F. Gary Gray | |
---|---|
Born | Felix Gary Gray July 17, 1969 New York City, U.S. |
Other names | Gary Gray |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1988–present |
Felix Gary Gray (born July 17, 1969) [1] is an American director and producer. Gray began his career as a director on numerous critically acclaimed and award-winning music videos, including "It Was a Good Day" by Ice Cube, "Natural Born Killaz" by Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" by Dr. Dre, "Waterfalls" by TLC, and "Ms. Jackson" by Outkast.
Gray made his feature film directorial debut with the comedy Friday (1995). He has since directed the films Set It Off (1996), The Negotiator (1998), The Italian Job (2003), Be Cool (2005), Law Abiding Citizen (2009), and Straight Outta Compton (2015). He also directed the eighth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, The Fate of the Furious (2017), which is the one of the highest-grossing films of all time. [2]
Seeking out a step-by-step process, he planned to work a number of years in the film industry as an assistant and hoped to work his first feature by the time he had turned 45. As such, he started working as soon as he left high school, working as a camera operator on programs such as Screen Scene . He also had a bit part in the comedy Major League (1989). [3] He got his first chance to direct with music videos, starting with a video for the hip-hop group WC and the Maad Circle (WC was a former classmate of his). In 1993, he directed the music video for Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day". The video is a literal adaptation of the lyrics. He would go on to direct subsequent videos for Ice Cube, as well as artists such as Cypress Hill, Outkast, Dr. Dre, and Queen Latifah. At age 26, [3] Gray directed his first film, the buddy stoner comedy Friday with rapper-producer Ice Cube (who co-wrote the film based on his experiences in Los Angeles) and Chris Tucker. Next, he directed the film Set It Off , with Jada Pinkett and Queen Latifah. He then directed The Negotiator , which starred Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson while earning Gray both Best Film and Best Director awards at the 1998 Acapulco Film Festival.
Gray directed The Italian Job , a 2003 action-thriller starring Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg. Gray garnered the Best Director award at the 2004 Black American Film Festival for his work on the film, which surpassed the $100 million mark in the domestic box office. His next film was A Man Apart , an action thriller starring Vin Diesel. He would later direct Be Cool , an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name. The John Travolta vehicle was panned by critics but went on to gross over $95 million worldwide. [4]
He then directed the thriller Law Abiding Citizen , starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler and written by Kurt Wimmer. The film grossed over $100 million worldwide. Gray received the Ivan Dixon Award of Achievement from the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center and was named one of the "50 Best and Brightest African Americans Under 40" by Black Enterprise magazine. He was honored by the African American Film Critics Association with their 2004 Special Achievement Award and was recognized by the Artist Empowerment Coalition with the Artist Empowerment Award that same year. He also received the Pioneer Director award from the Pan-African Film and Arts Festival in 2010.
Gray directed the 2015 drama Straight Outta Compton , a biographical film about the rap group N.W.A. In 2017, Gray directed The Fate of the Furious , the eighth film in the Fast & Furious franchise, which was released on April 14, 2017. [5] Upon release, both films set the record for the best opening by an African-American director [2] and The Fate of the Furious became the first film directed by an African-American to gross over $1 billion worldwide. [6] [7]
Gray was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 28, 2019. During the next month, his film Men in Black: International was released. [8]
In April 2019, it was revealed that Gray would direct an adaptation of the video game franchise Saints Row , with a screenplay written by Greg Russo. [9] In September 2021, it was announced that he would direct the heist film Lift starring Kevin Hart for Netflix. [10]
Year | Title | Director | Producer |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Friday | Yes | No |
1996 | Set It Off | Yes | Executive |
1998 | The Negotiator | Yes | No |
2003 | A Man Apart | Yes | Executive |
The Italian Job | Yes | No | |
2005 | Be Cool | Yes | Executive |
2009 | Law Abiding Citizen | Yes | No |
2015 | The Sea of Trees | No | Yes |
Straight Outta Compton | Yes | Yes | |
2017 | The Fate of the Furious | Yes | No |
2019 | Men in Black: International | Yes | No |
2024 | Lift | Yes | Executive |
Cameo roles
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1988 | Coming to America | Front row audience member at event |
1995 | Friday | Man at store with mop |
1996 | Set It Off | Gangster driving lowrider |
2009 | Law Abiding Citizen | Detective with evidence bag |
2015 | Straight Outta Compton | Greg Mack |
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1999 | Ryan Caulfield: Year One | Episode "Pilot" |
2006 | Enemies | Episode "Pilot" |
Year | Title | Artist |
---|---|---|
1992 | "It Was a Good Day" | Ice Cube |
1993 | "Call Me a Mack" | Usher |
"I Ain't Goin' Out Like That" | Cypress Hill | |
"When the Ship Goes Down" | ||
"Truthful" | Heavy D | |
"Fantastic Voyage" | Coolio | |
1994 | "Natural Born Killaz" | Dr. Dre Ice Cube |
"Saturday Nite Live" | Masta Ace Incorporated | |
"Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" | OutKast | |
"Black Hand Side" | Queen Latifah | |
1995 | "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" | Dr. Dre |
"Pretty Girl" | Jon B. [11] | |
"Come On" | Barry White | |
"I Believe in You and Me" | Whitney Houston | |
"Waterfalls" | TLC | |
"Diggin' on You" | ||
1996 | "How Come, How Long" | Babyface |
1999 | "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time" | R. Kelly |
2000 | "Ms. Jackson" | OutKast |
2004 | "Bang Bang Boom" | Drag-On |
2006 | "Show Me What You Got" | Jay-Z |
2010 | "Super High" | Rick Ross |
N.W.A was an American hip hop group formed in Compton, California. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential acts in hip hop music.
O'Shea Jackson Sr., known as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1988 album Straight Outta Compton contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popularity, and his political rap solo albums AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990), Death Certificate (1991), and The Predator (1992) were all critically and commercially successful. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of N.W.A in 2016.
John Daniel Singleton was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing Boyz n the Hood (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, becoming, at age 24, the first African American and youngest person to have ever been nominated for that award.
Friday is a 1995 American buddy comedy film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh. The first installment in the Friday trilogy, it stars Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tiny "Zeus" Lister Jr., Regina King, Anna Maria Horsford, Bernie Mac, and John Witherspoon. In the film, unemployed friends Craig Jones and Smokey (Tucker) face troubles after becoming indebted to a drug dealer while also contending with the neighborhood bully in South Central Los Angeles.
Straight Outta Compton is the debut studio album by American gangsta rap group N.W.A, which, led by Eazy-E, formed in Los Angeles County's City of Compton in early 1987. Released by his label, Ruthless Records, on August 8, 1988, the album was produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and Arabian Prince, with lyrics written by N.W.A members Ice Cube and MC Ren along with Ruthless rapper and unofficial member The D.O.C. Not merely depicting Compton's street violence, the lyrics repeatedly threaten to lead it by attacking peers and even police. The track "Fuck tha Police" drew an FBI agent's warning letter, which aided N.W.A's notoriety, with N.W.A calling itself "the world's most dangerous group."
Antoine Carraby, known professionally as DJ Yella, is an American DJ, record producer, and film director from Compton, California.
100 Miles and Runnin' is the only EP from the American gangsta rap group N.W.A. Released on August 14, 1990, this EP of five tracks reflects an evolution of N.W.A's sound and centers on the single "100 Miles and Runnin'". Two tracks, "100 Miles" and "Real Niggaz", incidentally incited N.W.A's feud with Ice Cube, who had left to start a solo rap career. The porno rap track "Just Don't Bite It" also drew notice. Pushing lyrical boundaries in its day, the EP went gold in November 1990 and platinum in September 1992.
Gerald Elliot Heller was an American music manager and businessman. He was best known for his management of West Coast rap and gangsta rap pioneers N.W.A and Eazy-E. He rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s representing Journey, Marvin Gaye, Van Morrison, War, Eric Burdon, Crosby Stills & Nash, Ike & Tina Turner, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Otis Redding, the Who, REO Speedwagon, Black Sabbath, Humble Pie, Styx, the Grass Roots, and the Standells, among many others.
Andrea Berloff is an American screenwriter, actress, director, and producer. Berloff is best known for writing the screenplays for the drama films World Trade Center and Straight Outta Compton, receiving an Academy Award nomination for the latter. In 2019, Berloff made her directorial debut with The Kitchen.
Denise "Dee" Barnes is an American rapper and former Fox television personality who performed in the West Coast hip hop female duo Body & Soul and hosted a radio show on KDAY, prior to gaining wider fame as the host of Fox's hip hop show Pump It Up!, a weekly FOX TV rap music series on air from 1989-1992, according to IMDb.
"Straight Outta Compton" is a song by American hip hop group N.W.A. It was released on July 10, 1988 as the lead single from their debut album of the same name. It also appears on N.W.A's Greatest Hits with an extended mix and The Best of N.W.A: The Strength of Street Knowledge. The song samples "You'll Like It Too" by Funkadelic, "West Coast Poplock" by Ronnie Hudson and the Street People, "Get Me Back on Time, Engine No. 9" by Wilson Pickett, and most famously, "Amen, Brother" by The Winstons. It was voted number 19 on About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs, and is ranked number 6 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
Jonathan Mannion is a photographer and film director. He has shot album covers for hip hop and R&B performers including Dr. Dre, Jay Z, Aaliyah, Outkast, Nas, Nicki Minaj, Brandy Norwood and Kendrick Lamar.
Alan Wenkus is an American screenwriter, film producer and a former VP of programming for Premiere Radio Networks. Wenkus has been nominated for several awards for his work in television and film including a Writers Guild of America Award, the NAACP Image Award and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He's best known for co-writing and Executive Producing Straight Outta Compton.
Straight Outta Compton is a 2015 American epic biographical drama film that depicts the rise and fall of the hip hop group N.W.A under the management of Jerry Heller. It was directed by F. Gary Gray from a screenplay written by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff based on a story written by Berloff and executive producers S. Leigh Savidge and Alan Wenkus. Co-produced by Gray, former members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, Eazy-E's widow Tomica Woods-Wright, Matt Alvarez and Scott Bernstein, with MC Ren and DJ Yella serving as creative consultants, the film stars O'Shea Jackson Jr. as his father Ice Cube, alongside Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr. and Aldis Hodge as Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella, respectively, and Paul Giamatti as Heller. Rounding out the rest of the ensemble cast include Marlon Yates Jr, R. Marcos Taylor, LaKeith Stanfield, Alexandra Shipp and Keith Powers.
The Fate of the Furious is a 2017 action film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to Furious 7 (2015) and the eighth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, alongside Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Scott Eastwood, Nathalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky, Kurt Russell, and Charlize Theron. In the film, Dom has settled down with his wife Letty Ortiz, until cyberterrorist Cipher (Theron) coerces him into working for her and turns him against his team, forcing them to find Dom and take down Cipher.
O'Shea Jackson Jr. (born February 24, 1991), also known by the stage name OMG, is an American actor, rapper and songwriter. He is the oldest son of Ice Cube and, in his feature film debut, he portrayed his father in the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton.
Corey Antonio Hawkins is an American actor. He rose to prominence for his role in the TV series The Walking Dead (2015–2016), as well as his portrayal of Dr. Dre in the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, the latter of which earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. He's also known for his performances on Broadway starring in Six Degrees of Separation (2017) and Topdog/Underdog (2022), both of which earned him nominations for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.
Jason Mitchell is an American actor. Mitchell started his career acting in minor roles in films such as the action-thriller Contraband (2012), and the neo-noir Broken City (2013). He is best known for portraying rapper Eazy-E in the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton. The film is considered his career breakthrough, for which he received numerous award nominations including the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture. Mitchell has also appeared in the Key and Peele comedy film Keanu (2016), the Netflix film Barry (2016), James Franco's The Disaster Artist (2017), and the blockbuster Kong: Skull Island (2017). He has also appeared in critically acclaimed film such as Kathryn Bigelow's crime drama Detroit (2017), Dee Rees' historical drama Mudbound (2017) and Janicza Bravo's black comedy Zola (2021).
The Miracle Mile Shot is an experimental short subject, non-dialogue documentary film based entirely on a single photograph of the influential Gangsta rap group N.W.A. created on November 11, 1988, in the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles, California, by photographer/artist Ithaka Darin Pappas. The photograph itself, also entitled The Miracle Mile Shot, was captured during a photo session that took place at the photographer's home studio apartment at 6516 1/2 Orange Street, Los Angeles. The short film, screened for the first time at the LAGFF on June 19, 2019, visually tells the story of the most important uses of the photograph in chronological order.
Lin Oeding is an American film director and stunt coordinator.