic Park as John Hammond.
In the movie "Sling Blade", Jim Jarmusch is the employee taking Billy Bob Thornton's order at the "french fried potater" place.
Sidney Pollack in 'Eyes Wide Shut.'
Kevin Smith
Josh Safdie
Clint Eastwood
Roman Polanski in A Pure Formality
Chinatown as well.
Tim Burton in Singles.
David Lynch as FBI Agent Gordon Cole
Matilda, directed by and starring Danny Devito.
"There's nothing you can get from a book that you can't get from a television faster!"
"The Visitor" has two. John Huston is one of the stars, and Sam Peckinpah plays a doctor.
Sydney Pollack in Tootsie. He both directed and starred in the movie! He played George Fields, Michael Dorsey's agent. Dustin Hoffman had to convince Pollack to play the part. Pollack wanted Dabney Coleman to play the agent, but recast him instead as the sleazy soap opera director.
Wernor Herzog has a lot of acting credits. Jack Reacher first came to mind.
20th Century Women, with Greta Gerwig
Scorsese had two separate appearances in Taxi Driver. He’s in the slow motion sequence early in the film, seated outside of Palantine campaign headquarters. In the second , he’s the taxi passenger who (in graphic detail) describes how he’s going to murder his cheating wife and her lover.
Quentin Tarantino was in Miike Takashi’s Sukiyaki Western Django.
Miike Takashi was in Eli Roth’s Hostel.
And of Course Eli Roth was in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds.
That’s a nice little circle.
George A. Romero and Roger Corman both have bit parts Silence of the Lambs.
Roger Corman also has a cameo in The Godfather Part II
John Huston and Peter Bogdanovich in The Other Side of the Wind
Tyler Perry is a great actor. Don't care for his directorial work though
Sydney Pollack had a nice role in episode of The Sopranos
Was only 1 episode but memorable
Sidney Pollock in Tootsie
Jonathan Demme had a habit of giving roles in his films to other directors:
John Milius is in Crazy Mama
John Waters and John Sayles are both in Something Wild
Roger Corman and George A. Romero are both in The Silence of the Lambs
Roger Corman was also in Philadelphia
Sidney Lumet and Roger Corman were in The Manchurian Candidate
Corman was also in Rachel Getting Married
Theatre director Andre Gregory was in The Master Builder
Jean-Luc Godard also liked to have other directors in his films:
Jean-Pierre Melville and Jacques Rivette are both in A Bout de Souffle
Michel Piccoli and Fritz Lang are both in Les Mepris
Samuel Fuller was in Pierrot le Fou
Raoul Levy was in Two or Three Things I Know About Her
Jean Eustache was in Weekend
Michel Piccoli was in Passion
Leos Carax and Woody Allen were in King Lear
Plenty of actors are also directors, and have acted in movies not directed by themselves.
Ben Affleck, George Clooney, John Krasinksi ...
Or are you looking for those known primarily for directing that also appeared in a movie?
Yeah. I may not have worded my question the best. But looking g at established directors as actors in movies that are not their own. Obviously Hitchcock, Eastwood and a bunch of others act in their films, but looking at movies that directors have acted. Rob Reiner and Ron Howard were actors before directing so I guess I’m looking at those who are known for directing first but did some acting.
Haven't seen Richard Attenborough yet. Oscar winning director for Ghandi while also turning in a spectacular act as Hammond in Jurassic Park
Not features but included: Peter Jackson as Father Christmas in Hott Fuzz
M. Night Shaylaman or however you spell It.. he always plays cameos in his films and he makes the best movies!
Signs
The village
Old. Which was super good and twisted! Highly recommend
it’s just “Vortex”. no “The”.
Spike Jones in David O Russell’s Three Kings
Here's a famous example:
Visionary Silent Film director Erich von Stroheim in Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard.
Argento doesn't have Alzheimers in that movie. In fact, he's a professor who's writing a book and appears on radio shows. It's his wife who has Alzheimers
I haven’t seen it yet. It’s on my watch list but saw he was in it. I made a guess from the description.
Julien Donkey-Boy stars Werner Herzog.
Seen his name appear in other answers, dude likes to act in movies now and then I guess🤷🏻♀️
Sydney Pollack in Tootsie and Michael Clayton
Martin Scorsese and Barry Levinson in Quiz Show
Tarantino has a small role in a Spike Lee film called Girl 6 which is odd considering Spike Lee has always been critical of Tarantino. Peter Berg is also in the film.
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Bulworth
Directed by Warren Beatty
Screenplay by Warren Beatty
Story by Warren Beatty
Produced by Warren Beatty
Starring Warren Beatty
Music by Ennio Morricone
A shame Beatty didn’t write the music as well.
he shared that privilege https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18kvBI2qm04
Takeshi Kitano movies.
Secret life of Walter Mitty. Stars and directed by Ben stiller
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George Lucas has a cameo appearance in Revenge of the Sith alongside his daughter.
Braveheart
Spielberg in Vanilla Sky
Edit: also Peter Jackson in the LOTR movies
Sydney Pollack-Tootsie
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Stephen Chow
Eastwood I’m too many films too mention.
In the movie Hook, George Lucas and Carrie Fischer made a cameo as a couple necking on the bridge when Tink takes Robin Williams to Neverland.
In Mystery Men, Michael Bay shows up in the villain meeting as the leader of the Frat Boys.
In Austin Powers 3, Steven Spielberg shows up as himself in a film shoot with a film type of gag. (Checked his wiki and he cameoed in other films as well, Gremlins 1 & 2, although I've never found him in all my viewings)
Harold Ramis as Egon in the Ghostbusters 1 & 2.
Rob Reiner is the antagonist TV executive in EdTV. I know he shows up in a lot of 90s romcoms. Most he directed himself.
My recall for this trivia seems to be more 90s. lol
Tombstone.
Tarantino plays in his own movie reservoir dogs even tho it’s only like a minute lol
any woody allen one annie hall, bananas, mighty aphrodite
Hostel part 2, the cannibal guy is the director of The Cannibal Holocaust.
Ruggero Deodato?
Yes
Bill Paxton stars and directed Frailty.
Rocky 2, 3, 4 and 6 directed and starring Sylvester Stallone
Some movies by Tarantino, with Tarantino
Citizen Kane
Neil Breen, the man does it all.
That’s a name I am not familiar at all. What has he done?
Double Down, Faithful Findings, I Am Here....Now, Twisted Pair.
Don't forget Neil Breen's 5 Film Retrospective, where Architect-turned-filmmaker Neil Breen (a god in his own right) humbly shares his professional movie knowledge, along with how he was able to write, shoot, edit, produce, direct, act, and self-fund five theatrical independent feature films.
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Directors in their own films - lots, but off the top of my head, Tarantino always wants a cameo (guy who says the n word a lot in pulp fiction; Australian in Django Unchained), and Peter Jackson as various miscellaneous characters in his LotR/Hobbit films (man in Bree with carrot in Fellowship; soldier at Helm's Deep in Two Towers; dwarf running away in Hobbit 1). Martin Scorsese has a significant scene in Taxi Driver. Clint Eastwood in Taxi Driver. Orson Welles in Citizen Kane.
Directors in other people's films: again, Tarantino in From Dusk Till Dawn and Peter Jackson as a knife-wielding Santa Claus in Hot Fuzz. Edgar Wright appears as a zombie in Land of the Dead. Martin Scorsese voices a shark in Shark Tale.
Hey now, Scorsese voices a puffer fish, not a shark.
Vincent Gallo made Chloe Sevigny give him a real bj on the brown bunny.
You could search any director on IMDB and see if they have any acting credits.
Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino, Million Dollar Baby, Bridges of Madison County, Unforgiven, Pale Rider. Lot more than that.
"One Eyed Jacks"....Marlon Brando starred in and was his one and only directorial role. According to the internet he was quite the handful.
"Stanley Kubrick—for unknown reasons—stepped down from directing the film just two weeks before starting production. Brando volunteered to direct in his stead."
An American Friend has a couple of directors.
Guilty by Suspicion and Quiz Show have Scorsese.
The Fabelmans has David Lynch.
Little different but The Gift is a phenomenal film that Joel Edgerton directs and stars in opposite Jason Bateman
Kenneth Branagh acts in a lot of his own movies, but he also brilliantly played Gilderoy Lockhart.
The 1982 Polish movie Interrogation has film director Agnieszka Holland playing a political prisoner.
An animated movie, but Martin Scorsese as Sikes (the boss) in Shark Tale, never fails to crack me up.
bobby-danger t1_iucx31f wrote
Robert Rodriguez'sFrom Dusk til Dawn Tarantino plays a significant role.