6 Actors Who Are Making Their Directorial Debut This Year!

Actors used to be called "triple-threat" performers if they could sing, dance, and act. Now, it feels like the bar has been shifted. Today’s multi-hyphenate performers are expected to wear all sorts of hats -- director, actor, podcaster, and perhaps DJ on the side in order to get into the rooms and meet the people who are creating this work. Picking one hat in particular, we have seen many well-known actors begin to direct their own projects. Here are popular actors who are stepping behind the camera!

1. Harris Dickinson: Urchin

Harris Dickinson is known for his acting in films like Triangle of Sadness and Babygirl recently, but he is making his directorial debut with the feature film Urchin. Beyond directing, he also wrote the piece, and it is about homeless people in London. He’s shown that he can carry many different characters and bring many big topics to the forefront, so for this young, shining 27-year-old actor, this movie continues to showcase his rise with this “terrific directorial debut.” The film premiered at Cannes earlier this year, where it received nominations for the Un Certain Regard and Golden Camera Awards and took home the Un Certain Regard - Best Actor award for star Frank Dillane and the Un Certain Regard FIPRESCI Prize for Harris himself. Urchin is currently not available to rent or stream or in any theatres but will hopefully get a wider release somewhere soon!

2. James McAvoy: California Schemin

James McAvoy, who is traditionally known as more of a dramatic actor in films like X-Men and Split, recently directed his first film, California Schemin, based on the true story of two Scottish friends who pretend to be American rappers to land a record deal. He was really interested in exploring not only drama but also laughter in this film. He also acts in this movie, and he described acting and directing at the same time as “horrible", which stresses how difficult wearing multiple hats at once can truly be. The film premiered at TIFF in September and is scheduled to release in the UK sometime next year.

3. Brian Cox: Glenrothan

Another Veteran Scottish actor who’s also acting in his directorial debut, with his new movie, Glenrothan, is Brian Cox. Cox is most widely known for his role in "Succession", where he played Logan Roy, a rather intense and at times cruel businessman.  This film Glenrothan, however, is a more gentle, heartfelt piece -- a family drama where his estranged brother is played by Alan Cumming. About the film, he said, “It was a good challenge, because I realized that at the moment, there are not enough movies that have heart. There's a lot of cynicism.” The film premiered earlier this Fall at TIFF.

4. Michael Cera: Love Is Not The Answer

Michael Cera, known for his charming, quirky approach to characters in movies like Superbad, Juno, and Barbie, will be directing his first feature film called Love Is Not the Answer, which he also wrote. He’s the only person on our list whose directorial debut film hasn’t come out yet, and given that it’s being described as “a precise yet unpredictable, absurdist comedy that moves between hilarity," we think Cera is well equipped given his comedic background and resume.

All of these actors are stepping behind the camera to tell the stories they believe in. Whether it’s a thought-provoking feature film or a wild comedy, these actors are showing what it means to be a multi-hyphenate, multiple hat wear-er in Hollywood today!