How did George Cukor work effectively with male actors as well as actresses?

George Cukor was widely recognized for his exceptional ability to elicit strong performances from his cast, a skill that earned him a reputation as a "woman's director." However, Cukor himself rejected this label, as he believed it unfairly minimized his success in directing men and carried implications regarding his sexuality.1

Cukor’s effectiveness with both male and female actors was demonstrated through numerous critically acclaimed performances that resulted in Academy Award recognition for his stars. For example, he directed James Stewart to an Oscar win in The Philadelphia Story (1940) and Ronald Colman to an Oscar win in A Double Life (1947). Simultaneously, he guided actresses like Ingrid Bergman to an Oscar win for Gaslight (1944) and earned nominations for others, such as Greta Garbo and Deborah Kerr.21

Ultimately, Cukor’s success stemmed from his meticulous attention to detail and his talent for fostering "screen magic" between performers, regardless of gender, as seen in his celebrated collaborations with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn.23