Spike Lee

Bio:
Spike Lee (born Shelton Jackson “Spike” Lee on March 20, 1957 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American director. Spike is an Oscar-nominate director and has won both an Emmy Award and an Academy Honorary Award. His 1989 film Do The Right Thing was nominated for Best Original Screenplay in the 1989 Academy Awards. Spike’s film 4 Little Girls about the children killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham granted him his second Academy Award nom, this time for Best Feature Documentary. Spike’s production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983. His films have an ever-present theme of race relations, colorism, crime and poverty and political issues.

Best Known For:
Spike is best known for his films, as well as his controversial remarks on race and politics.

Personal Life:
Spike is the son of William James Edward Lee III, a jazz musician and composer. He is also the cousin of director Malcolm D. Lee. Spike married Tonya Lewis in 1993. The two had their first child, Satchel, in December 1994. They also have a son, Jackson, born in 1997. He currently lives on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.