Sanaa Hamri facts for kids

Sanaa Hamri (born November 19, 1977) is a Moroccan-American director who creates movies, TV shows, and music videos. She has worked with famous musicians like Prince, Mariah Carey, and Christina Aguilera.

She is well-known for directing popular movies like Just Wright (2010) and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008). Hamri also directed the colorful music video for Nicki Minaj's hit song "Super Bass". Her first movie as a director was the 2006 romantic comedy Something New.

Early Life and Education

Sanaa Hamri was born in Tangier, a city in Morocco. Her father, Mohamed Hamri, was a painter and author, and her mother, Blanca Hamri, was a teacher. Her parents were part of a creative community in Morocco that included many artists and writers from around the world.

Hamri went to the American School of Tangier, where her mother worked. She was very active in sports and was the only girl on her soccer team. For a while, she was the only female student in her entire high school.

In 1992, she earned a scholarship to attend Sarah Lawrence College in New York. In college, she studied theater and wanted to become an actress. She graduated in 1996.

Career Journey

Getting Started

After college, Hamri moved to New York City to pursue acting. It was difficult to find roles, so she decided to learn about what happens behind the camera. She taught herself how to edit films using an Avid machine.

A cinematographer named Malik Hassan Sayeed saw her work and was very impressed. He showed her videos to superstar Mariah Carey, who hired Hamri to direct one of her music videos. This was the start of her successful career as a director.

Directing Music Videos

Hamri quickly became a popular director for music videos. She has directed videos for some of the biggest names in music.

Some of her famous videos include "Musicology" by Prince, "Stole" by Kelly Rowland, and several videos for Mariah Carey. She has also worked with artists like Jay-Z, Lenny Kravitz, and Sting.

One of her most famous works is the music video for Nicki Minaj's song "Super Bass". The video is known for its bright colors and fun style.

Making Movies

Hamri has directed several successful movies. Her films often feature strong female characters.

• Something New (2006): This was her first feature film. It's a romantic comedy starring Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker.
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008): This popular sequel follows the adventures of four best friends, played by America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, and Blake Lively.
• Just Wright (2010): This movie stars Queen Latifah and Common in a story about a physical therapist who falls in love with a basketball player she is helping.

Working in Television

Besides movies and music videos, Hamri is a major director and producer in television. She has directed episodes for many hit TV shows.

She has worked on dramas like Grey's Anatomy, Elementary, and Shameless. She was also an executive producer and director for the popular musical drama Empire. More recently, she has directed episodes for major fantasy series like The Wheel of Time and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Personal Life

Hamri can speak several languages, including English, French, Spanish, and a Moroccan dialect. She has a daughter named Laila.

When asked about her work in Hollywood, Hamri says she wants to make movies that people from all backgrounds can enjoy and connect with.

Selected Works

Films

• 2006: Something New
• 2008: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
• 2010: Just Wright

Television

Hamri has directed episodes for many popular shows, including:

• 9-1-1: Lone Star
• American Horror Stories
• Desperate Housewives
• Elementary
• Empire (also Executive Producer)
• Glee
• Nashville
• Shameless
• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
• The Wheel of Time (also Executive Producer)

See also

In Spanish: Sanaa Hamri para niños