Daniels (directors)

Daniel Kwan (born February 10, 1988)^[1] and Daniel Scheinert (born June 7, 1987),^[2] known collectively as the Daniels, are an American filmmaking duo. They began their career as directors of music videos,^[3] including ones for "Houdini" (2012) by Foster the People and "Turn Down for What" (2013) by DJ Snake and Lil Jon, both of which earned them nominations at the Grammy Awards.

Daniels
Scheinert (left) and Kwan promoting Swiss Army Man in 2016
Born	Daniel Kwan (1988-02-10) February 10, 1988 (age 36) Westborough, Massachusetts, U.S. Daniel Scheinert (1987-06-07) June 7, 1987 (age 37) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Alma mater	Emerson College (BFA)
Occupations	Film directors screenwriters producers
Years active	2007–present
Notable work	Swiss Army Man Everything Everywhere All at Once
Spouse	Kwan: Kirsten Lepore ​ (m. 2016)​
Children	Kwan: 1

They have since ventured into film, having written and directed the absurdist comedy-dramas Swiss Army Man (2016) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). The latter became A24's highest-grossing film,^[4] and won the duo many awards, including Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.^[5][6][7]

Careers

Music videos

Kwan and Scheinert met while they were both studying film at Emerson College in Boston.^[8] Kwan graduated in 2010 and Scheinert graduated in 2009.^[9] They went to college with Sunita Mani, who starred with Kwan in the music video for "Turn Down for What",^[10] which they directed.^[11]

Since 2011, the duo have directed music videos for artists including Foster the People, The Shins and Tenacious D. In 2018, Kwan co-founded the group We Direct Music Videos (W.D.M.V.), described as "a global community of music video directors who are committed to sustainable directorial labor practices".^[12]

Transition to film and television

In 2016, the duo expanded to feature films, writing and directing Swiss Army Man, starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe,^[13] which received positive reviews,^[14] as well as the duo winning the Directing Award at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.^[15] In 2019, Scheinert directed the black comedy-drama film The Death of Dick Long, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and received positive reviews.

The Daniels have since accumulated several television directing credits, including Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Legion (Kwan only) and On Becoming a God in Central Florida (Scheinert only). The duo were attached as directors on a prospective TV adaption of Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, being developed by Noah Hawley, but the project was not picked up.^[16]

Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Daniels announced in 2017 they would write, direct, and produce a science-fiction film with their producing partner Jonathan Wang and the Russo brothers.^[17][18] Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis, was released in March 2022 to widespread critical acclaim and box office success, garnering several awards and accolades for the duo including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director at the 95th Academy Awards.^[19] The film received 11 Academy Award nominations, more than any other film that year, and won seven. Prior to the Oscars ceremony, IGN calculated that Everything Everywhere All at Once had surpassed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) as the most awarded film of all time.^[20]

Upcoming projects

As of 2022^[update], the Daniels have signed a first look TV deal with A24.^[21] The same year, they also signed a five-year film deal with Universal Pictures.^[22]

The duo were on the Time 100 Next list in 2022.^[23]

In March 2023, it was revealed that the Daniels had directed one episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024).^[24][25]

In February 2024, it was announced that the Daniels' next feature film would be released on June 12, 2026.^[26]

Personal lives

Kwan was born in Westborough, Massachusetts, to a Taiwanese mother and a father from Hong Kong. He has been married to fellow filmmaker and animator Kirsten Lepore since 2016, and together they have one son.^[27][28] Kwan was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after researching the condition for Everything Everywhere All At Once.^[29]

Scheinert was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, the son of Becky and Ken Scheinert.^[30][31] He attended Oak Mountain Elementary and Middle School, and was a student at the advanced magnet program Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School at the campus of Shades Valley High School.^[30]

In 2023 the Daniels won the Emerson College EVVY Alumni Award of Distinction.

Filmography

Short film

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Notes
2009	Swingers	Yes	Yes	[10]
2010	Puppets	Yes	Yes	[10]
2011	My Best Friend's Wedding/ My Best Friend's Sweating	Yes	Yes
2014	Possibilia	Yes	Yes
2014	Interesting Ball	Yes	Yes
2020	Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia	Yes	Yes	Segments

Scheinert only

Year	Title	Director	Writer
2007	I'm Nostalgic	Yes	No
2008	Trust	Yes	Yes

Feature film

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Producer
2016	Swiss Army Man	Yes	Yes	No
2022	Everything Everywhere All at Once	Yes	Yes	Yes

Scheinert only

Year	Title	Director	Producer	Notes
2019	The Death of Dick Long	Yes	Yes	Also portrayed Dick Long; Also performed "It's Been Awhile"

Television

Year	Title	Episode
2013	NTSF:SD:SUV::	"Comic Con Air"
		"Wreck the Malls"
	Childrens Hospital	"Coming and Going"
	Infomercials	"Broomshakalaka!"
2020	Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens	"Grandma & Chill"
2024	Star Wars: Skeleton Crew	"Can't Say I Remember No At Attin"

Kwan only

Year	Title	Episode
2019	Legion	"Chapter 23"

Scheinert only

Year	Title	Episode
2017	Right Now Kapow	"Radical Mutants/My Fair Peasant"
2019	On Becoming a God in Central Florida	"Many Masters"

Music videos

Year	Title	Artist	Notes
2010	"Underwear"	FM Belfast	[32]
	"Pigeons"	The Hundred in the Hands
	"Commotion"
2011	"Simple Math"	Manchester Orchestra
	"Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)"	Foster the People	[10]
	"When the Night Falls"	Chromeo (featuring Solange Knowles)
2012	"My Machines"	Battles
	"Simple Song"	The Shins	[10]
	"Houdini"	Foster the People	[10]
	"Rize of the Fenix"	Tenacious D	[10]
2013	"Cry Like a Ghost"	Passion Pit
2014	"Turn Down for What"	DJ Snake and Lil Jon	[10]
	"Tongues"	Joywave
2017	"The Sunshine"	Manchester Orchestra
	"The Alien"[33]

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result	Ref.
2013	Grammy Awards	Best Short Form Music Video	"Houdini"	Nominated	[34]
2015		Best Music Video	"Turn Down for What"	Nominated	[35]
2016	Gotham Independent Film Awards	Breakthrough Director	Swiss Army Man	Nominated	[36]
	Sundance Film Festival	Directing Award Dramatic		Won	[37] [38] [39] [40]
2017	Independent Spirit Awards	Best First Feature		Nominated	[41]
2022	Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards	Best Picture	Everything Everywhere All at Once	Won	[42]
		Best Director		Won
		Best Screenplay		Won
		Best Indie Film		Won
	Saturn Awards	Best Fantasy Film		Won	[43] [44]
		Best Writing		Nominated
	Gotham Independent Film Awards	Best Feature		Won	[45]
	British Independent Film Awards	Best International Independent Film		Nominated	[46]
	National Board of Review Awards	Top Ten Films		Won	[47]
	American Film Institute Awards	Top 10 Films of the Year		Won	[48]
	New York Film Critics Online Awards	Best Director		Won	[49]
	Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards	Best Film		Won	[50]
	Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association	Best Film		Won	[51]
		Best Director		Won
		Best Original Screenplay		Won
	Chicago Film Critics Association Awards	Best Film		Nominated	[52] [53]
		Best Director		Won
		Best Original Screenplay		Nominated
	St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards	Best Film		Won	[54] [55]
		Best Action Film		Nominated
		Best Comedy Film		Nominated
		Best Director		Runner-up
		Best Original Screenplay		Won
	Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards	Best Picture		Won	[56]
		Best Director		Won
		Best Screenplay		Runner-up
	Florida Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Picture		Won	[57]
		Best Director		Nominated
		Best Original Screenplay		Runner-up
2023	Academy Awards	Best Picture		Won	[58]
		Best Director		Won
		Best Original Screenplay		Won
	British Academy Film Awards	Best Film		Nominated	[59]
		Best Director		Nominated
		Best Original Screenplay		Nominated
	Golden Globe Awards	Best Picture - Musical/Comedy		Nominated	[60]
		Best Director - Motion Picture		Nominated
		Best Screenplay - Motion Picture		Nominated
	Gold List	Best Director		Won	[61]
	Critics' Choice Movie Awards	Best Picture		Won	[62]
		Best Director		Won
		Best Original Screenplay		Won
		Best Comedy		Nominated
	Directors Guild of America Awards	Outstanding Direction- Feature Film		Won	[63]
	Producers Guild of America Awards	Outstanding Producer		Won	[64]
	Writers Guild of America Awards	Best Original Screenplay		Won	[65]
	Satellite Awards	Best Motion Picture– Comedy or Musical		Won	[66]
		Best Original Screenplay		Nominated
	Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards	Best Picture		Won	[67]
		Best Indie Film		Nominated
		Best Director		Won
		Best Original Screenplay		Won
	AACTA International Awards	Best Film		Nominated	[68]
		Best Direction		Nominated
	Independent Spirit Awards	Best Feature		Won	[69]
		Best Director		Won
		Best Screenplay		Won

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External links

• Official website
• Daniel Kwan at IMDb
• Daniel Scheinert at IMDb
• Edgar Wright's interview with Daniels on BFI