25 actors who produced their own movies

Many well-known actors and actresses contribute to films in front of and behind the camera. They succeed in their roles and put in work behind the scenes. Actors often take improv to new heights, using their talent to ad-lib lines for their characters. Producers, on the other hand, source funding for the film and support the production of films by assisting with casting, site selection, and overall creative direction. When an actor or actress helps to fund a production, they’ll receive an executive producer credit.

However, striking a balance between producing and performing can be challenging. Actors may find it difficult to maintain creative control while working with directors, studios, or even cast members when they take on producer roles. Working behind the scenes and playing a role concurrently can be demanding while striking a healthy balance between addressing logistical issues and maintaining artistic vision. Some performers will work alongside the director, demonstrating they can contribute to a project's success from beginning to end while playing a character and influencing, as a producer, the project’s success. 

To that end, Giggster compiled a list of actors representing a diverse range of age, race, and expression who have all produced at least two of their movies. To be included, the actor had to have produced more than one of their own films and been billed not merely as executive producer but as producer or producer and executive producer.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively has a new role in Hollywood, participating as an accomplished actress and stepping up as a producer. A producer of the recently released “It Ends with Us” (2024) and an executive producer of “The Husband's Secret” (presently in development), she is also listed as a co-producer for the upcoming film “We Used to Live Here.” Her experience acting in and producing the significant film adaptation of the book “It Ends garners much media attention. 

The movie rose to a box office hit, but not long after, it became apparent that things were not all that rosy between stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, who plays Ryle Kincaid, the abusive boyfriend. From criticism aimed at comments made by Lively at promotional appearances to Baldoni’s lack of presence in the press, rumors of the problems came more to light when Lively filed a legal complaint accusing Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment.

This does not come without backlash against Lively, which is not made any easier by her dual roles as a performer and producer. No doubt, the work Blake Lively has put into “It Ends With Us” is impacted by these allegations. Also, Jason Baldoni filed a libel lawsuit against the New York Times and their reporting of the topic, and another suit was filed against Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation.

Timothée Chalamet

One of Hollywood's most sought-after young actors, Timothée Chalamet, known for “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two,” is making his foray into producing and building his career even more. With a stellar list of movie acting credits, Chalamet is a producer of 2024's “A Complete Unknown,” the impressively told story of Bob Dylan's life. While rumors of his unprofessionalism on the movie set could lessen his authenticity as a producer, they are unproven rumors at this point. Chalamet’s other producing credits are for the 2022 Luca Guadagnino-directed “Bones and All,” and he’ll produce and act in the upcoming 2025 film “Marty Supreme.”

Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper plays Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro,” a film he co-wrote, directed, and produced. Working alongside Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, to name a few, Cooper was not without controversy in this film. In playing the role of Bernstein, Cooper wears a prosthetic nose, resulting in criticism. The prosthetic, while supported by Bernstein’s family, gave rise to talk of antisemitism. The choice of “making a non-Jewish actor look more like a Jewish stereotype” didn’t harm the movie's success, with seven Oscars nominations—one for Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling. In 2018, Cooper acted in, co-wrote the screenplay, directed and produced another movie with a musical theme. His role as Jack in “A Star Is Born” was well-received alongside Lady Gaga as Ally.

Margot Robbie

In Hollywood, Margot Robbie has established herself as an acting and production superstar. She co-produced Barbie through LuckyChap Entertainment, her production firm, while playing the titular character. Her business impact was strengthened when the quirky adventure, which combined comedy with strong social commentary, became a cultural phenomenon. Not without controversy, Barbieland, where women rule and men are said to have no value, is often thought to be a sexist world. Some go so far as to call the film anti-male, but this didn’t stop throes of people flocking to the theaters in 2023 along with “Barbie” winning an Oscar for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song), What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.

Antonio Banderas

While not a prolific producer, Antonio Banderas has assisted in bringing movies to the screen through his valuable contributions. His first producing credit was 1999’s “The White River Kid,” where he’s cast as a con man working alongside his adoptive brother (Bob Hoskins). Banderas was executive producer and actor in the 2014 film, “Automata,” and the 2021 film, “Official Competition.” He is busy as an executive producer in “The Monster of Florence,” where he plays Mario Spezi. It’s in pre-production.

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Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore has been a driving force in producing many of her iconic movies, making no less than 29, starting with an executive producer credit on 1999’s rom-com “Never Been Kissed.” Barrymore has also added her magic touch to “Charlie’s Angels” and its follow-up, “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.” Another popular title she gave an executive producer’s addition is “He’s Just Not That Into You,” where she starred opposite many great names. Jennifer Anniston, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson, and Kris Kristofferson are just a few of the stellar cast list. Another incredible (executive) producing credit is “Donnie Darko,” which sees her in a small but pivotal role in the psychological thriller.

Jackie Chan

Fang Shilong, known in the movie world as Jackie Chan, is a stuntman and martial artist as well as a prolific producer and director. He has more than 60 producer credits to his name, among them the Hong Kong action flick “The Accidental Spy” and the 2004 remake of “Around the World in 80 Days.” In development is the exciting up-and-coming “Jackie Chan: Down to Earth.”

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin, the most famous silent film icon, directed and wrote many of the movies in which he starred. He has 38 producer credits, although not all are credited on the films. He helped bring classics such as 1928’s “The Circus” and “The Great Dictator” to the silver screen. He is beloved for his character, The Tramp, and was one of the founders of United Artists, along with actors Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford and director D.W. Griffith (which, today, is part of MGM and owned by Amazon Studios).

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise: Actor, stuntman, famous producer—he’s a jack of all trades. His incredible producing career began with 1996’s “Mission: Impossible.” He has been the creative mind of every film in the franchise ever since, all the way to “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning.” He produced 2004’s “The Last Samurai,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” and had magnificent success with his “Jack Reacher” series. In the works is the much anticipated 2025 release of “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.”

Danny DeVito

Danny DeVito has an incredible list of acting credits, from playing a janitor in 2024’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” to “Jumanji: The Next Level” and “Hotel Noir” from 2012. His success as a producer gives him star status, too. You’ll see him acting and producing in 1995’s “Get Shorty,” “Man on the Moon,” and, of course, “Hoffa,” from 1992. One of DeVito’s claims to fame is “Matilda” from 1996, where he starred and produced alongside his wife Rhea Perlman (they also worked together on the series, “Taxi”). Although the couple separated after 30 years of marriage, they reconciled a year later. They parted again in 2017 and never filed for a divorce.

Tina Fey

Known as one of the best comedians to grace the SNL stage (which she did as Weekend Update anchor for 117 episodes), Tina Fey has myriad accolades attached to her very well-known name. Creator of “30Rock,” co-writer of the “Mean Girls” screenplay, and SNL writer extraordinaire Tina Fey has two movie producer credits for films she has acted in. Look for her in 2015’s “Sisters” and “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,” from 2015. Fey is adapting the “Mean Girls” Broadway musical into a film currently in development. She’ll play Ms. Norbury, a North Shore High School math teacher. Meanwhile, Rosalind Wiseman, whose parental help book was in part inspiration for the film, feels she hasn’t been properly compensated for the first film and, no doubt, the soon-to-be-released new movie.

Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster is a familiar face on the screen, with “The Silence of the Lambs” one of her stellar Oscar-winning performances. A magnificent acting and producer role in “Nell” is said to be Foster’s personal favorite. She was nominated at the 1995 Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role in the movie. Foster also produced and played a supporting role as Sister Assumpta in “The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys” in 2002. She plays Liz Danvers in the series, “True Detective” and was executive producer for six episodes in 2024.

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Tom Hanks

Everyone knows Tom Hanks, and it’s easy to say why. With no less than 101 acting credits to his name, Hanks has starred in all forms of television and movies. We loved him in “Bosom Buddies” in the early 80s and, of course, in “Splash” with Daryl Hannah in 1984. “The Money Pit,” “Big,” “Turner &Hooch,” “Sully,” “Saving Private Ryan,” and “A Man Called Otto” are just a few more familiar titles. In 2000, ’Hanks's first acting and producing collaboration was the Best Actor Academy Award-nominated “Cast Away.” In the excellent “Polar Express,” he voiced Hero Boy, Father, Conductor, Hobo, Scrooge, and even Santa Claus while serving as an executive producer.

Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek has a bevy of successful movies to her name, like “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” “Puss in Boots,” seven episodes of “30Rock,” and “Magic Mike’s Last Dance.” She helped to immortalize the incredible Frida Kahlo in 2002’s “Frida.” Bringing this memorable character to life must have been a sensational experience as an actor and producer, especially with notables Geoffrey Rush and Antonio Banderas on the set. Giving a voice to the character Kamila in 2014’s “The Prophet,” Hayek also took on a producing role. In 2015, she starred alongside Adrien Brody in “September’s of Shiraz.”

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Jennifer Lopez

Not only is Jennifer Lopez one of the most well-known pop stars today, but she also has a few movies to her credit. 2024’s “Unstoppable.” and 2025’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” (she’s an executive producer) are recent hits. Lopez’s first kickoff to producing was the 2006 film “El Cantante,” in which she starred alongside ex-husband Marc Anthony. Her standout performance in “Hustlers,” which she produced, earned Lopez a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in the 2020 Critics Choice Award selection. She was given a chance to once again showcase her singing talent in “Marry Me,” which she also starred in and produced. Upcoming projects include “The Godmother,” where she’ll be an executive producer.

Eddie Murphy

Just about everyone has watched an Eddie Murphy comedy, and most likely more than one. From “Beverly Hills Cop” to “The Nutty Professor,” his movies have proven classics time and time again. No one can forget his acclaimed contribution to “Shrek,” where he made Donkey come to life in a way only Eddie Murphy can. This versatile actor has plenty of producing credits to his name, too. His first producing credit was 1995’s “Vampire in Brooklyn,” but prior to that, he had a long list of executive producer roles, both credited and uncredited. Of course, “Coming 2 America,” “Tower Heist,” and “Dolemite Is My Name” must be mentioned.

Brad Pitt

While Brad Pitt didn’t produce “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” it’s a movie with a story to go along with it in that he began his love relationship with his now ex-wife, Angelina Jolie. Pitt has over 90 acting credits under his belt; “Bullet Train,” “Ocean’s Twelve,” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” are just three mentions. The first time this world-famous actor starred in and produced a movie was in 2007’s “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.”  He has been the draw and creative mind for films such as “World War Z” and “The Big Short.”

Aubrey Plaza

Aubrey Plaza has many notable credits and roles. The “Parks and Recreation” and “Monster’s University” star’s first producing credit was 2017’s “The Little Hours,” directed by her husband and frequent collaborator, Jeff Baena. In “Ingrid Goes West,” Plaza plays a slightly unhinged social media stalker, and she scares us again in 2019’s “Child’s Play.” She produced and starred in the acclaimed “Black Bear” in 2020 and “Emily the Criminal,” slated to be a television series in 2025. Sadly, Plaza’s husband took his own life in January 2025.

Robert Redford

Robert Redford is known as the founder of the Sundance Film Festival but is even more well-known for his incredible acting career. From television to the big screen, his list of acting credits counts at more than 80 and includes TV’s “Perry Mason” and “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.”  “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” was a 1969 hit, while “All the President’s Men,” “A Bridge Too Far,” and Sneakers” are three of a standout list of notable films. As for acting and producing combos, he has a bevy of titles to boast. Redford starred in and produced “The Horse Whisperer” and “A Walk in the Woods” alongside Nick Nolte. Redford was an executive producer, as was Jodie Foster, for the must-watch film about pioneer filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché, called “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché.

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is probably most well known for her Academy Award-winning Best Actress role in 2003’s “Monster.” She acted and gained her first producing role in this thought-provoking movie. In 2018 she starred in and produced “Tully,” and was a direct force in “Bombshell,” an explosive movie about the #MeToo movement. Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie star as well. Later, Theron produced and acted in “The Old Guard,” a 2020 action-packed film about immortality-trapped mercenaries, based on the graphic novel series by Greg Rucka.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington is pretty well a household name, and deservedly so. “Antwone Fisher” of 2002 saw him act, direct, and co-produce an inspirational drama inspired by a true story. In 2016, Washington produced, acted in, and directed the marvelous “Fences,” where his co-star, Viola Davis, won an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. “The Equalizer 3,” released in 2023, has an incredible cast, with Denzel Washington at the helm as star and producer.

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker has over 130 acting credits, which consist of standout films like “Panic Room,” “The Last King of Scotland,” and “The Butler,” starring Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, John Cusack, and many other personalities. Whitaker was co-producer and the star of “A Rage in Harlem,” his production debut. The television series “The Godfather of Harlem,” as of 2025, was produced by him in no less than 29 episodes. In movies, Whitaker made an outstanding acting and producing contribution to 2005’s “American Gun.” “Sorry to Bother You” is also on his list of accolades.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah not only has her media empire, but she also has a multitude of production credits to her name, one of the most famous being 2023’s “The Color Purple.” She starred in the 1985 version of the film, which was her first big-screen role. Her debut in the world of production was in 1989 with the TV series “The Women of Brewster Place.” Combining acting and producing, she stepped into the role in 1998’s “Beloved.” “Selma,” a fantastic account of Martin Luther King’s march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965, saw Winfrey star and produce. A force behind movies with incredible stories, she played the part of Deborah Lacks while producing the 2017 TV movie “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.”

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Reese Witherspoon

We may know Reese Witherspoon best for her fun character, Elle Woods, in “Legally Blond,” but she has a spectacular resumé for both acting and producing. She’s been in unforgettable films like “American Psycho” and “Walk the Line,” where she plays the irresistible June Carter opposite Joaquin Phoenix. On the producing side, Witherspoon has a noteworthy list of credits. She served as executive producer on 2003’s “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, and in 2020, she starred in and produced “Little Fires Everywhere.” Outstanding In 2025, she stars in the comedy “You’re Cordially Invited,” which she also produced.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie is a name everyone is familiar with, most often for her dedication to activism, combining this passion with filmmaking. The unforgettable “First They Killed My Father” put on record the harrowing drama based on Loung Ung’s memoir of surviving Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime. Jolie combined her passion for activism and the big screen by directing, co-writing, and producing the movie, guaranteeing a true-to-life account of the events. 

Well known for her lead role in “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” Jolie is also remembered by many for her part in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” with Brad Pitt and also the part she played in the breakup of his marriage to Jennifer Aniston. Jolie and Pitt teamed up to act in and produce “By the Sea” in 2015, and Jolie also wrote the screenplay. Critics weren’t kind when critiquing the film, with a Rusty Bagel Award for Worst Screen Couple. 

Off screen, Jolie and Pitt were together for twelve years but only married for two before separating and eventually filing for divorce. Still, Joli moved beyond her troubles to add to her list of producing and acting accolades with 2019’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.”  Several directing and producing activism recognitions followed, such as “We Dare to Dream” and “Afghan Girls: An Uncertain Future.”