Skip to content
Sign in

Biography

Ethan Jesse Coen (born September 21, 1957) is an American filmmaker, working with his brother, Joel Coen, together known as the Coen brothers(/ˈkoʊən/). Their films span many genres and styles, which they frequently subvert or parody. Among their most acclaimed works are Blood Simple (1984), Raising Arizona (1987), Miller's Crossing (1990), Barton Fink (1991), Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), No Country for Old Men (2007), A Serious Man (2009), True Grit (2010) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).

The brothers generally write, direct and produce their films jointly. However, due to regulations, Joel received sole directing credit while Ethan received sole production credit until The Ladykillers (2004). From then on, they would be credited as directors and producers and shared editing credits under the alias Roderick Jaynes. The duo started directing separately in the 2020s, resulting in Joel's The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021), Ethan's Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind (2022) and Drive-Away Dolls (2024). Together, they have been nominated for 13 Academy Awards and one individual nomination. They share Best Original Screenplay for Fargo and Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for No Country for Old Men. They won the Palme d'Or for Barton Fink at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.

The Coens have written films for other directors, including Sam Raimi's Crimewave (1985), Angelina Jolie's World War II biopic Unbroken (2014) and Steven Spielberg's Cold War drama Bridge of Spies (2015). They produced Terry Zwigoff's Bad Santa (2003) and John Turturro's Romance and Cigarettes (2005). Ethan is also a writer of short stories, theatre and poetry.

They are known for their distinctive stylistic trademarks, including genre hybridity. No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man and Inside Llewyn Davis was included in the BBC's 2016 poll of the greatest motion pictures since 2000. In 1998, the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked Fargo among the 100 greatest American movies. Richard Corliss wrote of the Coens: "Dexterously flipping and reheating old movie genres like so many pancakes, they serve them up fresh, not with syrup but with a coating of comic arsenic."

Filmography

1

Awards & recognition

5 wins · 7 nominations · 5 Award ceremony

Interesting facts

5
  1. 1

    Both brothers attended Simon’s Rock Early College in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. This college was created specifically for talented students who want to begin their studies earlier than usual.

  2. 2

    Full name: Ethan Jesse Coen.

  3. 3

    The brothers' parents: Edward and Rena Coen (both of Jewish origin) were professors; their father was an economist and worked at the University of Minnesota, while their mother's specialty was art history, and she worked at St. Cloud University.

  4. 4

    Younger brother of director Joel Coen.

  5. 5

    After graduating from college, he studied in the philosophy department at Princeton University; his graduation work was a 39-page essay, "Two Views of Wittgenstein's Later Philosophy."

Family & relationships

Trisha Cook spouse · Children: 2
Share profile
https://movie.one/person/ethan-coen