Spike Lee

Born:March 20, 1957

Place of Birth:Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Known For:Directing

Biography

Shelton "Spike" Lee, born on March 20, 1957, in Atlanta, Georgia, is a renowned American filmmaker and actor. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, by his jazz musician father and school teacher mother, Lee's upbringing in a culturally rich environment greatly influenced his artistic vision and storytelling.

Lee's journey in the world of filmmaking began with his education at Morehouse College in Atlanta and later at Clark Atlanta University, where he honed his skills before attending the Tisch School of Arts graduate film program. His early works, including the controversial short film "The Answer" and the award-winning "Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads," showcased his unique perspective and bold storytelling.

In 1986, Spike Lee made a significant impact with his breakout film "She's Gotta Have It," a comedy that explored complex themes of sexual relationships. The success of this film catapulted Lee into the spotlight, establishing him as an intelligent and talented filmmaker with a distinct voice in the industry.

One of Lee's most iconic films, "Do the Right Thing" (1989), delved into racial tensions in Brooklyn, sparking important conversations about race relations and earning critical acclaim. His collaboration with actor Denzel Washington in films like "Mo' Better Blues" (1990) and the biopic "Malcolm X" (1992) further solidified his reputation as a director who could bring out powerful performances from his cast.

Throughout his career, Lee continued to push boundaries with films like "Jungle Fever" (1991) and "Bamboozled" (2000), addressing controversial topics such as interracial dating and racial stereotypes in media. His commitment to addressing social issues and challenging stereotypes has made him a trailblazer in the film industry.

Apart from his work in film, Spike Lee is known for his passion for basketball, particularly as a devoted New York Knicks fan. His personal life, including his marriage to Tonya Lewis Lee and their two children, adds depth to his public persona, showcasing a multifaceted individual who is as dedicated to his craft as he is to his family.

With a diverse filmography that includes a range of genres and themes, Spike Lee's impact on cinema extends far beyond the screen. His ability to confront societal issues head-on while maintaining a distinctive artistic style has solidified his place as a visionary filmmaker whose work will continue to resonate for years to come.

Images

Filmography

Acting

Malcolm X

Shorty

1992

A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride.

Do the Right Thing

Mookie

1989

Salvatore "Sal" Fragione is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out, becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

Self

2025

Untold stories behind the culture-defining and newsmaking musical performances, sketches and cameos of the past 50 years.

Clockers

Chucky

1995

Strike is a young city drug pusher under the tutelage of drug lord Rodney Little. When a night manager at a fast-food restaurant is found with four bullets in his body, Strike’s older brother turns himself in as the killer. Detective Rocco Klein doesn’t buy the story, however, setting out to find the truth, and it seems that all the fingers point toward Strike & Rodney.

Jungle Fever

Cyrus

1991

A successful and married black man contemplates having an affair with a white girl from work. He's quite rightly worried that the racial difference would make an already taboo relationship even worse.

Summer of Sam

John Jeffries

1999

During the summer of 1977, a killer known as the Son of Sam keeps all of New York City on edge with a series of brutal murders.

Mo' Better Blues

Giant

1990

Talented but self-centered trumpeter Bleek Gilliam is obsessed with his music and indecisiveness about his girlfriends Indigo and Clarke. But when he is forced to come to the aid of his manager and childhood friend, Bleek finds his world more fragile than he ever imagined.

Hoop Dreams

Self

1994

Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball program. Gates and Agee dream of NBA stardom, and with the support of their close-knit families, they battle the social and physical obstacles that stand in their way. This acclaimed documentary was shot over the course of five years.

Production

Inside Man

Director

2006

When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.

Malcolm X

Producer

1992

Oldboy

Director

2013

A man has only three and a half days and limited resources to discover why he was imprisoned in a nondescript room for 20 years without any explanation.

BlacKkKlansman

Producer

2018

Colorado Springs, late 1970s. Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer, and Flip Zimmerman, his Jewish colleague, run an undercover operation to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan.

25th Hour

Director

2002

In New York City in the days following the events of 9/11, Monty Brogan is a convicted drug dealer about to start a seven-year prison sentence, and his final hours of freedom are devoted to hanging out with his closest buddies and trying to prepare his girlfriend for his extended absence.

Da 5 Bloods

Director

2020

Four African-American Vietnam veterans return to Vietnam. They are in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader and the promise of buried treasure. These heroes battle forces of humanity and nature while confronted by the lasting ravages of the immorality of the Vietnam War.

Do the Right Thing

Director

1989

He Got Game

Director

1998

A basketball player's father must try to convince him to go to a college so he can get a shorter prison sentence.

Love & Basketball

Producer

2000

Monica Wright and Quincy McCall grew up in the same neighborhood and have known each other since childhood. As they grow into adulthood, they fall in love, but they also share another all-consuming passion: basketball. As Quincy and Monica struggle to make their relationship work, they follow separate career paths though high school and college basketball and, they hope, into stardom in big-league professional ball.

Chi-Raq

Producer

2015

A modern day adaptation of the ancient Greek play Lysistrata by Aristophanes, set against the backdrop of gang violence in Chicago.

Clockers

Producer

1995

Jungle Fever

Writer

1991

Summer of Sam

Producer

1999

During the summer of 1977, a killer known as the Son of Sam keeps all of New York City on edge with a series of brutal murders.

Tales from the Hood

Executive Producer

1995

A strange mortician tells four horrific tales to three drug dealers that he traps in their local funeral parlor.

Mo' Better Blues

Producer

1990

Miracle at St. Anna

Producer

2008

Miracle at St. Anna chronicles the story of four American soldiers who are members of the all-black 92nd "Buffalo Soldier" Division stationed in Tuscany, Italy during World War II.