# What are the best directorial debuts by actors?

> From golden-age masterpieces to genre-bending debut shocks, these films prove that some actors had an entirely different kind of genius waiting in the wings. Cast your vote!

*By YPB Team · Published April 10, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-are-the-best-directorial-debuts-by-actors*

---

## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Night of the Hunter**
   A 1955 Southern Gothic thriller directed by Charles Laughton in his only directorial work, starring Robert Mitchum as a murderous preacher.
2. **Citizen Kane**
   Orson Welles' 1941 debut masterpiece widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.
3. **Dances with Wolves**
   Kevin Costner's 1990 directorial debut, an epic Western that won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture.
4. **Get Out**
   Jordan Peele's 2017 debut horror thriller exploring race in America, winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
5. **Sling Blade**
   Billy Bob Thornton's 1996 Southern Gothic drama written, directed, and starred in by the actor, winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
6. **Braveheart**
   Mel Gibson's 1995 epic war drama about William Wallace that won the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director.
7. **A Star Is Born**
   Bradley Cooper's 2018 directorial debut, a musical drama starring Lady Gaga that earned eight Academy Award nominations.
8. **Eve's Bayou**
   Kasi Lemmons' acclaimed 1997 Southern Gothic drama about a prominent Black family in Louisiana.
9. **Eighth Grade**
   Bo Burnham's 2018 debut drama capturing the anxiety of a 13-year-old girl's final week of middle school.
10. **Wildlife**
   Paul Dano's quiet, assured 2018 debut drama about a family falling apart in 1960s Montana.
11. **Play Misty for Me**
   Clint Eastwood's 1971 directorial debut, a psychological thriller about a disc jockey stalked by an obsessive fan.
12. **The Virgin Suicides**
   Sofia Coppola's 1999 directorial debut, a haunting drama about five sisters in suburban 1970s Michigan.
13. **Ordinary People**
   Robert Redford's 1980 directorial debut, a family drama that won four Academy Awards including Best Picture.
14. **Easy Rider**
   Dennis Hopper's 1969 counterculture classic about two bikers riding across America, a landmark of New Hollywood cinema.
15. **The Man Without a Face**
   Mel Gibson's 1993 directorial debut, a coming-of-age drama about a disfigured former teacher who mentors a lonely boy.

Tags: movies, directors, actors