Editing David Schwimmer (section)

===2004–2010: Directing===
[[File:David Schwimmer.jpg|left|thumb|Schwimmer at the premiere of his directorial debut, ''[[Run Fatboy Run]]'' in 2007]]
In 2004, Schwimmer was director and executive producer on ''Nevermind Nirvana'', a sitcom about an [[Indian Americans|Indian American]] family that was not picked up by NBC.<ref>{{cite news |title=Schwimmer trying to find new friends on TV pilots|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/schwimmer-trying-to-find-new-friends-on-tv-pilots-deck/article995184/ |access-date=October 29, 2023 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=March 6, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Adalian |first1=Josef |title=Inside Move: Team attains 'Nirvana' |url=https://variety.com/2004/scene/markets-festivals/inside-move-team-attains-nirvana-1117912281/ |access-date=October 29, 2023 |work=Variety |date=October 20, 2023}}</ref> After ''Friends'', Schwimmer starred in the 2005 independent drama ''[[Duane Hopwood]]'', as the title character, who is an alcoholic whose life is spiraling downward rapidly after a divorce and is looking to turn his life around. The film received ambivalent reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/duane-hopwood|title=Duane Hopwood (2005): Reviews|date=November 11, 2005|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> Despite the reception, Schwimmer's performance was favored by critics; [[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' reported that the role was Schwimmer's "career-transforming performance".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20051117%2FREVIEWS%2F51114001%2F1023|title=Duane Hopwood|date=November 18, 2005|work=Chicago Sun-Times|access-date=January 20, 2009|archive-date=January 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105192643/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20051117%2FREVIEWS%2F51114001%2F1023|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Duane Hopwood'' was screened at a special presentation at the 2005 [[Sundance Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-01-24-sundance_x.htm|title=Sundance festival fills small town to the rafters|last=Puig|first=Claudia|date=January 24, 2005|work=USA Today|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> Furthermore, in the same year he voiced [[List of Madagascar (franchise) characters#Melman|Melman]], a [[hypochondriac]] [[giraffe]], in the animated film ''[[Madagascar (2005 film)|Madagascar]]'' (2005).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/27/review.madagascar/index.html|title=Review: Enjoyable trip to 'Madagascar'|last=Clinton|first=Paul|date=May 27, 2005|publisher=[[CNN|CNN: Showbiz/Movies]]|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' noted that Schwimmer is particularly appealing as Melman.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/26/AR2005052601775.html?sub=AR|title=A Roar of Approval|last=Hornaday|first=Ann|date=May 26, 2005|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=June 11, 2009}}</ref> Despite the mixed response from critics,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/madagascar|title=Madagascar (2005): Reviews|date=May 27, 2005|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> the film was a commercial success, earning US$532&nbsp;million worldwide,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=madagascar.htm|title=Madagascar (2005)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=August 11, 2012}}</ref> making it one of the biggest hits of 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2005&p=.htm|title=2005 Yearly Box Office Results|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=January 21, 2009}}</ref>

Schwimmer starred on the London stage in May 2005, with [[Catherine Tate]], [[Lesley Manville]], [[Sara Powell]], and [[Saffron Burrows]], in [[Neil LaBute]]'s ''[[Some Girl(s)]]'' at the [[Gielgud Theatre]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4297091.stm|title=Friends star set for London stage|date=February 25, 2005|work=BBC News |access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> In the production, he plays a teacher who is ready to settle down and marry, but decides to visit four ex-girlfriends first.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article526315.ece|title=Some Girl(s)|last=Nightingale|first=Benedict|date=May 25, 2005|work=The Times |location=UK |access-date=June 19, 2009 |archive-date= June 15, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110615094301/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article526315.ece}}</ref> For his performance, Schwimmer received critical reviews. ''[[The Independent]]'' wrote that Schwimmer "is not called upon to extend his range nearly as far as one might have expected in ''Some Girl(s).'' [...] Schwimmer remains bland, competent, and boyish—though not fatally boyish in the manner that appears to have turned these women on."<ref name="some reviews">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4578615.stm|title=Press views: Some Girl(s)|date=May 25, 2005|work=BBC News |access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> However, [[Charles Spencer (journalist)|Charles Spencer]] of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' praised Schwimmer, reporting he "proves inspired casting. He takes to the stage with&nbsp;... his endearing gaucheness seems designed to ensure our continued sympathy. Schwimmer mercilessly lays bare his character's opportunism, casual cruelties, and chronic self-deception."<ref name="some reviews"/>

In 2006, he made his [[Broadway theater|Broadway]] debut in [[Herman Wouk]]'s two-act play ''[[The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (play)|The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1183560,00.html|title=David Schwimmer to Debut on Broadway|last=Chiu|first=Alexis|date=April 16, 2006|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|access-date=January 21, 2009|archive-date=February 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205123736/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1183560,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Schwimmer played the role of Lieutenant Barney Greenwald in the production, which was directed by [[Jerry Zaks]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/theater/news/2005-12-08-schwimmer-broadway_x.htm|title=David Schwimmer to make his Broadway debut|date=December 8, 2005|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=USA Today|access-date=January 21, 2009}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine, he revealed that he had wanted to try Broadway, however said "a couple of things came up that just never quite felt right. Either because I liked the play but wasn't hot on the director, or there was another star attached that I wasn't jazzed about working with."<ref name="why">{{cite news|url=https://nymag.com/arts/theater/features/16847/|title=Seriously, Folks|last=Dobkin|first=Matt|date=May 1, 2006|work=New York|access-date=January 21, 2009|archive-date= September 18, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130918074725/http://nymag.com/arts/theater/features/16847/}}</ref> He further added that when showed a copy of Wouk's novel "...I was shocked at how good the writing was."<ref name="why"/> His next film role was in the 2006 black comedy ''[[Big Nothing]]'', in which he played a bitter, unemployed scientist.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/dec/01/comedy1|title=Big Nothing|last=Bradshaw|first=Peter|date=December 1, 2006|work=The Guardian |location=UK |access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref>

Schwimmer made his directorial feature debut in the 2007 British comedy film ''[[Run Fatboy Run]]''. The film stars [[Simon Pegg]] as an out of shape man who signs up for a marathon to convince his former fiancée and five-year-old son that he has turned his life around.<ref name="directs"/> When asked why he decided to direct the film, Schwimmer said: "As a director, I was struck by the challenge that I thought the script presented, which was that it was kind of three films in one. You had some great, big physical comedy, and I thought funny dialogue and characters. And then there was some real emotion to it with the relationship between the father and the son and the romance aspect."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-schwimmer_0328gl.State.Edition1.25342d2.html|title=Challenging script drew David Schwimmer to direct 'Run Fatboy Run'|last=Becker|first=Stephen|date=March 28, 2008|work=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|access-date=January 21, 2009 | archive-date= April 3, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080403043355/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-schwimmer_0328gl.State.Edition1.25342d2.html}}</ref> ''Run Fatboy Run'' garnered mixed reception, with the ''[[Daily News (New York)|New York Daily News]]'' rating it one-and-a-half out of five stars and writing, "Most disappointing is how Schwimmer—who spent 10 seasons on a sitcom filled with hyperverbal characters—manages to bumble 'Fatboy's' tender moments."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2008/03/28/2008-03-28_run_fatboy_run_logs_few_smiles.html|title='Run, Fatboy, Run' logs few smiles|last=Neumaier|first=Joe|date=March 28, 2008|work=[[Daily News (New York)]]|access-date=June 11, 2009|archive-date=January 12, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112024609/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2008/03/28/2008-03-28_run_fatboy_run_logs_few_smiles.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[USA Today]]'', however, was favorable towards Schwimmer, reporting he possesses filmmaking finesse "having wisely chosen strong comic material for his debut behind the camera".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2008-03-27-run-fat-boy_N.htm|title=Romantically funny 'Fat Boy' is a winner|last=Puig|first=Claudia|date=March 27, 2008|work=USA Today|access-date=January 21, 2009}}</ref> For his directorial work, he was nominated for a [[British Independent Film Award]] in the category of Best Debut Director.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117974503.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1|title='Control' leads BIFA race|last=Thomas|first=Archie|date=October 28, 2007|work=Variety |access-date=February 23, 2009}}</ref>

On November 8, 2007, Schwimmer made a guest appearance in the [[30 Rock (season 2)|second season]] of the television series ''[[30 Rock]]'', where he played [[Greenzo]], an NBC environmental mascot.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/criticscorner/2007-11-07-critics-corner_N.htm|title=Critic's Corner Thursday|last=Bianco|first=Robert|date=November 7, 2007|work=USA Today|access-date=June 12, 2009}}</ref> The following year, he was part of an [[ensemble cast]] that included [[Kate Beckinsale]], [[Matt Dillon]], [[Alan Alda]], [[Angela Bassett]], and [[Noah Wyle]] in the thriller ''[[Nothing but the Truth (2008 American film)|Nothing But the Truth]]'' (2008).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/01/nothing-but-the-truth.html|title=Nothing But the Truth|last=Medina|first=Jeremy|date=January 8, 2009|work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|access-date=January 29, 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090119063632/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/01/nothing-but-the-truth.html | archive-date=January 19, 2009| url-status=live}}</ref> The movie received generally favorable reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/nothing-but-the-truth|title=Nothing But the Truth (2008): Reviews|date=December 17, 2008|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=June 10, 2009}}</ref> The success of ''Madagascar'' led Schwimmer to return to the role of Melman in the 2008 sequel, ''[[Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa]]''. The film earned US$603&nbsp;million at the international box office.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=madagascar2.htm|title=Madagascar:Escape 2 Africa|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=August 11, 2012}}</ref> Schwimmer took part in directing in-studio segments for ''[[Little Britain USA]]'', an American spin-off of the British [[BBC]] television series ''[[Little Britain (sketch show)|Little Britain]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/lost-in-translation-british-tv-goes-abroad-13924014.html|title=Lost in translation: British TV goes abroad|date=July 29, 2008|work=[[The Belfast Telegraph]]| access-date=January 21, 2009}}</ref> In regard to this, he commented that he had "a good time directing episodes" for the show.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/latest/2008/10/27/schwimmer-wants-more-little-britain-115875-20844836/|title=Schwimmer wants more Little Britain|date=October 27, 2008|work=Daily Mirror |location=UK|access-date=May 26, 2009}}</ref>

In October 2008, Schwimmer made his Off-Broadway directorial debut in ''Fault Lines'' at the [[Cherry Lane Theatre]] in New York.<ref name="fault">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/news/am-fault1002,2,3228021.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803130405/http://www.latimes.com/news/am-fault1002,2,3228021.story|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 3, 2012|title='Fault Lines': David Schwimmer's Off-Broadway debut nothing new|last=Windman|first=Matt|date=October 2, 2008|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 26, 2009}}</ref> The production won a mixed review from the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', which wrote: "Based on ''Fault Lines''&nbsp;... we can't really tell whether Schwimmer has much talent as a director. We're surprised he didn't try something more challenging for his debut. If not much else, Schwimmer has encouraged his actors to intense their energy levels and comic timing at all costs".<ref name="fault"/> The ''[[New York Post]]'', however, noted that Schwimmer "knows a thing or two about freewheeling banter&nbsp;... and for a good while the play crackles with terrific dialogue, expertly delivered".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/item_wVAR0XywtA11ZvX7S6E55L;jsessionid=4A71583620086427D6B0CBDFF17888A9 |title=Booze-Fueled Night Lasts a Round too Long |last=Scheck |first=Frank |date=October 1, 2008 |work=New York Post |access-date=June 11, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019013453/http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/item_wVAR0XywtA11ZvX7S6E55L%3Bjsessionid%3D4A71583620086427D6B0CBDFF17888A9 |archive-date=October 19, 2012 }}</ref> In February 2009, he returned to theater in a Chicago production of [[Thornton Wilder]]'s three-act play ''[[Our Town]]'' as George Gibbs at the [[Lookingglass Theatre Company|Lookingglass Theatre]].<ref name="town">{{cite news|url=http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2009/02/our-town.html|title=Schwimmer the emotional core of 'Our Town' in search of a small town|last=Jones|first=Chris|date=February 23, 2009|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=June 10, 2009}}</ref><ref name="so">{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117939754.html?categoryid=33&cs=1|title=Theater Review: Our Town|last=Oxman|first=Steven|date=February 23, 2009|work=Variety |access-date=June 10, 2009}}</ref> "Schwimmer&nbsp;... turns in a poignant, richly textured and demonstrably heartfelt performance as George Gibbs. I've seen a fair bit of Schwimmer's post-''Friends'' stage work in London and New York, and I've never seen him better", commented the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.<ref name="town" />

On August 2, 2009, Schwimmer played himself in the [[List of Entourage episodes#Season 6 (2009)|sixth season]] of the [[HBO]] television series, ''[[Entourage (U.S. TV series)|Entourage]]''. In the episode, [[Ari Gold (Entourage)|Ari Gold]]'s ([[Jeremy Piven]]) agency tries to steer his career back to television.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://watching-tv.ew.com/2009/08/03/entourage-review-aug-2/|title='Entourage': Send in the Schwimmer!|last=Tucker|first=Ken|date=August 2, 2009|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=August 3, 2009}}</ref> Schwimmer directed his second feature, ''[[Trust (2010 film)|Trust]]'', starring [[Clive Owen]] and [[Catherine Keener]]. The film, a drama, is about a family whose teenage daughter becomes victim of an online sexual predator.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE59E12120091015| title=Owen, Keener to star in Schwimmer's "Trust"| last=Kit| first=Borys|date=October 15, 2009|work=The Hollywood Reporter|agency=Reuters |access-date=October 27, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iPPyJ7GuNJUMmNNzeXNpQoC-WpQAD9CAQ3Q00 |first=Mike |last=Householder |title=Schwimmer back in the director's chair for 'Trust' |access-date=December 2, 2009 |date=December 1, 2009 |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524192255/https://www.webcitation.org/5lj5fD0BE?url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iPPyJ7GuNJUMmNNzeXNpQoC-WpQAD9CAQ3Q00 |archive-date=May 24, 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Trust'' premiered at the [[2010 Toronto International Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Jane|last=Stevenson|url=http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/tiff/2010/2010/09/11/15320176.html|title='Trust' spotlights online horror|access-date=September 14, 2010|date=September 11, 2010|newspaper=Toronto Sun}}</ref>