In Hollywood, connections mean everything. If you don’t personally know a few industry professionals or at least know of a few industry professionals, it’s a tricky business to break into. Since Hollywood is a town where having a phone book-sized list of connections is the norm, it is unsurprising that manyfilmmakers and actors form romantic relationships. Many adults meet their partners in the workplace, so it’s not far-fetched that our favorite directors and actors meet their significant others similarly. People who work in the film and television industries run in many of the same circles as their peers, so friend groups can easily overlap. It’s a no-brainer that Hollywood spawns many celebrity relationships.
Beyond just forming a romantic partnership, some Hollywood couples choose to form professional partnerships as well. We have seen numerous married couples, or couples who are just dating, star in films and TV shows together, such as Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons or Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard. There are also quite a few couples who have chosen to have one person in front of the camera while the other person is behind the camera. It is not at all uncommon for a couple in the film industry to have one-half of the partnership star in a film while the other half directs. Many directors adore working with their partners, so here are ten directors who made movies that starred their significant others:
Related:10 Up and Coming Directors to Keep an Eye On
10Maggie Gyllenhaal with Peter Sarsgaard
ActressMaggie Gyllenhaalmade her directorial debut in 2021 with her matriarchal drama,The Lost Daughter, which follows a middle-aged divorcee on a beach trip that turns dark when she confronts the troubles of her past. The film stars Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Coleman, Dakota Johnson, and Jessie Buckley as the main protagonists, but it also starsPeter Sarsgaard. Sarsgaard is Gyllenhaal’s husband of 14 years, although they have been together since 2002. Gyllenhaal employed her husband to portray Professor Hardy, the man Leda (Buckley) has an affair with in the film’s flashback timeline.
9Joel Coen with Frances McDormand
Joel Coenis most known for his frequent directorial collaborations with his brother, Ethan. The directing duo have made numerous acclaimed films together, includingNo Country for Old MenandInside Llewyn Davis. Coen has also made multiple films that star his wife of 39 years,Academy Award-winning actressFrances McDormand. In total, McDormand has starred in a total of eight of her husband’s films. She has been inBlood Simple, Raising Arizona, Fargo, Burn After Reading, Hail, Caesar!, Miller’s Crossing, The Man Who Wasn’t There, and most recently she starred inThe Tragedy of Macbeth.The couple met on the set ofBlood Simple, the Coen brothers' first feature-length film, and have been together ever since.
8Tim Burton with Helena Bonham-Carter
Tim Burtonhas crafted a distinct filmmaking style over the years that easily distinguish his films from those of other directors. Something that used to be a trademark of many of his films was the inclusion of his former partner,Helena Bonham Carter. Carter also has a unique approach to her craft that makes her instantly recognizable no matter what role she’s playing which enhances her characters. Burton and Carter were together from 2001 through 2014, and during their 13-year relationship, Burton directed her in seven different film projects. Carter worked with him onBig Fish, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland, Planet of the Apes, andDark Shadows.
7Dave Franco with Alison Brie
Actor-turned-directorDave Francomade his directorial debut with the horror mystery,The Rental. Alongside Dan Stevens and Jeremy Allen White, the film also stars Franco’s wife of six years,Alison Brie. Brie, most known for her role in the quirky sitcomCommunity, was not originally intended to star in the movie. Thepair were talking about the project at homewhen he turned to her and stated that perhaps she should play one of the lead roles. Earlier this year, Brie starred in her husband’s second directorial effort, a romcom calledSomebody I Used to Know,which she also co-wrote with him.
6Judd Apatow with Leslie Mann
Comedy veteransLeslie MannandJudd Apatowhave made filmmaking a family pastime throughout their 26-year marriage. The couple first met on the set of the 1995 comedyThe Cable Guy, which Mann starred in and Apatow produced. Since their first time working together, Apatow has directed Mann in five of his films and his short-lived sitcom, Freaks and Geeks. Mann has appeared inThe 40-Year-Old Virgin, This is 40, Knocked Up, Funny People, The Bubble,andDrillbit Taylor. Their two daughters, Iris and Maude, have made appearances in Apatow’s films as well, includingThis is 40, Knocked Up,andFunny People.
Related:15 Directors Who Found Success in Animation and Live-Action
5Paul Thomas Anderson with Maya Rudolph
Maya Rudolphis aSaturday Night Liveveteran and a comedy legend who happens to be married to prolific directorPaul Thomas Anderson. What they do as individuals in the film industry is so different from what the other does, but somehow it works out perfectly for them. The duo have been together since 2001, but Rudolph didn’t appear in any of his films until 2014’sInherent Vice. She didn’t appear in one of his films again until 2021’sLicorice Pizza, which ended up being a Best Picture nominee at the 2022 Oscars.
4Olivia Wilde with Jason Sudeikis
Although they have since divorced, at the time of filming her directorial debut,Olivia WildeandJason Sudeikiswere still married. Wilde’s first directorial effort,Booksmart, is a whip-smart teen comedy about two intelligent but socially awkward teenage girls who make it their mission to have more fun than they have ever had the night before high school graduation. Wilde awarded her former partnerone of the most memorable rolesin the film, the girls' principal who moonlights as a rideshare driver at night for extra money. One of the funniest scenes in the film includes Sudeikis' Principal Brown connecting Amy’s (Kaitlyn Dever) phone to the car stereo and accidentally playing an explicit video.
3John Krasinski with Emily Blunt
John Krasinskifirst made a name for himself in the film and television industry with his iconic role as sardonic nice guy Jim Halpert on NBC’s hit sitcomThe Office. While his comedic timing is excellent in the show, he has come a long way since being Dunder Mifflin’s best paper salesman. In 2018, he made the leap into the director’s chair with his directorial debut,A Quiet Place. Not only did he direct the horror masterpiece, but he also wrote and starred in the film as well.
Krasinski also cast his wife, British actressEmily Blunt. The couple is magnetic on screen together, and being married may have even helped both the acting and the direction in the film as it enthralling. The world-building inA Quiet Placeis exquisite, and that is partially because the couple works so well together. Krasinski directed Blunt once again in the sequel,A Quiet Place Part 2, three years later, and athird installment is currently in development.
2Mike Flanagan with Kate Siegel
Over the last 12 or so years, directorMike Flanaganhas made himself a prolific figure in the horror genre. From Netflix hit series such asThe Haunting of Hill Houseto being at the helm of the sequel toThe Shining, Flanagan has been on most horror fans' radars for the last decade. The most frequent (and best) collaborator on his projects is his wifeKate Siegel. She has been in all three of his Netflix series including The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor,andMidnight Mass. She also starred in his home invasion thrillerHush(which she also co-wrote), supernatural horrorOculus, and his horror thrillerGerald’s Game.
The presence of Siegel in his films always enhances the story regardless of whether her role is big or small as the pair work expertly in the horror genre. Flanagan and Siegel make not only a wonderful director-actor duo but also a great couple.
1Noah Baumbach with Greta Gerwig
Noah Baumbachis another director who has a distinctive directing style that makes his films almost instantly recognizable. Mostly known for his award-winning filmMarriage Story, he is also known for repeatedly collaborating with his wife, actress/directorGreta Gerwig. The two met on the set of Baumbach’s filmGreenbergin 2010, and they have been together since 2011. Since then, Baumbach has directed her inMistress America, the indie hitFrances Ha,and most recentlyWhite Noise, with the ladder two films both co-starring another frequent collaborator of Baumbach’s, Adam Driver.
The married couple clearly works very well together as their films have all been critically acclaimed, and they continue to make more movies together. Gerwig, who has directedLady Bird, Little Women, and the upcomingBarbiefilm, has even stated thatBaumbach is her favorite writer and director. In 2019, both Gerwig and Baumbach received Oscar nominations, Gerwig for Best Adapted Screenplay forLittle Women, and Baumbach for Best Original Screenplay forMarriage Story.
