Spike Lee

Cast

Spike Lee

Directing

Known for

Directing

Born

1957-03-20

From

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Also known as Спайк Ли, سبايك لي, 스파이크 리

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.

Malcolm X
7.6
MOVIE1992

Malcolm X

as Shorty

Clockers
6.7
MOVIE1995

Clockers

as Chucky

Do the Right Thing
7.8
MOVIE1989

Do the Right Thing

as Mookie

Crooklyn
6.8
MOVIE1994

Crooklyn

as Snuffy

The 51st AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy
MOVIE2026

The 51st AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy

as Self

Summer of Sam
6.5
MOVIE1999

Summer of Sam

as John Jeffries

Sidney
7.3
MOVIE2022

Sidney

as Self

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
7.8
MOVIE2025

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

as Self (archive footage)

School Daze
5.7
MOVIE1988

School Daze

as Darrell 'Half-Pint' Dunlap

Jungle Fever
6.4
MOVIE1991

Jungle Fever

as Cyrus

Hoop Dreams
7.6
MOVIE1994

Hoop Dreams

as Self

Plankton Salesmen
MOVIE2017

Plankton Salesmen

as Self (archive footage)

Girl 6
5.0
MOVIE1996

Girl 6

as Jimmy

Mo' Better Blues
6.5
MOVIE1990

Mo' Better Blues

as Giant

40 x 15: The Forty Years of the Directors' Fortnight
MOVIE2008

40 x 15: The Forty Years of the Directors' Fortnight

as Self

Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall
7.0
MOVIE2016

Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall

as Self

Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’
5.0
MOVIE2012

Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’

as Self

Lumière & Company
6.3
MOVIE1995

Lumière & Company

as Self (segment "Sarah Moon")

She's Gotta Have It
6.6
MOVIE1986

She's Gotta Have It

as Mars Blackmon

Drop Squad
3.5
MOVIE1994

Drop Squad

as Himself

The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money
5.5
MOVIE1996

The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money

as Self

The Universal Story
8.0
MOVIE1996

The Universal Story

as Self (archive footage)

Lisa Picard Is Famous
4.6
MOVIE2000

Lisa Picard Is Famous

as Spike Lee

Bad 25
7.3
MOVIE2012

Bad 25

as Self

A Man's Story
6.9
MOVIE2011

A Man's Story

as Self

PoliWood
6.5
MOVIE2009

PoliWood

as Self

Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans & the Movies
7.0
MOVIE2008

Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans & the Movies

The Making and Meaning of 'We Are Family'
9.0
MOVIE2002

The Making and Meaning of 'We Are Family'

as Self

3 A.M.
5.8
MOVIE2001

3 A.M.

as Filmmaker

When We Were Kings
7.6
MOVIE1996

When We Were Kings

as Self

It's Black Entertainment
8.7
MOVIE2002

It's Black Entertainment

as Self

Denzel Washington: A Model American
7.2
MOVIE2022

Denzel Washington: A Model American

as Self

Red Hook Summer
5.4
MOVIE2012

Red Hook Summer

as Mr. Mookie

The Evolution of an American Filmmaker
7.3
MOVIE2003

The Evolution of an American Filmmaker

as Self

Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
1.5
MOVIE2014

Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee

as Self

A Century of Cinema
8.3
MOVIE1994

A Century of Cinema

as Self

The Last Party
5.2
MOVIE1993

The Last Party

as Self

French Cinema Mon Amour
5.2
MOVIE2015

French Cinema Mon Amour

as Self

New York at the Movies
9.0
MOVIE2002

New York at the Movies

as Self

4 Little Girls
7.2
MOVIE1997

4 Little Girls

as Interviewer (voice) (uncredited)

Decade
8.5
MOVIE1989

Decade

as Self

Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists
7.1
MOVIE2018

Breslin and Hamill: Deadline Artists

as Self

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
6.8
MOVIE2021

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

as Self

MTV's 10th Anniversary Special
MOVIE1991

MTV's 10th Anniversary Special

as Self

Making 'Do the Right Thing'
6.9
MOVIE1989

Making 'Do the Right Thing'

as Self

Champs
6.3
MOVIE2015

Champs

as Self

Do the Right Thing: 20 Years Later
7.0
MOVIE2009

Do the Right Thing: 20 Years Later

as Self

On the Shoulders of Giants
6.3
MOVIE2011

On the Shoulders of Giants

Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist
8.0
MOVIE2021

Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist

as Self

We the People: From Crispus Attucks to President Barack Obama
MOVIE2014

We the People: From Crispus Attucks to President Barack Obama

Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1
6.8
MOVIE2018

Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1

as Self

Four Days in October
6.6
MOVIE2010

Four Days in October

as Self (archive footage)

Michael Jordan to the Max
7.5
MOVIE2000

Michael Jordan to the Max

as Self

By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'
6.0
MOVIE2005

By Any Means Necessary: The Making of 'Malcolm X'

as Self

Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks
7.7
MOVIE2010

Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks

as Self

Life O' The Party: On the Road with Prince and the New Power Generation
MOVIE2005

Life O' The Party: On the Road with Prince and the New Power Generation

as Self

Spike & Co. Do It a-Cappella
10.0
MOVIE1990

Spike & Co. Do It a-Cappella

as Self

Guest
6.0
MOVIE2011

Guest

as Self

Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
5.8
MOVIE2004

Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'

as Self

Street Fight
6.9
MOVIE2005

Street Fight

as Self

Samuel L. Jackson: Did I Stutter?
9.0
MOVIE2023

Samuel L. Jackson: Did I Stutter?

as self

The Making of 'Bamboozled'
5.5
MOVIE2001

The Making of 'Bamboozled'

as Self

Pixote In Memoriam
7.5
MOVIE2007

Pixote In Memoriam

as Self

Five Directors On The Battle of Algiers
10.0
MOVIE2004

Five Directors On The Battle of Algiers

as Self

No Fighting in the War Room Or: 'Dr Strangelove' and the Nuclear Threat
5.8
MOVIE2004

No Fighting in the War Room Or: 'Dr Strangelove' and the Nuclear Threat

as Self

Through the Fire
7.1
MOVIE2005

Through the Fire

First Works
7.0
MOVIE1989

First Works

as Self

Public Enemy: Fight the Power... Live!
MOVIE1989

Public Enemy: Fight the Power... Live!

Lights, Action, Music
7.0
MOVIE2007

Lights, Action, Music

as Self

Our Hollywood Education
8.0
MOVIE1992

Our Hollywood Education

as Self

Lonely in America
4.4
MOVIE1990

Lonely in America

as Spike Lee (Newsstand Customer) (uncredited)

Seven Songs for Malcolm X
10.0
MOVIE1993

Seven Songs for Malcolm X

Brooklyn Boheme
6.8
MOVIE2012

Brooklyn Boheme

as Self

How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)
7.2
MOVIE2005

How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)

Ray Allen/AKA- Jesus Shuttlesworth
MOVIE2015

Ray Allen/AKA- Jesus Shuttlesworth

Branford Marsalis: Steep
MOVIE1991

Branford Marsalis: Steep

as Self

Farewell, Babylon!
MOVIE1993

Farewell, Babylon!

as Self

Sous les marches du palais
MOVIE1991

Sous les marches du palais

as Self

Kobe Doin' Work
6.5
MOVIE2009

Kobe Doin' Work

as Self

Director Spike Lee's New York City
MOVIE2015

Director Spike Lee's New York City

as Self

Birth of a Movement
6.4
MOVIE2017

Birth of a Movement

as Self

A Daughter's Tribute to Her Father: Souleymane Cissé
MOVIE2022

A Daughter's Tribute to Her Father: Souleymane Cissé

as Self

Do The Right Thing 25 Year Anniversary A Beats Music Experience
MOVIE2014

Do The Right Thing 25 Year Anniversary A Beats Music Experience

as self

Below the Rim
8.0
MOVIE1995

Below the Rim

Be Truly Free
MOVIE2017

Be Truly Free

as Narrator (voice)

Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: The Greatest Catch Ever
MOVIE2015

Spike Lee's Lil' Joints: The Greatest Catch Ever

as self

Gold Blooded
MOVIE2022

Gold Blooded

as Self

NBA 2K16’s Livin’ Da Dream: A Spike Lee Joint
MOVIE2015

NBA 2K16’s Livin’ Da Dream: A Spike Lee Joint

as Reporter (voice)

Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella
MOVIE1990

Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella

The Moviemakers: Spike Lee
MOVIE2023

The Moviemakers: Spike Lee

as Self

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