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Lee Daniels (born December 24, 1959) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He made his directorial film debut with Shadowboxer (2005), followed by Precious (2009) which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Picture.
Lee Daniels. Producer: Precious. Lee Daniels gave his parents an early Christmas present when he entered the world on December 24, 1959; unfortunately, the Philadelphia native was to have a difficult relationship with his police officer father who later reacted violently to his son's sexuality.
- January 1, 1
- 1.79 m
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Aug 30, 2024 · The Terrifying True Story Behind Lee Daniels' Latest Film Led His Mother to Warn Him Not to Make It. In an exclusive interview with The Root, the award-winning director said his mother warned him...
805K Followers, 1,306 Following, 1,048 Posts - Lee Daniels (@leedaniels) on Instagram: "Director, Writer, Producer and Dad. THE DELIVERANCE, out NOW on @Netflix 🎬".
- Overview
- Early life
- Monster’s Ball and Precious
- The Butler and Empire
Lee Daniels (born December 24, 1959, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.) American director and producer whose films and television shows often tackle difficult subjects and focus on African American experiences. Daniels first made a name for himself as the producer of Monster’s Ball (2001), and he later produced and directed such movies as Precious: ...
Daniels was born in Philadelphia to Clara (née Watson) Daniels and William Daniels, a police officer. While growing up, he was physically abused by his father for being gay. When he was 15 his father was fatally shot during a robbery. He later attended Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) in St. Charles, Missouri, before moving to Los Angeles, where he hoped to pursue a career in the film industry.
In the meantime, Daniels worked in the health care field, eventually becoming the owner of a nursing agency that primarily served AIDS patients. He later sold the business for a reported $3 million. Daniels then began working as an assistant to a casting director, and he later became a manager for such actors as Wes Bentley and Morgan Freeman. Unhappy with the quality of projects offered to his clients, he created Lee Daniels Entertainment, a production company, in 2001.
Daniels’s first attempt at producing was the film Monster’s Ball (2001), which many big names in Hollywood had turned down. He threw himself into the project, turning the story of a biracial romance and racial discord into an award-winning film. Halle Berry received an Oscar for her performance as a death-row inmate’s wife who, after his execution, begins a relationship with one of the prison guards (played by Billy Bob Thornton). Daniels then produced The Woodsman (2004), a drama about a pedophile (Kevin Bacon) following his release from prison. It was a critical success, though not a box-office hit.
In 2005 Daniels made his directorial debut with Shadowboxer, a story of organized crime and interracial relationships. The movie, which starred Helen Mirren and Cuba Gooding, Jr., was panned by critics. Four years later Daniels directed Precious. Adapted from the novel Push by Sapphire, it tells an unsparing yet tender story of a pregnant Harlem teenager (Gabourey Sidibe) who is a victim of parental abuse. The movie won numerous awards, and Mo’Nique, who played a mother addicted to crack, received the Academy Award for best supporting actress. In addition, Daniels earned an Oscar nomination for best director. He also served as one of the film’s producers—as he did for most of his projects—and the stress of making Precious is thought to have contributed to the heart attack he suffered after filming was completed.
Daniels returned to the director’s chair with The Paperboy (2012), an adaption of a novel by Peter Dexter, who wrote the script with Daniels. The pulp drama centres on the murder of a sheriff in 1960s Florida. The cast included Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, and Zac Efron.
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In 2013 Daniels helmed the critically acclaimed biopic Lee Daniels’ The Butler, which was inspired by the life of Eugene Allen, an African American man who had worked at the White House for more than 30 years. The movie introduces a fictionalized version of Allen and traces major events that occur during his tenure, especially those pertaining to civil rights. Forest Whitaker starred in the title role, and other members of the cast include Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Robin Williams, and Mariah Carey.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Lee Daniels is an Academy Award nominated filmmaker whose work is trademarked by authenticity and candor, providing audiences with a unique and refreshing experience and character insight with each of his projects.
Apr 2, 2014 · Film producer and director Lee Daniels was born on December 24, 1959, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is known for producing films that tackle such thorny issues as race, image, family...
