Joel Coen

22 films directed 29 Awards 35 Nominations

Biography

Joel Daniel Coen (born November 29, 1954) is an American filmmaker, working with his brother, Ethan Coen, together known as the Coen brothers(/ˈkoʊən/). Their films span many genres and styles, which they frequently subvert or parody. Among their most acclaimed works are Blood Simple (1984), Raising Arizona (1987), Miller's Crossing (1990), Barton Fink (1991), Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), No Country for Old Men (2007), A Serious Man (2009), True Grit (2010) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).

The brothers generally write, direct and produce their films jointly. However, due to regulations, Joel received sole directing credit while Ethan received sole production credit until The Ladykillers (2004). From then on, they would be credited as directors and producers and shared editing credits under the alias Roderick Jaynes. The duo started directing separately in the 2020s, resulting in Joel's The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021), Ethan's Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind (2022) and Drive-Away Dolls (2024). Together, they have been nominated for 13 Academy Awards and one individual nomination. They share Best Original Screenplay for Fargo and Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for No Country for Old Men. They won the Palme d'Or for Barton Fink at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.

The Coens have written films for other directors, including Sam Raimi's Crimewave (1985), Angelina Jolie's World War II biopic Unbroken (2014) and Steven Spielberg's Cold War drama Bridge of Spies (2015). They produced Terry Zwigoff's Bad Santa (2003) and John Turturro's Romance and Cigarettes (2005). Ethan is also a writer of short stories, theatre and poetry.

Most directed genres

Recurring actors

Awards and nominations

2013 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director
2013 Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay Nominated
2013 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director Nominated
2013 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song Nominated
2013 AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay Nominated
2011 Academy Award for Best Picture Nominated
2011 BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2011 Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture Nominated
2010 Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Director Nominated
2010 Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2010 BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay Nominated
2010 Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay Nominated
2009 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay
2009 National Board of Review Award for Best Original Screenplay
2009 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay Nominated
2008 Academy Award for Best Picture
2008 Academy Award for Best Director
2008 Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay
2008 BAFTA Award for Best Direction
2008 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
2008 Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture
2008 Academy Award for Best Director Nominated
2008 Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2008 Academy Award for Best Film Editing Nominated
2008 BAFTA Award for Best Editing Nominated
2008 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2008 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Comedy Film Nominated
2007 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director
2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay
2007 Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Director
2007 Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
2007 Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Film
2007 London Film Critics Circle Award for Film of the Year
2007 National Board of Review Award for Best Film
2007 Satellite Award for Best Director
2007 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
2007 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film
2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Director Nominated
2007 Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Original and Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated
2007 Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2007 Satellite Award for Best Director Nominated
2007 Satellite Award for Best Editing Nominated
2007 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film Nominated
2001 Nebula Award for Best Script Nominated
2000 Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nominated
2000 European Film Award for Best Non-European Film Nominated
1997 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
1997 Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay
1997 Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay
1997 BAFTA Award for Best Film Nominated
1997 BAFTA Award for Best Direction Nominated
1997 César Award for Best Foreign Film Nominated
1997 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay Nominated
1997 Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay Nominated
1997 Independent Spirit Award for Best Director Nominated
1996 Cannes Best Director Award
1996 National Board of Review Award for Best Director
1996 London Film Critics Circle Award for Director of the Year
1996 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film
1996 Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay Nominated
1991 Palme d'Or
1986 Independent Spirit Award for Best Director
1985 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Award

The career in numbers

US$ 372 mi Total budget from 18 film(s) with data
US$ 1.2 bi Total box office from 19 film(s) with data
US$ 21 mi Average budget from 18 film(s) with data
US$ 62 mi Average box office from 19 film(s) with data
7.0 Average rating from 21 film(s) with data
3.2× Return on investment from 18 film(s) with data

Budget and box office do not exist for every film in our records. Averages are computed over the films that carry the figure, and the count beside each one says how many.

Films directed

Film	Year	Budget	Box office	Rating
The Tragedy of Macbeth	2021	—	US$ 176,248	6.9
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs	2018	—	—	7.1
Hail, Caesar!	2016	US$ 22 mi	US$ 64 mi	5.9
Inside Llewyn Davis	2013	US$ 11 mi	US$ 33 mi	7.2
True Grit	2010	US$ 38 mi	US$ 252 mi	7.3
A Serious Man	2009	US$ 7 mi	US$ 31 mi	6.7
Burn After Reading	2008	US$ 37 mi	US$ 164 mi	6.7
No Country for Old Men	2007	US$ 25 mi	US$ 172 mi	8.0
To Each His Own Cinema	2007	—	—	6.4
Paris Je T'aime	2006	US$ 13 mi	US$ 17 mi	6.8
The Ladykillers	2004	US$ 35 mi	US$ 77 mi	6.1
Intolerable Cruelty	2003	US$ 60 mi	US$ 120 mi	6.0
The Man Who Wasn't There	2001	US$ 20 mi	US$ 19 mi	7.5
O Brother, Where Art Thou?	2000	US$ 26 mi	US$ 72 mi	7.3
The Big Lebowski	1998	US$ 15 mi	US$ 47 mi	7.8
Fargo	1996	US$ 7 mi	US$ 61 mi	7.8
The Hudsucker Proxy	1994	US$ 25 mi	US$ 3 mi	7.1
Barton Fink	1991	US$ 9 mi	US$ 6 mi	7.5
Miller's Crossing	1990	US$ 14 mi	US$ 5 mi	7.4
Raising Arizona	1987	US$ 6 mi	US$ 29 mi	7.1
Blood Simple	1985	US$ 2 mi	US$ 4 mi	7.2
Jack of Spades	—	—	—	—

Directors