Famous filmmaking families, such as the Coppolas and the Newmans, have made significant contributions to the industry. The Minghella family has also made an impact, with Anthony Minghella’s son and brother continuing his legacy. The reasons for their success are unclear, but these dynasties are a valuable asset to Hollywood.
The world of cinema is a place of dreams and ambitions, where who you know can be as important as what you know. It’s no wonder cinematic legacies can be generational, passed on from old to young through talent and family connections. Film director families are quite common in Hollywood, with a few famous groups making up a large part of the industry.
Perhaps one of the best known filmmaking families is that of the visionary director, Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola himself was the son of an accomplished composer, but made a name for himself as one of the world’s greatest directors with his Godfather trilogy. The Coppolas are one of the greatest filmmaking families in Hollywood; Francis’ daughter Sofia starred in and directed, as well as winning an Academy Award for Best Screenplay in 2003 for Lost In Translation. Francis’ son Roman is also a filmmaker and has won acclaim for his co-writing work on the 2008 film The Darjeeling Limited. Perhaps the most famous of the family is Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage, grandson of Francis Ford Coppola.
Some filmmaking families have the ability to cross continents with their talent, as was the case with the Minghella dynasty. British director Anthony Minghella’s tragic death in 2008 left a huge void in the film industry, but his son and brother carry on the director’s legacy of quality film and television production. Brother Dominic Minghella is a popular British screenwriter, most notably on the critically acclaimed television series, Robin Hood. Anthony Minghella’s son Max conquered America with his acting talent. Despite his dedication to completing school at Columbia University, Max found time to compose several critically acclaimed films, including a lead role in the highly anticipated Agora, opposite Rachel Weisz.
Sometimes, as in the Coppola tradition, family members branch out into many different areas of filmmaking, but other filmmaking families have a strong tradition in one section. The Newman family appears to have an uncanny knack for music, with no fewer than six members involved in film composition and songwriting. The first generation of Newman composers included Alfred Newman, who was nominated for 45 Academy Awards and won nine, and Lionel Newman, who is credited with over 200 films.
The next generation of the family is no less impressive: Cousins Randy and Thomas Newman are known for their visionary work with Pixar animated films, as well as non-film compositions. David Newman, son of Alfred and brother of Thomas, also maintains a very successful career as a film composer, and was nominated for an Oscar for Anastasia. The third generation of this dynasty is also on the way, Joey Newman, nephew of Alfred, has already made a name for himself for composition and orchestration both in film and television.
It may never be fully understood whether talent, background, or simple connections make successful filmmaking families possible. It is indisputable that the family dynasties that sometimes seem to comprise half of Hollywood are a boon to the industry. While it can be difficult for filmmakers without famous relatives to succeed, many people still find something pleasurable about the idea of a family business.
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