Few come to mind, but I'm missing an infinate amount of them. There are definately directors who have had true muse actors that they keep coming back to for story and character inspiration. In America right now, two that come to mind are Tim Burton and Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, and coming soon Corpse Bride), and if Scorses does one more movie with Leo, I'm going to include that. Clearly Deniro was a muse for Marty. Also, people forget how big Mickael Keaton was for Burton as well.

The biggest muse I know of, of course, is Gong Li, who did 7 consecutive movies with Yimou Zhang as the lead until they split. I think he then proceeded to never cast her in another one of his movies (must have been ugly). She also worked with Kaige Chen, whom she did three consecutive movies with.

Its pretty easy to pair Mastroianni and Fellini too.

I'm trying to think of really long standing director/actor/ress relationships.

Tarantino and Uma Thurman? He did say that she was his inspiration for the Kill Bill series.

That's true, I knew I was forgetting some of them. She didnt even want to do it and he begged her to because she was part of the inspiration for the role. I'm pretty sure she'll do at least one more movie with him.

Um hello, clearly Bill Paxton is the center of Jim Cameron's universe.

Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman worked together a lot when they were starting out in movies. Mel Gibson and Richard Donner have done many movies together. Kevin Smith and Ben Affleck. Probably plenty of others, but I'll give somebody else a chance.

Denzel Washington has worked with Ed Zwick on Glory, Courge Under Fire, and The Seige. Julia Roberts has done Erin Brockovich, Full Frontal, Ocean's 11 and 12 with Steven Soderburgh.

Mike Nichols has a group of actresses that he has worked with at least 3 times: Annette Bening (Postcards From The Edge, Regarding Henry, and Brother, What Planet Are You From?), Emma Thompson (Primary Colors, Wit, Angels In America), and of course Meryl Streep (Silkwood, Angels In America, Postcards From The Edge, and something else I'm forgetting).

And of course there's Woody Allen and Mia Farrow but I'm pretty sure that collaberation is completely finished.

I forgot about how Nichols really does do that. I think his pairing with Streep was the best combination. Very fruitfull,

and Woody is definately someone who uses the same actors. Mia being the biggest muse of all (again, until it got ugly heh). He also worked very closely with Michael Caine, and recently, (I think his name is) Mike Rappaport? He's worked with Dianne Weist a bit too.

How about Michael Mann and Jamie Foxx? Ali. Collateral, and now Miami Vice. Seems to be a good combination.

P.T. Anderson wrote the part of Amber Waves for Julianne Moore in Boogie Nights and also cast her in Magnolia. She also seems to inspire Todd Haynes who she did Safe and Far From Heaven with. Plus she worked with Robert Altman on Short Cuts and Cookie's Fortune. Plus she's done 2 or 3 films with her husband. I guess she inspires a lot of people!

Parker Posey and the rest of the improv gang with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy is the ULTIMATE combo.

Bleh. They barely used her at all in Mighty Wind. Guest is really toing the line of including too many characters in his movies. Its hard to build any of them up when it gets to the point it did in wind. Best in Show and Guffman are still the best because you felt a real affinity to the schlemiels. I think you're right that he's got several muses, including Levy, Posey, and O'Hara, and he has to return to just working with them.

l'm pretty sure there was a thread here, about directors who've worked with certain actors 3+ times. l was going to use it to come in here and sound all smart...but, l cannot find it. :oops: Consequently, l have nothing to add.

Well, Linklater has used Ethan Hawke 4 times in ten yrs. That might work, l guess.

Actually 5 times... Before Sunrise, The Newton Boys, Waking Life, Tape, Before Sunset...

Kurosawa and Mifune are probably the best coupling of any director/actor in film history.

There is also Herzog and Kinski who go almost hand in hand.

There are others too...

Clint Howard has been in every Ron Howard film... I wonder what their connection is?!

Uwe Boll and Satan... big connection there.

Sam Raimi has put Bruce Campbell in several of his films. If I'm not mistaken they went to College together here in Michigan.