"What I really want to do is direct!" runs the Hollywood cliché - often associated with actors who want more control than simply focusing on their own role. The recent release of The White Crow (Ralph Fiennes' third feature as director) and writer-director Emilio Estevez's The Public (he's made several films and directed a number of TV episodes) is a reminder that many do just that.
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While a lot of directors have come from the ranks of writers, editors, cinematographers and other behind the screen personnel, it's not surprising actors are also attracted to the job of helming feature films. There may be an element of "I can do better than that!" in some cases; in others having a passion project may be the primary motivation (John Wayne and The Alamo).
And, of course, actors have plenty of opportunities to observe and interact with people on film sets, not just other performers. Then there's pure ego, wanting as much control over a film as possible. But many have done well and not just in directing fellow actors.
Some have had careers as actors, such as Sydney Pollack, (who won an Oscar for Out of Africa) and Rob Reiner (Stand By Me) but then spent more time directing. A number of actors directed one film, like Marlon Brando (One-Eyed Jacks ) and Charles Laughton (the superb box office flop The Night of the Hunter) in the past.
More recently Bill Murray (Quick Change) and Eddie Murphy (Harlem Nights) have been among the one-timers (though in theory they may come out with more) .
Others worked both in front of and behind the camera regularly, sometimes directing themselves: Clint Eastwood has starred in many of his own directorial efforts (and won Oscars for Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby) and Barbra Streisand (The Prince of Tides) has starred in all of hers.
Mel Gibson, who also did the double act, won an Oscar for directing Braveheart. A number of actors-turned directors have won Oscars, including Richard Attenborough for Gandhi and Ron Howard for A Beautiful Mind. The large number of actors who are Academy voters might explain this. Some actors-turned-directors began with intimate dramatic movies, like Redford with Ordinary People; others apparently subscribe to the "go big or go home" idea, like Costner with his large-scale Dances With Wolves. Both also won Oscars for these - their directorial debuts - and these films also won best picture.
Female actors might be better represented as directors than women who aren't actors. In addition to Streisand, there's Penny Marshall - Reiner's ex - who also went from acting to directing successfully with films like Big. Jodie Foster (Little Man Tate) Angelina Jolie (Unbroken) and Diane Keaton (Hanging Up) have also directed multiple movies. And, going back a way, Ida Lupino, while still acting, directed everything from the thriller The Hitch-hiker to many TV episodes, from Gilligan's Island to The Twilight Zone.
While many of the Hollywood actor-directed films are mainstream, some have been more unusual:, like Robert Duvall's Angelo My Love, a fascinating film about New York Gypsies.
As long as the opportunities are there, it seems, actors will want to direct - and many will get at least one opportunity to do so.
