Valerie Faris

The husband and wife directing team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris worked so well together for so long that the two might as well have melded into one directing entity. Their first feature effort, "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006), a quirky, but emotionally resonant black comedy about a dysfunctional family who go on a road trip to bring their youngest member (Abigail Breslin) to a competitive kiddie beauty pageant, gained the former award-winning commercial and music video directors widespread notoriety, and several award nominations. Prior to their feature debut, Dayton and Faris were the go-to team to direct music videos for bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins and R.E.M. On the commercial side, Dayton and Faris were used by such corporate behemoths as Mercedes, Miller Lite and Apple, Inc. But it was the surprise summer success of the low-budget "Little Miss Sunshine" that vaulted them into the Hollywood spotlight, turning the couple into a highly sought after directing team.