Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Spike Lee

How Spike Lee built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Spike Lee is a prominent American filmmaker known for his exploration of race relations, social issues affecting the Black community, media's influence, and urban challenges. He has achieved critical acclaim, earning an Academy Award, multiple Emmy and BAFTA Awards, and Peabody Awards. Lee has also received honorary awards recognizing his significant contributions to cinema and his role in addressing important political and social themes.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1983: Student Academy Award Win

In 1983, Spike Lee won the Student Academy Award for his film Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.

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1989: Do the Right Thing and the Oscars

In 1989, Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing missed out on a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars; the eventual winner was Driving Miss Daisy. This was mirrored by the 2019 Oscars with BlacKkKlansman competing against eventual winner Green Book.

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1990: Directing Commercials for Levi's and Nike

In mid-1990, Levi's hired Spike Lee to direct TV commercials for their 501 button-fly jeans. Nike also offered Lee a job directing commercials, pairing his character Mars Blackmon with Michael Jordan for the Air Jordan line.

1991: Teaching at Harvard

In 1991, Spike Lee taught a course about filmmaking at Harvard University.

1993: Teaching at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts

In 1993, Spike Lee began teaching at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in the Graduate Film Program, where he also received his master of fine arts.

2002: Appointment as Artistic Director at NYU

In 2002, Spike Lee was appointed as artistic director of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. He is now a tenured professor at NYU.

2008: Criticism of Clint Eastwood's Films

At the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, while making Miracle at St. Anna, Spike Lee criticized Clint Eastwood for not depicting black Marines in his World War II film Flags of Our Fathers. This led to a public back-and-forth between the two directors, though they later reconciled.

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2013: Oldboy Credit

In 2013, Spike Lee's film, Oldboy, used the traditional "A Spike Lee Film" credit after producers had it re-edited.

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2015: Honorary Academy Award

In 2015, at the age of 58, Spike Lee became the youngest person ever to receive an Honorary Academy Award, recognized as a champion of independent film and an inspiration to young filmmakers.

May 18, 2016: Commencement address for The Johns Hopkins University Class of 2016

On May 18, 2016, Spike Lee delivered the Commencement address for The Johns Hopkins University Class of 2016.

2018: BlacKkKlansman Premiere and Release

In 2018, Spike Lee's film BlacKkKlansman premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the Grand Prix. The film, a true crime drama set in the 1970s, was released in North America later that year to widespread critical acclaim.

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2018: BlacKkKlansman Wins Grand Prix at Cannes

In 2018, Spike Lee's film BlacKkKlansman won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

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2019: Academy Award Nominations and Win

In 2019, Spike Lee was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director for BlacKkKlansman, his first nomination in the latter category. He won his first competitive Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. There was also commentary surrounding BlacKkKlansman competing against Green Book mirroring Lee's film Do the Right Thing missing out on a Best Picture nomination over Driving Miss Daisy in 1989.

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2019: First Competitive Academy Award Win

In 2019, Spike Lee won his first competitive Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his film BlacKkKlansman.

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May 2020: NEW YORK NEW YORK Short Film

In May 2020, Spike Lee published a three-minute short film, NEW YORK NEW YORK, on Instagram that was later featured on the city's official website.

June 12, 2020: Da 5 Bloods Released on Netflix

On June 12, 2020, Spike Lee's film Da 5 Bloods, starring Delroy Lindo and Chadwick Boseman, was released worldwide on Netflix. The film follows Vietnam War veterans returning to Vietnam. It received widespread critical acclaim.

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2023: Ebert Director Award at TIFF Tribute Awards

In 2023, Spike Lee was named as the recipient of the Ebert Director Award at the TIFF Tribute Awards for the Toronto International Film Festival.

February 2024: Directing Highest 2 Lowest

In February 2024, Spike Lee was confirmed as the director of Highest 2 Lowest, a reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa's High and Low (1963), with Denzel Washington starring.