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Director David O. Russell discusses Joy

A beleaguered young woman overcomes all odds to become the founder of a powerful family business in Director David O. Russell’s emotional new comedy, Joy.

Russell’s film tells the amazing true story of Joy Mangano who turned her invention, the Miracle Mop, into an entrepreneurial dynasty while dealing with allies and adversaries both inside and outside four generations of her Italian-American family.

In a conversation moderated by Director Alexander Payne (Nebraska) following the DGA screening in Los Angeles on December 5, Russell spoke about the challenges of making Joy and the pleasures of working with an incredible ensemble of actors from his previous films including Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper. Russell also spoke about the film with Director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) following the DGA membership screening in New York on December 12.

In addition to Joy, Russell’s other works include the short documentary Soldiers Pay; the feature films Spanking the Monkey, Flirting with Disaster, Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, Silver Linings Playbook; and the DGA and the Academy Award-nominated features The Fighter and American Hustle.

Russell has been a member of the DGA since 1998.

 

Pictures & Video

photos by Shane Karns (Los Angeles) and Marcie Revens (New York)  - print courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

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FULL TALK (19:51): Director David O. Russell discusses his latest film, Joy, with Director Darren Aronofsky.
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FULL TALK (31:51): Director David O. Russell discusses his latest film, Joy, with Director Alexander Payne at the DGA in Los Angeles.
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HIGHLIGHT: Russell describes how the film Citizen Kane and similar movies from the 1940s and 1950s inspired him to play with elements of cinematic form like light and time and to tell the story.
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HIGHLIGHT: Russell discusses how he chose songs by artists such as Neil Young, Sergei Prokofiev, and Willie West to use in the film.
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HIGHLIGHT: Russell tells how the first and second halves of the film feel different in order to mirror Joy's assertion of power with the characters around her throughout the film.
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HIGHLIGHT: Russell describes details he discovered from interviews with the real Joy Mangano which inspired his take on her story, although the character in the film is a composite of her and women who've inspired him over the years
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HIGHLIGHT: Director David O. Russell shares stories about working with frequent collaborators Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Bradley Cooper.
David O. Russell speaks about the making of his new feature Joy following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.
David O. Russell speaks about the making of his new feature Joy following the DGA membership screening in New York
Jennifer Lawrence in Director David O. Russell’s Joy. – photo by Merie Weismiller Wallace © Twentieth Century Fox
Director David O. Russell speaks about the making of Joy with Director Darren Aronofsky (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in New York.
Director David O. Russell shares a funny memory  about the making of Joy with Director Alexander Payne (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Director David O. Russell’s Joy. – photo Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox
Director Alexander Payne (moderator) ask David O. Russell a question about the making of his new feature, Joy following the DGA screening in Los Angeles.
Director Darren Aronofsky (moderator) asks David O. Russell a question about the making of Joy following th DGA membership screening in New York.
Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Édgar Ramírez in Director David O. Russell’s Joy. – photo by Merie Weismiller Wallace © Twentieth Century Fox
The star of the film, actress Jennifer Lawrence, hears Director David O. Russell tell behind-the-scenes stories from the set following the DGA membership screening of Joy in New York.
A member of the DGA Los Angeles Theater audience if asks Director David O. Russell a question about the making of Joy.
Jennifer Lawrence as Joy Mangano in Director David O. Russell’s Joy. – photo Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox
Directors David O. Russell and Alexander Payne (moderator) pose for a photo following the DGA screening of Joy in Los Angeles.
Directors David O. Russell and Darren Aronofsky (moderator) pose for a photo following the DGA membership screening of Joy in New York.
Director David O. Russell chats with a member of the audience following the DGA membership screening of Joy in New York.
David O. Russell chats with a member of the audience following the DGA membership screening of Joy in Los Angeles

Calendar

7/26/2025 - 8/1/2025

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David O. Russell: American Hustle
Director Q&As in Los Angeles and New York
David O. Russell: Silver Linings Playbook
Director Q&As in Los Angeles and New York

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