Childhood & Early Life
Spike Lee was born Shelton Jackson Lee on March 20, 1957, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to Jacqueline Carroll and William James Edward Lee III. His mother was a teacher of arts and black literature, while his father was a jazz musician and composer. He has three younger siblings.
He was a very energetic and naughty child. His mother nicknamed him ‘Spike’ in reference to his toughness. He often accompanied his mother to plays and museums and developed a keen interest in African American literature.
He attended ‘John Dewey High School’ before enrolling in ‘Morehouse College.’ By this time, he was convinced that he wanted to make a career in filmmaking. He graduated with a BA in mass communication.
He took film courses at ‘Clark Atlanta University’ and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Film & Television from New York University’s ‘Tisch School of the Arts.’
Career
He had submitted the film ‘Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads’ as his master’s degree thesis at the ‘Tisch School of the Arts’ in 1983. The film became the first student film to be showcased at Lincoln Center’s ‘New Directors New Films Festival.’ It also won a ‘Student Academy Award.’
He started his career as a director-cum-actor with the 1986 comedy drama film ‘She’s Gotta Have It.’ The film also starred Tracy Camilla Johns. The independent film projected African Americans as successful and independent individuals.
In 1988, he wrote, directed, and produced a musical drama titled ‘School Daze’ which was in part based on the director’s own experience at Atlanta’s ‘Morehouse College’ and ‘Clark Atlanta University.’ The movie deals with issues like racism and skin tone bias.
He made a film on African American activist Malcolm X in 1992. The biographical film titled ‘Malcolm X’ had Denzel Washington in the lead role. The screenplay was largely based on Alex Haley’s book ‘The Autobiography of Malcom X.’
The year 1995 was a very productive one for Spike. He produced and directed several movies, including ‘Clockers,’ ‘New Jersey Drive,’ and ‘Tales from the Hood.’
He directed the historical documentary film ‘4 Little Girls’ in 1997. The film was about the murder of four African-American girls in the Baptist Church bombing in September 1963. The movie was nominated for an ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Documentary.’
In 2000, he wrote and directed a satirical comedy-drama film titled ‘Bamboozled.’ Though the film bombed at the box office, it later achieved cult film status. Other films that he produced during the year were ‘The Original Kings of Comedy’ and ‘Love & Basketball.’
He directed a documentary film titled ‘When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts’ in 2006. It was about the devastation of New Orleans when the levees failed during Hurricane Katrina.
Some of his other movies in the early-2010s include ‘Pariah’ (2011) and ‘Bad 25’ (2012). In addition to films, he has also directed various commercials and a number of music videos for artists like Michael Jackson and Prince.
In 2017, Netflix aired the show ‘She’s Gotta Have It,’ which was based on the 1986 movie of the same name. The show successfully ran for two seasons. The same year, he directed the one man show ‘Rodney King.’
The following year, he directed, co-wrote, and co-produced the biographical crime film ‘BlacKkKlansman.’ Starring John David Washington in the lead role, the film revolves around the first African-American detective who sets out to expose the white supremacist hate group ‘Ku Klux Klan.’ The movie is based on Ron Stallworth’s memoir ‘Black Klansman.’
He produced and directed a war drama film titled ‘Da 5 Bloods’ which released in June 2020. The film stars Jonathan Majors, Norm Lewis, Paul Walter Hauser, and Delroy Lindo in prominent roles.
Major Works
His most important work so far is the documentary film ‘When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts’ about Hurricane Katrina and the destruction it caused. The film was aired on HBO and was called “one of the most important films HBO has ever made.” The film won several prestigious awards.
Among Spike Lee’s brilliant work is the biographical crime drama film ‘BlacKkKlansman’ in which he showcased the racial discrimination faced by the African Americans. The movie was a financial and critical success, garnering several prestigious awards.
Awards & Achievements
He won the ‘Time Warner Innovator Award’ at the ‘American Black Film Festival’ in 2004.
His production house ‘40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks’ was presented with the prestigious ‘Peabody Award’ in 2006 for the documentary film ‘When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.’ It received the same award in 2010 for the documentary ‘If God Is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise.’
His 2018 movie ‘BlacKkKlansman’ won him the ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’ at the 2019 ‘Academy Awards’ and ‘BAFTA Film Awards.’ It also won the ‘Grand Prix Award’ at the ‘Cannes Film Festival.’
