Lee Daniels

Last updated

Lee Daniels
Lee daniels empire carpet.jpg
Daniels in 2015
Born
Lee Louis Daniels

(1959-12-24) December 24, 1959 (age 64)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education Radnor High School; Lindenwood University
Occupation(s)Film and television producer, director, screenwriter
Years active1986–present
Children2
Relatives Honey Davenport (cousin)
Website leedanielsentertainment.com

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. He has since directed The Paperboy (2012, which he co-wrote), The Butler (2013), The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021), and The Deliverance (2024). He also produced the films Monster's Ball (2001), The Woodsman (2004), Tennessee (2008), Pimp (2018), and Concrete Cowboy (2020).

Contents

Daniels has co-created and co-executive produced the TV series Empire (2015–2020) and Star (2016–2019), both set in the music industry.

Early life

Daniels was born on December 24, 1959, [1] in West Philadelphia, the eldest son of Clara May (Watson) and William Louis Daniels. [2] Daniels has four siblings: Cheryl, Lydia (aka Girlie), Maynard and Leah. His younger sister, Leah Daniels-Butler, is a television and film casting director credited with casting many of his projects.[ citation needed ] When Daniels was a teenager, his mother arranged for a neighbor's family who was a butler for the owner of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team to use that owner's address in Radnor so that Lee could attend the public Radnor High School. [3] In 1975, when Daniels was 15 years old, his father, who was a police officer, was killed in the line of duty. [2] He graduated from Radnor High School in 1978.

After graduating from Radnor, Daniels attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. However, he soon realized the liberal arts school was not for him, and he moved to Hollywood, Los Angeles, eventually working as a receptionist in a nursing agency. Before long, Daniels started his own nursing agency, specializing in HIV/AIDS treatment. Eventually, he sold his nursing agency and segued into casting. [4] He began his career in entertainment as a casting director and manager after a chance meeting with a Hollywood producer, working on such projects as Purple Rain and Under the Cherry Moon . He continued managing talent. The documentary My Big Break features Daniels early in his career when he was managing actor Wes Bentley, who starred as Ricky Fitts in American Beauty . In the documentary, Daniels comments on Bentley's reluctance to capitalize on his newfound celebrity status.[ citation needed ]

Career

2001–2008: Early films and directorial debut

Daniels at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival Lee Daniels at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.jpg
Daniels at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

Monster's Ball , the debut production of Lee Daniels Entertainment, was a critical and box office success.[ citation needed ] Halle Berry won the Academy Award for Best Actress; the film was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay. [5] This made Daniels the first African-American film producer to solely produce an Oscar-winning film.[ citation needed ] Daniels said he did not attend the Oscars when the film won, citing his challenges with addiction and his struggle over whether he "deserved" to attend, according to an emotional interview on MSNBC in 2019. [6] He served as one of the producers of the 2004 film The Woodsman , starring Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, and Mos Def, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. [7] It went on to garner three nominations at the 2005 Independent Spirit Awards, the CICAE Arthouse Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the Jury Prize at the Deauville International Film Festival, and a "Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking" award from the National Board of Review. [8] Former president Bill Clinton persuaded Daniels to produce public service announcements to encourage young people of color to vote.[ citation needed ] The campaign was launched in March 2004 and featured Grammy winners LL Cool J and Alicia Keys. [9]

His first directorial effort, 2006's Shadowboxer , debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. It starred Helen Mirren, Cuba Gooding Jr., Stephen Dorff, Vanessa Ferlito, Mo'Nique, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Macy Gray. [10] It was nominated for Best New Director at the San Sebastian Film Festival. [11] He produced the 2008 film Tennessee , which was written by Russell Schaumberg and directed by Aaron Woodley (Rhinoceros Eyes); the film is about two brothers, played by Adam Rothenberg and Ethan Peck, who travel from New Mexico to Tennessee to search for their estranged father. Along the way they meet Krystal (Mariah Carey), an aspiring singer who flees her controlling husband (Lance Reddick) to join them on their journey. [12]

2009–2014: Precious and other work

His 2009 film Precious told the story of an obese, illiterate, 16-year-old girl (Gabourey Sidibe) who lives in a Section 8 tenement in Harlem. She has been impregnated twice by her father, Carl, and suffers long-term physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from her unemployed mother, Mary (Mo'Nique). Carey appeared as a social worker. The film screened at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and went on to garner widespread acclaim. [13] Mo'Nique won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Daniels was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and the film received a Best Picture nomination. It was a financial success grossing $63 million worldwide against a budget of $10 million. [14]

Daniels directed The Paperboy (2012), based on the 1995 novel by Pete Dexter who penned the original script which was further developed by Daniels; it starred Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, John Cusack, and Nicole Kidman. The film competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. [15] [16] He directed the historical drama film The Butler (2013), starring Forest Whitaker, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Mariah Carey, Terrence Howard, Alan Rickman, and Oprah Winfrey. The Butler received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $100 million in the United States against a budget of $30 million. [17]

2015–present: Empire and streaming films

Empire , a television series created by Daniels, premiered on January 7, 2015. Daniels directed the first episode and co-wrote it with The Butler screenwriter Danny Strong. The series stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, and is about a family's music empire. [18] In May 2021, Daniels and his production company Lee Daniels Entertainment had extended its overall deal with 20th Television. [19] [20]

In January 2022, Netflix won a bidding war for an exorcism styled horror thriller film directed by Daniels for upwards of 65 million dollars. [21] In April 2022, it was announced that Tasha Smith will star in the film. [22] In April 2022, it was announced that Daniels will develop and direct a limited series based on Sammy Davis Jr. for 20th Television and Hulu, with Elijah Kelley starring as Davis. [23]

Activism and recognition

In 2010, Grace Hightower De Niro, who appeared in Precious, presented Daniels with the Pratt Institute's Creative Spirit Award. [24] In 2015, Daniels was listed as one of the nine runners-up for The Advocate's Person of the Year. [25] On December 2, 2016, Daniels received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television industry. [26] In June 2016, the Human Rights Campaign released a video in tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting; in the video, Daniels and others told the stories of the people killed there. [27] [28]

On February 8, 2018, amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) paid tribute to Daniels at the 20th annual amfAR Gala New York. Actress and musician Queen Latifah presented him the amfAR Award of Courage, describing his past work with HIV/AIDS patients. She also stated that as a gifted creative force, he creates "unfailingly human" characters, who are "often striving to rise above difficult circumstances". In his acceptance speech, he spoke about a generation lost to AIDS and said that the crisis had taken at least 40 of his personal friends. In the fight against AIDS, he said it is important to "step up when it matters". [29]

Controversy

On September 16, 2015, in a Rolling Stone interview, [30] Daniels was asked about actor Terrence Howard who said that his first wife "was talking to him real strong, that he lost his mind and slapped her in front of their kids" and that he got physical with his second wife too. Daniels excused the domestic violence and called Howard a "poor boy", saying that Howard "ain't done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn". [31] A week later, Daniels was sued by Penn in a $10-million-dollar defamation lawsuit. The lawsuit stated that "Daniels falsely equated Penn with Howard and that Penn unlike Howard had never been arrested, much less convicted, for domestic violence, as his ex-wives including Madonna would have confirmed and attested." [32] [33] [34] Penn dropped the lawsuit in May 2016 after Daniels retracted his statement and apologized. [35]

Personal life

Daniels with his son and daughter at the 2007 world premiere of Spider-Man 3 Lee Daniels and children by David Shankbone.jpg
Daniels with his son and daughter at the 2007 world premiere of Spider-Man 3

Daniels lives in Manhattan. He is gay. [36] He and his then-partner, casting director Billy Hopkins, adopted Daniels' biological niece and nephew, Clara and Liam. [37] [38]

Hopkins and Daniels later separated. [39]

In 2015, Daniels clarified his sexuality by stating that despite being gay men, both he and Empire actor Jussie Smollett are sexually fluid. [40]

Jussie and I both share the same feeling that, yes, even though we are gay, we're sexual human beings...And we do occasionally want to sleep with a woman. [Laughs] Maybe once every 10 or 15 years, but it happens! And there are a lot of people who don't want to hear about that. It's such a complicated conversation. It's not necessarily the body one is attracted to. You can be sexually attracted to the spirit, the energy, the life force in another person. We're showing life on Empire, and I won't apologize for it.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleDirectorProducerWriter
2001 Monster's Ball NoYesNo
2004 The Woodsman NoYesNo
2005 Shadowboxer YesYesNo
2008 Tennessee NoYesNo
2009 Precious YesYesNo
2012 The Paperboy YesYesYes
2013 The Butler YesYesNo
2020 Concrete Cowboy NoYesNo
2021 The United States vs. Billie Holiday YesYesNo
2024 The Deliverance YesYesNo

Executive producer

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991A Little Off MarkSteve, Mark's best friendShort film
2004 Agnes und seine Brüder Henry Preminger
2005ShadowboxerMan in Steam Room
2012The PaperboyBartenderUncredited

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterExecutive
Producer		CreatorNotes
2015–2020 Empire YesYesYesYesDirected 3 episodes, wrote 2 episodes
2016–2019 Star YesYesYesYesDirected 3 episodes, wrote 2 episodes
2021–present The Ms. Pat Show NoNoYesNo
2021–2023 The Wonder Years NoNoYesNo
TBAThe Spook Who Sat by the DoorNoNoYesNo

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleEpisode
2015EmpireHimself"Sinned Against"
2017StarVideo director"The Winner Takes it All"
2019 BoJack Horseman Flea Daniels"The New Client"

Reality show appearances

Critical reception

YearTitle Rotten Tomatoes [42] Metacritic [43]
2005 Shadowboxer 17%33
2009 Precious 92%78
2012 The Paperboy 45%45
2013 Lee Daniels' The Butler 72%65
2021 The United States vs. Billie Holiday 55%52
2024 The Deliverance 30%38

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Bacon</span> American actor (born 1958)

Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American actor. Known for his leading man and character roles, Bacon has received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Penn</span> American actor and filmmaker (born 1960)

Sean Justin Penn is an American actor and film director. He is known for his intense leading man roles in film. Over his career, he has earned numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for three BAFTA Film Awards. Penn received an Honorary César in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Harris</span> American actor and director (born 1950)

Edward Allen Harris is an American actor and filmmaker. His performances in Apollo 13 (1995), The Truman Show (1998), Pollock (2000), and The Hours (2002) earned him critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Strong</span> American actor and screenwriter

Danny Strong is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. As an actor, Strong is best known for his roles as Jonathan Levinson in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Doyle McMaster in Gilmore Girls and Danny Siegel in Mad Men. He also wrote the screenplays for Recount, the HBO adaptation Game Change, The Butler, and co-wrote the two-part finale of The Hunger Games film trilogy, Mockingjay – Part 1 and Mockingjay – Part 2. Strong also is a co-creator, executive producer, director, and writer for the Fox series Empire and created, wrote and directed the award-winning Hulu miniseries Dopesick.

<i>The Woodsman</i> (film) 2004 film by Nicole Kassell

The Woodsman is a 2004 American drama film directed by Nicole Kassell in her feature directorial debut, from a screenplay by Kassell and Steven Fechter, and based on the play of the same name by Fechter. Starring Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, the film follows a convicted child molester who must adjust to life after being released from prison. The title of the film refers to the woodsman from the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, who kills the wolf to save the titular child.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Radnor</span> American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1974)

Joshua Thomas Radnor is an American actor, filmmaker, author, and musician. He is best known for portraying Ted Mosby on the Emmy Award–winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014). He made his writing and directorial debut with the 2010 comedy drama film Happythankyoumoreplease, for which he won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jurnee Smollett</span> American actress (born 1986)

Jurnee Diana Smollett is an American actress. She began her career as a child actress appearing on television sitcoms, including On Our Own (1994–1995) and Full House (1992–1994). She gained greater recognition with her role in Kasi Lemmons's independent film Eve's Bayou (1997), which earned her a Critics' Choice Movie Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jussie Smollett</span> American actor (born 1982)

Jussie Smollett is an American actor and singer. He began his career as a child actor in 1991 debuting in The Mighty Ducks (1992). From 2015 to 2019, Smollett portrayed musician Jamal Lyon in the Fox drama series Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassian Elwes</span> British film producer and talent agent

Cassian Cary Elwes is a British independent film producer and talent agent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taraji P. Henson</span> American actress (born 1970)

Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress. She has received several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Tony Award and six Emmy Awards. In 2016 and 2024, Time named Henson one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Simone Sheffield is a Talent Manager, Television and Film Producer and Music Coordinator. Among her other works, she has managed Bollywood actresses Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu.

<i>Precious</i> (film) 2009 film by Lee Daniels

Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, or simply Precious, is a 2009 American drama film, directed and co-produced by Lee Daniels. Its script was written by Geoffrey S. Fletcher, adapted from the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire. The film stars Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique, alongside Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, and Lenny Kravitz. This marked the acting debut of Sidibe, who portrays a young woman struggling against poverty and abuse. Filming took place in New York City from October to November 2007.

<i>The Butler</i> 2013 American historical drama film by Lee Daniels

The Butler is a 2013 American historical drama film directed and co-produced by Lee Daniels with a screenplay by Danny Strong. It is inspired by Wil Haygood's Washington Post article "A Butler Well Served by This Election".

<i>Empire</i> (2015 TV series) 2015 American TV series or program

Empire is an American music drama television series created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong for Fox that ran from January 7, 2015, to April 21, 2020. It is a joint production by Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television and syndicated by 20th Television. Although it is filmed in Chicago, the show is set in New York. The series centers on the fictional hip hop music and entertainment company Empire Entertainment, and the drama among the members of the founders' family as they fight for control of it. It stars Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Bryshere Y. Gray, Jussie Smollett and Trai Byers as members of the Lyon Family, along with a supporting cast including Grace Byers, Kaitlin Doubleday, Gabourey Sidibe, Ta'Rhonda Jones, Serayah, Malik Yoba and Vivica A. Fox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucious Lyon</span> Soap opera character

Lucious Lyon is a fictional character from the Fox drama series Empire, portrayed by Terrence Howard. Lucious is the main protagonist and anti-hero of the series. Created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, Lucious is the founder and CEO of Empire Entertainment, a world-famous and renowned record company that he runs with his family. Realizing he will need a successor after he is diagnosed with ALS, Lucious pits his three sons: the college-educated executive Andre Lyon, the talented and gay singer-songwriter Jamal, and youngest, rapper Hakeem, against one another. The story has parallels to William Shakespeare's King Lear and James Goldman's The Lion in Winter, while the character of a rapper and music mogul is loosely based on several real-life figures, including rappers, record producers and politicians. Lyon is married to former wife, drug dealer, ex-con, and former partner of Empire Entertainment, Cookie Lyon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cookie Lyon</span> Fictional character

Loretha "Cookie" Lyon is a fictional character from the American musical drama Empire on Fox. Portrayed by Taraji P. Henson, Cookie is one of the main characters within the series, the queen bee and the wife of former drug dealer turned hip-hop mogul, Lucious Lyon who gets released from prison and strikes out to lay claim to half of their multimillion-dollar record label, which was initially funded by her drug money.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamal Lyon</span> Soap opera character

Jamal Joseph Lyon is a fictional character from the American musical drama, Empire on Fox. Portrayed by Jussie Smollett, Jamal is the middle son of hip-hop mogul Lucious and his wife Cookie. Jamal, a talented R&B singer and songwriter, struggles to gain his father's approval, but is able to overcome this adversity with Cookie's support. He initially expresses resentment towards fame and is hesitant to be in the limelight, but he gradually embraces it once Cookie begins to manage his career. Jamal engages in what was once a friendly competition against his younger brother and best friend Hakeem to determine who is more musically gifted, while maintaining a cold distance from his older brother Andre for his perpetual scheming. Jamal struggles with his father's objection to his homosexuality, which was inspired by Empire creator Lee Daniels' own relationship with his father.

<i>Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1</i> 2015 soundtrack album by Various artists

Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1 is the debut soundtrack album by the cast of the musical drama television series Empire, which airs on Fox. The album includes songs that featured during the first season of the show, and performed by various artists. The album was released by Columbia Records. The soundtrack received positive critical reception and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. On September 11, 2015, another soundtrack titled Empire: The Complete Season 1 was released containing every song heard on the show that weren't included on the official soundtrack.

Pilot (<i>Empire</i>) 1st episode of the 1st season of Empire

The pilot episode of the American musical drama television series Empire premiered on Fox on January 7, 2015. The show focuses on Lucious Lyon, the head of a record label who is diagnosed with ALS and given three years to live. While keeping his condition a secret, he decides to find a successor that will take over the company. Meanwhile, his ex-wife Cookie Lyon comes out of jail and demands a part of the company she founded. The episode was directed by Lee Daniels and written by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong. Over 12 original songs, produced by Timbaland, were featured in the episode.

The 47th Image Awards, was presented by the NAACP, commemorating roles, talents, and achievements of people of color in film, television, music and literature during the 2015 calendar year. This ceremony was hosted for the third time by Anthony Anderson on the TV One network.

References

  1. ↑ "Lee Daniels biography". TV Guide . Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Stated on Finding Your Roots , January 4, 2022
  3. ↑ "Lee Daniels' other butler". inquirer.com. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
  4. ↑ Fresh Air from WHYY. "A Director's 'Precious' Project". NPR.org. NPR. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Exclusive: Precious Director Lee Daniels". comingsoon.ne. October 30, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Lee Daniels gets emotional over historic Oscar". MSN. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Woodsman". boxoffice.com. December 24, 2004. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  8. ↑ "The Woodsman (2004)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . 2013. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  9. ↑ Stern, Marlow (August 12, 2013). "Lee Daniels on 'The Butler', Working with Oprah, Trayvon Martin, and Race in America". Daily Beast. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  10. ↑ "In 'Shadowboxer,' Murder Runs in the Family (and It's a Turn-On in a Lover)". The New York Times . July 21, 2006. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  11. ↑ "ShadowBoxer". sansebastianfestival.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Lee Daniels Explains Why 'Mariah Got The Role Meant for Janet Jackson'". Women For Change. June 14, 2009. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  13. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (December 3, 2008). "Sundance unveils competition lineup". Variety. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire". Box office mojo. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  15. ↑ "2012 Official Selection". Cannes. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Cannes Film Festival 2012 line-up announced". Time Out. Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Lee Daniels' The Butler". Metacritic. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  18. ↑ Empire (2015) , retrieved October 5, 2020
  19. ↑ White, Peter (May 24, 2021). "Lee Daniels Extends Overall Deal With 20th Television". Deadline Hollywood .
  20. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (May 24, 2021). "Lee Daniels Renews Overall Deal With Disney's 20th Television". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  21. ↑ Fleming, Mike (January 24, 2022). "Lee Daniels-Directed Exorcism Thriller With Andra Day, Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close, Rob Morgan, Caleb McLaughlin, Aunjanue Ellis Scares Up $65M+ Netflix Deal After Head-Spinning 7-Bidder Battle". Deadline.
  22. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 15, 2022). "Tasha Smith Reteams With Lee Daniels On His Untitled Horror Netflix Pic". Deadline. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  23. ↑ Rice, Lynette (April 14, 2022). "Hulu Orders Sammy Davis Jr. Limited Series From Lee Daniels, Elijah Kelley To Star". Deadline. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  24. ↑ 20th Anniversary of Black Alumni of Pratt: A Celebration of the Creative Spirit, Events, Black Tie International, May 26, 2010.
  25. ↑ "Person of the Year: The Finalists". Advocate.com. November 5, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  26. ↑ "'Empire' producer Lee Daniels receives Hollywood Walk of Fame star". Los Angeles Daily News . December 2, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  27. ↑ "49 Celebrities Honor 49 Victims of Orlando Tragedy". Hrc.org. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  28. ↑ Rothaus, Steve (June 12, 2016). "Pulse Orlando shooting scene a popular LGBT club where employees, patrons 'like family'". The Miami Herald. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Lee Daniels And Stefano Tonchi Honored At Annual Fashion Week amfAR Gala New York". amfar.org (Press release). amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  30. ↑ Hedegaard, Erik (September 14, 2015). "Page 5 of Terrence Howard's Dangerous Mind". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  31. ↑ "'Empire's' "Batshit Crazy" Behind-the-Scenes Drama: On the Set of TV's Hottest Show". The Hollywood Reporter. September 16, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Sean Penn files $10 million suit against Lee Daniels". CNN. September 23, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  33. ↑ Eriq Gardner (September 22, 2015). "Sean Penn Files $10 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against 'Empire' Co-Creator Lee Daniels". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Sean Penn". Documentcloud.org. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  35. ↑ Gardner, Eriq (May 4, 2016). "Sean Penn Wins Apology from Lee Daniels in Defamation Settlement". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  36. ↑ "Lee Daniels came out as gay man 'because I loathed my dad so much'". Daily News. New York. November 14, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  37. ↑ Boykin, Keith (March 29, 2006). "Shadowboxing with Lee Daniels". keithboykin.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
  38. ↑ Lynn Hirschberg (October 21, 2009). "The Audacity of 'Precious'". The New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
  39. ↑ "The Love Issue - Love and Protection - Lee Daniels, Filmmaker and Jahil Fisher, Stylist". Out.com. January 12, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  40. ↑ "Empire Sex Scandal: Lee Daniels and Jussie Smollett Defend That Shocking Hook-Up". TV Insider. December 2, 2015. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Hidden in the Genes". Finding Your Roots. WETA-TV. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps Rebecca Hall and Lee Daniels solve family mysteries through DNA detective work, illuminating both history and their own identities.
  42. ↑ "Lee Daniels". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  43. ↑ "Lee Daniels". Metacritic. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.