David Fincher is an American film director. Widely regarded as one of the preeminent directors of his generation, his films have collectively grossed over $2.1 billion worldwide and received numerous accolades, including three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director. He has also received four Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe. His films Zodiac and The Social Network are ranked in BBC's 2016 poll of the greatest motion pictures since 2000.
Fincher started his career directing music videos before transitioning his career in film becoming known for making stylish thrillers and neo-noirs. He made his feature-length directorial debut with the science fiction horror film Alien 3, the third film in the Alien film franchise, for which he was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Director. He established himself as director of acclaimed mystery thriller neo-noirs films with Se7en (1995), The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), and Zodiac (2007), the later of which earned him nominations for the Chicago Film Critics Association for Best Director. The film also competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
He earned attention for directing the romantic fantasy drama The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) for which he was nominated for his first Academy Award for Best Director along with the British Academy Film Award, the Directors Guild of America, Critics' Choice Movie Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Director. He gained widespread critical acclaim when he directed the biographical drama The Social Network (2010) for which he won the BAFTA Award, the Golden Globe Award, and Critics' Choice Award with his second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director. With psychological thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) he was nominated for the Directors Guild Award, and the thriller Gone Girl (2014) he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award. He received a third nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director for the Netflix drama Mank (2020).
On television, he was instrumental in the creation of Netflix political drama series House of Cards (2013–2018). He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for "Chapter 1" of House of Cards at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards. He was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series and two British Academy Television Awards for Best International Programme. For the Netflix animated series Love, Death & Robots (2019–), he won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program.
Also known for his work on music videos, he won two Grammy Awards for Best Music Video for "Love Is Strong" (1995) by The Rolling Stones at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards and "Suit & Tie" (2014) by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. He was Grammy-nominated for "Oh Father" (1991) by Madonna at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards. He also won three MTV Video Music Awards for Best Direction for "Express Yourself" in 1989 and "Vogue" in 1991 both by Madonna as well as and "Suit & Tie" by Justin Timberlake feat. Jay Z in 2013.
Major associations Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2008Best DirectorThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010The Social Network 2020 Mank
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.British Academy Film Awards 2008Best Direction The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010 The Social Network British Academy Television Awards 2014Best International ProgrammeHouse of Cards 2015
Critics' Choice Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2008Best Director The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010 The Social Network 2014 Gone Girl 2020 Mank
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.Primetime Emmy Awards 2013Outstanding Directing for a Drama SeriesHouse of Cards (episode: "Chapter One") Outstanding Drama Series House of Cards (season one) 2014 House of Cards (season two) 2015 House of Cards (season three) 2016 House of Cards (season four) 2017 House of Cards (season five) Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2019 Outstanding Short Form Animated Program Love, Death & Robots 2021 2022 2025Outstanding Animated Program
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2008Best Director The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010 The Social Network 2014 Gone Girl 2020 Mank
Grammy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1991Best Music Video "Oh Father", Madonna 1995 "Love Is Strong", The Rolling Stones 2014 "Suit & Tie", Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z
Critics awards Organizations Year Category Work Result Ref. Boston Society of Film Critics 2010 Best Director The Social Network Chicago Film Critics Association 2007Best Director Zodiac 2008The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010The Social Network 2014Gone Girl Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association 2008Best DirectorThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010The Social Network 2014Gone Girl 2020Mank Florida Film Critics Circle 2010 Best Director The Social Network Iowa Film Critics Association 2014 Best Director Gone Girl Las Vegas Film Critics Society 2010 Best Director The Social Network London Film Critics' Circle 2007 Best DirectorZodiac 2008The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010The Social Network 2020Mank Los Angeles Film Critics Association 2010 Best Director The Social Network National Board of Review 2008 Best DirectorThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010 The Social Network National Society of Film Critics 2010 Best Director The Social Network New York Film Critics Circle 2008 Best DirectorThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button2010The Social Network Online Film Critics Society 1999 Best DirectorFight Club 2007Zodiac 2008The Curious Case of Benjamin Button2010The Social Network Phoenix Film Critics Society 2010 Best DirectorThe Social Network 2014Gone Girl San Francisco Film Critics Circle 2010 Best Director The Social Network San Diego Film Critics Society 2010Best DirectorThe Social Network 2014Gone Girl St. Louis Film Critics Association 2010Best DirectorThe Social Network 2014Gone Girl Toronto Film Critics Association 2007Best DirectorZodiac 2010The Social Network Vancouver Film Critics Circle 2008Best DirectorThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010The Social Network 2020Mank Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2010Best DirectorThe Social Network 2014Gone Girl
Miscellaneous awards Organizations Year Category Work Result Ref. Cannes Film Festival 2007 Palme d'Or Zodiac César Awards 2010 Best Foreign Film The Social Network 2023Honorary César Himself David di Donatello 2010 Best Foreign Film The Social Network Directors Guild of America Awards 2009Outstanding Directing – Feature FilmThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2011The Social Network 2012The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2013Outstanding Directing – Drama SeriesHouse of Cards 2021 Outstanding Directing – Feature FilmMank Empire Awards 2008Best Director Zodiac 2011 The Social Network Hugo Award 1992 Best Dramatic Presentation Alien 3 MTV Video Music Awards 1989Best Direction in a Video "Express Yourself" (by Madonna) "Real Love" (by Jody Watley) "Roll with It" (by Steve Winwood) 1990 "Vogue" (by Madonna) "The End of the Innocence" (by Don Henley) "Janie's Got a Gun" (by Aerosmith) 1991 "Freedom! '90" (by George Michael) 2013 "Suit & Tie" (by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay Z) Peabody Awards 2013 Area of ExcellenceHouse of Cards 73rd Annual Peabody Awards, May 2014. Producers Guild of America Awards 2013Best Episodic DramaHouse of Cards 2014 2015 2016 Satellite Awards 2010Best DirectorThe Social Network 2015Gone Girl 2021Mank Saturn Awards 1992Best DirectorAlien 3 19th Saturn Awards at IMDb. 1995Seven 22nd Saturn Awards at IMDb. 2008The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Venice Film Festival 2023 The Killer Golden Lion
Awards and nominations received by Fincher's films + Awards and nominations received by Fincher's films Year Title Academy Awards BAFTA Awards Golden Globe Awards Nominations Wins Nominations Wins Nominations Wins 1992 Alien 311 1995 Seven11 1999 Fight Club1 2008 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button1331135 2010 The Social Network836364 2011 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo5122 2014 Gone Girl124 2020 Mank102616Total409297234
Directed Academy Award performances
Under Fincher's direction, these actors have received Academy Award nominations for their performances in the respective roles.
Year Performer Film ResultAcademy Award for Best Actor 2008 Brad Pitt The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2010 Jesse Eisenberg The Social Network 2020 Gary Oldman Mank Academy Award for Best Actress 2011 Rooney Mara The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2014 Rosamund Pike Gone Girl Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 2008 Taraji P. Henson The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 2020 Amanda Seyfried Mank
See also David Fincher filmography David Fincher's unrealized projects Notes
References
External links
David Fincher at MVDbase.com David Fincher at Senses of Cinema: Great Directors Critical Database