Barry Sonnenfeld is best known for directing big-budget popcorn films like Get Shorty and the three Men in Black flicks.

After graduating from NYU, Sonnenfeld began his career in the illustrious world of porn. His skin flick claim to fame: He shot nine adult films in nine days. In 1984, Sonnenfeld's career as a more legitimate cinematographer took off with Joel and Ethan Coen's Blood Simple, which led to lens work on beloved films like Big, When Harry Met Sally, and Raising Arizona. In 1991, Sonnenfeld moved into the director's chair with the film adaptation of The Addams Family, and he's been a leading Hollywood director ever since. In 1995 he was praised for the wry caper Get Shorty, and went on to score commercial home-runs with Will Smith-fronted summer blockbusters Men in Black, Wild Wild West, and 2002's Men in Black II. However, his directing career halted since his early-aughts heyday, as his 2006 film RV was such a giant flop at the box office, that one critic called it "A fine example of what happens when talented people settle for utter mediocrity."

Sonnenfeld continues to direct films, including the underwhelming return of the Agents in MIB III. But he's also worn the producer's hat a few times lately, exec-producing Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and producing Disney's Enchanted. He also spends some of his free time dabbling as a writer, penning a monthly column in David Granger's Esquire called "The Digital Man" in which the director tests out ridiculously extravagant products he's able to afford, thanks to those fat Hollywood paychecks.

Sonnenfeld married Susan Ringo in 1989; she's since served as a consultant or associate producer on a number of Sonnenfeld's films. They have one daughter, Chloe Sonnenfeld, who made appearances in Men in Black, Big Trouble, and RV. [Image via Getty]