# Actors & Directors who won't work apart
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 26, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585 "2013-07-26T14:41:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/21 "2013-07-26T21:41:44Z")
David Lean worked with Alec Guinness on six movies- starting with _ **Great Expectations** _ in 1946 and concluding with _ **A Passage to India** _ in 1984.
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### Author:  [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/22 "2013-07-26T21:43:43Z")
M. Night Shyamalan used Bruce Willis twice, then Joaquin Phoenix twice, then Bryce Dallas Howard twice.
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### Author:  [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/23 "2013-07-26T21:47:26Z")
> [@Sattua](#):
>
> M. Night Shyamalan used Bruce Willis twice, then Joaquin Phoenix twice, then Bryce Dallas Howard twice.
That’s because after the actors have worked with him twice, they realize he’s a self-centered twit and won’t work with him anymore. 😉
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/24 "2013-07-26T21:48:01Z")
John Turturro is part of at least two stables- he appears in loads of Spike Lee’s movies as well as loads of Adam Sandler’s.
In Sandler’s case, however, he’s rarely the director of his films- he usually has someone like Dennis Dugan as the nominal director.
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### Author:  [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/25 "2013-07-26T22:00:21Z")
Neil Labute and Aaron Eckhart.
Hal Hartley and Martin Donovan.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/26 "2013-07-26T22:04:01Z")
Turturro also appeared in several Coen Brothers films.
And Johnny Depp has done several with Gore Verbinski (the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Rango and The Lone Ranger).
It make sense to me. If you’re an actor, comfortable with a director and you find success in his or her films, you’re going to willing to work for him or her again.
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### Author:  [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/27 "2013-07-26T22:17:56Z")
James Cameron and Pill Paxton, Michael Biehn and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Martin Freeman.
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### Author:  [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/28 "2013-07-26T23:02:30Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#):
>
> **Joss Whedon’s Company:** Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, Summer Glau, Eliza Dushku, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, Fran Kranz, and a few others (depending how you count).
…none of whom have major roles in The Avengers.
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### Author:  [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/29 "2013-07-26T23:33:22Z")
> [@Tanaqui](#):
>
> …none of whom have major roles in The Avengers.
Bzzt! Denisof is Thanos’ lackey.
But I’m not sure of your point since The Avengers was built as a showcase for the main characters from _ **five** _ previous films that Whedon had nothing to do with.
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### Author:  [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/30 "2013-07-27T00:56:50Z")
I just agreed to go see _Pacific Rim_ again with friends - in which Ron Perlman is working again with Del Toro. I suspect I know what the topic of conversation before the movie begins will be…
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### Author:  [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/31 "2013-07-27T01:16:32Z")
> [@Tanaqui](#):
>
> …none of whom have major roles in The Avengers.
Although some of the stars of _The Avengers_ may now have joined the Whedon Posse: [Clark Gregg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Gregg) was in _Much Ado About Nothing_ and will be in the new _Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._ TV series. Also, [Chris Hemsworth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Hemsworth) was in _The Cabin in The Woods_, which apparently led to him getting the title role in _Thor_ (and therefore also being one of the stars of _The Avengers_).
I admit, for the first few minutes of _Much Ado About Nothing_ I was a bit distracted: “Oh, look! It’s [Fred](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winifred_Burkle)! And [Wesley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Wyndam_Price)! And [Agent Coulson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Phil_Coulson)! And [Simon Tam](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Firefly_characters#Simon_Tam)! And…” But I got over it pretty fast.
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### Author:  [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/32 "2013-07-27T01:46:06Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#):
>
> I’d argue that, at least in Whedon’s case, he’s just good at finding talented actors with range, and likes seeing how far they can push themselves.
I remain astonished that Enver Gjokaj doesn’t get more work, but full marks to Whedon for stretching the guy nine ways from Sunday.
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### Author:  [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/33 "2013-07-27T02:58:21Z")
> [@astorian](#):
>
> There have always been directors who liked working with the same stable of actors. …
Add to that list David Mamet,
> [@](#):
>
> … Frequently makes use of William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin and Joe Mantegna, actors who also headlined his stage productions. Other regulars include Ed O’Neill, Lionel Mark Smith, Ricky Jay, Jonathan Katz and the late J.T. Walsh.
> …
> Often casts his wife, Rebecca Pidgeon, in prominent roles in movies he directs. While he was married to Lindsay Crouse, the same was true for her. …[RIGHT][CITE](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000519/bio#trademark)[/RIGHT]
> [@](#):
>
> … In 1987, Mamet made his film directing debut with House of Games, starring his then-wife, Lindsay Crouse, and a host of longtime stage associates. He uses friends as actors, especially in one early scene in the movie, which featured Vermont poker playing friends. He is quoted as saying, “It was my first film as a director and I needed support, so I stacked the deck.” Two of the four poker friends included in the film were fellow Goddard College graduates Allen Soule and Bob Silverstein. …[RIGHT][CITE](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mamet#Film)[/RIGHT]
> [@astorian](#):
>
> … And Jonathan Demme always seems to find a role for Southern character actor Charles Napier.
[Hannibal Lecter][Not any more.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Napier_%28actor%29)[/Hannibal Lecter] ☹
CMC fnord!
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### Author:  [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/34 "2013-07-27T04:20:46Z")
> [@Lightray](#):
>
> In the thread talking about Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch in the new _Avengers_ film, people started listing the usual suspects of actresses-who-work-with-Joss to potentially play the latter. And I realized, Joss Whedon _does_ keep working with the same actors and actresses over and over. And it’s kinda boring, really.
>
> Much like Tim Burton. I don’t even think he can make a movie without Helena Bonham Carter and/or Johnny Depp in it anymore. And they’re kinda boring, too.
>
> I understand the appeal of working with people you like being around, but it seems to be that actors improve by working outside their comfort zone. Any other actors or actresses that need to move on like this?
Plenty of examples listed [here](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ProductionPosse). 🙂
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### Author:  [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/35 "2013-07-27T05:18:02Z")
Herzog/Kinski anyone? Bueller? Klaus Kinski was reportedly worse than impossible to work with, but Herzog insisted on him whenever he could.
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### Author:  [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/36 "2013-07-27T14:41:58Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#):
>
> Bzzt! Denisof is Thanos’ lackey.
>
> But I’m not sure of your point since The Avengers was built as a showcase for the main characters from _ **five** _ previous films that Whedon had nothing to do with.
I’m well aware of that–it’s why I specified “major role.” Denisof isn’t even recognizable in the film. And it is perfectly relevant, since this thread started out talking about the upcoming Avengers sequel and how Joss Whedon’s tendency to use the same actors makes his movies less interesting. Obviously he is perfectly capable of working with other sets of actors, since the Avengers was a generally well-acclaimed film.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/37 "2013-07-27T15:13:22Z")
Jim Jarmusch has a few people he likes to use in his films.
ETA: interesting trivia: Founder member of “the Sons of Lee Marvin”. Other members include Tom Waits, Thurston Moore, John Lurie Nick Cave. Membership requires a plausible likeness to Lee Marvin such that you could be rumored to be his son.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/38 "2013-07-27T15:17:43Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#):
>
> The Coen Brothers have a posse, too. Though of late, they’ve been branching out a lot more.
> [@Seanette](#):
>
> Plenty of examples listed [here](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ProductionPosse). 🙂
I knew I got that term from _somewhere_!
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/39 "2013-07-27T21:40:32Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#):
>
> Add to that list David Mamet,[Hannibal Lecter][Not any more.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Napier_%28actor%29)[/Hannibal Lecter] ☹
>
> CMC fnord!
Aww… I hadn’t heard that Napier died. Still he appeared in loads of Demme’s movies, from early efforts like _ **Citizen’s Band** _ (aka _ **Handle With Care** _) through _ **The Manchurian Candidate** _.
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### Author:  [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-directors-who-wont-work-apart/664585/40 "2013-07-27T22:21:30Z")
Paul Thomas Anderson often works with the same stable of actors, many of them taken from Mamet’s stable.
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