Kemp Powers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kemp Powers
Powers in 2023
Born	(1973-10-30) October 30, 1973 (age 51) Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Education	Howard University
Occupation	Screenwriter playwright director
Years active	2012–present
Notable work	One Night in Miami One Night in Miami... Soul Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Kemp Powers is a talented American writer and director. He is known for creating plays and movies that tell important stories. Some of his most famous works include the play One Night in Miami and its movie version. He also helped direct the animated films Soul (2020) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023).

Powers was nominated for an Oscar for his work on One Night in Miami.... He also made history with Soul. He was the first African-American person to co-direct a movie for both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar.

Kemp Powers' Creative Journey

Kemp Powers started his career by writing a short film called This Day Today in 2012. The next year, he wrote his play One Night in Miami. This play was later turned into a movie directed by Regina King.

In 2017, Powers worked on the TV show Star Trek: Discovery. He wrote several scripts for its first season. In 2018, he wrote another play called Little Black Shadows.

Directing Animated Films

Also in 2018, Powers helped write the script for Pixar's animated movie Soul. He worked with Pete Docter and Mike Jones on the story. Powers also co-directed Soul with Pete Docter. This was his first time directing a movie.

Powers went to Howard University. His work on Soul was a big moment. He became the first African-American co-director for a Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar film. After Soul came out, Powers hosted a podcast called Soul Stories. In the podcast, he talked to people who worked on the movie. They shared stories about their careers and how Soul was made.

In 2021, Powers wrote his third play, Christa McAuliffe's Eyes Were Blue. That same year, he joined the team to direct Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. He directed it with Joaquim Dos Santos and Justin K. Thompson. In March 2023, his fourth play, The XIXth (The Nineteenth), premiered. This play tells the story of two Black American sprinters. They raised their fists in protest at the 1968 Summer Olympics.

In November 2024, Kemp Powers began his first live-action movie as a writer and director. It is a crime film called Lunik Heist for Searchlight Pictures. In December 2024, it was announced that he would not be directing Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

Movies and TV Shows

Kemp Powers has worked on many exciting projects. Here's a look at some of them:

Plays Written by Kemp Powers

• One Night in Miami (2013)
• Little Black Shadows (2018)
• Christa McAuliffe's Eyes Were Blue (2021)
• The XIXth (The Nineteenth) (2023)

Awards and Nominations

Kemp Powers has received many awards and nominations for his work:

See also

In Spanish: Kemp Powers para niños