In Hollywood, the chemistry and bond between directors and actors can help to produce such good cinema that the two decide to work with one another time and time again. Marin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Judd Apatow, and the legendary directing duo of the Coen brothers are prime examples of filmmakers who use a familiar crop of actors in their movies. Today’s focus is on the brotherly duo and the actors who most commonly comprise the all-star casts of their films. These are the ten actors who have been in the most Coen brothers movies.
10 Richard Jenkins – 3 Appearances
Richard Jenkins is an honorary member of the “Hey, it’s that actor!” club, without most people knowing his actual name. When it comes to Coen brothers movies, Jenkins appears in some of the duo’s lesser-known and more popular films. The actor particularly stands out in the 2008 dark comedy and underrated Cohen Brothers movie, Burn After Reading, among his A-list co-stars, consisting of Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, and George Clooney.
9 Stephen Root – 4 Appearances
Another frequent visitor to the Coen brothers’ universe is that of acclaimed character actor Stephen Root. The actor appears in four films from the directors, playing various bit parts to the overall narrative. Perhaps his most impactful and memorable performance comes as the blind radio announcer in O Brother, Where Art Thou? that gives The Soggy Bottom Boys their big break, a through line in the second and third acts of the film.
8 Holly Hunter – 4 Appearances
Academy Award-winning actor Holly Hunter is another four-timer in the Coen brothers Club. In that particular collection of films, it is probably Raising Arizona that Hunter is most remembered for. Playing the unfortunate infertile love interest to Nicolas Cage’s character that sets the plot of kidnapping a child into motion. After an uncredited voice appearance in Blood Simple, Raising Arizona would mark Hunter’s first film with the brothers and one of the earliest leading roles in her career.
7 George Clooney – 4 Appearances
While it is the lesser-known Intolerable Cruelty that features George Clooney in a more prominent and leading role, it is undoubtedly O Brother, Where Art Thou? that most Coen brothers fans praise Clooney for. The actor has a great rapport with the directors, leading to his continued work with the brothers.
6 Bruce Campbell – 4 Appearances
Bruce Campbell‘s inclusion on this list is an interesting one because, while the actor can be seen in four of the directors’ films, three of them come in small cameo parts, and two of those come in parts on televisions in the background. The one outlier film that features the actor in more than a cameo is the 1994 comedy, The Hudsucker Proxy.
5 John Turturro – 4 Appearances
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Most casual fans of the Coen brothers may remember John Turturro most for his over-the-top performance as Jesus Quintana in The Big Lebowski. Those other people who prefer the lesser-known films, will certainly agree that his best performance comes as the titular character in the mesmerizing nightmare of Hollywood, Barton Fink. Overall, Turturro has worked with the directors on four separate occasions in four of their all-time great movies.
4 Jon Polito – 5 Appearances
As we move into the five-plus films category of actors, our first entry lands on Jon Polito, another overachieving character actor who shines in the Coen brothers’ movies. Particularly in the 1990 gangster film, Miller’s Crossing. Playing perfectly into the dark comedy found throughout all the Coens’ films, Polito has a particular knack for the style that the brothers cook up for their films.
3 Steve Buscemi – 5 Appearances
Steve Buscemi has a history of playing some truly iconic characters within the Coen brothers’ universe, and the brothers have a penchant for taking those characters and finding creative ways to kill them in three out of the five films that Buscemi appears in. While it is Donny who is the Buscemi’s most beloved role, it is his arc in Fargo as Carl Showalter that truly allows the actor to flex his talent.
2 John Goodman – 6 Appearances
John Goodman has appeared in a staggering six films from the Coen brothers, and entrenched himself as a favorite of the directors. While Goodman has given some truly memorable performances, it is Walter Sobchak in the 25-plus-year-old cult classic, The Big Lebowski, that is a fan favorite and certainly the actor’s most intense performance.
1 Frances McDormand – 7 Appearances
Frances McDormand has a unique tie to the Coen brothers in that she is married to one of them. She and Joel Coen have been married since 1984, the same year that McDormand made her feature film debut, in the Coen brothers’ movie, Blood Simple. The three-time Oscar Award-winning actor would go on to be involved in six more films from the directors, bringing her total to seven and making her the undisputed champion of the Coen brothers’ favorite stars to work with. Add another win to her impressive resume.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
