17 times we see the director of the movie in a leading role

Modified Jan 31, 2025 17:24 ET

17) Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing, 1989)

Spike Lee in Do The Right Thing | Image via Universal Pictures

Spike Lee is a prime example of a director who excelled both behind and in front of the camera in his critically acclaimed film, Do The Right Thing (1989). Lee wrote the screenplay, produced, and directed the film while also playing one of the lead characters Mookie, a young African-American man working at a pizzeria in Brooklyn. Lee's portrayal of Mookie was centrally critical to the narrative of the film and served to powerfully symbolize the film's themes of racial tension and social justice.