Barry Sonnenfeld

Barry Sonnenfeld has transitioned from acclaimed cinematographer for the Coen Brothers to a successful director of major Hollywood films and television series. After establishing himself as an acclaimed cinematographer, Barry Sonnenfeld made a significant impact on independent cinema, serving as Director of Photography for the Oscar-nominated documentary ‘In Our Water’ (1982). He forged a pivotal collaboration with Joel and Ethan Coen, serving as cinematographer for their groundbreaking debut, ‘Blood Simple’ (1984), ‘Raising Arizona’ (1987), and ‘Miller’s Crossing’ (1990). Sonnenfeld also lent his distinctive visual style to features including Danny DeVito’s ‘Throw Momma from the Train’ (1987) and Rob Reiner’s iconic ‘When Harry Met Sally…’ (1989) and ‘Misery’ (1990).

Sonnenfeld transitioned to directing with remarkable success, debuting with the box-office hit ‘The Addams Family’ (1991), quickly followed by its popular sequel ‘Addams Family Values’ (1993). His fourth directorial effort, ‘Get Shorty’ (1995), a Jersey Films production, garnered critical acclaim and a Golden Globe for best male performance. Steven Spielberg then enlisted Sonnenfeld to direct the commercially and critically triumphant ‘Men in Black’ (1997), starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. This success led to projects including ‘Wild Wild West’ (1999), ‘Big Trouble’ (2002), and the highly successful sequel ‘Men in Black II’ (2002).

Beyond film and television, he is a contributing editor for Esquire and an accomplished author, publishing his memoir ‘Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker’ (2020). His second memoir, ‘Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time: True Stories from a Career in Hollywood,’ was released in 2024.