Alek Keshishian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alek Keshishian
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Keshishian in 2022
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| Born | July 30, 1964 Beirut, Lebanon
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| Alma mater | Harvard University |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Notable work
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Madonna: Truth or Dare Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me |
Alek Keshishian (born July 30, 1964) is an Armenian-American director, writer, and producer. He makes films, music videos, and commercials. He is famous for directing the 1991 documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare. This film was the highest-earning documentary for many years. It also changed how movies showed famous people. Keshishian also directed Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me in 2022.
Contents
Early Life and School
Alek Keshishian was born in Beirut, Lebanon. His father was a doctor. In 1969, his family moved to the United States. They settled in Manchester, New Hampshire. Alek and his sister, Aleen, grew up speaking both English and Armenian. Their family often helped Armenian refugees.
When they were kids, Alek and Aleen both acted. They toured with different children's theater groups. Alek went to St. Paul's School. Later, he studied at Harvard University. He graduated with honors in 1986. For his final project, he created a pop-opera version of Wuthering Heights. This show used music by famous artists like Kate Bush and Madonna. It got a lot of attention.
Alek Keshishian's Career
Music Videos and Documentaries
After college, Keshishian moved to Los Angeles. There, he started directing music videos. He worked with popular artists like Bobby Brown, Run-DMC, and Elton John.
In 1991, when he was 26, Madonna called him. She had seen his Wuthering Heights project. She liked his work and wanted him to film her. Just a few hours after their call, Keshishian joined Madonna. He filmed her rehearsals for the Blond Ambition World Tour.
Keshishian filmed everything, both on and off stage. The footage from Japan was very strong. Also, Alek and Madonna worked very well together. This led to the making of Madonna: Truth or Dare. This documentary became the highest-earning documentary of its time.
In 1994, Keshishian directed a movie called With Honors. It starred Joe Pesci and Brendan Fraser. The movie was number one at the box office when it came out.
Commercials and Other Films
When he was 29, Keshishian moved to London. He started focusing on photography and directing commercials. He made ads for big companies like Coca-Cola and Volkswagen. He also wrote, directed, and produced an independent film. This film was called Love and Other Disasters. It was shown at film festivals around the world.
After 2006, Keshishian returned to the United States. He continued to direct commercials. He also worked on special projects. These included campaigns for Jennifer Aniston's Smartwater. In 2011, he helped write the screenplay for the film W.E. with Madonna.
Working with Selena Gomez
In 2015, Keshishian directed the music video for Selena Gomez's song "Hands to Myself". Selena Gomez's manager is Alek's sister, Aleen. Selena was a big fan of Keshishian's Truth or Dare documentary.
In 2016, Keshishian started filming Selena Gomez. He wanted to make a documentary about her. He shot live performances and behind-the-scenes footage during her Revival Tour. The documentary project was put on hold for a while. Keshishian later said that Selena was facing personal challenges at that time.
In 2019, Selena Gomez asked him to film her trip to Kenya. She was there for a charity. This brought the documentary project back to life. Keshishian filmed over 200 hours of real-life footage. The film was named Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me. It was released in 2022. Critics said the film was very honest and open. They noted that Keshishian used the same magic he used with Madonna.
Films
- Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) – documentary
- With Honors (1994)
- Love and Other Disasters (2006)
- W.E. (2011) – co-writer with Madonna
- Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022) – documentary
Music Videos (partial list)
- "(He's Got) The Look" (1988) – Vanessa Williams
- "Dreamin'" (1988) – Vanessa Williams
- "Don't Be Cruel" (1988) – Bobby Brown
- "My Prerogative" (1988) – Bobby Brown
- "Don't Rush Me" (1988) – Taylor Dayne
- "Darlin' I" (1989) – Vanessa Williams
- "Every Little Step" (1989) – Bobby Brown
- "On Our Own" (1989) – Bobby Brown
- "Sacrifice" (1989) – Elton John
- "Like a Virgin (Truth or Dare version)" (1991) – Madonna
- "Holiday (Truth or Dare version)" (1991) – Madonna
- "This Used to Be My Playground" (1992) – Madonna
- "I'll Remember" (1994) – Madonna
- "Hold Me" (2000) – Savage Garden
- "Insatiable" (2002) – Darren Hayes
- "Hands to Myself" (2015) – Selena Gomez
- "Save It Til Morning" (2017) – Fergie
See also
In Spanish: Alek Keshishian para niños
