I'll take you there: the Oscar track records of directors whose actors are nominated this year

Yesterday, I decided to look into the track records of the 14 directors who guided this year's 20 nominated performances -- 14, rather than 20, since John Patrick Shanley ("Doubt," 4), Darren Aronofsky ("The Wrestler," 2), and David Fincher ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," 2) oversaw multiple nominated performances -- to see how many of them had done the same thing for other actors in the past.

What did I learn? Well, I already knew that Woody Allen ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona") had directed a lot of performances that went on to earn Oscar nominations (15) and wins (5), particularly in the best supporting actress category, in which one of his actors, Penelope Cruz, is nominated this year (3 for 8).

I also recalled that Clint Eastwood ("Changeling") had directed a lot of performances that went on to earn nominations (9) and just as many wins (5), including one in the best actress category, in which one of his actors, Angelina Jolie, is nominated this year.

But I had forgotten -- among other things -- just how many actors Jonathan Demme ("Rachel Getting Married") had guided to Oscars (4 wins out of 6 nominations), and that one of those was for best actress, the same category in which one of his actors, Anne Hathaway, is nominated this year.

Also, I was surprised to discover just how many of this year's directors had never before had actors in the race at all (7 - Aronofsky, Fincher, Shanley, Courtney Hunt, Tom McCarthy, Christopher Nolan and Ben Stiller.)

At the end of the day, does the precedent of a director having helped to produce an Oscar-nominated performance -- or the lack thereof -- really matter to anyone but the people who consider working with him in the future? Probably not consciously, at least. But might voters be more likely to have faith in and check out a film directed by someone whose work they've endorsed before over a film directed by someone whose work they have not? Possibly. After all, if Hollywood is known for anything, it's finding something that works and then ruthlessly sticking to it -- that's why we have so many sequels, remakes and adaptations; that's why we have so many typecast actors; and it might be at least a small part of why the favorites to win in each acting category this year (save for best supporting actor, which features extenuating circumstances) were all directed by people who have directed other people to multiple Oscar nominations and at least one Oscar in the past.

Best actor

• Richard Jenkins ("The Visitor"), directed by Tom McCarthy (0/0)

• Frank Langella ("Frost/Nixon"), directed by Ron Howard (2/7): best supporting actor winner Don Ameche ("Cocoon," 1985), best supporting actress nominee Dianne Wiest ("Parenthood," 1989), best supporting actor nominee Ed Harris ("Apollo 13," 1995), best supporting actress nominee Kathleen Quinlan ("Apollo 13," 1995), best actor nominee Russell Crowe ("A Beautiful Mind," 2001), best supporting actress winner Jennifer Connelly ("A Beautiful Mind," 2001), best supporting actor nominee Paul Giamatti ("Cinderella Man," 2005)

• Sean Penn ("Milk"), directed by Gus Van Sant (1/3): best actor nominee Matt Damon ("Good Will Hunting," 1997), best supporting actor winner Robin Williams ("Good Will Hunting," 1997), best supporting actress nominee Minnie Driver ("Good Will Hunting," 1997)

• Brad Pitt ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), directed by David Fincher (0/0)

• Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler"), directed by Darren Aronofsky (0/1): best actress nominee Ellen Burstyn ("Requiem for a Dream," 2000)

Best actress

• Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married"), directed by Jonathan Demme (4/6): best supporting actor nominee Jason Robards Jr. ("Melvin and Howard," 1980), best supporting actress winner Mary Steenburgen ("Melvin and Howard," 1980), best supporting actor nominee Dean Stockwell ("Married to the Mob," 1988), best actor winner Anthony Hopkins ("The Silence of the Lambs," 1991), best actress winner Jodie Foster ("The Silence of the Lambs," 1991), best actor winner Tom Hanks ("Philadelphia," 1993)

• Angelina Jolie ("Changeling"), directed by Clint Eastwood (5/9): best actor nominee Clint Eastwood ("Unforgiven," 1992), best supporting actor winner Gene Hackman ("Unforgiven," 1992), best actress nominee Meryl Streep ("The Bridges of Madison County," 1995), best actor winner Sean Penn ("Mystic River," 2003), best supporting actor winner Tim Robbins ("Mystic River," 2003), best supporting actress nominee Marcia Gay Harden ("Million Dollar Baby," 2004), best actor nominee Clint Eastwood ("Million Dollar Baby," 2004), best actress winner Hilary Swank ("Million Dollar Baby," 2004), best supporting actor winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby," 2004)

• Melissa Leo ("Frozen River"), directed by Courtney Hunt (0/0)

• Meryl Streep ("Doubt"), directed by John Patrick Shanley (0/0)

• Kate Winslet ("The Reader"), directed by Stephen Daldry (1/4): best supporting actress nominee Julie Walters ("Billy Elliot," 2000), best actress winner Nicole Kidman ("The Hours," 2002), best supporting actor nominee Ed Harris ("The Hours," 2002), best supporting actress nominee Julianne Moore ("The Hours," 2002)

Best supporting actor

• Josh Brolin ("Milk"), directed by Gus Van Sant (1/3): best actor nominee Matt Damon ("Good Will Hunting," 1997), best supporting actor winner Robin Williams ("Good Will Hunting," 1997), best supporting actress nominee Minnie Driver ("Good Will Hunting," 1997)

• Robert Downey Jr. ("Tropic Thunder"), directed by Ben Stiller (0/0)

• Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Doubt"), directed by John Patrick Shanley (0/0)

• Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight"), directed by Christopher Nolan (0/0)

• Michael Shannon ("Revolutionary Road"), directed by Sam Mendes (1/3): best actor winner Kevin Spacey ("American Beauty," 1999), best actress nominee Annette Bening ("American Beauty," 1999), best supporting actor nominee Paul Newman ("Road to Perdition," 2004)

Best supporting actress

• Amy Adams ("Doubt"), directed by John Patrick Shanley (0/0)

• Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona"), directed by Woody Allen (5/15): best actor nominee Woody Allen ("Annie Hall," 1977), best actress winner Diane Keaton ("Annie Hall," 1977), best actress nominee Geraldine Page ("Interiors," 1978), best supporting actress nominee Maureen Stapleton ("Interiors," 1978), best supporting actress nominee Mariel Hemingway ("Manhattan," 1979), best supporting actor winner Michael Caine ("Hannah and Her Sisters," 1986), best supporting actress winner Dianne Wiest ("Hannah and Her Sisters," 1986), best supporting actor nominee Martin Landau ("Crimes and Misdemeanors," 1989), best supporting actress nominee Judy Davis, best supporting actor nominee Chazz Palminteri ("Bullets Over Broadway," 1994), best supporting actress nominee Jennifer Tilly ("Bullets Over Broadway," 1994), best supporting actress winner Dianne Wiest ("Bullets Over Broadway," 1994), best supporting actress winner Mira Sorvino ("Mighty Aphrodite," 1995), best actor nominee Sean Penn ("Sweet and Lowdown," 1999), best supporting actress nominee Samantha Morton ("Sweet and Lowdown," 1999)

• Viola Davis ("Doubt"), directed by John Patrick Shanley (0/0)

• Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), directed by David Fincher (0/0)

• Marisa Tomei ("The Wrestler"), directed by Darren Aronofsky (0/1): best actress nominee Ellen Burstyn ("Requiem for a Dream," 2000)

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Photo: Woody Allen directs Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz and Scarlett Johansson on the set of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Credit: Weinstein Co.

Comments

[brainypirate]

Didn't Daldry also score a supporting nom for Julianne Moore in The Hours?

[Scott Feinberg]

Thanks for catching that brainypirate -- it's been corrected!

[Kevin]

Hey Scott...I believe Mary Steenburgen won Best Supporting Actress for "Melvin and Howard," not Leading Actress. Sissy Spacek was Best Actress that year for "Coal Miner's Daughter."

[Scott Feinberg]

Hey Kevin,
Thanks very much for catching that -- it's now been corrected above!

[Kevin Groome]

Hey Scott, next to "directed by Stephen Daldry" you have (1/3) written, I believe it should be (1/4).

[Scott Feinberg]

Thanks Kevin -- all fixed!