Benny Safdie

**Benjamin "Benny" Safdie** (born February 24, 1986) is an American film director, screenwriter, actor and film editor, best known for working with his older brother Josh as a filmmaker, whose works include *Good Time* (2017) and *Uncut Gems* (2019).

## Early life

Safdie was born to Amy and Alberto Safdie, and was raised in New York. He and brother Josh would divide their childhood living between their father in Queens and their mother and stepfather in Manhattan upon their parents divorce. He attended Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, and graduated from the Boston University College of Communication in 2008.

## Career

### Filmmaker

The Safdie's first feature was the 2009 film *Daddy Longlegs*, which they also wrote the screenplay and edited together. The film was showcased in the Directors' Fortnight at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. In 2013, they debuted the documentary film *Lenny Cooke* at the Tribeca Film Festival, a documentary they became attached to after Cooke approached them to review the footage. In 2014, the pair premiered their next film *Heaven Knows What* at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. It premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or.

In February 2016, the brothers began filming their crime thriller film *Good Time*. which Benny starred in alongside Robert Pattinson, in New York City. Benny, for his performance, was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.

*Uncut Gems*, Josh and Benny's next film, starred Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield and Julia Fox and was executive produced by Martin Scorsese. The brothers won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Director, and Benny shared the Independent Spirit Award for Best Editing with Ronald Bronstein, with whom he co-edited with on all the Safdie brother films.

In December 2020, Showtime gave a series order to a half hour series titled *The Curse*, which Safdie created alongside Nathan Fielder. They will star alongside Emma Stone in the series, with Josh serving as an executive producer.

### Acting roles

In 2017, Safdie began taking on performances not directed by himself or Josh, appearing in a role in the film *Person to Person* (2017). In 2020, he would be cast in *Pieces of a Woman* (2020), as well as the Paul Thomas Anderson film *Licorice Pizza* (2021).

He will next appear in the Disney+ miniseries *Obi-Wan Kenobi* (2021), in the film adaptation *Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret* (2022), and as Edward Teller in *Oppenheimer* (2023), directed by Christopher Nolan.

## Personal life

Safdie is Jewish, his father a Sephardic Jew of Syrian-Jewish descent, and mother an Ashkenazi Jew of Russian-Jewish descent. His uncle is architect Moshe Safdie and is cousins with playwright Oren Safdie.

He is married to Ava Safdie, with whom he has two sons.

## Filmography

### As actor

**Film**

**Television**

 2022

## References

1. ↑ Benny Safdie. *AlloCiné*.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sanneh, Kelefa (December 16, 2019). The Safdie Brothers' Full-Immersion Filmmaking. *The New Yorker*.
3. ↑ Brown, Joel (June 12, 2015). Safdie Brothers' Film Captures Life on the Street. *Bostonia*.
4. ↑ *Daddy Longlegs* Josh and Benny Safdie (January 28, 2010).
5. ↑ Quinzaine 2009. *quinzaine-realisateurs.com*.
6. ↑ Kemmerle, Karen (April 15, 2013). 'Lenny Cooke' Directors Josh and Benny Safdie Explore What Happened to the American Dream. *Tribeca Film Festival*. Retrieved on October 19, 2019.
7. ↑ Harris, Brandon (December 6, 2013). Hoop Dreams: Josh and Benny Safdie on Lenny Cooke. *Filmmaker*. Retrieved on October 19, 2019.
8. ↑ Foundas, Scott (2014-08-28). 'Heaven Knows What' Review: The Safdies Take a Step Forward. *Variety*.
9. ↑ The 2017 Official Selection. *Cannes* (13 April 2017).
10. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>"On the Set for 1/8/16: Robert Pattinson Starts on the Feature, 'Good Time' While Michael Fassbender & Marion Cotillard Wrap 'Assassin's Creed'". *SSN Insider*. January 8, 2016. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
11. ↑ Sharf, Zach (November 21, 2017). 2018 Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 'Get Out' and 'Call Me by Your Name' Dominate. *IndieWire*.
12. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (September 28, 2018). Safdie Brothers' 'Uncut Gems' Scores Financing From RT Features & Scorsese's Sikelia – Cannes.
13. ↑ Independent Spirit Awards Redresses Female Balance With Wins For Lulu Wang, Olivia Wilde & Julia Reichert – Complete Winners List. *Deadline Hollywood* (February 8, 2020).
14. ↑ Emma Stone To Star In Comedy Series *The Curse* From Nathan Fielder & Safdie Brothers For Showtime (December 10, 2020).
15. ↑ Tragedy, Neurosis, Sundance: The Long, Strange Journey of *Person to Person* Director Dustin Guy Defa (January 20, 2017).
16. ↑ Sarah Snook & Benny Safdie Join 'Pieces Of A Woman*; Jaime Zevallos & Adrienne Lovette Board* A Boy Like That *(January 21, 2020).*
17. ↑ Benny Safdie to Play Gay Politician in Paul Thomas Anderson's New '70s Movie (August 31, 2020).
18. ↑ *Obi-Wan Kenobi* To Start Production In April; Disney+ Series Cast Includes Joel Edgerton Returning To *Star Wars* Franchise (March 29, 2021).
19. ↑ Exclusive: Benny Safdie Joins Rachel McAdams in *Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret* Movie (April 7, 2021).
20. ↑ Christopher Nolan's *Oppenheimer* Adds Florence Pugh, Rami Malek & Benny Safdie (December 9, 2021).
21. ↑ Robinson, George (August 17, 2010). Being The Safdie Brothers. *The Jewish Week*.
22. ↑ <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>Barshad, Amos (August 21, 2017). "The Safdie Brothers Are Classic New York Hustlers". *The Fader*. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
23. ↑ Pfefferman, Naomi (June 17, 2015). Life as lived by a homeless junkie. *The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles*.
24. ↑ Vance, Kelly (December 25, 2019). Hoops Hoopla + Precious Stones = Mayhem. *East Bay Express*.
25. ↑ A Brief History of the Safdie Brothers (June 29, 2020).
26. ↑ Safdie brothers bring a New York flavor to breakout thriller *Good Time* (August 10, 2017).

## External links

* Benny Safdie at IMDb
* Red Bucket Films

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