Hal Hartley/Martin Donovan
Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart like working together.
In addition to others mentioned working with John Ford a lot was Henry Fonda.
Wong Kar Wai and Tony Leung (Ashes of Time, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, 2046)
Zhang Yimou and Gong Li.
Robert Redford and Sydney Pollack (seven movies, I think).
Spike Lee and John Turturro (nine films)
John Huston made four movies with Humphrey Bogart (Maltese Falcon, Key Largo, African Queen & Treasure of the Sierra Madre)
Clint Eastwood’s regulars included the aforementioned Geoffrey Lewis and Sondra Locke, but also Harry Guardino, John Vernon, Pat Hingle and Bill “Squeal Like a Pig” McKinney.
Mel Brooks’ stable of regulars included Gene Wilder, Dom DeLuise, Madalyn Kahn and Marty Ingles.
And Gary Marshall always seems to find a role for Hector Elizondo, doesn’t he?
And Southern character actor Charles Napier always seems to have a part in every Jonathan Demme picture.
Francois Truffaut and Jean-Pierre Leaud.
I think the lesson we can learn here is this: if you want to be a successful Hollywood actor, find a talented director and latch on to him like a remora.
Ah, but on the other side of the coin we have:
Dennis Dugan and Adam Sandler and his buddies from SNL (Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, and You Don’t Mess With The Zohan).
Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy
Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz and formerly, Antonio Banderas
P.T. Anderson and Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Luis Guzman
Tim Burton and Christopher Walken
John Singleton and Laurence Fishburne, Ice Cube, Omar Epps, Regina King, Tyrese
Don’t forget George Carlin!
Judd Apatow and James Franco, Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, and so on.
Also, Victoria Abril.
Indeed, true, but I also associate Fincher with Holt McCallany, even though he’s only been in two of his films (Alien3, Fight Club). I remember reading about him having a part in Panic Room, but in the end he wasn’t there. Alas, he’s not been seen in a Fincher film since, but I always look for him hopefully, he’s got such a great presence.
