30 Facts About John Singleton

John Daniel Singleton was an American director, screenwriter, and producer.

John Singleton made his feature film debut writing and directing Boyz n the Hood, 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.

Since then, Singleton has written and directed other films such as the romantic drama Poetic Justice, the socially conscious drama Higher Learning, the historical drama Rosewood, the crime film Shaft, the coming-of-age drama Baby Boy and the action films 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Four Brothers.

John Singleton was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special for the latter.

One of the most successful and groundbreaking directors in African-American cinema, John Singleton's films represented the African-American experience in urban populations, focusing on themes such as black masculinity, trauma, racism and ethnicity.

John Singleton was born on January 6,1968 in Los Angeles, the son of Shelia Ward-Johnson, a pharmaceutical company sales executive, and Danny Singleton, a real estate agent, mortgage broker, and financial planner.

John Singleton was a Spring 1987 initiate into the Beta Omega Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi and graduated from USC in 1990.

John Singleton considered pursuing computer science, but enrolled in USC's Filmic Writing program under Margaret Mehring.

In 1991, John Singleton made his film debut with Boyz n the Hood.

In 1992, following the success of Boyz n the Hood, Singleton went on to direct VFX-driven "Remember the Time" music video for Michael Jackson, which featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.

In 1993, John Singleton wrote and directed his second film, Poetic Justice, a romantic drama about a young African-American woman named Justice who writes poetry to deal with the loss of her boyfriend to gun violence but soon encounters a postal worker, who helps her overcome depression.

The film has developed a cult following, especially for the chemistry between Jackson and Shakur and is considered as one of John Singleton's most enduring films.

In 1995, John Singleton wrote and directed Higher Learning, a socially conscious drama about the intense racial and social tension in a university campus.

In 2001, ten years after the release of Boyz n the Hood, Singleton wrote, produced, and directed Baby Boy, a coming-of-age comedy-drama about Jody Summers, a 20-year-old man who fathers two children by two different women- Yvette and Peanut but still lives with his own mother while he lives and learns in his everyday life in the hood of Los Angeles.

In 2005, John Singleton teamed with writer-director Craig Brewer to finance and produce the independent film Hustle and Flow, once it was clear that most other major backers would not clear it for release.

That same year, John Singleton directed Four Brothers, a blaxploitation-inspired action film starring Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin and Garrett Hedlund as four adopted brothers who return to their hometown of Detroit, Michigan to avenge the murder of their adoptive mother.

In 2003, John Singleton received a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Two years later, in 2013, John Singleton was attached as the writer-director of a biopic about the life, career and death of rapper Tupac Shakur.

John Singleton stated he was planning on making a competing film about Tupac.

John Singleton co-wrote the screenplays for the first two episodes with series creators Eric Amadio and Dave Andron and directed the finales for the first two seasons.

John Singleton was influenced by his friend and fellow filmmaker Spike Lee.

John Singleton's films have received praise for their authentic representation of the black experience in America whilst incorporating a hip-hop energy and style.

John Singleton's films have often examined black masculinity, violence, racism and ethnicity, racial prejudice, trauma, and other political themes.

On October 12,1996, John Singleton married Ghanaian actress Akosua Gyamama Busia, the daughter of Ghana's second Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia.

The couple had a daughter named Hadar Busia-John Singleton was born on April 3,1997), who appeared in Tears of the Sun (2003 and and other films.

In 1999, John Singleton pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery charges after attacking an ex-girlfriend during a dispute over child visitation.

John Singleton was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to make a film on domestic violence.

On March 19,2014, John Singleton criticized popular studios for "refusing to let African-Americans direct black-themed films".

John Singleton reportedly began to experience weakness in his legs after returning to the United States from a trip to Costa Rica.

John Singleton loved [to] bring the black experience to the world.