Barry Sonnenfeld

Barry Sonnenfeld (born April 1, 1953) is an American filmmaker and television director. He originally worked as a cinematographer for the Coen brothers before directing comedy films like The Addams Family, Get Shorty (1995), the Men in Black trilogy (1997–2012), Wild Wild West (1999), and RV (2006).

Early life Sonnenfeld was born and raised in New York City, the son of Irene "Kelly" (Kellerman), an art teacher, and Sonny Sonnenfeld, a lighting salesman, educator, and architectural lighting designer. He was raised in a Jewish family. After he received his bachelor's degree from Hampshire College, he graduated from New York University Film School in 1978.

Career He began working on pornographic films before starting work as director of photography on the Oscar-nominated In Our Water (1982). When he met Joel Coen at a Christmas party, Coen told Sonnenfeld about Blood Simple, a script that he had written with brother Ethan Coen, and hired him to be their cinematographer, with the resulting movie coming out in 1984. Following Tim Burton and the Coen brothers, Sonnenfeld's films would tell stories about unusual and unorthodox people who are into the unexpected and the strange. His films would often use his trademark filmmaking techniques such as his unusual camera angles, offbeat dialogue and, in certain films, strange behavior and weird creatures.

In 1996, Steven Spielberg asked him to direct Men in Black (1997). Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, the film was a critical and financial success. In 1998, Jon Peters asked him to direct Wild Wild West (1999). Starring Smith and Kevin Kline, the film was a critical and financial flop. He also directed the comedy Big Trouble (2002), after which he made his most successful film sequel to that point, Men in Black II (2002). He is also a contributing editor for Esquire. He also co-produced (alongside his partner Barry Josephson) the 2007 film Enchanted for Walt Disney Pictures that starred Amy Adams. In 2008, Sonnenfeld earned an Emmy for directing Pushing Daisies. Sonnenfeld returned for Men in Black 3; released in 2012, the third installment received positive reviews and became the highest-grossing film in the series worldwide. In 2007, his Right Coast production company has been signed with Sony.

His memoir, Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker, was published by Hachette Books in 2020. In 2024, his second book, Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time: True Stories from a Career in Hollywood, was published by Hachette.

Personal life In 1999, Sonnenfeld was the sole passenger on a plane that crashed upon landing at Van Nuys Airport. He was unhurt.

As of 2022, Sonnenfeld lives in Pemberton, British Columbia, with his wife Susan.

In 2020 memoir Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker, Sonnenfeld stated that he was sexually abused by his elder cousin Mike, who was his mother's cousin and who also lived with him and his parents, starting when he was five years old. According to Sonnenfeld, his parents, who let Mike live with them to help keep their difficult marriage together, knew about the sex abuse. In the 2026 documentary The Narcissist's Playbook, Sonnenfeld would again detail the alleged sex abuse he suffered through his cousin Mike.

Filmography Cinematographer Documentary film Year Title Director Note 1982 In Our Water Meg Switzgable With Dick Blofson, Robert Chappell and Ken Kelsch

Feature film

TV series Year Title Director Notes 1984 ABC Afterschool Specials Jeffrey HornadayClaude Kerven Episodes "Out of Step" and "The Almost Royal Family" 1985 Doubletake Jud Taylor Miniseries

TV movies Year Title Director 1984 How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days Joan Micklin Silver1986 Welcome Home, Bobby Herbert Wise Classified love Don Taylor

Director/Producer Film Director Year Title Director Producer 1991 The Addams Family 1993 For Love or Money Addams Family Values 1995 Get Shorty 1997 Men in Black 1999 Wild Wild West 2002 Big Trouble Men in Black II 2006 RV 2012 Men in Black 3 2016 Nine Lives

Executive producer Out of Sight (1998) Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) Men in Black: International (2019)

Producer The Crew (2000) The Ladykillers (2004) Enchanted (2007) Space Chimps (2008) Disenchanted (2022)

Television Year Title Director Executiveproducer Notes 1998 Maximum Bob Directed "Pilot" 1998–1999 Fantasy Island 13 episodes 2000 Secret Agent Man Also co-creator; 12 episodes 2001–2002 The Tick Directed "Pilot" 2007–2009 Pushing Daisies Directed 2 episodes 2007–2010 Notes from the Underbelly Directed 6 episodes 2008 Suburban Shootout Unaired pilot 2010 Funny in Farsi 2013 Beverly Hills Cop 2014 Storyline 1 episode 2016 Independent Lens Segment An Honest Liar 2016–2019 The Tick 12 episodes 2017–2019 A Series of Unfortunate Events Directed 10 episodes 2021 Schmigadoon! Directed 6 episodes

Producer Karen Sisco (2004) (1 episode)

TV movies Year Title Director Executiveproducer 1999 Partners 2008 Hackett Play or Be Played 2009 The Bridget Show 2014 Dead Boss

Actor Film roles Year Title Role 1991 The Addams Family Passenger on Gomez's train (uncredited) 1993 Addams Family Values Mr. Glicker 1995 Get Shorty Doorman (Uncredited) 1997 Men in Black Alien on Monitor 2002 Big Trouble Florida Gators fan on radio (voice) (uncredited) 2002 Men in Black II Neuralyzed Father 2006 RV Irv 2012 Men in Black 3 Husband Watching Launch 2016 Nine Lives Additional cat voices 2026 The Narcissist's Playbook Self, documentary

Television roles Year Title Role Notes 2001 The Tick Guy in Couch, Cab Driver (uncredited) Episode "Pilot" 2017–2019 A Series of Unfortunate Events Mr. Tammerlane (voice)Isaac "Ike" Anwhistle 4 episodes 2025 The Simpsons Mr. Ho-Hum (voice) Episode "Guess Who's Coming to Skinner"

Awards and nominations