F. Gary Gray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids F. Gary Gray
Gray at San Diego Comic-Con in 2015
Born	Felix Gary Gray (1969-07-17) July 17, 1969 (age 56) New York City, U.S.
Other names	Gary Gray
Occupation	Film director film producer music video director
Years active	1988–present

Felix Gary Gray (born July 17, 1969) is an American director and producer famous for directing blockbuster movies and popular music videos. He is known for his work on films like The Italian Job, Straight Outta Compton, and The Fate of the Furious.

Before making movies, Gray directed many award-winning music videos. Some of his most famous videos include "It Was a Good Day" by Ice Cube, "Waterfalls" by TLC, and "Ms. Jackson" by Outkast.

His movie The Fate of the Furious was a huge success. It is one of the highest-grossing films of all time.

From Music Videos to Movies

F. Gary Gray started his career with a clear plan. He wanted to learn about the film industry by working as an assistant. He hoped to direct his first movie by the time he was 45, but he achieved his goal much sooner.

After high school, he began working as a camera operator. He even had a small acting part in the 1989 baseball comedy Major League.

Award-Winning Music Videos

Gray's first chance to direct came from making music videos. He started with a video for the hip-hop group WC and the Maad Circle. In 1993, he directed the music video for Ice Cube's song "It Was a Good Day". The video tells the story of the song's lyrics.

He went on to direct more videos for Ice Cube and other famous artists. These included Cypress Hill, Outkast, Dr. Dre, and Queen Latifah. His work on music videos helped him become a well-known director.

First Steps in Filmmaking

At age 26, Gray directed his first movie, the 1995 comedy Friday. The film starred rapper Ice Cube and actor Chris Tucker. Next, he directed Set It Off, a movie starring Jada Pinkett and Queen Latifah.

In 1998, he directed The Negotiator, a thriller starring Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson. For this film, Gray won Best Film and Best Director awards at the Acapulco Film Festival.

A Successful Movie Career

F. Gary Gray continued to direct many successful films throughout the 2000s and beyond.

Major Blockbuster Hits

In 2003, Gray directed The Italian Job, an action-thriller with Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg. The movie was a big hit, and Gray won another Best Director award for it. He also directed the action film A Man Apart starring Vin Diesel.

His 2009 thriller, Law Abiding Citizen, starred Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler. This film was also very successful at the box office.

Telling Important Stories

In 2015, Gray directed Straight Outta Compton. This movie is a biographical film, which means it tells the real-life story of the famous rap group N.W.A.

Two years later, he directed The Fate of the Furious (2017). It was the eighth movie in the popular Fast & Furious series. The film was a massive global success, earning over $1 billion worldwide. This made Gray the first African-American director to achieve this milestone.

In 2019, Gray directed Men in Black: International. That same year, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry.

Filmography

Here is a list of some of the movies and music videos F. Gary Gray has directed.

Films

Music Videos

See also

In Spanish: F. Gary Gray para niños