Any filmmaker would consider it a major accomplishment to win the Academy Award for Best Director, but only these 21 directors have done so more than once.
These ten directors have actually won the highly desired Oscar more than once. The Academy Award for Best Director is one of the most distinguished honors that any filmmaker can get. It is a major accomplishment for anyone to actually win Best Director because a ton of outstanding directors have spent their entire careers without ever even getting considered. Here are all 21 directors who have won the Best Director Oscar more than once, which is practically a guarantee of legendary status.
The Academy Award for Best Director has been given since the first Academy Awards presentation, with Lewis Milestone winning it for his comedy Two Arabian Knights and Frank Borzage winning it for his drama 7th Heaven. The Academy Award for Best Director has been a highly competitive category since its inception, with several cinematic titans fighting for the prestigious distinction each year. While many filmmakers have received the prize once, 17 have received it twice, three have received it three times, and one has received it four times. So, there you have it.
Frank Borzage
Frank Borzage was not only one of the first directors to win the Academy Award for Best Director, but he also won it twice.
Alfonso Cuarón
Alfonso Cuarón is one of the more recent directors to win the Academy Award for Best Director twice, at the 86th and 91st Academy Awards.
Clint Eastwood
While Clint Eastwood is better recognized for his acting, he is one of 21 directors to have twice received the Academy Award for Best Direction.
Miloš Forman
Milo Forman is a well-known director who has been responsible for several classic films, two of which have earned him the Academy Award for Best Direction.
Alejandro González Iñárritu
Alejandro González Iárritu is another recent director who has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice, with the possibility of winning it again in the future.
Elia Kazan
Another legendary filmmaker who has won the prized Oscar twice is Elia Kazan. Kazan first won an Oscar for Gentleman’s Agreement at the 20th Academy Awards in 1947.
Ang Lee
Ang Lee is a well-known filmmaker with a diverse oeuvre, although just two of his films have won the Academy Award for Best Direction.
David Lean
David Lean had numerous chances to win the Academy Award for Best Director, and he was nominated several times before finally winning.
Frank Lloyd
Director Franky Lloyd was one of the first filmmakers to win the Academy Award for Best Director multiple times.
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz is one of only a few directors to win the Academy Award for Best Director not once, but twice in a row.
Leo McCarey
Leo McCarey, another early Academy prize winner for Best Director, won the prestigious prize twice.
Lewis Milestone
Lewis Milestone was also one of the first directors to receive the Academy Award for Best Director, one of two winners at the inaugural Oscars ceremony.
Steven Spielberg
admired director Steven Spielberg is another director who has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice.
George Stevens
Legendary filmmaker George Stevens is another director who has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice.
Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone, the acclaimed director, has also won the Academy Award for Best Director twice. He originally won it in 1986 for Platoon at the 59th Academy Awards.
Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder, another acclaimed director, won the Academy Award for Best Director twice.
Robert Wise
Not only did Robert Wise win the Academy Award for Best Director twice, but he was also part of the first tandem to do so.
Fred Zinnemann
In alphabetical order, Fred Zinnemann is the last director to have received the Academy Award for Best Director only twice.
Frank Capra
Frank Capra is one of just two directors in history to have received the Academy Award for Best Director three times.
William Wyler
William Wyler is the only other director to have received the Academy Award for Best Director three times.
John Ford
John Ford, the legendary director, holds the record for the most Best Director awards, having received the prize four times.