21 Directors Who Earned an Oscar Nomination for Their Debut Films

While many directors spend decades striving for a Best Director nomination, a select few have achieved this honor with their very first film. These 21 filmmakers made such a profound impact with their debut works that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences couldn't overlook their talent.

1. ORSON WELLES // CITIZEN KANE (1941)

Widely hailed as one of the greatest films ever made, Citizen Kane received nine Oscar nominations in 1942, including Best Director for Orson Welles, who also starred in and co-wrote the film. Despite its critical acclaim, it only secured one award for Best Original Screenplay. At just 26 years old, Welles became one of the youngest Best Director nominees, though the award ultimately went to John Ford for How Green Was My Valley.

2. DELBERT MANN // MARTY (1955)

In 1955, Delbert Mann, directing his first feature film, teamed up with screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky to adapt the teleplay Marty, a project they had worked on together two years prior. The film triumphed at the Oscars, winning Best Picture, Best Actor for Ernest Borgnine, Best Adapted Screenplay for Chayefsky, and Best Director for Mann.

3. SIDNEY LUMET // 12 ANGRY MEN (1957)

At just 33 years old, Sidney Lumet received a Best Director nomination for his debut feature, 12 Angry Men. The gripping courtroom drama also earned nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. However, Lumet lost the directing award to David Lean for The Bridge on the River Kwai.

4. JACK CLAYTON // ROOM AT THE TOP (1959)

In 1959, British filmmaker Jack Clayton garnered widespread acclaim for his stark portrayal of the British class system in Room at the Top. Adapted from John Braine’s novel, the black-and-white film received six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director. Notably, Hermione Baddeley’s brief yet impactful performance as Elspeth, lasting just 2 minutes and 20 seconds, remains the shortest ever nominated for an Academy Award. Despite the accolades, Clayton lost the Best Director prize to William Wyler for Ben-Hur.

5. MIKE NICHOLS // WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (1966)

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? made history by earning nominations in every eligible category at the 39th Academy Awards in 1967, a feat matched only by the 1931 film Cimarron. Mike Nichols received a Best Director nomination but was ultimately bested by Fred Zinnemann for A Man for All Seasons.

6. AND 7. WARREN BEATTY AND BUCK HENRY // HEAVEN CAN WAIT (1978)

At the 51st Academy Awards in 1979, first-time directors Warren Beatty and Buck Henry earned a Best Director nomination for their adaptation of Harry Segall’s play Heaven Can Wait. Beatty also received nods for Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay, the latter shared with Elaine May. Although they lost the directing award to Michael Cimino for The Deer Hunter, Beatty later won Best Director for

8. ROBERT REDFORD // ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980)

Robert Redford’s first venture into directing, Ordinary People, received six Oscar nominations at the 53rd Academy Awards in 1981. Previously celebrated as an actor in classics like All the President’s Men, The Sting, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Redford’s directorial debut triumphed with four wins, including Best Picture and Best Director.

9. HUGH HUDSON // CHARIOTS OF FIRE (1981)

The British drama Chariots of Fire garnered seven Oscar nominations and four wins, including Best Original Screenplay. Hugh Hudson, in his feature film debut, earned a Best Director nomination. While Warren Beatty won the directing award for Reds, Hudson’s film claimed the coveted Best Picture honor.

10. JAMES L. BROOKS // TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (1983)

Before the release of Terms of Endearment in 1983, James L. Brooks was primarily recognized as a television producer, known for hits like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, and Taxi. His first foray into film directing, however, earned him three Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Director.

11. ROLAND JOFFÉ // THE KILLING FIELDS (1984)

Roland Joffé transitioned from television to film with The Killing Fields, earning a Best Director nomination. The film received six additional nominations and won three, including Best Supporting Actor for Haing S. Ngor, a non-actor making his cinematic debut.

12. KENNETH BRANAGH // HENRY V (1989)

In 1989, Kenneth Branagh, both directing and starring in the British adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry V, received a Best Director nomination. Though the film only won one Oscar for Best Costume Design, Branagh’s Henry V is hailed as one of the finest Shakespearean adaptations in cinema.

13. JIM SHERIDAN // MY LEFT FOOT (1989)

Jim Sheridan, a Dublin-born filmmaker with six Oscar nominations, earned his first for My Left Foot in 1989. While Sheridan didn’t win, Daniel Day-Lewis secured his first Best Actor award for his portrayal of Irish artist Christy Brown.

14. KEVIN COSTNER // DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)

In 1990, Dances with Wolves became a cultural sensation, earning $424.2 million globally and 12 Oscar nominations. Kevin Costner, in his directorial debut, won Best Director, triumphing over acclaimed filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Stephen Frears, and Barbet Schroeder.

15. JOHN SINGLETON // BOYZ N THE HOOD (1991)

In 1991, John Singleton debuted as a director with Boyz n the Hood, a film delving into gang violence in South Central Los Angeles during the early '90s. The movie earned Singleton two Oscar nominations: Best Original Screenplay and Best Director. He became the first African-American and, at 24, the youngest director ever nominated for Best Director.

16. SPIKE JONZE // BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999)

Before venturing into feature films, Spike Jonze was renowned for his eccentric commercials and music videos. In 1999, he received a Best Director nomination for Being John Malkovich. At 30, Jonze was one of the youngest nominees but lost the award to Sam Mendes for American Beauty, which also claimed Best Picture.

17. SAM MENDES // AMERICAN BEAUTY (1999)

In 1999, Sam Mendes transitioned from stage to film with American Beauty, a critique of suburban life’s emotional and psychological pitfalls. The film became a cultural phenomenon and box office success, winning five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Kevin Spacey, and Best Director for Mendes in his directorial debut.

18. ROB MARSHALL // CHICAGO (2002)

Chicago became the ninth musical to win the Best Picture Oscar. Nominated for 13 awards at the 75th Academy Awards, it included a Best Director nod for Rob Marshall, marking his feature film debut after directing a TV adaptation of Annie. Marshall lost the award to Roman Polanski for The Pianist.

19. BENNETT MILLER // CAPOTE (2005)

Bennett Miller, known for his 1998 documentary The Cruise, made his feature debut with Capote, a biopic about Truman Capote writing In Cold Blood. The film earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Miller, though it only won Best Actor for Philip Seymour Hoffman. Miller lost the directing award to Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain.

20. TONY GILROY // MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007)

Tony Gilroy, known for his screenwriting work on films like The Cutting Edge, Armageddon, and the first three Jason Bourne movies, ventured into directing with Michael Clayton in 2007. The film received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for George Clooney, with Tilda Swinton winning Best Supporting Actress. Gilroy earned nods for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director in his feature debut.

21. BENH ZEITLIN // BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (2012)

In early 2013, 30-year-old Benh Zeitlin received an Oscar nomination for his directorial debut, Beasts of the Southern Wild. However, the award went to Ang Lee for his masterful work on Life of Pi.