Barry Jenkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barry Jenkins
Jenkins in 2017
Born	(1979-11-19) November 19, 1979 (age 45) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Alma mater	Florida State University
Occupation	Film director screenwriter producer
Years active	2003–present
Spouse(s)	Lulu Wang ​ (m. 2024)​

Barry Jenkins (born November 19, 1979) is an American filmmaker. He is known for directing, writing, and producing powerful movies and TV shows. His first major film was Medicine for Melancholy (2008).

After a break, Jenkins directed and co-wrote Moonlight (2016). This film won many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. Jenkins was nominated for Best Director and won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay with Tarell Alvin McCraney. He was the second Black person to direct a Best Picture winner. He then released If Beale Street Could Talk in 2018, which also earned him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for his writing.

Jenkins has also worked in television. He directed an episode of the Netflix series Dear White People in 2017. In 2021, he created and directed The Underground Railroad for Amazon Video. This series won a Peabody Award. In 2017, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Early Life and Education

Jenkins was born in 1979 in Miami, Florida. He was the youngest of four children. He grew up in Liberty City, a neighborhood in Miami. He was mainly raised by an older woman who was not a blood relative. As a teenager, Jenkins lived with friends and played football and ran track at Miami Northwestern Senior High School. His childhood experiences led him to develop a strong imagination. He hoped to study creative writing.

Jenkins later studied film at the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts (FSU). There, he met many people he would work with later, like cinematographer James Laxton and producer Adele Romanski. He took a year off to improve his technical skills. At first, he lacked confidence, but he found inspiration in foreign art films. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles to start his filmmaking career.

Filmmaking Journey

Early Films and Projects

Jenkins at a Q&A for Medicine for Melancholy in 2009

Jenkins' first film was a short called My Josephine (2001). It was about a young man's life after the September 11 attacks. He then made Little Brown Boy, which explored stories about young people facing tough challenges.

His first feature film was Medicine for Melancholy (2008). This movie starred Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins. Jenkins wanted to make a low-budget film featuring African-Americans. Critics liked the film, and it was shown at many festivals.

After Medicine for Melancholy, Jenkins wrote several screenplays. He also worked as a carpenter and helped start an advertising company called Strike Anywhere. In 2011, he wrote and directed Remigration, a sci-fi short film about changes in neighborhoods. He also worked as a writer for HBO's The Leftovers. In 2012, he received a special grant called a United States Artists Fellowship.

Breakthrough with Moonlight

Jenkins directed and co-wrote Moonlight (2016). This was his first feature film in eight years. It was based on a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Both Jenkins and McCraney grew up in the same area, which influenced the story. Jenkins wrote the screenplay in just ten days. The movie was filmed in 25 days in Miami. It premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in September 2016 and received huge praise.

Moonlight won many awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Picture – Drama and the Academy Award for Best Picture. Jenkins and McCraney also won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film received eight Oscar nominations in total. Its win was seen as very important for recognizing Black stories in film.

In 2022, Sight & Sound magazine listed Moonlight as the 60th greatest film of all time in a poll of film experts.

Recent Work

In 2017, Jenkins directed an episode of the Netflix series Dear White People. He was chosen because of his work on Moonlight. In 2013, Jenkins had written a film version of James Baldwin's novel If Beale Street Could Talk. Filming began in 2017. Jenkins worked closely with Baldwin's family. The movie was released in December 2018 and was highly praised. It won many awards, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Regina King. Jenkins was nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay.

Donald Trump's election inspired Jenkins to go forward with The Underground Railroad, after Moonlight's success opened up new avenues.

Jenkins directed the 2021 TV series The Underground Railroad. This show was based on Colson Whitehead's novel of the same name. It was a very important project for Jenkins. The series was created after his success with Moonlight. The main actors included Thuso Mbedu as Cora and Aaron Pierre as Caesar.

Jenkins searched worldwide for the right actors. He felt a deep connection to his family history while making the show. The series received excellent reviews. In 2024, he wrote a screenplay for a film about boxer Claressa Shields called The Fire Inside. He also directed Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel to Disney's The Lion King.

His production company, Pastel, has a deal with HBO, HBO Max, and A24. In 2023, he was chosen to lead the jury for the Platform Prize at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

Artistic Style

Jenkins often works with cinematographer James Laxton. They share a unique way of approaching visuals in their films. Jenkins focuses on showing the deep feelings of his characters. Actor Aaron Pierre described Jenkins as a great leader who makes everyone feel safe and supported. Jenkins has said that writer James Baldwin is a big influence on his work. He also credits his partner, filmmaker Lulu Wang, for inspiring him.

In Moonlight, Jenkins used bright colors even though the story was serious. He wanted the audience to feel close to the characters. Each part of the film has special visuals that highlight the story's themes. Jenkins is very interested in how time passes. He shows this by using different visual elements and by using a technique called "chopped and screwed" music.

Jenkins sees Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, and The Underground Railroad as a group of films that explore the idea of childhood abandonment. This theme is personal to him. He tries to understand and connect with the characters in his stories. Producer Adele Romanski has noted that his films often tell a love story in different ways.

Exploring Black Identity

In his films, Jenkins explores what it means to be Black. Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk are gentle but strong stories about African American lives. Jenkins connects everyday Black life with other identities. He hopes his films can help people understand Black history better. He wants to show different sides of Black characters, not just stereotypes.

Jenkins thinks about his audience when making films. He wants to create stories that connect with people, especially Black viewers. He hopes his films can help Black people see themselves in new ways.

Personal Life

Jenkins began dating filmmaker Lulu Wang in 2018. They were married in December 2024.

Filmography

Film

Television

Accolades

Images for kids

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  Jenkins in 2017

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  Jenkins at a Q&A for Medicine for Melancholy in 2009

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  Donald Trump's election inspired Jenkins to go forward with The Underground Railroad, after Moonlight's success opened up new avenues.

See also

In Spanish: Barry Jenkins para niños