Spike Lee
Directing
Born: March 20, 1957 (age 69) · Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Highest Rated
Biography
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American filmmaker and actor. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary life, urban crime and poverty, and other political issues. Lee received numerous accolades for his work, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Peabody Awards as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and a Grammy Award. Lee studied filmmaking at both Morehouse College and the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where he directed his student film Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983), which won a Student Academy Award. He later founded the production company 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, where he has produced more than 35 films. He made his directorial debut with the comedy She's Gotta Have It (1986). He received widespread critical acclaim for the drama Do the Right Thing (1989), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He directed the historical epic Malcolm X (1992), earning the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. With the biographical crime dramedy BlacKkKlansman (2018), he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix Award. He has also written and directed films such as School Daze (1988), Mo' Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), Crooklyn (1994), Clockers (1995), Bamboozled (2000), 25th Hour (2002), Inside Man (2006), Chi-Raq (2015), Da 5 Bloods (2020), and Highest 2 Lowest (2025). Lee has also acted in eleven of his feature films. He is also known for directing numerous documentary projects, including 4 Little Girls (1997), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film. He directed the HBO series When the Levees Broke (2006), which won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program and Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. He also directed the HBO documentary If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise (2010) and the David Byrne concert film American Utopia (2020). Lee has received several honours, including the Honorary BAFTA Award in 2002, an Honorary César in 2003, the Academy Honorary Award in 2015, and the National Medal of Arts in 2023. Five of his films have been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". He has received a Gala Tribute from the Film Society of Lincoln Center as well as the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. His films have featured breakthrough performances from actors such as Denzel Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Samuel L. Jackson, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosie Perez, Delroy Lindo, John Turturro, and John David Washington. Description above from the Wikipedia article Spike Lee, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
BlacKkKlansman
2018
Inside Man
2006
25th Hour
2002
Oldboy
2013
Do the Right Thing
1989
Malcolm X
1992
Da 5 Bloods
2020
He Got Game
1998
See You Yesterday
2019
Summer of Sam
1999
Highest 2 Lowest
2025
Love & Basketball
2000
Photos (8)
Movies (25)
She's Gotta Have It
Mars Blackmon
Clockers
Chucky
Mo' Better Blues
Giant
Do the Right Thing
Mookie
Girl 6
Jimmy
Malcolm X
Shorty
Summer of Sam
John Jeffries
Jungle Fever
Cyrus
Crooklyn
Snuffy
Seven Songs for Malcolm X
1993
School Daze
Darrell 'Half-Pint' Dunlap
4 Little Girls
Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)
Red Hook Summer
Mr. Mookie
3 A.M.
Filmmaker
Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella
1990
On the Shoulders of Giants
2011
Lonely in America
Spike Lee (Newsstand Customer) (uncredited)
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
2005
Lisa Picard Is Famous
Spike Lee
13 Steps - Die unglaubliche Karriere von Edwin Moses
2024
Ray Allen/AKA- Jesus Shuttlesworth
2015
Through the Fire
2005
Public Enemy: Fight the Power... Live!
1989
Be Truly Free
Narrator (voice)
Below the Rim
1995
TV Shows (6)
Self / Appearances (94)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · 3 eps
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest · 1 eps
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest · 2 eps
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest · 2 eps
The Daily Show
Self - Guest · 7 eps
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest · 4 eps
The View
Self · 3 eps
Saturday Night Live
Self (uncredited) · 1 eps
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest · 1 eps
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self · 2 eps
The Tamron Hall Show
Self - Guest · 1 eps
Great Performances
Self · 1 eps
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest · 4 eps
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · 1 eps
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self · 1 eps
Sidney
Self
The Oscars
Self · 1 eps
The Oscars
Self - Audience Member · 1 eps
They Call Me Magic
Self · 4 eps
Desus & Mero
Self - Illustrious Guest · 1 eps
Dear...
Self · 1 eps
Basketball: A Love Story
Self (archive footage) · 1 eps
Mr. Scorsese
Self · 4 eps
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self · 1 eps
Hollywood Black
Self (archive footage) · 4 eps
The Men in Blazers Show
Self · 2 eps
The Chris Rock Show
Self · 1 eps
Yo! MTV Raps
Self · 1 eps
The Early Show
Self · 1 eps
Pretend It's a City
Self · 7 eps
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self · 1 eps
Directors on Directors
Self · 3 eps
This Is Pop
Self (archive footage) · 1 eps
AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy
Self
Sophie Marceau, à voix haute
Self (archive footage)
When We Were Kings
Self
A Man's Story
Self
Denzel Washington: A Model American
Self
A Daughter's Tribute to Her Father: Souleymane Cissé
Self
Four Days in October
Self (archive footage)
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self (archive footage)
Lumière & Company
Self (segment "Sarah Moon")
Street Fight
Self
Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists
Self
Hoop Dreams
Self - Film Director
Birth of a Movement
Self
Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1
Self
First Works
Self
Plankton Salesmen
Self (archive footage)
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall
Self
Inside the Actors Studio
Self · 1 eps
A Century of Cinema
Self
Gold Blooded
Self
Life O' The Party: On the Road with Prince and the New Power Generation
Self
Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks
Self
Samuel L. Jackson: Did I Stutter?
self
Michael Jordan to the Max
Self
The Last Party
Self
The Making and Meaning of 'We Are Family'
Self
Do the Right Thing: 20 Years Later
Self
Guest
Self
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
Self
Drop Squad
Himself
Lights, Action, Music
Self
Kobe Doin' Work
Self
Sous les marches du palais
Self
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
Self
Champs
Self
Spike & Co. Do It a-Cappella
Self
No Fighting in the War Room Or: 'Dr Strangelove' and the Nuclear Threat
Self
Decade
Self
Five Directors On The Battle of Algiers
Self
The Making of 'Bamboozled'
Self
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: The Greatest Catch Ever
self
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
Self
It's Black Entertainment
Self
MTV's 10th Anniversary Special
Self
Bad 25
Self
French Cinema Mon Amour
Self
We the People: From Crispus Attucks to President Barack Obama
Self
Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
Self
The Moviemakers: Spike Lee
Self
PoliWood
Self
Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist
Self
Farewell, Babylon!
Self
40 x 15: The Forty Years of the Directors' Fortnight
Self
Brooklyn Boheme
Self
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
Self
The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money
Self
Pixote In Memoriam
Self
By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'
Self
Do The Right Thing 25 Year Anniversary A Beats Music Experience
self
The Universal Story
Self (archive footage)
Branford Marsalis: Steep
Self
Upcoming (3)
Directing (73)
Highest 2 Lowest
Director
Shark
Director
25th Hour
Director
BlacKkKlansman
Director
Inside Man
Director
Oldboy
Director
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water
Director
She's Gotta Have It
Director
She's Gotta Have It
Director
Clockers
Director
He Got Game
Director
Mo' Better Blues
Director
Do the Right Thing
Director
She Hate Me
Director
Girl 6
Director
Da 5 Bloods
Director
Malcolm X
Director
Summer of Sam
Director
Get on the Bus
Director
Jungle Fever
Director
David Byrne's American Utopia
Director
Bamboozled
Director
The Concert for New York City
Director
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus
Director
Miracle at St. Anna
Director
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
Director
Chi-Raq
Director
Crooklyn
Director
Lumière & Company
Director
School Daze
Director
If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise
Director
NYC Epicenters 9/11➔2021½
Director
Miracle's Boys
Director
Rodney King
Director
HIStory on Film, Volume II
Director
4 Little Girls
Director
All the Invisible Children
Director
The Original Kings of Comedy
Director
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall
Director
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: Italian Imports
Assistant Director
Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth
Director
Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads
Director
John Leguizamo: Freak
Director
Do the Right Thing: 20 Years Later
Director
Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store
Director
Red Hook Summer
Director
The Answer
Director
Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet
Director
Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella
Director
Kobe Doin' Work
Director
Pass Over
Director
Pavarotti & Friends - For the Children of Liberia
Director
Jesus Children of America
Director
Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife
Director
The Making of 'Bamboozled'
Director
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: The Greatest Catch Ever
Director
A Huey P. Newton Story
Director
Ray Allen/AKA- Jesus Shuttlesworth
Director
Bad 25
Director
Pavarotti & Friends 99 for Guatemala and Kosovo
Director
Prince and the N.P.G.: Diamonds and Pearls Video Collection
Director
Passing Strange
Director
Sucker Free City
Director
Bernie Mac: Live from Charlotte
Director
2 Fists Up
Director
Come Rain or Come Shine
Director
Horn of Plenty
Director
Be Truly Free
Director
Do The Right Thing 25 Year Anniversary A Beats Music Experience
Director
3 Brothers: Radio Raheem, Eric Garner and George Floyd
Director
Land of the Free
Director
New York New York
Director
Jim Brown: All-American
Director
Writing (21)
BlacKkKlansman
Writer
She's Gotta Have It
Writer
Clockers
Screenplay
He Got Game
Screenplay
Mo' Better Blues
Writer
Do the Right Thing
Screenplay
She Hate Me
Screenplay
Da 5 Bloods
Writer
Malcolm X
Screenplay
Summer of Sam
Writer
Jungle Fever
Writer
Bamboozled
Screenplay
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus
Screenplay
Chi-Raq
Writer
Crooklyn
Screenplay
School Daze
Writer
4 Little Girls
Writer
Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads
Writer
Red Hook Summer
Screenplay
APART
Writer
Horn of Plenty
Writer
Producing (85)
Highest 2 Lowest
Executive Producer
25th Hour
Producer
BlacKkKlansman
Producer
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Executive Producer
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water
Executive Producer
She's Gotta Have It
Producer
Clockers
Producer
The Best Man
Producer
He Got Game
Producer
Mo' Better Blues
Producer
Do the Right Thing
Producer
She Hate Me
Producer
Girl 6
Producer
Da 5 Bloods
Producer
Malcolm X
Producer
Tales from the Hood 3
Executive Producer
Summer of Sam
Producer
Get on the Bus
Executive Producer
Jungle Fever
Producer
Pariah
Executive Producer
Tales from the Hood
Executive Producer
David Byrne's American Utopia
Executive Producer
David Byrne's American Utopia
Producer
Nigerian Prince
Executive Producer
Bamboozled
Producer
New Jersey Drive
Executive Producer
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus
Producer
Miracle at St. Anna
Producer
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
Producer
Chi-Raq
Producer
See You Yesterday
Producer
Tales from the Hood 2
Executive Producer
Crooklyn
Producer
School Daze
Producer
If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise
Producer
Son of the South
Executive Producer
NYC Epicenters 9/11➔2021½
Producer
Touched with Fire
Executive Producer
The Captain
Executive Producer
You Resemble Me
Executive Producer
Off-Time
Associate Producer
F*ck That Guy
Executive Producer
Rodney King
Producer
Amazing Grace
Producer
In Between Storms
Executive Producer
4 Little Girls
Producer
All the Invisible Children
Producer
The Original Kings of Comedy
Producer
The Truck
Executive Producer
Love & Basketball
Producer
Doubles with Slight Pepper
Executive Producer
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: Italian Imports
Executive Producer
Home Invaders
Executive Producer
Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth
Executive Producer
Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads
Producer
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: Redemption Song
Executive Producer
Red Hook Summer
Producer
Dirty Hands
Executive Producer
From Sidney, with Love
Executive Producer
Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet
Producer
3 A.M.
Producer
3 A.M.
Co-Executive Producer
Drop Squad
Executive Producer
In Freedom
Executive Producer
Kobe Doin' Work
Producer
Pass Over
Producer
The Girl Is in Trouble
Executive Producer
Talk Me
Executive Producer
Saint John of Las Vegas
Executive Producer
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: The Ice Breaker
Executive Producer
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: $15 Kicks
Executive Producer
Katt Williams: Priceless: Afterlife
Producer
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: Of the Father and of the Son
Executive Producer
Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: The Greatest Catch Ever
Executive Producer
You're Nobody 'til Somebody Kills You
Executive Producer
Cherish
Executive Producer
Good Fences
Executive Producer
The Black 14
Executive Producer
How I Learned to Die
Executive Producer
PUNTER
Executive Producer
2 Fists Up
Producer
Time 2 Surrender
Executive Producer
Nervous Energy
Executive Producer
Evolution of a Criminal
Executive Producer
Jim Brown: All-American
Producer
Other Crew (14)
The Piano Lesson
Thanks
She's Gotta Have It
Creator
She's Gotta Have It
Editor
The Concert for New York City
Director of Photography
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
Creator
If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise
Creator
One Night
Presenter
Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads
Editor
Megadoc
Thanks
Stop
Thanks
Genesis | Come Rain or Shine
Camera Operator
Suspect
Thanks
C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America
Presenter
Come Rain or Come Shine
Director of Photography