Lee Daniels
Daniels in 2015
Born
Lee Louis Daniels

(1959-12-24) December 24, 1959
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation(s)Film and television producer, director, screenwriter
Years active1986–present
Children2
RelativesHoney Davenport (cousin)
Websiteleedanielsentertainment.com

Lee Daniels (born December 24, 1959) is an American film and television producer, director and screenwriter. His first producer credit was Monster's Ball (2001), for which Halle Berry won the Academy Award for Best Actress, making Daniels the first African-American film producer to solely produce an Oscar-winning film. He made his directorial debut with Shadowboxer in 2005 and has since then directed the films Precious (2009), The Paperboy (2012, which he co-wrote), The Butler (2013) and The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021). Of these, Precious was the most critically acclaimed, and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including two nominations for Daniels, for Best Director and Best Picture. Other films he has produced include The Woodsman (2004), Tennessee (2008), Pimp (2018) and Concrete Cowboy (2020).

Daniels has co-created and co-executive produced the TV series Empire (2015–2020) and Star (2016–2019), both set in the music industry.

Early life

Daniels was born on December 24, 1959,[1] in West Philly, the eldest son of Clara May (Watson) and William Louis Daniels.[2] Daniels has four siblings - Cheryl, Lydia (aka Girlie), Maynard and Leah. His younger sister, Leah Daniels-Butler, is a television and film casting director credited with casting many of his projects. When Daniels was a teenager, his mother arranged for a neighbor's family who was a butler for owner of Philadelphia Flyers hockey team to use that owner's address in Radnor so that Lee could attend the public Radnor High School.[3] In 1975, when Daniels was 15 years old, his father, who was a police officer, was killed in the line of duty.[2] He graduated from Radnor High School in 1978.

After graduating from Radnor, Daniels attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. But he soon realized the liberal arts school was not for him, and he moved to Hollywood, eventually working as a receptionist in a nursing agency. Before long, Daniels started his own nursing agency, specializing in HIV/AIDS treatment. Eventually, he sold his nursing agency and segued into casting.[4] He began his career in entertainment as a casting director and manager after a chance meeting with a Hollywood producer, working on such projects as Purple Rain and Under the Cherry Moon. He continued managing talent. The documentary My Big Break features Daniels early in his career when he was managing actor Wes Bentley, who starred as Ricky Fitts in American Beauty. In the documentary, Daniels comments on Bentley's reluctance to capitalize on his newfound celebrity status.

Career

Daniels at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

Monster's Ball, the debut production of Lee Daniels Entertainment, was a critical and box office success. Halle Berry won the Oscar for Best Actress; the film was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay.[5] Daniels said he did not attend the Oscars when the film won, citing his challenges with addiction and his struggle over whether he "deserved" to attend, according to an emotional interview on MSNBC in 2019.[6]

His 2004 production The Woodsman, starring Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, and Mos Def, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[7] It went on to garner three nominations at the 2005 Independent Spirit Awards, the CICAE Arthouse Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the Jury Prize at the Deauville International Film Festival, and a "Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking" award from the National Board of Review.[8] Former president Bill Clinton persuaded Daniels to produce public service announcements to encourage young people of color to vote. The campaign was launched in March 2004 and featured Grammy winners LL Cool J and Alicia Keys.[9]

His first directorial effort, 2006's Shadowboxer, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. It starred Helen Mirren, Cuba Gooding Jr., Stephen Dorff, Vanessa Ferlito, Mo'Nique, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Macy Gray.[10] It was nominated for Best New Director at the San Sebastian Film Festival.[11]

His 2008 production Tennessee was written by Russell Schaumberg and directed by Aaron Woodley (Rhinoceros Eyes); the film is about two brothers, played by Adam Rothenberg and Ethan Peck, who travel from New Mexico to Tennessee to search for their estranged father. Along the way they meet Krystal (Mariah Carey), an aspiring singer who flees her controlling husband (Lance Reddick) to join them on their journey.[12]

His 2009 film Precious told the story of an obese, illiterate, 16-year-old girl (Gabourey Sidibe) who lives in a Section 8 tenement in Harlem. She has been impregnated twice by her father, Carl, and suffers long-term physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from her unemployed mother, Mary (Mo'Nique). Carey appeared as a social worker. The film screened at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and went on to garner widespread acclaim.[13] Mo'Nique won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Daniels was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and the film received a Best Picture nomination. It was a financial success grossing $63 million worldwide against a budget of $10 million.[14]

Daniels directed The Paperboy (2012), based on the 1995 novel by Pete Dexter who penned the original script which was further developed by Daniels; it starred Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, John Cusack, and Nicole Kidman. The film competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.[15][16]

He directed the historical drama film The Butler (2013), starring Forest Whitaker, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Mariah Carey, Terrence Howard, Alan Rickman, and Oprah Winfrey. The Butler received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $100 million in the United States against a budget of $30 million.[17]

Empire, a television series created by Daniels, premiered on January 7, 2015. Daniels directed the first episode and co-wrote it with The Butler screenwriter Danny Strong. The series stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, and is about a family's music empire.[18] In May 2021, Daniels and his production company Lee Daniels Entertainment had extended its overall deal with 20th Television.[19][20]

In January 2022, Netflix won a bidding war for an exorcism styled horror thriller film directed by Daniels for upwards of 65 million dollars.[21] In April 2022, it was announced that Tasha Smith will star in the film.[22] In April 2022, it was announced that Daniels will develop and direct a limited series based on Sammy Davis Jr. for 20th Television and Hulu, with Elijah Kelley starring as Davis.[23]

Activism

In June 2016, the Human Rights Campaign released a video in tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting; in the video, Daniels and others told the stories of the people killed there.[24][25]

Awards and honors

In 2010, Grace Hightower De Niro, who appeared in Precious, presented Daniels with the Pratt Institute's Creative Spirit Award.[26]

In 2015, Daniels was listed as one of the nine runners-up for The Advocate's Person of the Year.[27]

On December 2, 2016, Daniels received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television industry.[28]

On February 8, 2018, amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) paid tribute to Daniels at the 20th annual amfAR Gala New York. Actress and musician Queen Latifah presented him the amfAR Award of Courage, describing his past work with HIV/AIDS patients. She also stated that as a gifted creative force, he creates "unfailingly human" characters, who are "often striving to rise above difficult circumstances". In his acceptance speech, he spoke about a generation lost to AIDS and said that the crisis had taken at least 40 of his personal friends. In the fight against AIDS, he said it is important to "step up when it matters".[29]

Controversy

On September 16, 2015, in a Rolling Stone interview,[30] Daniels was asked about actor Terrence Howard who said that his first wife "was talking to him real strong, that he lost his mind and slapped her in front of their kids" and that he got physical with his second wife too. Daniels excused the domestic violence and called Howard a "poor boy", saying that Howard "ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn".[31] A week later, Daniels was sued by Penn in a $10-million-dollar defamation lawsuit. The lawsuit stated that "Daniels falsely equated Penn with Howard and that Penn unlike Howard had never been arrested, much less convicted, for domestic violence, as his ex-wives including Madonna would have confirmed and attested."[32][33][34] Penn dropped the lawsuit in May 2016 after Daniels retracted his statement and apologized.[35]

Personal life

Daniels with his son and daughter at the 2007 world premiere of Spider-Man 3

Daniels lives in Manhattan. He is gay.[36] He and his then-partner, casting director Billy Hopkins, adopted Daniels's biological niece and nephew, Clara and Liam.[37][38]

Hopkins and Daniels later separated.[39]

In 2015, Daniels clarified his sexuality by stating that despite being gay men, both he and Empire actor Jussie Smollett are sexually fluid.[40]

Jussie and I both share the same feeling that, yes, even though we are gay, we’re sexual human beings...And we do occasionally want to sleep with a woman. [Laughs] Maybe once every 10 or 15 years, but it happens! And there are a lot of people who don’t want to hear about that. It’s such a complicated conversation. It's not necessarily the body one is attracted to. You can be sexually attracted to the spirit, the energy, the life force in another person. We're showing life on Empire, and I won't apologize for it.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Credited as
Director Writer Producer Actor
1986 A Little Off Mark Yes
2001 Monster's Ball Yes
2004 The Woodsman Yes
Agnes und seine Brüder Yes
2005 Shadowboxer Yes Yes
2008 Tennessee Yes
2009 Precious Yes Yes
2012 The Paperboy Yes Yes Yes
2013 Lee Daniels' The Butler Yes Yes
2018 Pimp Yes
2020 Concrete Cowboy Yes
2021 The United States vs. Billie Holiday Yes Yes
TBA The Deliverance Yes Yes Yes

Television

Year Title Notes
2015–2020 Empire Co-creator, executive producer, director, writer
2016–2019 Star Co-creator, executive producer, director, writer
2021—present The Ms. Pat Show Executive producer
2021—2023 The Wonder Years Executive producer
TBA The Spook Who Sat by the Door Executive producer
Untitled Sammy Davis Jr. limited series Creator, director

As himself

Year Title
2009 My Big Break
2010 The Black List: Volume 3
2022 Finding Your Roots[41]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Lee Daniels biography". TV Guide. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Stated on Finding Your Roots, January 4, 2022
  3. ↑ "Lee Daniels' other butler". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
  4. ↑ Fresh Air from WHYY. "A Director's 'Precious' Project". NPR.org. NPR. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Exclusive: Precious Director Lee Daniels". comingsoon.ne. October 30, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Lee Daniels gets emotional over historic Oscar". www.msn.com. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Woodsman". boxoffice.com. December 24, 2004. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  8. ↑ "The Woodsman (2004)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2013. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Lee Daniels on 'The Butler', Working with Oprah, Trayvon Martin, and Race in America". Daily Beast. August 12, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  10. ↑ "In 'Shadowboxer,' Murder Runs in the Family (and It's a Turn-On in a Lover)". The New York Times. July 21, 2006. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  11. ↑ "ShadowBoxer". sansebastianfestival.com. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Lee Daniels Explains Why 'Mariah Got The Role Meant for Janet Jackson'". June 14, 2009. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  13. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (December 3, 2008). "Sundance unveils competition lineup". Variety. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire". Box office mojo. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  15. ↑ "2012 Official Selection". Cannes. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Cannes Film Festival 2012 line-up announced". timeout.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Lee Daniels' The Butler". Metacritic. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  18. ↑ Empire (2015), retrieved October 5, 2020
  19. ↑ White, Peter (May 24, 2021). "Lee Daniels Extends Overall Deal With 20th Television". Deadline Hollywood.
  20. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (May 24, 2021). "Lee Daniels Renews Overall Deal With Disney's 20th Television". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  21. ↑ Fleming, Mike (January 24, 2022). "Lee Daniels-Directed Exorcism Thriller With Andra Day, Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close, Rob Morgan, Caleb McLaughlin, Aunjanue Ellis Scares Up $65M+ Netflix Deal After Head-Spinning 7-Bidder Battle". Deadline.
  22. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 15, 2022). "Tasha Smith Reteams With Lee Daniels On His Untitled Horror Netflix Pic". Deadline. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  23. ↑ Rice, Lynette (April 14, 2022). "Hulu Orders Sammy Davis Jr. Limited Series From Lee Daniels, Elijah Kelley To Star". Deadline. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  24. ↑ "49 Celebrities Honor 49 Victims of Orlando Tragedy". Hrc.org. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  25. ↑ Rothaus, Steve (June 12, 2016). "Pulse Orlando shooting scene a popular LGBT club where employees, patrons 'like family'". The Miami Herald. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  26. ↑ 20th Anniversary of Black Alumni of Pratt: A Celebration of the Creative Spirit, Events, Black Tie International, May 26, 2010.
  27. ↑ "Person of the Year: The Finalists". Advocate.com. November 5, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  28. ↑ "'Empire' producer Lee Daniels receives Hollywood Walk of Fame star". Los Angeles Daily News. December 2, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  29. ↑ "In The Spotlight :: LEE DANIELS AND STEFANO TONCHI HONORED AT ANNUAL FASHION WEEK amfAR GALA NEW YORK :: The Foundation for AIDS Research :: HIV / AIDS Research". www.amfar.org. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  30. ↑ Hedegaard, Erik (September 14, 2015). "Page 5 of Terrence Howard's Dangerous Mind". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  31. ↑ "'Empire's' "Batshit Crazy" Behind-the-Scenes Drama: On the Set of TV's Hottest Show". Hollywood Reporter. September 16, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Sean Penn files $10 million suit against Lee Daniels". CNN.com. September 23, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  33. ↑ Eriq Gardner (September 22, 2015). "Sean Penn Files $10 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against 'Empire' Co-Creator Lee Daniels". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Sean Penn". Documentcloud.org. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  35. ↑ Gardner, Eriq (May 4, 2016). "Sean Penn Wins Apology from Lee Daniels in Defamation Settlement". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  36. ↑ "Lee Daniels came out as gay man 'because I loathed my dad so much'". NY Daily News. November 14, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  37. ↑ Boykin, Keith (March 29, 2006). "Shadowboxing with Lee Daniels". keithboykin.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
  38. ↑ Lynn Hirschberg (October 21, 2009). "The Audacity of 'Precious'". The New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
  39. ↑ "The Love Issue - Love and Protection - Lee Daniels, Filmmaker and Jahil Fisher, Stylist". Out.com. January 12, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  40. ↑ "Empire Sex Scandal: Lee Daniels and Jussie Smollett Defend That Shocking Hook-Up". TV Insider. December 2, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Hidden in the Genes". Finding Your Roots. WETA-TV. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps Rebecca Hall and Lee Daniels solve family mysteries through DNA detective work, illuminating both history and their own identities.
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