Paris Barclay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paris Barclay
Barclay in 2013
Born	Paris K. C. Barclay (1956-06-30) June 30, 1956 (age 69) Chicago Heights, Illinois, United States
Alma mater	Harvard University
Occupation	Television director
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	Christopher Mason ​ (m. 2008)​
Children	2

Paris K. C. Barclay, born on June 30, 1956, is an American director, producer, and writer for television. He has won two Emmy Awards. He is known for directing many TV show episodes, almost 200 so far. Some of these shows include NYPD Blue, ER, The West Wing, CSI, Lost, House, Sons of Anarchy, and Glee.

He often works as an executive producer on the shows he directs. He has also written and helped create shows. From 2013 to 2017, Paris Barclay was the President of the Directors Guild of America. In 2023, he received his ninth Emmy nomination for an episode of Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. This made him the first Black director to be nominated in every main drama category by the Television Academy.

Early Life and School Days

Paris Barclay was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois. He grew up in a Catholic family and went to La Lumiere School. This was a private boarding school in La Porte, Indiana. He was one of the first African-American students to attend the school on a scholarship.

Barclay later studied English at Harvard University. There, he was very involved in student musical theater. He also sang in an a cappella group called The Harvard Krokodiloes. During his time at Harvard, he wrote 16 musicals. This included music for two of the yearly Hasty Pudding shows. He attended both La Lumiere School and Harvard with John Roberts. John Roberts is now the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. His college roommate was the novelist Arthur Golden, who wrote Memoirs of a Geisha.

Music Video Career Highlights

After graduating from Harvard, Barclay worked as a copywriter for advertising companies. He then started his own company, Black & White Television. He wanted to create more chances for minority artists. He began directing music videos for famous artists.

He directed videos for Bob Dylan, New Kids On The Block, Janet Jackson, and Luther Vandross. He is especially known for directing eight videos for LL Cool J. One of these was "Mama Said Knock You Out". This video won awards from MTV and Billboard. It was also listed by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. In 2013, Complex Magazine called "Mama Said Knock You Out" one of the top 50 rap videos of the 1990s. They said it helped connect boxing and rap culture.

Barclay also directed music videos for films. These videos helped introduce audiences to movies like House Party (1990) and Cool Runnings (1993). In 2012, Barclay directed his first music video in 16 years. He worked again with LL Cool J and R&B singer Joe on the video for "Take It".

Film and Television Work

Starting in the 1990s

Paris Barclay began his TV career in 1992 with an episode of Angel Street. He was hired by John Wells, who was a new executive producer.

Barclay directed the first movie for Shawn and Marlon Wayans. It was called Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996). This movie also featured Keenen Ivory Wayans, Vivica Fox, and Bernie Mac. Even though it got mixed reviews, it was popular at the box office. It has since become a cult classic. Barclay also directed the HBO movie The Cherokee Kid (1996). This was a Western comedy-drama starring Sinbad and Burt Reynolds.

After directing episodes of ER, Barclay directed and produced NYPD Blue. During his three years there, he won two Emmy Awards for best directing. The second Emmy was for the episode "Hearts and Souls". This episode showed the death of Jimmy Smits' character, Bobby Simone. TV Guide listed it as one of the 100 Best Episodes of All Time. Barclay later worked with Jimmy Smits again on Sons of Anarchy.

Work in the 2000s

In 2000, Barclay teamed up with other NYPD Blue producers to create City of Angels. This was a medical drama with a mostly African-American cast. It included actors like Blair Underwood, Viola Davis, and Octavia Spencer. The show aired on CBS for two seasons and won two NAACP awards.

In 2002, he worked with John Wells again. He produced and directed a TV pilot called The Big Time. It starred Christina Hendricks and Molly Ringwald. This pilot later aired as a two-hour movie. In the years that followed, Barclay directed many different TV dramas and comedies. He was a co-executive producer and directing producer for Cold Case. He directed nine episodes of that show. He also directed episodes of The West Wing, Law & Order, Lost, House, The Shield, The Good Wife, Sons of Anarchy, and nine episodes of Glee.

In 2008, Barclay returned to HBO. He was an executive producer for three seasons of In Treatment and directed 36 episodes. This series was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series in 2009. The lead actor, Gabriel Byrne, won a Golden Globe for his role. In 2008, the series won two Emmys for its guest and supporting actors.

Also in 2008, Barclay worked with screenwriter Dustin Lance Black to write the MTV film Pedro. This film told the story of Pedro Zamora from The Real World: San Francisco. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. It earned nominations for its writers from the WGA, the Humanitas Prize, and GLAAD Media Awards.

Projects in the 2010s

In 2011, Barclay became an executive producer and the main director for the fourth season of Sons of Anarchy on FX. He continued this role until the show's seventh and final season.

In 2013, Barclay directed two episodes of Glee: "Diva" and "Lights Out". He was nominated for an Emmy for his work on "Diva". This was his second Emmy nomination for Glee.

In 2014, Barclay directed the first and second-to-last episodes of Sons of Anarchy for the fourth year in a row. Besides Sons of Anarchy, he also directed the 100th episode of Glee, which earned him another Emmy nomination. He directed episodes of The Good Wife, Extant (produced by Steven Spielberg and starring Halle Berry), and Manhattan. He also directed Glee's emotional flashback episode "2009", which was the first part of the series finale.

In 2015, Barclay was an executive producer and director for FX's The Bastard Executioner. This show was created by Kurt Sutter. Later that year, he directed an episode of FOX's popular show Empire.

In 2016, Barclay directed an episode of ABC's show Scandal. This show was created and produced by Shonda Rhimes. In the fall of 2016, Barclay was an executive producer and directed the pilot episode of FOX's Pitch. He directed four episodes of the series in total.

In 2017, Barclay directed the pilot and executive produced another project from Shondaland, Station 19. This show follows Seattle firefighters and is a spinoff of Grey's Anatomy. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC and aired over 100 episodes.

In early 2019, Barclay worked again with his Pedro co-writer Dustin Lance Black. They produced and directed a public awareness campaign for the Human Rights Campaign. This campaign, called "Americans for the Equality Act," featured many famous people. They spoke about the need for the Equality Act. This bill would protect LGBTQ people from discrimination across the country. The campaign won an award and helped the act pass in the House of Representatives.

Recent Work in the 2020s

In May 2021, Barclay directed a virtual reading of Larry Kramer's play The Normal Heart. It featured actors like Sterling K. Brown and Laverne Cox.

Also in 2021, after working on Station 19, Barclay directed two episodes of the Ryan Murphy Netflix series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. This series starred Evan Peters and Niecy Nash. The show was watched for over 1 billion hours on Netflix. Barclay's work on Episode 6, "Silenced," received much praise. Critics said it was the best episode of the series. For this episode, Barclay was nominated for a 2023 Emmy for Best Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie.

After Dahmer, Paris Barclay worked with Ryan Murphy again. He executive produced and directed two episodes of the Netflix series The Watcher. This show starred Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale. It was a big hit, becoming the #1 most watched show on Netflix when it first came out.

In 2024, Paris directed two episodes of a new Ryan Murphy series for FX/HULU, American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez. He also directed two episodes of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. He spent the rest of 2024 directing the pilot and executive producing the ABC series, Doctor Odyssey. This show stars Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson. The pilot premiered on September 26, 2024, and was watched by 13.6 million people in its first week. This made it ABC's most successful drama premiere in four years. Paris directed 6 of the season's 18 episodes.

In 2024, his first documentary film, Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It, was shown at film festivals. It featured Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton. Critics called the film "eye-opening" and a "portrait of a gifted musician."

In the first half of 2025, Paris finished his work on Doctor Odyssey. He also filmed two episodes of Season 3 of Shawn Ryan’s Netflix series, The Night Agent.

Work in Musical Theater

In 1984, Barclay presented his musical On Hold With Music at the Manhattan Theater Club. He wrote both the music and the story for this musical. It was based on his experiences in advertising.

In 1985, he wrote another musical drama called Almos' a Man. This was based on a short story by Richard Wright. It was produced at Soho Rep.

After many years of directing, Barclay returned to composing music in 2001. His musical Letters from ‘Nam premiered. It was based on letters from the Vietnam War. The play featured Grammy winner Maureen McGovern. Reviewers praised the play, which opened just days before the September 11 attacks in 2001.

In 2003, Barclay wrote songs for and helped direct Order My Steps. This musical play was about how African-American churches responded to the AIDS epidemic. The Los Angeles Times called it a "moving tale."

Barclay later reworked his Vietnam musical into One Red Flower: Letters from ‘Nam. This version was produced at the Village Theater in Issaquah and received more praise. Other productions followed, including a "gritty and emotional" staging in Virginia in 2004.

In 2008, Barclay presented a reading of One Red Flower in Los Angeles. This event helped raise money for veterans. Many of the original cast members returned. Barclay is currently working with Brian Yorkey to turn One Red Flower into a television movie. It is now called Letters From ‘Nam.

Directors Guild of America Leadership

In June 2013, Paris Barclay was chosen as the President of the Directors Guild of America. He was the first African-American and the first openly gay person to hold this position in the Guild's history. He thanked the Guild and said he was honored to follow in the footsteps of leaders like Frank Capra.

Before becoming President, Barclay served four terms as the First Vice President of the DGA. He was the first African-American officer in the Guild's history in that role. He also led the DGA's Political Action Committee. This group works to help DGA members with lawmakers. Their goals included fighting online copyright issues and promoting tax breaks for film and TV production. He also worked to encourage the hiring of more women and minority directors.

Barclay finished his second term as DGA president in June 2017. He was followed by Thomas Schlamme. Barclay continues to work for the DGA. He helped create and teaches a class for new directors. He also helped with contract talks in 2020. He is a co-chair of the DGA's Return to Work Committee. This committee created rules to help the industry get back to work after the COVID shutdown. In 2021, he was chosen as the Guild's Secretary/Treasurer.

In 2021, he was named an Honorary Life Member of the DGA. This is one of the Guild's highest honors. It recognizes his career achievements and leadership. He is still the Guild's Secretary/Treasurer.

His Reputation in Hollywood

Over his three decades as a director, Paris Barclay has become known as a versatile director. He can work well in many different types of shows. A 2011 article in Variety called him a "highly adaptive force." Another article called him "one of the most reputable TV directors in Hollywood."

Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter said that the show found its "groove" when Barclay joined as a director. Sutter also said that Barclay is great because he understands both writing and directing.

Glee actor Blake Jenner said that Barclay helped him through a difficult scene. He called Barclay "nurturing."

TV critic Matt Zoller Seitz said that Barclay is one of the few producer/directors who can manage TV shows as well as a writer-showrunner. Ryan Murphy, creator of Glee, called Barclay's episode "Wheels" a "turning point for the show."

Many of Barclay's former assistants have become very successful in Hollywood. Kevin Williamson, who wrote Scream, was one of his first assistants. Josh Barry, another former assistant, is now the President of Shawn Levy's 21 Laps Television.

Personal Life

Paris Barclay married Christopher Mason, a food industry executive, in 2008. They had been partners for 10 years. They have two children.

He has said that The Godfather Part II, Alien, and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World are some of his favorite movies.

Film and Television Work List

Here are some of the films and TV shows Paris Barclay has directed:

Film

• Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)

Television Series (Selected)

• Angel Street (1992)
• ER (1996–2000)
• NYPD Blue (1997–1999)
• The West Wing (2000–2002)
• Cold Case (2003–2008)
• The Shield (2003–2007)
• House (2005)
• Lost (2007)
• In Treatment (2008–2010)
• Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014)
• Glee (2009–2015)
• The Good Wife (2009–2014)
• Smash (2012)
• Extant (2014)
• The Bastard Executioner (2015)
• Empire (2016)
• Scandal (2016)
• Pitch (2016)
• Station 19 (2018–2024)
• Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2021)
• The Watcher (2022)
• American Horror Story: NYC (2022)
• Doctor Odyssey (2024–2025)
• American Sports Story (2024)

TV Movies

• America's Dream (1996)
• The Cherokee Kid (1996)
• The Big Time (2002)

Music Videos (Selected)

• "The Rhythm" by Kwamé (1989)
• "Big Ole Butt" by LL Cool J (1989)
• "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J (1991)
• "Take It" by LL Cool J Feat. Joe (2012)

Awards and Honors

Paris Barclay has received many awards and honors throughout his career.

Awards Won

• Emmy Awards:
  • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for NYPD Blue: "Lost Israel, Part 2" (1998)
  • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for NYPD Blue: "Hearts and Souls" (1999)
• Directors Guild of America Award:
  • Outstanding Directing - Drama Series for NYPD Blue (1999)
  • Robert B. Aldrich Service Award (2007)
  • Honorary Life Member (2021)

Other Honors

• Project Angel Food Founder's Award (1998)
• GLAAD Association Stephen F. Kolzak Award (2001)
• US Department of Health and Human Services Voice Award (2003)
• Pan-African Film Festival Pioneer Award (2004)
• POWER UP Top Ten Gay Men in Entertainment (2009)
• Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Television with a Conscience (2010)
• Peabody Award for In Treatment (2010)
• Peabody Award for Glee (2013)
• NAACP Image Award The Hall of Fame Award (2014)
• Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award (2018)