John Cameron Mitchell

John Cameron Mitchell began his career as a theater-trained actor before going behind the camera and helming some of the most talked about films in cinematic history. Mitchell wrote, directed and starred in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" (2001), a love letter to the drag-punk club scene. The film's central character, an Eastern European transgender rocker pining for a young man who broke her heart, gained a cult following for its larger-than-life characters, stunning imagery, and remarkable soundtrack. Mitchell eschewed his theatrical, glam-punk roots with 2010's "Rabbit Hole," a gripping look at a suburban family torn to emotional shreds after a tragic car accident. No matter what his subject matter was, Mitchell approached his work with a keen eye for authenticity and no inhibitions, both of which served the filmmaker well throughout his illustrious career.