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Joel Coen Biography
Birth Place:
St. Louis Park, Minnesota, United States
Profession
Director, screenwriter, producer
Fast Facts
- Prior to 2004's The Ladykillers, always took the directing credits while brother Ethan took the producing credits; actually, they both did everything
- Edits all of his films with Ethan under the pseudonym Roderick Jaynes; they've even been nominated for two Academy Awards under the AKA
- Made directorial debut with Blood Simple, which won him an Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in 1985
- Won the 1991 Cannes International Film Festival Golden Palm for best film for Barton Fink, and was nominated in 1994 for The Hudsucker Proxy and in 1996 for Fargo
- Became first to direct his own wife to an Oscar when Frances McDormand won Best Actress for Fargo
- Won Best Director for Fargo at the 1996 Independent Spirit Awards, the London Film Critics Awards, the National Board of Review Awards, the San Diego Film Critics Awards and the Florida Film Critics Awards
- Has codirected commercials for the Gap, Budweiser and H&R Block with Ethan
- In 2009, directed, along with Ethan, a TV commercial critical of the use of coal as an environmentally safe way to produce electrity
- Once called the sitcom Petticoat Junction his favorite TV show
- The 2009 film A Serious Man (another effort with his brother) was notable in that it reflected the Coens' Jewish backgrounds as it examined Judaism and faith; Joel notes that "there's no doubt that our Jewish heritage affects how we see things
- " The brothers received Israel's million-dollar Dan David prize for the film
Awards
- 2018Venice Film Festival-Best Screenplay: winner
- 2017Emmy-Outstanding Limited Series: nominated
- 2016Producers Guild Awards-David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: winner
- 2016BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2016Writers Guild Awards-Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2016Emmy-Outstanding Limited Series: nominated
- 2015Producers Guild Awards-David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: winner
- 2015Oscar-Best Writing (Original Screenplay): nominated
- 2015Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
- 2015Critics' Choice Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2014Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
- 2014BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2014Independent Spirit Awards-Best Feature: nominated
- 2014Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2013Cannes Film Festival-Grand Prix: winner
- 2013The International Film Festival CAMERIMAGE-Bronze Frog: winner
- 2013National Board of Review-Best Original Screenplay: winner
- 2012Bodil Awards-American Film of the Year: nominated
- 2011Writers Guild Awards-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
- 2011BAFTA Film Awards-Best Film: nominated
- 2011Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
- 2011BAFTA Film Awards-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
- 2011Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Director: nominated
- 2011Producers Guild Awards-Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
- 2010Writers Guild Awards-Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2010Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2010Oscar-Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): nominated
- 2010London Film Critics Association-Best Screenplay: nominated
- 2010London Film Critics Association-Best Director: nominated
- 2010Independent Spirit Awards-Best Director: nominated
- 2010Independent Spirit Awards-Robert Altman Award: winner
- 2010Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
- 2010Oscar-Best Motion Picture of the Year: nominated
- 2010BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2009National Society of Film Critics-Best Screenplay: winner
- 2009National Board of Review-Best Original Screenplay: winner
- 2009BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2009Boston Society of Film Critics-Best Screenplay: winner
- 2009Oscar-Best Writing (Original Screenplay): nominated
- 2009Oscar-Best Motion Picture of the Year: nominated
- 2009Writers Guild Awards-Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2008Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
- 2008Critics' Choice Awards-Best Director: winner
- 2008Critics' Choice Awards-Best Writer: nominated
- 2008BAFTA Film Awards-Best Director: winner
- 2008BAFTA Film Awards-Best Film: nominated
- 2008BAFTA Film Awards-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
- 2008Producers Guild Awards-Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: winner
- 2008Writers Guild Awards-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
- 2008Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: winner
- 2007Directors Guild of America Awards-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: winner
- 2007Chicago Film Critics Association-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
- 2007Southeastern Film Critics Association-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
- 2007Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: winner
- 2007Oscar-Best Motion Picture of the Year: winner
- 2007Oscar-Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): winner
- 2007Florida Film Critics-Best Director: winner
- 2007Golden Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
- 2007Las Vegas Film Critics Association-Best Director: winner
- 2007Ohio Film Critics-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
- 2007Oklahoma Film Critics Circle-Best Director: winner
- 2007Southeastern Film Critics Association-Best Director: winner
- 2007St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association-Best Director: winner
- 2007Utah Film Critics-Best Screenplay: winner
- 2007New York Film Critics Circle-Best Screenplay: winner
- 2007Alliance of Women Film Journalists-Best Director: winner
- 2002César Awards-Best Foreign Film: nominated
- 2002Writers Guild Awards-Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2002Critics' Choice Awards-Best Screenplay: nominated
- 2002David di Donatello Awards-Best Foreign Film: winner
- 2001Cannes Film Festival-Best Director: winner
- 2001BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 2000Oscar-Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): nominated
- 1997Independent Spirit Awards-Best Director: winner
- 1997BAFTA Film Awards-Best Film: nominated
- 1997Writers Guild Awards-Original Screenplay: winner
- 1997BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
- 1997BAFTA Film Awards-The David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction: winner
- 1997Independent Spirit Awards-Best Screenplay: winner
- 1997César Awards-Best Foreign Film: nominated
- 1997Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
- 1996Directors Guild of America Awards-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
- 1996Oscar-Best Writing (Original Screenplay): winner
- 1996Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
- 1996Cannes Film Festival-Best Director: winner
- 1996National Board of Review-Best Director: winner
- 1996Chicago Film Critics Association-Best Director: winner
- 1991Cannes Film Festival-Best Director: winner
- 1991Cannes Film Festival-Palme d'Or: winner
- 1986Independent Spirit Awards-Best Screenplay: nominated
- 1986Independent Spirit Awards-Best Director: winner
- 1985Sundance Film Festival-Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic: winner
Relationships
- Edward Coen -- Father
- Rena Coen -- Mother
- Debbie Coen -- Sister
- Pedro McDormand Coen -- Son