Spike Lee

About

Shelton Jackson “Spike” Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American filmmaker and actor. Cited by various publications as one of the most important filmmakers of the late 20th century, his work explores issues including race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary life, urban crime and poverty. Lee has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and three Peabody Awards, as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and a Grammy Award.
Lee studied filmmaking at Morehouse College and New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he directed the student film Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983), which won a Student Academy Award. Under his production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, he has produced more than 35 films, including his own. Lee made his directorial debut with the comedy She’s Gotta Have It (1986) and made his breakthrough for the drama Do the Right Thing (1989), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Afterward, he directed the historical epic Malcolm X (1992), which was nominated for the Berlin International…