--- name: "Spike Jonze" canonical: "https://film.one/person/spike-jonze" fi1m_id: "spike-jonze" imdb_id: "nm0005069" tmdb_id: 5953 wikidata_id: "Q259913" roles: ["Director","Producer","Actor"] born: "22 October 1969" reviewed_on_fi1m: 10 average_fi1m_score: 84 average_as: "director" average_over: 4 updated: "2026-09-21T20:57:06.880254+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Spike Jonze ## Identity Spike Jonze - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/spike-jonze - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** spike-jonze - **IMDb ID:** nm0005069 - **TMDB ID:** 5953 - **Wikidata ID:** Q259913 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Jonze, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259913, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005069/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5953 Director and producer. Born 22 October 1969 in Rockville, Maryland, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Director, Producer, Actor - **Born:** 22 October 1969, Rockville, Maryland, USA - **Active:** 1999–present - **Also known as:** 스파이크 존즈, Adam Spiegel, اسپایک جونز - **Titles on Fi1m:** 10: 1 acting, 4 directing, 2 producing, 3 other - **Frequently works with:** [Catherine Keener](https://film.one/person/catherine-keener.md), [Charlie Kaufman](https://film.one/person/charlie-kaufman.md), [Vincent Landay](https://film.one/person/vincent-landay.md) - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 3 nominated) - **Average Fi1m score:** 84, as director, over 4 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 84 (2), 2000s 83 (5), 2010s 84 (1), 2020s 66 (2) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 84 to 79 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 4, Comedy 2, Fantasy 2, Adventure 1, Crime 1, Family 1 - **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $203m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Jonze, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259913, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005069/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5953 ## Streaming the US now - **Apple TV:** [*Her*](https://film.one/film/her.md) (84) - **The Roku Channel:** [*Synecdoche, New York*](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md) (84) - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Adaptation.*](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md) (83) - **Hulu:** [*Where the Wild Things Are*](https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are.md) (80) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Spike Jonze > Spike Jonze makes strange behaviour seem quite reasonable, then shows what it costs other people. We value his ability to find sadness in a comic idea, though the clever plotting can get ahead of the characters. An actor's identity is something to borrow in *Being John Malkovich* (1999), and Spike Jonze directs as though this might be a practical arrangement. He does not keep pointing out how peculiar it is. The people involved want admiration, affection and some relief from being themselves. Those wants are easy to recognise, however strange the means of satisfying them. It is an excellent comedy, largely because Jonze trusts us to accept the idea and pay attention to the people. Charlie Kaufman's screenplay gives him more to work with than celebrity envy. Questions of gender and desire complicate the wish to become somebody else, and Jonze lets those questions arise without stopping the comedy for a lesson. We found the film unexpectedly sad, because the selfish behaviour that makes these people funny also makes affection difficult for them. John Malkovich and Catherine Keener keep the people interesting when the plot grows busy, though we sometimes wish Jonze would linger on a feeling rather than hurry to the next complication. Jonze's feature debut led to a second Kaufman collaboration, *Adaptation.* (2002), about screenwriting. It is worth being precise about what the director brings to that partnership, since the elaborate premises can attract most of the attention. In *Being John Malkovich*, he keeps the tone steady as the same behaviour becomes both funny and hurtful. There is no awkward pause while the film asks to be taken seriously, and no need to make its selfish people more agreeable. With *Where the Wild Things Are* (2009), co-written with Dave Eggers, and *Her* (2013), which he wrote himself, Jonze moved beyond the Kaufman partnership. One adapts a children's book; the other is a romance about artificial intelligence. That move towards romance makes sense for a director whose debut was already so concerned with the difficulty of finding affection. Start with *Being John Malkovich*, and let its complications arrive without advance explanation. ## Biography Spike Jonze is an American director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Born Adam Spiegel on 22 October 1969 in Rockville, Maryland, he began his career in skateboarding videos and music videos before moving into feature films. He made his directorial debut with *Being John Malkovich* (1999), written by Charlie Kaufman. The pair later collaborated on *Adaptation.* (2002). Jonze directed *Where the Wild Things Are* (2009) and co-created the MTV series *Jackass*, on which he also worked as a writer and producer. He appeared as Conrad Vig in *Three Kings* (1999). Jonze co-founded Directors Label with Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry. He won an Academy Award for the screenplay of *Her* (2013). *Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, watch.plex.tv.* ## On Fi1m (10) ### Performed in (1) - *Three Kings* (1999), Fi1m 80, as Conrad Vig — [page](https://film.one/film/three-kings.md) ### Directed (4) — the average rests on these - *Her* (2013), Fi1m 84, as Alien Child (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/her.md) - *Where the Wild Things Are* (2009), Fi1m 80, as Bob (voice) / Terry (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are.md) - *Adaptation.* (2002), Fi1m 83, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md) - *Being John Malkovich* (1999), Fi1m 89, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/being-john-malkovich.md) ### Produced (2) - *Jackass: Best and Last* (2026), Fi1m 72, as Self — [page](https://film.one/film/jackass-best-and-last.md) - *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), Fi1m 84, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md) ### Also credited (3) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Beau Is Afraid* (2023), Fi1m 60, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/beau-is-afraid.md) - *Lost in Translation* (2003), Fi1m 86, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/lost-in-translation.md) - *The Virgin Suicides* (2000), Fi1m 83, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/the-virgin-suicides.md) ## Complete filmography (125) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Jackass: Best and Last* (2026), Producer, Second Unit Director — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/jackass-best-and-last.md) - *Splinter* (2025), Executive Producer - *Pavements* (2025), Thanks - *Babygirl* (2024), Thanks — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/babygirl.md) - *Dìdi (弟弟)* (2024), as Dead Squirrel (voice) - *Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life* (2023), as Executive Producer - *Beau Is Afraid* (2023), Thanks — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/beau-is-afraid.md) - *Babylon* (2022), as Otto (uncredited) - *You Resemble Me* (2022), Executive Producer - *Jackass 4.5* (2022), Producer, Writer - *Jackass Forever* (2022), Writer, Producer, Second Unit Director - *Bunny Hop* (2021), Executive Producer - *Ghosts* (2021), Writer - *Sing 2* (2021), as Jerry (voice) (uncredited) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/sing-2.md) - *Nine Days* (2021), Executive Producer - *Girl - Nervous Circus* (2020), Executive Producer - *Beastie Boys Story* (2020), Director, Producer, Writer - *Aziz Ansari: Right Now* (2019), Director - *Doll* (2018), Executive Producer - *Drugs, Skate & Violence: Filmmaker Harmony Korine* (2017), Executive Producer - *Changers: A Dance Story* (2017), Director - *Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond* (2017), Producer - *Shot! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock* (2017), Thanks - *The Third Industrial Revolution* (2017), Executive Producer - *Nirvanna the Band the Show* (2017), series, Executive Producer - *Wet Dream: A Skateboard Tale* (2014), Executive Producer - *Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5* (2014), as Gloria / Self · Screenplay, Producer - *The Wolf of Wall Street* (2013), as Dwayne (uncredited) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-wolf-of-wall-street.md) - *Her* (2013), as Alien Child (voice) · Director, Writer, Producer, Lyricist — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/her.md) - *Choose You* (2013), Director - *Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa* (2013), as Gloria · Producer, Screenplay, Story - *Pretty Sweet* (2012), Director, Executive Producer - *Shut Up and Play the Hits* (2012), Additional Photography, Camera Operator - *A Tribute to Ryan Dunn* (2011), Executive Producer - *Moneyball* (2011), as Alán (uncredited) — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/moneyball.md) - *Unbeleafable* (2011), Executive Producer - *To Die By Your Side* (2011), as Macbeth · Director, Writer - *Jackass 3.5* (2011), Writer, Producer - *The Making of 'Jackass 3D'* (2011), Executive Producer - *Scenes from the Suburbs* (2011), Director, Writer - *Jackass 3D* (2010), Writer, Producer - *The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret* (2010), series, as Todd's Boss - *Maurice at the World's Fair* (2010), Director - *The Birth of Big Air* (2010), Producer - *The Vampire Attack* (2010), as Vampire · Director - *Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life* (2010), as Plant · Producer - *I'm Here* (2010), Director, Screenplay - *The Lazarus Effect* (2010), Executive Producer - *The Creature Within* (2009), Director - *Melbourne Years* (2009), Director - *Where the Wild Things Are* (2009), as Bob (voice) / Terry (voice) · Director, Screenplay — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are.md) - *Jackass: The Lost Tapes* (2009), Executive Producer - *Tell them anything you want: A portrait of Maurice Sendak* (2009), Director, Camera Operator - *We Were Once a Fairytale* (2009), Director, Writer - *Family Portrait* (2009), Camera Operator - *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), Producer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md) - *Jackass Presents: Mat Hoffman's Tribute to Evel Knievel* (2008), Producer - *The Final Flare* (2008), Director - *Jackass 2.5* (2007), Writer, Producer - *Fully Flared* (2007), Director, Executive Producer - *Heavy Metal in Baghdad* (2007), Executive Producer - *The Making of 'Jackass Number Two'* (2006), Executive Producer - *Jackass Number Two* (2006), Producer, Writer - *The Fall* (2006), Executive Producer, Presenter - *Krooked: Kronichles* (2006), Director - *Beastie Boys Solid Gold Hits* (2005), Director - *Jackass Presents: Murderball* (2005), Writer - *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* (2005), Thanks - *The Medúlla Videos* (2005), Director - *Super Champion Funzone* (2005), Executive Producer, Director - *Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Tell Me What Rockers to Swallow* (2004), Cinematography - *Sonic Youth: Corporate Ghost* (2004), Actor - *Weezer: Video Capture Device - Treasures from the Vault 1991-2002* (2004), Director, Treatment - *Lost on Location: Behind the Scenes of 'Lost in Translation'* (2004), Camera Operator - *Hot Chocolate* (2004), Director - *Mark Paints* (2003), Director - *The Oasis Video That Never Happened* (2003), Director - *R.E.M.: In View 1988-2003 (The Best of R.E.M.)* (2003), Director - *The Work of Director Spike Jonze* (2003), as Richard Coufey · Director, Writer - *Lost in Translation* (2003), Thanks — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/lost-in-translation.md) - *Jackass Backyard BBQ* (2003), Executive Producer, Creator - *What's Up, Fatlip?* (2003), Director - *Yeah Right!* (2003), Director, Executive Producer - *Adaptation.* (2002), Director — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/adaptation.md) - *Björk: Volumen Plus* (2002), Director - *Björk: Greatest Hits - Volumen 1993-2003* (2002), Director - *Lakai - Beware of the Flare* (2002), Executive Producer - *Harsh Euro Barge* (2002), Executive Producer - *Jackass: The Movie* (2002), Producer, Writer - *The Making of 'Jackass: The Movie'* (2002), Creator, Executive Producer - *Cydeways: The Best of The Pharcyde* (2002), Director - *Jackass: Too Hot For MTV* (2002), Producer - *Keep Your Eyes Open* (2002), as Officer Jonze - *Jackass: Gumball Rally 3000 Special* (2002), Executive Producer - *Human Nature* (2001), Producer - *Beastie Boys: Video Anthology* (2000), Director - *Untitled Al Gore Documentary* (2000), Director - *An Intimate Look Inside the Acting Process with Ice Cube* (2000), Director - *The Virgin Suicides* (2000), Thanks — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/the-virgin-suicides.md) - *Jackass* (2000), series, Writer, Producer, Creator - *The Chocolate Tour* (1999), Director - *D.A.F.T.* (1999), Director - *Being John Malkovich* (1999), Director — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/being-john-malkovich.md) - *Clip Cult* (1999), Director - *Three Kings* (1999), as Conrad Vig — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/three-kings.md) - *Torrance Rises* (1999), as Richard Coufey · Director - *Björk: Volumen* (1998), Director - *Free Tibet* (1998), Cinematography - *Amarillo By Morning* (1998), Director - *Sun Fizz* (1998), Director - *The Game* (1997), as Airbag EMT Beltran — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/the-game.md) - *Big City Nights* (1997), Director - *How They Get There* (1997), Director, Writer - *Mouse* (1997), Director, Executive Producer - *Bed, Bath and Beyond* (1996), Cinematography - *Pig!* (1996), Actor - *Chocolate - Las Nueve Vidas De Paco* (1995), Director - *Beastie Boys: Sabotage* (1994), Director, Writer - *Mi Vida Loca* (1994), as Teenage Drug Customer - *Ciao L.A.* (1994), Director - *Goldfish* (1993), Director - *Video Days* (1991), Director - *Rubbish Heap* (1989), Director - *Jackass Number Two: Too Hot for Theaters*, Actor - *Weezer: Security Threat*, Actor ## Gallery - ![Spike Jonze as Conrad Vig in Three Kings (1999)](https://film.one/media/title/4600/still-04bb1f00155b.jpg) Spike Jonze as Conrad Vig in *Three Kings* (1999) — Image via TMDB - ![Spike Jonze](https://film.one/media/person/88400/gallery-31f87f6f232b.jpg) Spike Jonze — aphrodite-in-nyc, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Spike_Jonze_Her_Premiere_NYFF_2013_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Spike Jonze with mystery woman at the premiere of Moneyball, Toronto Film Festival 2011.](https://film.one/media/person/88400/gallery-dc125f275676.jpg) Spike Jonze with mystery woman at the premiere of Moneyball, Toronto Film Festival 2011. — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Moneyball_13_%286783734350%29.jpg/1280px-Moneyball_13_%286783734350%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Spike Jonze with mystery woman at the premiere of Moneyball, Toronto Film Festival 2011.](https://film.one/media/person/88400/gallery-d4fca4dfe521.jpg) Spike Jonze with mystery woman at the premiere of Moneyball, Toronto Film Festival 2011. — GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Moneyball_12_%286929851935%29.jpg/1280px-Moneyball_12_%286929851935%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Marcel Dzama on set of a Spike Jonze film in 2010](https://film.one/media/person/88400/gallery-0eaeb7195f50.jpg) Marcel Dzama on set of a Spike Jonze film in 2010 — Spike Jonze, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Marcel_Dzama_by_Spike_Jonze.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Spike Jonze](https://film.one/media/person/88400/gallery-05997f2f54fe.jpg) Spike Jonze — Image via TMDB - ![Spike Jonze](https://film.one/media/person/88400/gallery-da9f0bb3d119.jpg) Spike Jonze — Image via TMDB - ![Spike Jonze](https://film.one/media/person/88400/gallery-5df8d63f9457.jpg) Spike Jonze — Image via TMDB - ![Spike Jonze](https://film.one/media/person/88400/gallery-c14952606d02.jpg) Spike Jonze — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 1 won, 3 nominated - 2014: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (won), for *Her* - 2014: Best Picture (nominated), for *Her* - 2014: Best Original Song (nominated), for *The Moon Song* - 2000: Best Director (nominated), for *Being John Malkovich* ### Other awards — 1 won - Indiana Film Journalists Association Award for Best Director 2009: Indiana Film Journalists Association Award for Best Director (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/spike-jonze