Actor: Sydney Pollack

Sydney Pollack won Best Director for Out of Africa and acted in other people’s films regularly, usually as lawyers, agents and executives.

Tootsie required him to play the agent opposite Dustin Hoffman, a role he took only after Hoffman insisted. Eyes Wide Shut gives him the film’s explanation scene, and Michael Clayton gives him a law firm head whose pragmatism is the whole problem. He was primarily a director and producer throughout.