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John Singleton is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Producer and In Memory Of American born on 6 january 1968 at Los Angeles (USA)

John Singleton

John Singleton
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Birth name John Daniel Singleton
Nationality USA
Birth 6 january 1968 at Los Angeles (USA)
Death 28 april 2019 (at 51 years)

John Daniel Singleton (born January 6, 1968) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. A native of South Los Angeles, many of his early films consider the implications of inner-city violence like the critically acclaimed and popular Boyz n the Hood, Poetic Justice, Higher Learning and Baby Boy. He branched out into mainstream territory with the blockbusters 2 Fast 2 Furious and Four Brothers.

Biography

Jeunesse et formation
John Daniel Singleton nait à Los Angeles le 6 janvier 1968.

Il fréquente le Pasadena City College puis fait ensuite ses études à l'école de cinéma de l'Université de Californie du Sud. Il en sortira lauréat de trois bourses d'écriture : le Jack Nicholson Award en 1989 et 1990 et le Robert Riskin Award en 1989.


Carrière
Révélation du cinéma indépendant américain (années 1990)

À la fin de ses études, il rejoint la Creative Artists Agency et vend le script de Boyz N the Hood, qui revient sur les problèmes des jeunes d'un ghetto de Los Angeles. Il en sera également le réalisateur : en 1991, le film sort en salles avec notamment Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr. et le rappeur Ice Cube. Le film est un succès et Singleton devient la révélation de l’année. Il sera ainsi nommé aux Oscars du meilleur réalisateur et meilleur scénario original en 1992.

En 1992, il dirige Eddie Murphy, le mannequin Iman et le basketteur Magic Johnson dans le clip Remember the Time de Michael Jackson. Il tente ensuite de renouveler l'exploit de Boyz N the Hood en 1993 avec Poetic Justice, avec Janet Jackson et Tupac Shakur, puis avec Fièvre à Columbus University deux ans plus tard.

A la fin de la décennie, il réalise pour la première fois un film dont il n'a pas écrit le scénario. Sorti en 1997, Rosewood confronte Ving Rhames à Jon Voight et permet toujours à l'auteur de parler de la question raciale. Les critiques sont excellentes et le film décroche une nomination à l'Ours d'or du meilleur film à la Berlinale 1997.

Le réalisateur accepte alors de signer un véritable film de studio, le remake Shaft, où il dépoussière le personnage mythique de John Shaft, ici incarné par Samuel L. Jackson. Les critiques sont très bonnes. Le réalisateur revient ensuite au cinéma indépendant, signant en 2001 Baby Boy, pour lequel il dirige Tyrese Gibson dans le rôle principal d'un Afro-américain de 20 ans qui est père de deux enfants de femmes différentes, interprétées par Tamara LaSeon Bass et Taraji P. Henson, mais vit toujours chez sa mère. Les critiques plébiscitent ce retour aux drames sociaux.


Cinéma d'action et producteur (années 2000)

Par la suite, le réalisateur s'éloigne pourtant de ce cinéma d'auteur pour réaliser des films d'action pour les studios : il est ainsi choisi pour succéder à Rob Cohen pour filmer la suite du film d'action à succès Fast and Furious. Sorti en 2003, 2 Fast 2 Furious, a pour têtes d'affiche Paul Walker et Tyrese Gibson, qui remplace Vin Diesel. Cette fois, les critiques ne le suivent pas, mais il s'agit du plus gros succès commercial du réalisateur.

Deux ans plus tard, il dévoile un autre projet de studio avec le thriller Quatre frères, où il retrouve une troisième fois Tyrese Gibson. Mark Wahlberg interprète le rôle principal. Terrence Howard, Chiwetel Ejiofor ou encore le chanteur André « 3000 » Benjamin complètent le casting. Le film divise la critique, mais fonctionne correctement au box-office.

Parallèlement, le réalisateur développe plusieurs autres projets et produits d'autres longs-métrages indépendants, comme les acclamés Hustle and Flow (2005) et Black Snake Moan (2007), qui lancent la carrière du scénariste et réalisateur Craig Brewer.

Il faut attendre 2011 pour voir Singleton signer un nouveau film : le film d'action Identité secrète est là encore un projet de commande, destiné à lancer la carrière de l'idole des adolescentes Taylor Lautner. Mais ce thriller d'action notamment interprété par Alfred Molina et Sigourney Weaver est boudé par la critique.


Séries télévisées (années 2010)

Le metteur en scène s'investit alors à la télévision. Il réalise des épisodes de séries dramatiques salués par la critique comme Empire (en 2015), American Crime Story (2016) et Billions (2017).

Il développe ensuite des projets plus personnels : après avoir participé au développement de la série Rebel, dont il réalise l'épisode pilote, qui traite de la difficulté d'être un officier de police noir aux États-Unis, il co-crée la série dramatique Snowfall pour la chaîne câblée FX, qui revient sur le trafic de drogues à Los Angeles au début des années 1980. Singleton réalise plusieurs épisodes de la première saison et reste attaché au programme comme producteur exécutif pour la saison 3, commandée en septembre 2018.


Mort
Le 17 avril 2019, John Singleton est victime d'un accident vasculaire cérébral. Il avait été hospitalité plus tôt au centre médical Cedars-Sinai de Los Angeles après des douleurs aux jambes. Après être tombé dans le coma, il meurt des suites de cet AVC le 28 avril 2019.

Best films

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
(Director)
Shaft (2000)
(Director)
Four Brothers (2005)
(Director)
Abduction (2011)
(Director)
Poetic Justice (1993)
(Director)
Hustle & Flow (2005)
(Producer)

Usually with

Bruce Cannon
Bruce Cannon
(8 films)
David Arnold
David Arnold
(4 films)
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
(2 films)
Regina King
Regina King
(3 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of John Singleton (20 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Baadasssss!, 1h48
Directed by Mario Van Peebles
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Documentary
Themes Films about films
Actors David Alan Grier, Mario Van Peebles, Nia Long, Joy Bryant, Adam West, Rainn Wilson
Roles Detroit J
Rating72% 3.6454453.6454453.6454453.6454453.645445
Melvin Van Peebles stunned the world for the first time, with his debut feature, The Story of a Three Day Pass. Filmed in France and selected as the French entry in the San Francisco Film Festival, Melvin's film was awarded the top prize. Saying it was controversial would be an understatement. In 1968 for a black man to walk up to the podium and accept the top festival award for a film he had to go abroad to make—now that's how you make your mark. After his comedy, Watermelon Man, Melvin was determined to push the Hollywood boundaries with the groundbreaking, and even more controversial, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. Turned down by every major studio including Columbia, where he had a three-picture deal, Melvin was forced to basically self-finance. Risking everything he had Melvin delivered to the world the first Black Ghetto hero on the big screen—whether they were ready or not! More than 30 years later, history is being fashioned again in the telling of this very tale. Mario Van Peebles, Melvin's son, directs an honest and revealing portrait of his pioneering father. Mario now tells the story of the making of Melvin Van Peebles' landmark 1971 film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, including Melvin's struggles to raise money to fund the film under the guise of creating a black porno film. Melvin had ducked creditors, the unions and had to bail out his camera crew after they were arrested because a white cop decided a bunch of Negroes and hippies could not have come by that camera equipment honestly. Despite death threats and temporarily losing sight in one eye, Melvin somehow managed to whip into shape a rag-tag, multi-racial crew and finish the film that would give birth to birth of a new era which was about to explode: Independent Black Cinema.
8 Mile
8 Mile (2002)
, 1h50
Directed by Curtis Hanson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Musical
Themes Dance films, Films about families, Films about music and musicians, Films about the labor movement, Hip hop films, Musical films, Gangster films, Harcèlement au travail
Actors Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer, Taryn Manning, King Gordy
Roles Bouncer
Rating71% 3.599223.599223.599223.599223.59922
In Fall 1995 in Detroit, Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith Jr. (Eminem), a young and unhappy blue-collar worker from a poor family, struggles with various aspects of his life. He has moved back north of 8 Mile Road to the rundown trailer home in Warren, Michigan of his alcoholic mother Stephanie (Kim Basinger), his little sister Lily (Chloe Greenfield), and Stephanie's abusive live-in boyfriend Greg (Michael Shannon). Although encouraged by his friends, who hail him as a talented rap music artist, Jimmy worries about his potential as a musician, particularly due to his lack of confidence. This caused him to panic during a rap battle one night at a club called The Shelter, and leave the stage humiliated.
Baby Boy
Baby Boy (2001)
, 2h10
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Crime, Romance
Themes Films about music and musicians, Hip hop films, Musical films, Gangster films
Actors Tyrese Gibson, Omar Gooding, Taraji P. Henson, A.J. Johnson, Snoop Dogg, Ving Rhames
Roles Man Selling Bootleg Movies (uncredited)
Rating64% 3.2061653.2061653.2061653.2061653.206165
A 20-year-old man named Joseph Summers (Jody) (Tyrese Gibson) lives with his 36-year-old mother Juanita (Adrienne-Joi Johnson), in South Central Los Angeles. He spends most of his time with his unemployed best friend Sweetpea (Omar Gooding), and does not seem interested in becoming a responsible adult. However, he is forced to mature as a result of an ex-con named Melvin (Ving Rhames), who moves into their home. Another factor is his children—a son Joseph "JoJo" Summers Jr. with his girlfriend of five years, 25 year-old Yvette (Taraji P. Henson) and a daughter with a girl that he cheated on Yvette with,18 year-old Peanut, who also lives with her mother.
Shaft
Shaft (2000)
, 1h40
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs, Films about racism
Actors Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale, Richard Roundtree, Pat Hingle
Roles Bored Cop with Tea Cup (uncredited)
Rating60% 3.000013.000013.000013.000013.00001
NYPD Detective John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) is called in to investigate the racially motivated murder of Trey Howard (Mekhi Phifer), committed by Walter Wade, Jr. (Christian Bale), the son of a wealthy real estate tycoon. Shaft briefly meets a potential eyewitness to the murder, Diane Palmieri (Toni Collette), but she disappears soon after and cannot be found for the trial. Wade is released on bail and flees to Switzerland.
Beverly Hills Cop III, 1h44
Directed by John Landis
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Comedy thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Buddy films
Actors Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Héctor Elizondo, Timothy Carhart, George Lucas, John Saxon
Roles Fireman
Rating55% 2.753482.753482.753482.753482.75348
One night in Detroit, Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) plans to arrest a gang of car thieves who run a local chop shop. Unbeknownst to his boss, Inspector G. Douglas Todd (Gil Hill), Foley has canceled the SWAT team, intending to raid the shop using only his team. Meanwhile, a group of men arrive at the chop shop to pick up a cube van that the car thieves had hijacked. The leader of the group confirms that the vehicle still contains its cargo, which consists of crates labelled as property of the U.S. government, then has his men execute the car thieves.
Boyz n the Hood, 1h42
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime, Romance
Themes Films about families, Films about music and musicians, Hip hop films, Musical films, Gangster films
Actors Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Angela Bassett
Roles The Mailman (uncredited)
Rating77% 3.8988053.8988053.8988053.8988053.898805
In 1984, ten-year-old Tre Styles lives with his single mother Reva in Inglewood, California. After Tre gets involved in a fight at school, his teacher informs Reva that Tre is rather intelligent, but he is immature and lacks respect. Worried about Tre's future, Reva sends him to live in the Crenshaw neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles with his father, Furious Styles, from whom she hopes Tre will learn valuable life lessons. In Crenshaw, Tre reunites with his friends, Darrin "Doughboy" Baker, Doughboy's maternal half-brother Ricky, and Chris, their mutual friend. That night, Tre hears his father shooting at a burglar who tried to rob the house. Police officers arrive more than an hour later, and while the Caucasian officer is civil, the African-American officer treats Furious with disrespect and contempt.

Director

Abduction
Abduction (2011)
, 1h46
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Spy films
Actors Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Will Peltz, Alfred Molina, Jason Isaacs, Maria Bello
Rating51% 2.5625852.5625852.5625852.5625852.562585
Nathan Harper (Taylor Lautner) is an 18-year-old high school senior living in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with his parents Kevin (Jason Isaacs) and Mara (Maria Bello). He has been troubled by recurring nightmares and has been seeing psychiatrist Dr. Geraldine "Geri" Bennett (Sigourney Weaver) to diagnose them.
Four Brothers, 1h49
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Films about families, Films about music and musicians, Hip hop films, Gangster films
Actors Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, André 3000, Garrett Hedlund, Terrence Howard, Josh Charles
Rating67% 3.3997153.3997153.3997153.3997153.399715
The seemingly random murder of their adoptive mother, Evelyn Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan), at a Highland Park, Michigan convenience store, brings four brothers back home to Detroit, Michigan to find out what happened. Originally under the impression the crime was a simple robbery-gone-wrong, the brothers soon discover that the robbery was merely a cover for what was, in fact, a hit put out on Evelyn. After this revelation, Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), Angel (Tyrese Gibson), Jeremiah (André Benjamin) and Jack Mercer (Garrett Hedlund) track down the hired guns who killed Evelyn. Refusing to say anything, they are unceremoniously executed by Bobby and Angel.
2 Fast 2 Furious, 1h47
Directed by John Singleton, Derek Haas
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime
Themes Sports films, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Auto racing films, Road movies, Chase films
Actors Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Cole Hauser, Ludacris, James Remar
Rating59% 2.9570152.9570152.9570152.9570152.957015
After allowing fugitive Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) to evade arrest, former LAPD officer Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) finds himself on the run from the FBI and leaves Los Angeles to start a new life. He travels across the U.S. in a red Mitsubishi GTO, entering various drag races and winning large amounts of money. The FBI issues a country-wide manhunt against Brian and one day, the police locate him and repossess his car, forcing him to leave on foot. A girl (Minka Kelly) picks him up after he hitches a ride, and she drops him off at the local car lot, where he buys a 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 with the money he won. After winning several more races, he decides to settle in Miami.
Baby Boy
Baby Boy (2001)
, 2h10
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Crime, Romance
Themes Films about music and musicians, Hip hop films, Musical films, Gangster films
Actors Tyrese Gibson, Omar Gooding, Taraji P. Henson, A.J. Johnson, Snoop Dogg, Ving Rhames
Rating64% 3.2061653.2061653.2061653.2061653.206165
A 20-year-old man named Joseph Summers (Jody) (Tyrese Gibson) lives with his 36-year-old mother Juanita (Adrienne-Joi Johnson), in South Central Los Angeles. He spends most of his time with his unemployed best friend Sweetpea (Omar Gooding), and does not seem interested in becoming a responsible adult. However, he is forced to mature as a result of an ex-con named Melvin (Ving Rhames), who moves into their home. Another factor is his children—a son Joseph "JoJo" Summers Jr. with his girlfriend of five years, 25 year-old Yvette (Taraji P. Henson) and a daughter with a girl that he cheated on Yvette with,18 year-old Peanut, who also lives with her mother.
Shaft
Shaft (2000)
, 1h40
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about drugs, Films about racism
Actors Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale, Richard Roundtree, Pat Hingle
Rating60% 3.000013.000013.000013.000013.00001
NYPD Detective John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) is called in to investigate the racially motivated murder of Trey Howard (Mekhi Phifer), committed by Walter Wade, Jr. (Christian Bale), the son of a wealthy real estate tycoon. Shaft briefly meets a potential eyewitness to the murder, Diane Palmieri (Toni Collette), but she disappears soon after and cannot be found for the trial. Wade is released on bail and flees to Switzerland.
Rosewood
Rosewood (1997)
, 2h20
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Historical
Themes Films about racism
Actors Jon Voight, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Bruce McGill, Loren Dean, Esther Elizabeth Rolle
Rating71% 3.595823.595823.595823.595823.59582
A married white woman, Fanny Taylor, claims to have been beaten and raped by a black man. The movie shows a white man, not Fanny’s husband, in her bedroom where they have sex. They have an argument and strike each other. Some black workers outside heard what was happening but did not think they should intervene in white people's business. The white residents readily believe Fanny's claim. Hearing of an escaped black convict, a posse and other unaffiliated white men from Sumner and nearby towns go to Rosewood to investigate. The black residents of Rosewood quickly become targeted by a white mob, including men from out of state and members of the Ku Klux Klan.
Higher Learning, 2h7
Directed by John Singleton
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime, Romance
Themes Films about racism, Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, Gangster films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film, Lesbian-related films
Actors Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson, Ice Cube, Jennifer Connelly, Laurence Fishburne, Cole Hauser
Rating64% 3.249193.249193.249193.249193.24919
At Columbus University, a fictitious college in southern California, we first see Malik Williams (Omar Epps), a black man, Kristen Connor (Kristy Swanson), a white woman, and Remy (Michael Rapaport), another white man, at the opening freshman pep rally and as they are decorating their rooms. Malik and Kristen meet in the elevator, with the nervous Kristen shielding her purse and Malik seeing this and resenting it. There is a montage of each putting up pictures and posters in their rooms. Track star Malik goes to his first practice unprepared, and is chastised severely by the coach.