Entertainment
17 Actors You Didn't Know Are Also Hollywood Producers
Lots of actors are happy to stick to their work onscreen, but some also want to be the people making the moves behind the scenes. These actors started their own production companies and are the people responsible for many of the TV shows and films we see every year. So which actors have tried their hand at producing? Click through to find out.
Sandra Bullock
The Blind Side Oscar winning actress owns Fortis Films, a company that has produced films like Practical Magic and All About Steve as well as the sitcom George Lopez.
Ashton Kutcher
Kutcher and co-founder Jason Goldberg run Katalyst Media, the company behind TV shows like Beauty and the Geek and Punk’d.
Demi Moore
Kutcher’s ex-wife Moore is also a producer. Her company Moving Pictures produced the three Austin Powers films.
Brad Pitt
Pitt and his then-wife, Jennifer Aniston, started Plan B Entertainment in 2002. Aniston left the company when she separated with Pitt in 2006. Plan B has since produced films like World War Z and Best Picture winner 12 Years A Slave.
Drew Barrymore
Barrymore started Flower Films in 2005 and has produced flicks like cult hit Donnie Darko and ensemble rom-com He’s Just Not That Into You.
Leonardo DiCaprio
DiCaprio owns production company Appian Way and has had a hand in producing films like Out of the Furnace and his own starring vehicle The Wolf of Wall Street.
Natalie Portman
Portman’s production company Handsomecharlie Films produced films like 2011’s No Strings Attached and is currently developing spec sale Jane Got A Gun.
George Clooney
Clooney and his partner Grant Heslov founded Smoke House Pictures in 2006, with the first film out of the gate being the Clooney-directed Leatherheads. Since then they have produced two more films directed by Clooney — The Ides of March and Monuments Men — as well as films like Argo and August: Osage County. (Fun fact: Clooney also owns a restaurant called The Smoke House in Los Angeles.)
Adam Sandler
Who could forget the Happy Madison logo? Sandler’s production company has produced all of Sandler’s vehicles since 2000’s Little Nicky. Happy Madison also produces TV sitcom The Goldbergs and previously produced The Rules of Engagement.
Will Ferrell
Ferrell’s production company Gary Sanchez Productions (no, there’s no real Sanchez) created the website Funny Or Die and produces films like Bachelorette and Anchorman 2.
Tom Cruise
Cruise/Wagner Productions was founded in 1993 and has co-produced most of Cruise’s action flicks over the years, including all four (and, as of 2015, five) Mission: Impossible films.
Charlize Theron
Theron’s company Denver and Delilah Films produced her 2011 black comedy Young Adult and is currently producing the film adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel Dark Places, also starring Theron.
Will Smith
Smith’s company Overbrook Entertainment has produced films from 2000’s Ali to the 2014 version of Annie, out later this year. The company also produces The Queen Latifah Show.
Tim Allen
The man behind Buzz Lightyear has produced films under his production company Boxing Cat since 2002 with the sequel to The Santa Clause.
Hilary Swank
The Oscar winner and her producing partner Molly Smith own 2S Films, which has produced movies like romantic comedy Something Borrowed.
Ice Cube
The 22 Jump Street star’s production company Cube Vision has produced films like Friday and Are We There Yet?, as well as the sitcom spinoff of the latter for TBS.
Lisa Kudrow
Kudrow founded Is Or Isn’t Entertainment in 2003 with writer Dan Bucatinsky. The company produces genealogy-themed reality show Who Do You Think You Are and Kudrow’s own Showtime series Web Therapy.
