Benny Safdie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benny Safdie
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Safdie in 2026
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| Born |
Benjamin Safdie
February 24, 1986 New York City, U.S.
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| Education | Boston University (BS) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2007–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Ava Rawski
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives |
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Benjamin Safdie (born February 24, 1986) is an American movie director, writer, editor, and actor. He is famous for making energetic movies with his older brother, Josh Safdie. Together, they are known in the film industry as the Safdie brothers.
Safdie worked on popular films like Good Time and Uncut Gems. As an actor, he has appeared in major Hollywood movies like Oppenheimer and television shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi. In 2025, he directed his first solo feature movie, The Smashing Machine, which won the Silver Lion award for Best Direction.
Contents
Early Life and Growing Up in New York
Childhood in New York City
Benjamin Safdie was born on February 24, 1986, in New York City. His parents are Amy and Alberto Safdie. His family has a rich multicultural heritage. His father has Sephardic and Syrian Jewish roots, while his mother has Ashkenazi Jewish roots.
Benny grew up alongside his older brother, Josh. When their parents separated, the brothers spent time living between Queens and Manhattan. Traveling between different neighborhoods gave them a deep appreciation for the fast pace and diverse culture of New York City.
Education and Learning Filmmaking
Safdie attended Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School in Manhattan. During his teenage years, he developed a strong passion for storytelling, visual art, and sound. He loved watching movies and experimenting with video cameras.
After high school, he attended the Boston University College of Communication. At college, he studied movie production and learned how to write scripts, operate cameras, and edit footage. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 2008.
The Safdie Brothers Filmmaking Partnership
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Early Independent Movies
After college, Benny and his brother Josh formed a filmmaking team. They liked creating independent movies with realistic characters and high-energy pacing. Their goal was to make audiences feel like they were right in the middle of the action.
Their first full-length movie was Daddy Longlegs in 2009. The brothers wrote, directed, and edited the movie together. It was screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France, helping them gain attention from film critics worldwide.
Documentaries and Dramatic Stories
In 2013, the brothers directed a sports documentary called Lenny Cooke. The film tells the story of a high school basketball star and shows the challenges young athletes face.
In 2014, they released a drama titled Heaven Knows What. The movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Critics praised the film for its emotional storytelling and realistic depiction of people facing tough life challenges in the city.
Breakthrough Success with Good Time and Uncut Gems
The Safdie brothers reached international fame with the 2017 thriller Good Time. The movie stars Robert Pattinson alongside Benny Safdie himself. Benny played Nick Nikas, a character who gets into trouble during a robbery attempt. Benny received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his acting.
In 2019, the brothers directed the fast-paced movie Uncut Gems. The movie starred famous actor and comedian Adam Sandler as a jewelry store owner facing big challenges. Filmmaker Martin Scorsese served as an executive producer. The film was a huge hit, winning the Safdies the Independent Spirit Award for Best Director. Benny also won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Editing.
Solo Directing and Television Projects
Creating The Curse
In 2023, Benny Safdie teamed up with comedian Nathan Fielder to create the television series The Curse. The show tells a satirical story about television producers trying to make a home renovation program.
Safdie wrote, edited, and starred in the show as Dougie Schecter. The series received widespread critical acclaim for its original humor and clever storytelling.
Directing The Smashing Machine
In 2025, Safdie directed his first major movie without his brother, titled The Smashing Machine. The film is a sports biography about former wrestler Mark Kerr, played by Dwayne Johnson.
The movie premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. Safdie won the prestigious Silver Lion award for Best Director. The film was released in cinemas by the entertainment company A24.
Acting Career in Film and Television
Feature Film Roles
In addition to directing, Benny Safdie is an accomplished actor. He began taking acting roles in movies directed by other filmmakers starting in 2017 with Person to Person.
In 2021, he appeared in director Paul Thomas Anderson's movie Licorice Pizza, playing a city politician named Joel Wachs. In 2023, he played Herb Simon in the family drama Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., based on the famous book by Judy Blume.
That same year, Safdie portrayed real-life physicist Edward Teller in Christopher Nolan's award-winning historical movie Oppenheimer. In 2025, he appeared in the sports comedy sequel Happy Gilmore 2. In 2026, he played King Agamemnon in Nolan's epic film The Odyssey.
Voice Acting and Television Roles
Safdie has also performed on television and in animated films. In 2022, he played a character named Nari in the Star Wars television series Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+.
In 2026, he provided the voice for the video game character Bowser Jr. in the animated adventure The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
How Film Production Works
What Does a Film Director Do?
A film director is the creative leader of a movie set. The director guides the actors, chooses camera angles, and decides how each scene should look and feel.
Benny Safdie often uses handheld camera techniques. This style makes scenes feel lively, realistic, and unpredictable.
What Does a Film Editor Do?
A film editor takes all the recorded video clips and pieces them together into a complete story. Editors decide when to cut from one shot to another and how to match music with the action.
Editing is an essential part of Benny Safdie's style. His fast-paced cuts help create suspense and keep the audience excited throughout the story.
Personal Life
Benny Safdie lives in the United States with his family. He married Ava Rawski in 2013, and they have two sons.
Safdie comes from a creative family. His great-uncle Moshe Safdie is a world-renowned architect who designed famous buildings across the globe, including the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore.
Filmography
Directed and Produced Films
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Editor | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Pleasure of Being Robbed | No | No | Yes | No | Co-edited with Josh Safdie |
| 2009 | Daddy Longlegs | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Co-directed with Josh Safdie |
| 2013 | Lenny Cooke | Yes | No | Yes | No | Documentary film |
| 2014 | Heaven Knows What | Yes | No | Yes | No | Dramatic feature |
| 2017 | Good Time | Yes | No | Yes | No | Cannes Film Festival entry |
| 2019 | Uncut Gems | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Independent Spirit Award winner |
| 2022 | Funny Pages | No | No | No | Yes | Produced with Josh Safdie |
| 2025 | The Smashing Machine | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Venice Film Festival Silver Lion winner |
| 2026 | The Public Access | No | No | No | Yes | Feature film producer |
Acting Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Person to Person | Eugene | Dustin Guy Defa | Supporting role |
| 2017 | Good Time | Nick Nikas | Safdie brothers | Nominated for Independent Spirit Award |
| 2020 | Pieces of a Woman | Chris | Kornél Mundruczó | Dramatic role |
| 2021 | Licorice Pizza | Joel Wachs | Paul Thomas Anderson | Period comedy-drama |
| 2022 | Stars at Noon | CIA Man | Claire Denis | Thriller film |
| 2022 | Obi-Wan Kenobi | Nari | Deborah Chow | Television miniseries |
| 2023 | Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. | Herb Simon | Kelly Fremon Craig | Family comedy-drama |
| 2023 | Oppenheimer | Edward Teller | Christopher Nolan | Historical drama |
| 2023–2024 | The Curse | Dougie Schecter | Nathan Fielder | Also co-creator and writer |
| 2025 | Happy Gilmore 2 | Frank Manatee | Kyle Newacheck | Comedy film |
| 2026 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Bowser Jr. | Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic | Voice role |
| 2026 | The Odyssey | Agamemnon | Christopher Nolan | Epic adventure film |
Awards and Honors
Benny Safdie has received numerous awards and nominations for his work as a director, writer, editor, and actor:
- Venice International Film Festival (2025): Won the Silver Lion for Best Direction for The Smashing Machine.
- Stockholm International Film Festival (2025): Honored with the Stockholm Visionary Award.
- Independent Spirit Awards (2020): Won Best Director and Best Editing for Uncut Gems.
- Independent Spirit Awards (2018): Nominated for Best Supporting Male for his role in Good Time.
- Independent Spirit Awards (2024): Nominated for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series for The Curse.
