List of Academy Award for Best Director winners by age
This is a list of winners of the Academy Award of Merit for Achievement in Directing, presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)[1] to a director who has delivered outstanding direction while working on a particular film within the industry. More popularly known as the Academy Award (or the Oscar) for Best Director, this award was initially presented at the 1st Academy Awards ceremony for 1927 and 1928 and was most recently presented at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony for 2020 and early 2021.[2] Throughout the past 93 years, accounting for shared and repeat winners, AMPAS has presented a total of 96 Best Directing awards to 71 different directors. This list is current as of the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony held on April 25, 2021.
As of April 2021[update], The list below has 21 directors in their 30s, 40 directors in their 40s, 29 directors in their 50s, 5 directors in their 60s and one director in his seventies during the reception of the award. The youngest director being Damien Chazelle aged 32 years and 68 days during the 2017 Academy Awards ceremony and the oldest being Clint Eastwood who was 74 during the 2005 Academy Awards ceremony.
List of winners[edit]
# |
Director |
Film |
Date of birth |
Date of award |
Age upon receiving award |
Date of death |
Lifespan |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Frank Borzage | 7th Heaven | April 23, 1894 | May 16, 1929 | 35 years, 23 days | June 19, 1962 | 24,893 days (68 years, 57 days) | Dramatic;[4] 1st of 2 Held record as oldest winner for 1 award ceremony (from the 1st to the 2nd, May 1929–April 1930 [11 months]) |
2 | Lewis Milestone | Two Arabian Knights | September 30, 1895 | May 16, 1929 | 33 years, 228 days | September 25, 1980 | 31,041 days (84 years, 361 days) | Comedy;[4] 1st of 2 Held record as youngest winner for 3 award ceremonies (from the 1st to the 4th, May 1929–November 1931 [2 years, 6 months]) |
3 | Frank Lloyd | The Divine Lady | February 2, 1886 | April 3, 1930 | 44 years, 60 days | August 10, 1960 | 27,217 days (74 years, 190 days) | 1st of 2 Held record as oldest winner for 10 award ceremonies (from the 2nd to the 12th, April 1930–February 1940) |
4 | Lewis Milestone | All Quiet on the Western Front | September 30, 1895 | November 5, 1930 | 35 years, 36 days | September 25, 1980 | 31,041 days (84 years, 361 days) | 2nd of 2 |
5 | Norman Taurog | Skippy | February 23, 1899 | November 10, 1931 | 32 years, 260 days | April 7, 1981 | 29,993 days (82 years, 43 days) | Held record as youngest winner for 85 award ceremonies (from the 4th through the 89th, November 1931–February 2017 [85 years, 3 months]) |
6 | Frank Borzage | Bad Girl | April 23, 1894 | November 18, 1932 | 38 years, 209 days | June 19, 1962 | 24,893 days (68 years, 57 days) | 2nd of 2 |
7 | Frank Lloyd | Cavalcade | February 2, 1886 | March 16, 1934 | 48 years, 42 days | August 10, 1960 | 27,217 days (74 years, 190 days) | 2nd of 2 |
8 | Frank Capra | It Happened One Night | May 18, 1897 | February 27, 1935 | 37 years, 285 days | September 3, 1991 | 34,440 days (94 years, 108 days)[5] | 1st of 3 |
9 | John Ford | The Informer | February 1, 1894 | March 5, 1936 | 42 years, 33 days | August 31, 1973 | 29,065 days (79 years, 211 days) | 1st of 4 |
10 | Frank Capra | Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | May 18, 1897 | March 4, 1937 | 39 years, 290 days | September 3, 1991 | 34,440 days (94 years, 108 days)[5] | 2nd of 3 |
11 | Leo McCarey | The Awful Truth | October 3, 1898 | March 10, 1938 | 39 years, 158 days | July 5, 1969 | 25,842 days (70 years, 275 days) | 1st of 2 |
12 | Frank Capra | You Can't Take It with You | May 18, 1897 | February 23, 1939 | 41 years, 281 days | September 3, 1991 | 34,440 days (94 years, 108 days)[5] | 3rd of 3 |
13 | Victor Fleming | Gone with the Wind | February 23, 1889 | February 29, 1940 | 51 years, 6 days | January 6, 1949 | 21,866 days (59 years, 318 days)[6] | Held record as oldest winner for 4 award ceremonies (from the 12th to the 16th, February 1940–March 1944) |
14 | John Ford | The Grapes of Wrath | February 1, 1894 | February 27, 1941 | 47 years, 26 days | August 31, 1973 | 29,065 days (79 years, 211 days) | 2nd of 4 |
15 | John Ford | How Green Was My Valley | February 1, 1894 | February 26, 1942 | 48 years, 25 days | August 31, 1973 | 29,065 days (79 years, 211 days) | 3rd of 4 |
16 | William Wyler | Mrs. Miniver | July 1, 1902 | March 4, 1943 | 40 years, 246 days | July 27, 1981 | 28,881 days (79 years, 26 days) | 1st of 3 |
17 | Michael Curtiz | Casablanca | December 24, 1886 | March 2, 1944 | 57 years, 69 days | April 10, 1962 | 27,500 days (75 years, 107 days) | Held record as oldest winner for 9 award ceremonies (from the 16th to the 25th, March 1944–March 1953) |
18 | Leo McCarey | Going My Way | October 3, 1898 | March 15, 1945 | 46 years, 163 days | July 5, 1969 | 25,842 days (70 years, 275 days) | 2nd of 2 |
19 | Billy Wilder | The Lost Weekend | June 22, 1906 | March 7, 1946 | 39 years, 258 days | March 27, 2002 | 34,977 days (95 years, 278 days)[7] | 1st of 2 |
20 | William Wyler | The Best Years of Our Lives | July 1, 1902 | March 13, 1947 | 44 years, 255 days | July 27, 1981 | 28,881 days (79 years, 26 days) | 2nd of 3 |
21 | Elia Kazan | Gentleman's Agreement | September 7, 1909 | March 20, 1948 | 38 years, 195 days | September 28, 2003 | 34,354 days (94 years, 21 days)[8] | 1st of 2 |
22 | John Huston | The Treasure of the Sierra Madre | August 5, 1906 | March 24, 1949 | 42 years, 231 days | August 28, 1987 | 29,608 days (81 years, 23 days) | |
23 | Joseph L. Mankiewicz | A Letter to Three Wives | February 11, 1909 | March 23, 1950 | 41 years, 40 days | February 5, 1993 | 30,675 days (83 years, 360 days) | 1st of 2 |
24 | Joseph L. Mankiewicz | All About Eve | February 11, 1909 | March 29, 1951 | 42 years, 46 days | February 5, 1993 | 30,675 days (83 years, 360 days) | 2nd of 2 |
25 | George Stevens | A Place in the Sun | December 18, 1904 | March 20, 1952 | 47 years, 93 days | March 8, 1975 | 25,647 days (70 years, 80 days) | 1st of 2 |
26 | John Ford | The Quiet Man | February 1, 1894 | March 19, 1953 | 59 years, 46 days | August 31, 1973 | 29,065 days (79 years, 211 days) | 4th of 4 Held record as oldest winner for 12 award ceremonies (from the 25th to the 37th, March 1953–April 1965) |
27 | Fred Zinnemann | From Here to Eternity | April 29, 1907 | March 25, 1954 | 46 years, 330 days | March 14, 1997 | 32,827 days (89 years, 319 days) | 1st of 2 |
28 | Elia Kazan | On the Waterfront | September 7, 1909 | March 30, 1955 | 45 years, 204 days | September 28, 2003 | 34,354 days (94 years, 21 days)[8] | 2nd of 2 |
29 | Delbert Mann | Marty | January 30, 1920 | March 21, 1956 | 36 years, 51 days | November 11, 2007 | 32,062 days (87 years, 285 days) | |
30 | George Stevens | Giant | December 18, 1904 | March 27, 1957 | 52 years, 99 days | March 8, 1975 | 25,647 days (70 years, 80 days) | 2nd of 2 |
31 | David Lean | The Bridge on the River Kwai | March 25, 1908 | March 26, 1958 | 50 years, 1 day | April 16, 1991 | 30,337 days (83 years, 22 days) | 1st of 2 |
32 | Vincente Minnelli | Gigi | February 28, 1903 | April 6, 1959 | 56 years, 37 days | July 25, 1986 | 30,463 days (83 years, 147 days) | |
33 | William Wyler | Ben-Hur | July 1, 1902 | April 4, 1960 | 57 years, 278 days | July 27, 1981 | 28,881 days (79 years, 26 days) | 3rd of 3 |
34 | Billy Wilder | The Apartment | June 22, 1906 | April 17, 1961 | 54 years, 299 days | March 27, 2002 | 34,977 days (95 years, 278 days)[7] | 2nd of 2 |
35 | Jerome Robbins | West Side Story | October 11, 1918 | April 9, 1962 | 43 years, 180 days | July 29, 1998 | 29,146 days (79 years, 291 days) | Shared |
36 | Robert Wise | West Side Story | September 10, 1914 | April 9, 1962 | 47 years, 211 days | September 14, 2005 | 33,242 days (91 years, 4 days) | Shared; 1st of 2 |
37 | David Lean | Lawrence of Arabia | March 25, 1908 | April 8, 1963 | 55 years, 14 days | April 16, 1991 | 30,337 days (83 years, 22 days) | 2nd of 2 |
38 | Tony Richardson | Tom Jones | June 5, 1928 | April 13, 1964 | 35 years, 313 days | November 14, 1991 | 23,172 days (63 years, 162 days) | |
39 | George Cukor | My Fair Lady | July 7, 1899 | April 5, 1965 | 65 years, 272 days | January 24, 1983 | 30,516 days (83 years, 201 days) | Held record as oldest winner for 38 award ceremonies (from the 37th to the 75th, April 1965–March 2003) |
40 | Robert Wise | The Sound of Music | September 10, 1914 | April 18, 1966 | 51 years, 220 days | September 14, 2005 | 33,242 days (91 years, 4 days) | 2nd of 2 |
41 | Fred Zinnemann | A Man for All Seasons | April 29, 1907 | April 10, 1967 | 59 years, 346 days | March 14, 1997 | 32,827 days (89 years, 319 days) | 2nd of 2 |
42 | Mike Nichols | The Graduate | November 6, 1931 | April 10, 1968 | 36 years, 156 days | November 19, 2014 | 30,329 days (83 years, 13 days) | |
43 | Carol Reed | Oliver! | December 30, 1906 | April 14, 1969 | 62 years, 105 days | April 25, 1976 | 25,319 days (69 years, 117 days)[9] | |
44 | John Schlesinger | Midnight Cowboy | February 16, 1926 | April 7, 1970 | 44 years, 50 days | July 25, 2003 | 28,283 days (77 years, 159 days) | |
45 | Franklin J. Schaffner | Patton | May 30, 1920 | April 15, 1971 | 50 years, 320 days | July 2, 1989 | 25,235 days (69 years, 33 days) | |
46 | William Friedkin | The French Connection | August 29, 1935 | April 10, 1972 | 36 years, 225 days | 32,592 days (89 years, 84 days) | ||
47 | Bob Fosse | Cabaret | June 23, 1927 | March 27, 1973 | 45 years, 277 days | September 23, 1987 | 22,007 days (60 years, 92 days) | |
48 | George Roy Hill | The Sting | December 20, 1921 | April 2, 1974 | 52 years, 103 days | December 27, 2002 | 29,592 days (81 years, 7 days) | |
49 | Francis Ford Coppola | The Godfather Part II | April 7, 1939 | April 8, 1975 | 36 years, 1 day | 31,275 days (85 years, 228 days) | ||
50 | Miloš Forman | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | February 18, 1932 | March 29, 1976 | 44 years, 40 days | April 14, 2018 | 31,467 days (86 years, 55 days) | 1st of 2 |
51 | John G. Avildsen | Rocky | December 21, 1935 | March 28, 1977 | 41 years, 97 days | June 16, 2017 | 29,763 days (81 years, 177 days) | |
52 | Woody Allen | Annie Hall | December 1, 1935 | April 3, 1978 | 42 years, 123 days | 32,498 days (88 years, 356 days) | ||
53 | Michael Cimino | The Deer Hunter | February 3, 1939 | April 9, 1979 | 40 years, 65 days | July 2, 2016 | 28,274 days (77 years, 150 days) | |
54 | Robert Benton | Kramer vs. Kramer | September 29, 1932 | April 14, 1980 | 47 years, 198 days | 33,656 days (92 years, 53 days) | ||
55 | Robert Redford | Ordinary People | August 18, 1936 | March 31, 1981 | 44 years, 225 days | 32,237 days (88 years, 95 days) | ||
56 | Warren Beatty | Reds | March 30, 1937 | March 29, 1982 | 44 years, 364 days | 32,013 days (87 years, 236 days) | ||
57 | Richard Attenborough | Gandhi | August 29, 1923 | April 11, 1983 | 59 years, 225 days | August 24, 2014 | 33,233 days (90 years, 360 days) | |
58 | James L. Brooks | Terms of Endearment | May 9, 1940 | April 9, 1984 | 43 years, 336 days | 30,877 days (84 years, 196 days) | ||
59 | Miloš Forman | Amadeus | February 18, 1932 | March 25, 1985 | 53 years, 35 days | April 14, 2018 | 31,467 days (86 years, 55 days) | 2nd of 2 |
60 | Sydney Pollack | Out of Africa | July 1, 1934 | March 24, 1986 | 51 years, 266 days | May 26, 2008 | 26,993 days (73 years, 330 days) | |
61 | Oliver Stone | Platoon | September 15, 1946 | March 30, 1987 | 40 years, 196 days | 28,557 days (78 years, 67 days) | 1st of 2 | |
62 | Bernardo Bertolucci | The Last Emperor | March 16, 1940 | April 11, 1988 | 48 years, 26 days | November 26, 2018 | 28,744 days (78 years, 255 days) | |
63 | Barry Levinson | Rain Man | April 6, 1942 | March 27, 1989 | 46 years, 355 days | 30,180 days (82 years, 229 days) | ||
64 | Oliver Stone | Born on the Fourth of July | September 15, 1946 | March 26, 1990 | 43 years, 192 days | 28,557 days (78 years, 67 days) | 2nd of 2 | |
65 | Kevin Costner | Dances with Wolves | January 18, 1955 | March 25, 1991 | 36 years, 66 days | 25,510 days (69 years, 308 days) | ||
66 | Jonathan Demme | The Silence of the Lambs | February 22, 1944 | March 30, 1992 | 48 years, 37 days | April 26, 2017 | 26,727 days (73 years, 63 days) | |
67 | Clint Eastwood | Unforgiven | May 31, 1930 | March 29, 1993 | 62 years, 302 days | 34,508 days (94 years, 174 days) | 1st of 2 | |
68 | Steven Spielberg | Schindler's List | December 18, 1946 | March 21, 1994 | 47 years, 93 days | 28,463 days (77 years, 339 days) | 1st of 2 | |
69 | Robert Zemeckis | Forrest Gump | May 14, 1951 | March 27, 1995 | 43 years, 317 days | 26,855 days (73 years, 191 days) | ||
70 | Mel Gibson | Braveheart | January 3, 1956 | March 25, 1996 | 40 years, 82 days | 25,160 days (68 years, 323 days) | ||
71 | Anthony Minghella | The English Patient | January 6, 1954 | March 24, 1997 | 43 years, 77 days | March 18, 2008 | 19,795 days (54 years, 72 days)[10] | |
72 | James Cameron | Titanic | August 16, 1954 | March 23, 1998 | 43 years, 219 days | 25,665 days (70 years, 97 days) | ||
73 | Steven Spielberg | Saving Private Ryan | December 18, 1946 | March 21, 1999 | 52 years, 93 days | 28,463 days (77 years, 339 days) | 2nd of 2 | |
74 | Sam Mendes | American Beauty | August 1, 1965 | March 26, 2000 | 34 years, 238 days | 21,662 days (59 years, 112 days) | ||
75 | Steven Soderbergh | Traffic | January 14, 1963 | March 25, 2001 | 38 years, 70 days | 22,592 days (61 years, 312 days) | ||
76 | Ron Howard | A Beautiful Mind | March 1, 1954 | March 24, 2002 | 48 years, 23 days | 25,833 days (70 years, 265 days) | ||
77 | Roman Polanski | The Pianist | August 18, 1933 | March 23, 2003 | 69 years, 217 days | 33,333 days (91 years, 95 days) | Held record as oldest winner for 2 award ceremonies (from the 75th to the 77th, March 2003–February 2005) | |
78 | Peter Jackson | Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | October 31, 1961 | February 29, 2004 | 42 years, 121 days | 23,032 days (63 years, 21 days) | ||
79 | Clint Eastwood | Million Dollar Baby | May 31, 1930 | February 27, 2005 | 74 years, 272 days | 34,508 days (94 years, 174 days) | 2nd of 2 Has held record as oldest winner for 17 award ceremonies (from the 77th through the 93rd, February 2005–April 2021) | |
80 | Ang Lee | Brokeback Mountain | October 23, 1954 | March 5, 2006 | 51 years, 133 days | 25,597 days (70 years, 29 days) | 1st of 2 | |
81 | Martin Scorsese | The Departed | November 17, 1942 | February 25, 2007 | 64 years, 100 days | 29,955 days (82 years, 4 days) | ||
82 | Ethan Coen | No Country for Old Men | September 21, 1957 | February 24, 2008 | 50 years, 156 days | 24,533 days (67 years, 61 days) | Shared | |
83 | Joel Coen | No Country for Old Men | November 29, 1954 | February 24, 2008 | 53 years, 87 days | 25,560 days (69 years, 358 days) | Shared | |
84 | Danny Boyle | Slumdog Millionaire | October 20, 1956 | February 22, 2009 | 52 years, 125 days | 24,869 days (68 years, 32 days) | ||
85 | Kathryn Bigelow | The Hurt Locker | November 27, 1951 | March 7, 2010 | 58 years, 100 days | 26,658 days (72 years, 360 days) | ||
86 | Tom Hooper | The King's Speech | October 1, 1972 | February 27, 2011 | 38 years, 149 days | 19,044 days (52 years, 51 days) | ||
87 | Michel Hazanavicius | The Artist | March 29, 1967 | February 26, 2012 | 44 years, 334 days | 21,057 days (57 years, 237 days) | ||
88 | Ang Lee | Life of Pi | October 23, 1954 | February 24, 2013 | 58 years, 124 days | 25,597 days (70 years, 29 days) | 2nd of 2 | |
89 | Alfonso Cuarón | Gravity | November 28, 1961 | March 2, 2014 | 52 years, 94 days | 23,004 days (62 years, 359 days) | 1st of 2 | |
90 | Alejandro González Iñárritu | Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) | August 15, 1963 | February 22, 2015 | 51 years, 191 days | 22,379 days (61 years, 98 days) | 1st of 2 | |
91 | Alejandro González Iñárritu | The Revenant | August 15, 1963 | February 28, 2016 | 52 years, 197 days | 22,379 days (61 years, 98 days) | 2nd of 2 | |
92 | Damien Chazelle | La La Land | January 19, 1985 | February 26, 2017 | 32 years, 38 days | 14,551 days (39 years, 307 days) | Holds record for youngest winner | |
93 | Guillermo del Toro | The Shape of Water | October 9, 1964 | March 4, 2018 | 53 years, 146 days | 21,958 days (60 years, 43 days) | ||
94 | Alfonso Cuarón | Roma | November 28, 1961 | February 24, 2019 | 57 years, 88 days | 23,004 days (62 years, 359 days) | 2nd of 2 | |
95 | Bong Joon-Ho | Parasite | September 14, 1969 | February 9, 2020 | 50 years, 148 days | 20,157 days (55 years, 68 days) | ||
96 | Chloé Zhao | Nomadland | March 31, 1982 | April 25, 2021 | 39 years, 25 days | 15,576 days (42 years, 235 days) | ||
# | Director | Film | Date of birth | Date of award | Age upon receiving award |
Date of death | Lifespan | Notes |
- ↑ Official website of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- ↑ Official ceremony promotional website for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
- ↑ Official database website of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Archived 2008-09-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The first Best Directing Oscar was divided between Comedy and Dramatic films.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Frank Capra (lifespan 94 years, 108 days) is one of three directors (alongside Billy Wilder and Elia Kazan) to have lived over 55 years (56 years, 188 days) after receiving the award.
- ↑ Victor Fleming (lifespan 59 years, 318 days) is one of two directors (alongside Carol Reed) to have lived less than 10 years (8 years, 312 days) after receiving the award.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Billy Wilder holds the record for longest lifespan (95 years, 278 days). He is one of three directors (alongside Frank Capra and Elia Kazan) to have lived over 55 years (56 years, 20 days) after receiving the award.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Elia Kazan (lifespan 94 years, 21 days) is one of three directors (alongside Billy Wilder and Frank Capra) to have lived over 55 years (55 years, 192 days) after receiving the award.
- ↑ Carol Reed (lifespan 69 years, 117 days) is one of two directors (alongside Victor Fleming) to have lived less than 10 years (7 years, 11 days) after receiving the award.
- ↑ Anthony Minghella holds the record for shortest lifespan (54 years, 72 days).
See also[edit]
- Academy Award for Best Director
- List of Best Actor winners by age
- List of Best Actress winners by age
- List of Best Supporting Actor winners by age
- List of Best Supporting Actress winners by age
- List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees
External links[edit]
- Oscars.org (official Academy site)
- Oscar.com (official ceremony promotional site)
- The Academy Awards Database (official site)
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