While it's common for actors like Clint Eastwood, Ben Affleck, and Angelina Jolie to eventually want to move behind the camera and have more creative control over their projects, it's less common for directors to want to move in front of it. It stands to reason that directors know a little bit about everything involved with bringing a movie to life, from production and writing to lighting and cinematography, but acting may be something they explore later in their filmmaking careers.
Whether they acted in their own early films while they struggled to make a name for themselves as directors, or they took to the craft after they'd already directed dozens of hits, these directors all had something unique to contribute to the cinema.
Werner Herzog
Considered a pioneer of New German Cinema with surreal and spectacular movies like Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Heart of Glass, Werner Herzog has been a prominent presence in the international film community for decades. Only later in life has he dabbled in acting, but the reception -especially in the United States- has been very well-received.
Having starred as villains in movies like The Mandalorian -in which he plays the mysterious client hiring The Mandalorian to locate a coveted bounty- that have not only increased his visibility as an actor but inspired new fans to explore his extensive filmography.
David Cronenberg
A founding father of the body horror genre, David Cronenberg's movies have explored everything from body transformation to technological advancement and its psychological components. Scanners are just a few examples of the Baron of Blood's controversial work before he started to act in earnest.
As early as The Fly, Cronenberg has placed himself in his movies Star Trek: Discovery as a sophisticated android, an apropos choice for the venereal visionary.
David Lynch
A director who often subverts cinematic tropes to reveal the full capacity of the visual medium, David Lynch has been celebrated as one of the greatest living modern directors thanks to his emphatic surrealism. Blue Velvet in the '80s.
He often acted in his own early short films, but his largest and most revered role was in Twin Peaks as FBI Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole. The mystery series that became a cult classic and ran from 1989-1991. He reprised the role in the movie spin-off Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and again in 2017 in the third season Twin Peaks: The Return.
Quentin Tarantino
Known for his snappy dialogue, graphic violence, and quirky characters, Quentin Tarantino has amassed a devoted following as a director. Many actors have found their fame in his ensemble movies like True Romance, though lately he's taken to acting himself.
Tarantino has appeared in his own movies as far back as Reservoir Dogs (an ensemble heist movie in which he plays Mr. Brown) and as recently as From Dusk till Dawn.
Farhan Akhtar
One of the most popular directors and actors in the Hindi film industry, Farhan Akhtar delighted fans with the Don series and the coming-of-age romance Dil Chahta Hai before making his acting debut in Rock On!! in 2008. The movie tells the story of four friends who form a rock band in their youth and, after settling into uninspired lives, reunite to give their music dreams one last shot.
Since that break-out performance, he's been in a slew of other successful action movies and comedies, including Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara, and Luck By Chance. He spends more time acting than directing these days, having recently starred in the controversial sports drama Toofan about the life of national-level boxer Aziz Ali.
Sydney Pollack
One of America's acclaimed directors with sprawling dramas like Out of Africa and character-driven movies like The Way We Were, Sydney Pollack has stepped in front of the camera and given some surprisingly stellar performances, like playing Dustin Hoffman's long-suffering but committed agent in Tootsie (which he also directed).
He was Victor Ziegler in the steamy thriller Eyes Wide Shut, and on the small screen, he had a long-running role in Will & Grace in which he played George Truman, and could be found on Frasier and other series of the '90s and early '00s.
Spike Jonze
Mostly known for chronicling the BMX circuit in the '90s and being part of the Jackass crew, the first movie Spike Jonze directed was Being John Malkovich, which garnered him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director and spawned an exciting career of contemplative, masterful films exploring the veracity of the human spirit including Adaptation, Where the Wild Things Are, and Her.
In 1999, the same year he made his feature film debut, he co-starred in Three Kings to great acclaim, and has since played ing parts in The Wolf of Wall Street. Recent projects for the Palm Pictures company have brought him back into the director's chair when he isn't busy being the creative director of Vice Media, Inc. and Vice on TV.
Eli Roth
Like Clive Barker or Wes Craven before him, Eli Roth has become synonymous with the horror genre, making a name for himself The House With a Clock In Its Walls.
Often appearing in small parts in his own movies (Inglourious Basterds playing Sgt. Donny Donowitz, which earned him critical acclaim. His most recent performance has been Drac Cassidy in Death Rider in the House of Vampires.
Farah Khan
Farah Khan is a prominent female director and choreographer who has become a staple of Hindi cinema. With a plethora of comedies and musicals to her name, including Main Hoon Na, Tees Maar Khan, and Om Shanti Om, she often vacillates between directing and choreographing dance routines. It wasn't until 2012 after her prominent leading part in the adorable offbeat comedy Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi that she was recognized as an actor, though she'd had small parts in all her movies.
In the last several years she's been a judge on the first and second season of Indian Idol and replaced Salman Khan as the host of the hit reality show Big Boss Halla Bol. With her recently formed production company Three's Company, she's added producing to her directing and acting credits.
John Huston
The son of actor Walter Huston, John Huston was a heavy-hitting director in the Golden Age of Hollywood whose career lasted decades. He specialized in directing dramas and noirs with rebellious figures like The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre, and The African Queen, the latter of which gave Humphrey Bogart (his longtime collaborator) his only Oscar.
While Huston sometimes appeared in bit parts in his own movies, one of his most prominent ing performances came in The Cardinal in 1963. But he'll probably be best ed as the vile Noah Cross in Chinatown, opposite Jack Nicholson. Besides having dozens of acting credits to his name, his two children Anjelica Huston and Danny Huston have found fame as actors themselves.
