Todd Haynes
Biography
Todd Haynes is an American filmmaker born in Los Angeles, California, USA. His birthdate is January 2, 1961. Haynes's films span four decades, examining the personalities of well-known musicians, dysfunctional and dystopian societies, and blurred gender roles. His first public attention came with the short film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, a cult classic. Haynes's feature directorial debut was Poison, a provocative exploration of AIDS-era queer perceptions and subversions. Poison won the Sundance Film Festival. Haynes has directed 63 known credits. He is known for his work in directing and is male.
Career overview
Todd Haynes is an American filmmaker born in Los Angeles, California, USA. He has been active in the film industry for over four decades, directing a wide range of projects that explore various themes. Haynes first gained public attention with his short film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, which became a cult classic.
Haynes's feature directorial debut was Poison, a provocative exploration of AIDS-era queer perceptions and subversions. This film established him as a figure of a new transgressive cinema and won the Sundance Film Festival. Throughout his career, Haynes has continued to push boundaries and explore complex themes in his work.
Haynes has directed a total of 63 projects, showcasing his versatility and range as a filmmaker. His work often examines the personalities of well-known musicians, dysfunctional and dystopian societies, and blurred gender roles. With a career spanning over four decades, Haynes has solidified his position as a prominent figure in the film industry.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
87 titles- Barbara Forever (2026) as Self (archive footage)
- Earthlings (2025) Executive Producer
- Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter (2023) as Self
- May December (2023) Director
- Art-House America: Austin Film Society (2023) as Self
- Image Book (2023) Director
- Douglas Sirk – Hope as in Despair (2022) as Self
- The Velvet Underground (2021) Writer
- The Velvet Underground (2021) Director
- The Velvet Underground (2021) Producer
- Cal State Long Beach, CA, January 2020 (2021) Thanks
- Dark Waters (2019) Director
- Earthquake Bird (2019) Thanks
- Dark Waters: The Cost of Being a Hero (2019) as Self
- At the Video Store (2019) as Self
- Marcians (2017) as Self - Interviewee
- Wonderstruck (2017) Director
- Certain Women (2016) Executive Producer
- Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible (2016) as Self
- Carol (2015) Director
- Still Alice (2014) Thanks
- Night Moves (2014) Executive Producer
- Six by Sondheim (2013) Director
- Buoy (2013) Executive Producer
- Mildred Pierce (2011) Director
- Mildred Pierce (2011) Executive Producer
- Mildred Pierce (2011) Teleplay
- Enlightened (2011) Director
- Meek's Cutoff (2011) Executive Producer
- Great Directors (2009) as Self
- Wendy and Lucy (2008) Executive Producer
- I'm Not There (2007) Director
- I'm Not There (2007) Screenplay
- I'm Not There (2007) Story
- Notes on the Death of Kodachrome (2007) as Self
- Maternal Overdrive (2006) as Self
- Old Joy (2006) Executive Producer
- Quinceañera (2006) Executive Producer
- Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006) as Self
- Eine Zärtlichkeit wie bei Sirk - Todd Haynes über Fassbinder und das Melodram (2006) as Self
- Infinite Pleasure: Todd Haynes on Max Ophuls' Le Plaisir (2006) as Interviewee
- Sonic Youth: Corporate Ghost (The Videos: 1990-2002) (2004) Director
- Far from Heaven (2002) Director
- Far from Heaven (2002) Writer
- Madame Satã (2002) Thanks
- SexTV (1998)
- Velvet Goldmine (1998) Director
- Velvet Goldmine (1998) Screenplay
- Velvet Goldmine (1998) Story
- Office Killer (1997) Co-Writer
- Safe (1995) Writer
- Safe (1995) Director
- At Sundance (1995) as Self
- Totally F***ed Up (1994) Thanks
- Dottie Gets Spanked (1993) Director
- Dottie Gets Spanked (1993) Writer
- Swoon (1992) as Phrenology Head
- Poison (1991) Director
- Poison (1991) Writer
- Poison (1991) Editor
- Goo (1991) Director
- Anemone Me (1990) Producer
- Natural History (1989) as Child
- Natural History (1989) Producer
- La Divina (1989) Co-Producer
- La Divina (1989) Assistant Director
- He Was Once (1989) as Randy
- He Was Once (1989) Production Manager
- He Was Once (1989) Producer
- Muddy Hands (1988) Producer
- American Lunch (1988) Producer
- Cause and Effect (1988) Producer
- Cause and Effect (1988) Assistant Director
- Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987) as Todd Donovan
- Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987) Screenplay
- Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987) Director
- Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987) Producer
- Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987) Editor
- Tommy's (1985) Producer
- Assassins: A Film Concerning Rimbaud (1985)
- Assassins: A Film Concerning Rimbaud (1985) Director
- A Man in Your Room (1984) Producer
- The Suicide (1978) Director
- The Suicide (1978) Screenplay
- The Suicide (1978) Producer
- De Noche Director
- De Noche Writer
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Todd Haynes best known for?
Todd Haynes is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Barbara Forever (2026), May December (2023), Dark Waters (2019), Earthquake Bird (2019).
When and where was Todd Haynes born?
Todd Haynes was born on January 2, 1961 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
How many credits does Todd Haynes have?
Todd Haynes has accumulated over 87 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1978 to 2026.
What is Todd Haynes's background in cinema and television?
Todd Haynes is an American filmmaker born in Los Angeles, California, USA. His birthdate is January 2, 1961. Haynes's films span four decades, examining the personalities of well-known musicians, dysfunctional and dystopian societies, and blurred gender roles. His first public attention came with the short film Superst...
Todd Haynes by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Great Directors (2009) as Self — aged about 48
- SexTV (1998) — aged about 37
- Barbara Forever (2026) as Self (archive footage) — aged about 65
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