Darren Aronofsky (born in 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer, known for his distinctive and often disturbing style. His films explore themes such as obsession, addiction, sacrifice, and redemption with psychological intensity.

He gained attention with works like the neo-noir thriller *Pi* (1998) and the raw addiction drama *Requiem for a Dream* (2000), which solidified his reputation for visceral storytelling. Among his most celebrated works are the sports drama *The Wrestler* (2008), acclaimed for Mickey Rourke's performance, and the psychological thriller *Black Swan* (2010), which earned Natalie Portman an Academy Award.

He continued to explore ambitious narratives with *Noah* (2014) and the allegorical *mother!* (2017), leading to the success of *The Whale* (2022), which relaunched Brendan Fraser. Aronofsky is recognized for his ability to push characters to extreme limits and to elicit powerful acting performances.