Dianne Houston facts for kids

Dianne Houston is an amazing African-American film director, producer, and screenwriter. She made history as the first Black woman ever nominated for an Academy Award for her directing work.

Early Life and Dreams

Dianne Houston was born on July 22, 1954, in Washington, D.C.. Her dad was an Army psychologist, and her mom was a schoolteacher. She grew up in the Lamond Riggs neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

She went to Woodrow Wilson High School. She also studied at the Workshops for Careers in the Arts. These workshops were on the campus of George Washington University.

When she was 16, Dianne moved to New York City. She wanted to become an actress. But she found there weren't many good roles for Black women. So, she decided to write her own plays instead! Later, she went back to Washington, D.C. She earned a degree in theater direction from Howard University.

After college, Houston moved back to New York City. There, she wrote and directed plays for a street performance group. It was called CityKids Repertory Company.

Starting Her Career

Dianne Houston's first play was called The Fishermen. It was produced in 1977. She directed it at the Back Alley Theater in Washington, D.C. This play was also performed in other cities. It was shown in Richmond, Virginia, Fort Worth, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia.

Her writing skills caught the eye of Warner Bros.. This big company asked her to help improve some of their movie scripts. This is called "script doctoring."

In 1990, she became a writer for a TV series. It was called Brewster Place. This show was produced by Oprah Winfrey. It was a continuation of a miniseries based on a book.

In 1992, Dianne Houston was asked to write a movie script. It was about an all-women's jazz band from the 1940s. The band was called "The International Sweethearts of Rhythm."

In 1994, Houston wrote the script for "Override." This was a short science fiction film. It was based on a short story. The film starred Emily Lloyd and Lou Diamond Phillips. It was directed by Danny Glover.

Making History: Oscar Nomination

In 1995, Danny Glover helped Dianne Houston join a special film program. This program gave new directors a chance to make a film. Dianne was one of only four people chosen. Over 1,000 people applied! Through this program, she directed a short film. It was called Tuesday Morning Ride. Ruby Dee and Bill Cobbs starred in it.

The film was about an elderly couple. They were thinking about their lives. The story was based on "A Summer Tragedy." This short story was written by Harlem Renaissance writer Arna Bontemps. Houston said her film showed "two elderly people with everything to live for and no way to do it in this society."

In 1996, Tuesday Morning Ride was nominated for an Academy Award. It was for Best Live Action Short Film. This was a huge moment! Dianne Houston became the first African-American woman ever nominated for an Oscar for directing. She was also the only African-American nominee that year.

Some publicists told her that "Black women are not a novelty." So, Dianne couldn't find a publicist for the awards. She ended up doing her own publicity! At an Academy Awards event, a valet even tried to stop her from parking. He said the area was "for nominees only."

Jesse Jackson spoke out about the lack of diversity. He pointed out that Houston was the only nominee of color. He called for people to protest the Oscars. He led a demonstration against ABC. This was to protest the film industry's lack of racial inclusion. At that time, very few Black people were members of the Academy.

As of 2020, Dianne Houston is still the only Black woman to be nominated for an Oscar for directing.

Later Work

Since then, Dianne Houston has directed many TV series. These include Empire, NYPD Blue, and Crossing Jordan.

As a screenwriter, she has written for big companies like Touchstone Pictures. She has also written for famous actors. These include Danny Glover, Dustin Hoffman, Charles S. Dutton, Eddie Murphy, Missy Elliot, and Viola Davis.

Personal Life

Dianne Houston moved to Los Angeles in 1993. In 2005, she was diagnosed with cancer. She took a seven-year break from work. She focused on getting healthy.

She is married and has two children.

Film and TV Work

Films

Television