David Fincher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Fincher
Fincher in 2023
Born	(1962-08-28) August 28, 1962 (age 62) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation	Film director
Years active	1980–present
Works	Filmography
Spouse(s)	Donya Fiorentino ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 1995)​ Ceán Chaffin ​ ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	1
Relatives	Jack Fincher (father)
Awards	Full list

David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is a famous American film director. Many people think he is one of the best directors of his time. His movies, which are often exciting psychological thrillers, have earned over $2.1 billion around the world. He has also won many awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He has been nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Director.

Fincher helped start a company called Propaganda Films in 1986. He directed many music videos for them. These included "Express Yourself" (1989) and "Vogue" (1990) for Madonna. Both videos won him the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction. He also won two Grammy Awards for Best Music Video for "Love Is Strong" (1994) by the Rolling Stones and "Suit & Tie" (2013) by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z.

His first big movie was Alien 3 (1992). He became very well known after directing Seven (1995). Since then, he has directed other popular films like The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), Zodiac (2007), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Gone Girl (2014), and The Killer (2023). He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), The Social Network (2010), and Mank (2020).

On television, Fincher has been a main producer and director for Netflix shows. These include House of Cards (2013–2018) and Mindhunter (2017–2019). He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for the first episode of House of Cards. He also helped create and produce the Netflix animated series Love, Death & Robots (2019–present). This show has won three Primetime Emmy Awards.

Early Life and Inspiration

David Andrew Leo Fincher was born in Denver, Colorado, on August 28, 1962. His mother, Claire Mae, was a nurse. His father, Howard Kelly "Jack" Fincher, was a writer and reporter for Life magazine. When David was two, his family moved to San Anselmo, California. There, he lived near famous filmmaker George Lucas.

David became very interested in making movies when he was eight years old. He started making films with an 8mm camera. In an interview, he shared how seeing a documentary about making the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid inspired him. He realized that movies take a long time to make, not just real-time. This "magic trick" of showing 24 still pictures so fast that they look like movement amazed him. He decided then that nothing else would be as interesting to do with his life.

As a teenager, Fincher moved to Ashland, Oregon. He went to Ashland High School. After school, he directed plays and helped with sets and lighting. He also worked at a local TV news station. He supported himself by working different jobs like a busboy and cook.

Career Highlights

Early Work in Film and Music Videos (1983–1991)

Fincher started his career in the film industry at John Korty's studio. He gained more experience as a visual effects producer. He worked on the animated film Twice Upon a Time (1983) with George Lucas. In 1983, he joined Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). There, he was an assistant cameraman and worked on movies like Return of the Jedi (1983) and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).

In 1984, he left ILM to direct a TV commercial for the American Cancer Society. This commercial showed a fetus smoking a cigarette. It quickly got him noticed in Los Angeles. Soon, he directed a documentary for Rick Springfield in 1985.

Fincher then co-founded Propaganda Films. He started directing commercials for big companies like Levi's, Nike, and Pepsi. He also directed many music videos. These included videos for George Michael's "Freedom! '90", Michael Jackson's "Who Is It", and Aerosmith's "Janie's Got A Gun". He also directed several videos for Madonna, including the famous black-and-white video for "Vogue". This video is often called one of the best music videos ever. Fincher directed 53 music videos between 1984 and 1993. He called making music videos his "film school." It taught him how to work well with small budgets and tight schedules.

Becoming a Well-Known Director (1992–2000)

In 1990, 20th Century Fox hired Fincher to direct Alien 3 (1992). This was his first full-length movie. It was the third film in the Alien series, starring Sigourney Weaver. The movie was released in May 1992. Critics had mixed feelings about it. Fincher later said he was not happy with the film because of too much interference from the studio.

After this, Fincher took a break from movies and went back to directing music videos. He directed "Love Is Strong" by the Rolling Stones in 1994, which won a Grammy Award. Soon, he decided to try movies again. He read the script for Seven (1995). The movie stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey. It tells the story of two detectives trying to find a person who commits crimes based on the Christian seven deadly sins. Seven was very popular with critics and earned over $320 million worldwide.

After Seven, Fincher directed The Game (1997). This mystery thriller stars Michael Douglas as a banker who gets involved in a strange "game" that blurs the line between reality and play. Critics liked the visuals, but some were unsure about the ending.

In 1997, Fincher agreed to direct Fight Club. This movie is based on a 1996 book. It stars Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter. The story is about an office worker who starts an underground fighting club. When it first came out in 1999, some people found it too violent. But over the years, Fight Club became a cult classic. It is now known for its many deep meanings.

Continued Success and Netflix Work (2001–Present)

Jesse Eisenberg and Fincher at the 2010 New York Film Festival

In 2002, Fincher directed Panic Room, a thriller. The story is about a mother and daughter who hide in a safe room during a break-in at their new home. It stars Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart. The movie was a big success, earning nearly $200 million worldwide. Critics praised the exciting story and Foster's acting. Fincher called it a "popcorn movie" about survival.

Five years later, in 2007, Fincher released Zodiac. This thriller is based on real events about the search for the Zodiac, a person who committed a series of crimes in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Fincher was interested in the story because of his own childhood memories of the events. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr.. Zodiac was filmed using digital cameras. It was highly praised by critics, appearing on many "top ten" lists.

In 2008, Fincher directed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. This movie is based on a short story about a man who is born old and ages backward. It was Fincher's third time working with Brad Pitt, who stars alongside Cate Blanchett. The film used very expensive visual effects to show Pitt's character aging in reverse. It was released on December 25, 2008, and was a big success. The movie received thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Fincher. It won three awards.

Fincher directed The Social Network in 2010. This movie tells the story of Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and his legal challenges. It stars Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg, with Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake. The film was a huge success, earning $224.9 million worldwide. It won three Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director.

Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, and Fincher at the premiere of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 2011

In 2011, Fincher directed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This psychological thriller is based on a popular Swedish book. It stars Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. The movie was filmed mainly in Sweden to match the book's setting. Critics generally liked the film, praising its intense atmosphere. It received five Academy Award nominations and won one for Best Film Editing.

In 2013, Fincher became a main producer for the Netflix TV series House of Cards. He also directed the first two episodes. The show was very popular and earned many awards. Fincher won an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for the first episode. He also directed the music video for "Suit & Tie" by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z, which won a Grammy Award.

Fincher directed Gone Girl (2014), based on a book by Gillian Flynn. It stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. The story is a mystery about a man who becomes the main suspect when his wife suddenly disappears. The film was a big hit, earning $369 million worldwide. It is Fincher's highest-earning movie so far. Pike was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.

Fincher and Gillian Flynn at the 2014 New York Film Festival

From 2016 to 2019, Fincher directed and produced the Netflix series Mindhunter. The show is based on a book about FBI agents who study people who commit serious crimes. Fincher has said that a third season of Mindhunter is not planned because it is a very expensive show, and Netflix felt it didn't attract enough viewers to continue.

In 2019, Fincher became a main producer for Love, Death & Robots, an animated science-fiction series for Netflix. In 2020, he directed Mank, a movie about the writer of Citizen Kane, Herman J. Mankiewicz. The script was written by Fincher's late father, Jack. Mank received ten Academy Award nominations and won two.

In 2022, Fincher directed an episode for the third season of Love, Death & Robots. In 2023, he directed The Killer for Netflix, based on a graphic novel. It stars Michael Fassbender. The film was released on Netflix in November 2023 and received good reviews.

As of July 2025, Fincher is working on an American version of the popular Korean series Squid Game for 2025. He is also developing a prequel miniseries for the 1974 film Chinatown. In April 2025, it was announced that Fincher would direct a sequel to Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), with Tarantino writing the script and Brad Pitt starring.

Filmmaking Style

Inspirations

David Fincher did not go to film school. He learned by doing. He has said that filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, and Martin Scorsese have greatly influenced his work. Some of his favorite movies include Rear Window (1954) and Jaws (1975). He even said his movie Panic Room is a mix of Rear Window and Straw Dogs (1971).

For Seven, Fincher and his camera director were inspired by films like The French Connection (1971). He also looks up to graphic designer Saul Bass for his movie opening sequences.

How He Works

Fincher always starts his filmmaking process with a lot of research and planning. He likes to be involved in every part of making a movie. People who work with him say he is very precise and pays close attention to every detail. Producer Laura Ziskin once said, "He's just scary smart, sort of smarter than everyone else in the room."

When working with actors, Fincher is known for asking for many takes of a scene. This means filming the same part over and over again until it's perfect. For example, actors in Zodiac sometimes did over 70 takes for a scene. In Gone Girl, they averaged 50 takes per scene. Fincher says he does this to make the acting feel as natural and real as possible. Some actors like this method because it helps them find the best performance. Others have found it challenging.

Fincher prefers to use digital cameras and natural light. He usually avoids using hand-held cameras. Instead, he likes to use cameras on a tripod. He also uses computer-generated imagery (CGI) in his films, but often in ways that are hard for viewers to notice.

Visual Style and Themes

One special part of Fincher's visual style is how he moves the camera. When a character moves or shows feelings, the camera moves at the same speed and in the same direction. This helps the audience feel what the character is feeling. In his music videos, the camera movements are often timed perfectly with the music's beat.

Fincher's movies often use colors like blue, green, and yellow that are not very bright. These colors help show the world the characters live in. He also likes to use strong shadows and minimal light. He believes bright lights can make skin look unnatural.

Fincher's films often explore ideas like feeling alone and being treated like less than a person. His characters are usually troubled outsiders who struggle to connect with others. In movies like Seven and Zodiac, he explores how pressure and obsession can lead to a character's downfall.

Collaborators

Frequent Fincher collaborators Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Throughout his career, Fincher has worked with many of the same people. He has cast Brad Pitt in three of his films. Other actors like Rooney Mara and Jared Leto have also appeared in multiple Fincher movies.

Nine Inch Nails members Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have composed the music for many of Fincher's films, including The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl, Mank, and The Killer. They describe their work together as "collaborative, respectful, and inspiring."

Fincher has also worked with cinematographers Darius Khondji and Jeff Cronenweth. He has trusted sound designer Ren Klyce for all his films since 1995. Film editor Angus Wall has worked on seven of Fincher's films. Production designer Donald Graham Burt and assistant director Bob Wagner have also worked on many of his projects. Fincher believes it's important to respect everyone you work with, as they bring different experiences that can make the film better.

Personal Life

Fincher was married to model Donya Fiorentino. They had one daughter before they divorced in 1995. In 1996, Fincher married producer Ceán Chaffin.

Filmography

Awards and Recognitions

Many people praise Fincher's work. Tim Walker of The Independent said his movies show the modern mind with a power that few other filmmakers can match. In 2003 and 2012, The Guardian newspaper listed him among the best film directors in the world. They admired his ability to keep the mood and excitement going in his films. In 2016, Zodiac and The Social Network were included in the BBC's list of the 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century. Besides movies, Fincher is also known for creating some of the most creative music videos.

Fincher has been nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Director. These nominations were for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), The Social Network (2010), and Mank (2020). He won both the BAFTA Award for Best Direction and the Golden Globe Award for Best Director for The Social Network.

He has also received four nominations for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film. His work on House of Cards earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.

Fincher has won two Grammy Awards for Best Music Video. These were for "Love Is Strong" (1995) by The Rolling Stones and "Suit & Tie (2013) by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z. He also won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program for Love, Death & Robots.

Actors Nominated for Academy Awards in Fincher's Films
Under David Fincher's direction, these actors received Academy Award nominations for their roles:

See also

In Spanish: David Fincher para niños