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Justin Simien

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Justin Simien
Simien speaking at the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1983-05-07) May 7, 1983 (age 41)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Alma materChapman University
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, author
SpouseRick Proctor (m. 2022)
AwardsU.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent

Justin Simien (born May 7, 1983) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. His first feature film, Dear White People, won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.[1] It was later adapted into the Netflix series of the same name (2017–2021). Simien has also been named to Variety's 2013 "10 Directors to Watch" list.[2]

Early life

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Simien was born on May 7, 1983, in Houston, Texas. He is the son of Anna Simien. He was raised Catholic and his father died while Justin was young.[3][4] Raised in the metro area, he attended the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. After graduation he studied film at Chapman University in California. Simien worked a number of jobs in Los Angeles prior to directing his first feature film, including social media manager at Sony Television, publicity assistant at Focus Features, and publicity coordinator at Paramount Pictures.[5]

Career

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Simien directed three short films prior to Dear White People: Rings (2006), My Women: Inst Msgs (2009), and INST MSGS (Instant Messages) (2009).[6]

Simien started work on what would become Dear White People in 2006,[7] with inspiration for the script coming from his feelings while attending the predominantly white Chapman University.[8] In 2012, he created a concept trailer using his tax refund as funding.[5] With the concept trailer as a centerpiece, he launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to raise $25,000 but he got an overwhelming response and managed to raise $40,000 instead.[9]

The film premiered in-competition in the US Dramatic Category at 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2014.[10][11] The film began its theatrical release in the United States on October 17, 2014.[12] In its opening weekend the film grossed $344,000 in only eleven locations for a $31,273 per theatre average.[13]

Dear White People won Simien the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival[1] and the "Audience Award" at the 2014 San Francisco International Film Festival.[14] Simien has also been named to Variety's 2013 "10 Directors to Watch" list.[2]

On May 5, 2016, Lionsgate announced a deal to produce a Dear White People television series based on the film and distributed through Netflix with the show's first ten episodes to be written by Simien.[15] The series was released in April 2017 to critical acclaim. Peter Debruge, writing for Variety, praised the writing, directing, social commentary, and cast.[16] The New York Times praised the series' examination of concerns such as appropriation, assimilation, and conflict.[17] In June 2017 the series was renewed for a second season, which was released in May 2018. On June 21, 2018, the series was renewed for a third season, which was released in August 2019.[18][19] On October 2, 2019, the series was renewed for its fourth and final season, which was released in September 2021.[20]

He was the writer, director, and songwriter for the 2020 horror comedy Bad Hair.[21] It had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.[22][23] Shortly after, Hulu acquired distribution rights to the film.[24] It was released in a limited release on October 16, 2020, by Neon, followed by digital streaming on Hulu on October 23, 2020.[25][26] The film received mixed reviews from critics.[27]

In 2019, Simien launched his production company, Culture Machine.[28]

At Disney Investor Day 2020, he was announced as the showrunner for a new Disney+ series about Lando Calrissian, called Lando.[29]

In April 2021, Simien signed on to direct a new film adaptation of the Disney theme park attraction The Haunted Mansion.[30] Haunted Mansion was released on July 28, 2023 to mostly negative reviews from critics (including Metacritic which gave it a "mixed or average reviews" score) and was a box office bomb. More recently, Simien signed an overall deal with Paramount Television Studios, under which he began adapting Geoff Johns's comic Geiger for television.[31][32]

In July 2023, Simien revealed he had not been given any updates on Lando since 2020.[33] Later that month, it was reported that Simien had departed Lando due to commitments to Haunted Mansion. Donald Glover and his brother Stephen were revealed as his replacements.[34] Earlier the same day, however, an interview was published between Simien and The Hollywood Reporter, where Simien said "I am attached, I think, but I don't really know" when asked if he was still writing Lando. He knew it was very possible he had been quietly fired, saying "Am I too Black? Am I too queer? And people just don't want to say that?"[35]

Influences

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While Simien has been compared to director Spike Lee, Simien says he does not welcome this comparison because he does not want to be "the next Spike Lee" but instead "the next Justin Simien" (although he does credit Lee's Do the Right Thing with "showing him that it's possible to make these types of black films").[8] Simien also counts Woody Allen and Ingmar Bergman among his influences.[8]

Personal life

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At the 2014 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Dear White People, Simien publicly announced he is gay.[7][8]

On Celebrity Family Feud season 9, episode 3, portrait photographer/comedian Rick Proctor was identified as Simien’s husband.

Filmography

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Feature films

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Year Film Director Writer Producer Notes
2014 Dear White People Yes Yes Yes Directorial debut
2020 Bad Hair Yes Yes Yes Also role "Reggie 'MC McCree' Watson"
Also songwriter
2023 Haunted Mansion Yes No No

Short films

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Year Film Director Writer Producer Editor Notes
2006 Rings Yes Yes Executive Yes
2009 My Women: Inst Msgs Yes Yes Co-Producer Yes
2009 INST MSGS (Instant Messages) Yes Yes No Yes Also cameo and gaffer
2010 Head No No Yes No
2010 The Goldfish No No No Yes
2011 Save Me No No No Yes
2014 'Get Your Life' Yes No No No Music video for Caught a Ghost
2015 I Can't With You No No No No Role: Marshall

Television

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Year Show Director Writer Executive
producer 		Notes
2017–2021 Dear White People Yes Yes Yes Creator and executive producer (40 episodes)
Director (7 episodes)
Director and writer (8 episodes)
Writer (2 episodes)
Role as "Jerry Skyler" in episode "Volume 3: Chapter 7"
TBA Flashdance Yes Yes No Future series
Geiger[36] No No Yes
Plan A[37] No Yes Yes Co-created with Steven J. Kung & Leann Bowen

References

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  1. ^ a b "2014 Sundance Film Festival Announces Feature Film Awards". sundance.org. January 26, 2014. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "10 Directors to Watch: Justin Simien Puts 'White People' in Perspective". Variety. December 17, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  3. ^ "'Dear White People': Creator Justin Simien goes back to class in Season 2". Baltimore Sun. May 5, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  4. ^ "Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997 (database on-line)". Ancestry.com. 2005. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
  5. ^ a b "With 'Dear White People,' Justin Simien wants to start conversations". Los Angeles Times. October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  6. ^ "Justin Simien Biography". 40th Seattle International Film Festival. Archived from the original on May 5, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  7. ^ a b "'Dear White People' director Justin Simien on what it means to be black — and 'black'". The Washington Post. October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d "Dear White People: Art Imitating Life's Racism". The Root. October 16, 2014. Archived from the original on January 7, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  9. ^ "'Dear White People:' From Indiewire Project of the Year to Sundance Film Festival". Indiewire. December 5, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  10. ^ "'Dear White People,' 'Fishing Without Nets' Will World Premiere At Sundance 2014 (Lineup Announced)". Shadow and Act. Archived from the original on February 6, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  11. ^ "'Dear White People' to premiere at Sundance". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  12. ^ "Sundance Award winner Dear White People releases first full trailer". Digital Spy. July 23, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  13. ^ Subers, Ray (October 19, 2014). "Weekend Report: 'Fury' Topples 'Gone Girl,' 'Birdman' Soars in Limited Release". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 29, 2022. Sundance hit Dear White People opened to $344,000 at 11 locations, which translates to a very strong $31,273 per-theater average.
  14. ^ "New Orleans Film Festival 2014". The Times-Picayune. September 19, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  15. ^ Lawler, Richard (May 5, 2016). "Netflix orders a series based on the movie 'Dear White People'". Engadget.
  16. ^ Debruge, Peter (March 13, 2017). "SXSW TV Review: 'Dear White People' on Netflix". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  17. ^ Poniekwozik, James (April 27, 2017). "Dear White People Review". The New York Times . Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  18. ^ "'Dear White People' Renewed for Season 3 at Netflix". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  19. ^ Bennett, Anita (June 19, 2019). "'Dear White People' Season 3 Premiere Date Announced". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  20. ^ Ausiello, Michael (October 2, 2019). "Dear White People Renewed for Fourth and Final Season at Netflix". TVLine. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  21. ^ Murphy, Mekado (October 26, 2020). "Making the Songs Pop in 'Bad Hair'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  22. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (December 4, 2019). "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  23. ^ "Bad Hair". Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  24. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 31, 2020). "Big Sundance Deal: Justin Simien's 'Bad Hair' Near $8 Million + Worldwide Pact With Hulu; Theatrical Rollout Planned". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  25. ^ Agard, Chancellor (August 13, 2020). "A killer weave comes to life in first trailer for Justin Simien's Bad Hair". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  26. ^ Donnelly, Matt (October 13, 2020). "Justin Simien's 'Bad Hair' to Debut in Drive-Ins Before Hulu Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  27. ^ "Bad Hair (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  28. ^ "Culture Machine - Client & Contact Info". IMDbPro.
  29. ^ "Justin Simien developing Lando Calrissian 'Star Wars' series for Disney+". EW.com. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  30. ^ Sneider, Jeff (April 22, 2021). "Disney's 'Haunted Mansion' Movie Lands Director Justin Simien of 'Dear White People' Fame". Collider. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  31. ^ Porter, Rick (August 6, 2021). "Justin Simien Inks Overall Deal at Paramount TV Studios". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  32. ^ Cordero, Rosy (October 20, 2022). "'Geiger' Comic Series Getting TV Adaptation By Justin Simien, Geoff Johns & Paramount Television". Deadline. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  33. ^ Milheim, Russ (July 18, 2023). "Is Disney+'s Lando Show Still Happening? Star Wars Writer Justin Simien Gives Update (Exclusive)". The Direct. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  34. ^ Sneider, Jeff (July 27, 2023). "Exclusive: Donald Glover and Stephen Glover to Write Lucasfilm's Lando Series as Justin Simien Exits". Above The Line. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  35. ^ O'Connell, Mikey (July 27, 2023). ""To Be in Hollywood Is to Be Gaslit": Justin Simien Levels Up With Disney's 'Haunted Mansion' at a Fraught Time". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  36. ^ Cordero, Rosy (October 20, 2022). "'Geiger' Comic Series Getting TV Adaptation By Justin Simien, Geoff Johns & Paramount Television". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  37. ^ Cordero, Rosy (August 10, 2022). "Starz Developing Asian American Comedy Series 'Plan A' From 'Dear White People' Trio Steven J. Kung, Justin Simien & Leann Bowen". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
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