Works so closely with his brother Joel Coen, that the two of them are often jokingly referred to as "The Two-Headed Director".

As of 2008 joined (along with his brother Joel Coen) the prestigious group of individuals to have won Oscars for writing, directing and producing in the same year, for the film No Country for Old Men (2007). The others are Peter Jackson for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), 'James L Brooks' for Terms of Endearment (1983), Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather: Part II (1974), Billy Wilder for The Apartment (1960) and Leo McCarey for Going My Way (1944). James Cameron also won three Oscars for Titanic (1997) but they were for directing, producing and editing.

Frequently includes kidnapping-plots in his films.

Brother of Joel Coen.

Worked as a statistical clerk at Macy's before setting off to make Blood Simple. (1984).

He and brother Joel Coen have had final cut on all of their films since Blood Simple. (1984), their debut film.

Has used the character name of Marva Munson in both of his past two films. First, in Intolerable Cruelty (2003) (Judge Marva Munson) and secondly, in The Ladykillers (2004) (Marva Munson).

Only three times in Academy Award history have director-collaborators been nominated for Best Directing Oscars: Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins for West Side Story (1961), Warren Beatty and Buck Henry for Heaven Can Wait (1978) and Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for No Country for Old Men (2007). (Wise/Robbins and the Coens actually won the award).

The first Coen brothers film where Joel Coen and Ethan Coen are both given directing and producing credits was The Ladykillers (2004). They have shared these duties on all of their films, but Joel has always been listed as the director, and Ethan as producer.

Brother-in-law of Frances McDormand.

Alumnus of Simon's Rock College, Great Barrington, Massachusetts, with brother Joel. This is a fully-accredited college for students who typically enter the age of 16 - before graduating high school.

Directed (alongside Joel Coen 4 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Michael Lerner, Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Javier Bardem. McDormand and Bardem won Oscars for their performances in one of the Coen Brother's movies.

Has published a collection of short stories, "Gates of Eden". (Publisher: Dell Books, 1999). A lot of the stories are original, stylish crime/noir stories with a black-humor touch, similar to the movies he co-directs/writes with brother Joel.

Ranked #88 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List with brother Joel Coen. They had been ranked #92 in 2002.

Graduated from Princeton University.