Adam Driver at the "Annette" Photocall - The 74th Annual Cannes Film Festival

Adam Driver's 38th Trip Around The Sun, From HBO's 'Girls' To 'House Of Gucci'

Home / Entertainment / Adam Driver's 38th Trip Around The Sun, From HBO's 'Girls' To 'House Of Gucci'

By Kristin Myers on November 19, 2021 at 4:00 AM PST

Adam Driver has come a long way since he first appeared on Lena Dunham’s HBO comedy series “Girls.”

After starring as the villainous Kylo Ren and the redeemed Ben Solo in the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy, Driver, who is celebrating his 38th birthday today, became a household name for his dramatic intensity on screen.

His various performances, such as his role in Netflix’s 2019 “Marriage Story” opposite Scarlett Johansson, earned him a second Academy Award nomination. He has also been nominated for a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and four Emmy Awards.

He also won the prestigious Venice Film Festival Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his role in 2014’s “Hungry Hearts.”

Driver has shown his versatility on screen with three new films this year, each more intriguing than the last.

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‘Annette’

The romantic musical “Annette” appeared in theatres on August 6, 2021. The Leos Carax-directed film features Driver as a controversial stand-up comedian named Henry McHenry who falls in love with opera singer Ann Defrasnoux (Marion Cotillard). However, their marriage is rocked by scandal, and things take a dramatic turn when he discovers that his daughter has an unusual ability.

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The film definitely raised a few eyebrows with audiences. Although their daughter is played by a doll throughout much of the film, many fans have expressed varied reactions to the way Carax works to seamlessly blend music and romance. Although fans of musicals are used to the way characters sing while performing various actions, Carax has his characters sing to each other even during their graphic love-making scenes as well.

Although Driver does have an amazing set of vocals, critics have been calling this one “the weirdest movie of the year.”

“Annette” is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

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‘The Last Duel’

Driver heads from a galaxy far, far away to the Middle Ages in this Ridley Scott-directed flick. The ensemble features an all-star cast of Matt Damon as Sir Jean de Carrouges, Driver as Squire Jacques Le Gris, Ben Affleck as Count Pierre d’Alencon, and Jodie Comer as Marguerite de Carrouges.

Comer actually appeared in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” as young Rey’s mother, although she shared no scenes with Driver or Rey (Daisy Ridley).

With critics describing the film as a “wannabe #Metoo movie,” the film features Carrouges (Damon) marrying a woman named Marguerite (Comer) that Le Gris (Driver) covets. After Le Gris assaults her, she steps forward to confront him, which results in Carrouges and Le Gris engaging in a trial by combat and a fight to the death.

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“The Last Duel” debuted in theaters on October 15, 2021.

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‘House of Gucci’

Lady Gaga again stuns on screen in the latest “House of Gucci” trailer.

The biographical crime drama portrays the aftermath of the 1995 murder of Maurizio Gucci (Driver) by his ex-wife Patrizia Gucci. Also directed by Ridley Scott, the cast includes Al Pacino, Salma Hayek, and an almost unrecognizable Jared Leto.

Both Driver and Gaga have earned praise for their “clever sex scene” which has been hailed as “one of the best sex scenes I’ve seen in forever.” Driver has also explained the feral “animalistic noises” that can be heard throughout their intimate encounter.

“House of Gucci” will be available in theaters on November 24, 2021.

Upcoming Projects

Adam Driver at the "House of Gucci" UK film premiere, Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, Leicester Square, on Tuesday 09 November 2021 in London, England, UK.
MEGA

Although Driver has completed several projects this year, he has no plans to slow down any time soon. Here are just a few of his upcoming future roles.

Driver is again teaming up with writer and director Noah Baumbach for their fifth collaboration called “White Noise” based on the 1985 novel by Don DeLillo. The film is a satirical analysis of modern American consumerism as experienced by narrator Jack Gladney (Driver) and his fourth wife, Babette (Greta Gerwig). The film is expected to debut on Netflix sometime in 2022.

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He is also set to appear in the sci-fi thriller “65,” which marks the directorial debut of “A Quiet Place” writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. Not much is known about the film so far, except that Driver is leading a cast that also consists of Ariana Greenblatt and Chloe Coleman. “65” has an anticipated release date of May 13, 2022.

Driver is also again collaborating with writer and director Jeff Nichols, who he worked with in the 2016 sci-fi “Midnight Special.” This new film, called “Yankee Comandante,” is inspired by a New York Times article written by David Grann. The film is a biopic around the life of William Alexander Morgan, a rebel American soldier from Ohio that helped Fidel Castro take down the former president Fulgencio Batista in the 1970s to become the only non-Cuban to earn the rank of “comandante” other than Che Guevara of Argentina.

Considering his commanding performances on screen and his impressive range, Driver is quickly making a name for himself as one of the best actors of his generation.

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