Ned Benson

As a writer-director, Ned Benson brings an expansive cinematic vision to stories rooted in the most intimate corners of human experience.

From the Marvel blockbuster Black Widow, in which Scarlett Johansson’s superhero confronts the fractures within her estranged adoptive family, to The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, the acclaimed trilogy comprised of Him, Her and Them, starring Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy as a couple struggling to hold their relationship together, Ned creates films that are emotionally precise, visually ambitious, and deeply human.

His recent work includes The Greatest Hits, which premiered at SXSW. Exploring unconditional love and the powerful connection between music and memory, the film imagines how a song can–quite literally– transport us through space and time. His upcoming Netflix film, Monsanto, starring Jonathan Bailey & Laura Dern, is based on the true story of attorney Brent Wisner, who took on a major U.S. chemical company in a landmark legal battle. Ned also wrote Featherwood, which is based on the true story of Carol Blevins, an FBI informant who helped dismantle the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. The film marks his second collaboration with Scarlett Johansson.

Ned brings that same emotional intelligence and visual invention to his commercial work, creating campaigns that feel cinematic without losing sight of the people and emotions at their center. His work for Cadillac celebrates the brand’s heritage, identity, and integrity while capturing the singular feeling of being behind the wheel. He has also directed campaigns for GM Envolve, American Eagle, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Kia, GMC, and Infiniti—including a film featuring NBA star Stephen Curry—and contributed to the Creative Spirit program.