Kemp Powers
Birth dateOctober 30, 1973 (age 52)
Birth placeBrooklyn, New York City, U.S.
OccupationScreenwriter · playwright · director
EducationHoward University
Notable works
Years active2012–present

Kemp Powers is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for his play One Night in Miami and the 2020 film adaptation of the same name, as well as for co-directing the animated films Soul (2020) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023). His screenplay for One Night in Miami... earned him a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination at the 93rd Academy Awards,[1] while his work on Soul made him the first African-American to co-direct a Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar feature.[2] Powers was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 96th Academy Awards.[3]

Career

After writing the 2012 short film This Day Today, he scripted the 2013 play One Night in Miami,[4][5][6] which was adapted into a feature film directed by Regina King.[7] In 2017, Powers was brought onboard to write several scripts for Star Trek: Discovery season one episodes.[8] In 2018, he drafted his second play Little Black Shadows.[9][10] In the same year, he co-wrote the script for Pixar's Soul, with Pete Docter and Mike Jones, as well as co-directing the film with Docter, making his directorial debut.[11][12] An alumnus of Howard University, Powers is the first African-American co-director in Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar history.[13] On December 16, 2020, Powers hosted the first three episodes of the podcast Soul Stories, which was released as a Spotify exclusive. In the episodes, Powers interviewed several people who worked on the film mainly about their mentors and careers, as well as some behind-the-scenes stories behind the making of the film.[14]

In 2021, he appeared in the podcast Spark & Fire,[15][16] prior to writing his third play Christa McAuliffe's Eyes Were Blue.[17] In the same year, he signed on to direct Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and its sequel Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse with Joaquim Dos Santos and Justin K. Thompson.[18] In March 2023, Powers premiered his fourth play The XIXth (The Nineteenth), which chronicles the lives of two Black American sprinters who raised their fists in protest during the 1968 Summer Olympics games.[19] In Fall 2024, he was the John H. Mitchell Visiting Professor in Media Entertainment at the University of Michigan.[20] In November 2024, he set his live action filmmaking debut when he signed on to write and direct the crime film Lunik Heist for Searchlight Pictures.[21] In December 2024, it was reported that he would not be returning to direct Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.[22][23][24]

Filmography

YearTitleDirectorWriterNotes
2012This Day TodayShort film
2017Star Trek: Discovery5 episodes[8]
2020One Night in Miami...Also executive producer[25][26]
SoulCo-writer with Pete Docter and Mike Jones[27]
2023Spider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseWith Joaquim Dos Santos and Justin K. Thompson[18]

Plays

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryFilmResultRef.
Academy AwardsApril 25, 2021Best Adapted ScreenplayOne Night in Miami...[1]
March 10, 2024Best Animated FeatureSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse[31]
AAFCA AwardsApril 7, 2021Best ScreenplayOne Night in Miami...[32]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists AwardsJanuary 4, 2021Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay[33]
Annie AwardsApril 16, 2021Best Direction – FeatureSoul[34]
Best Writing – Feature
February 17, 2024Best Direction – FeatureSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse[35]
Black Reel AwardsApril 11, 2021Outstanding Breakthrough ScreenwriterOne Night in Miami...[36]
Outstanding Screenplay, Adapted or Original
Soul
Celebration of Cinema and TelevisionDecember 4, 2023Animation AwardSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse[37]
Chicago Film Critics AssociationDecember 21, 2020Best Original ScreenplaySoul[38][39]
Best Adapted ScreenplayOne Night in Miami...
Critics' Choice Movie AwardsMarch 7, 2021Best Adapted Screenplay[40]
Denver Film Critics SocietyJanuary 18, 2021Best Adapted Screenplay[41]
Florida Film Critics CircleDecember 21, 2020Best Original ScreenplaySoul[42]
Golden Globe AwardsFebruary 28, 2021Best Animated Feature[43][44]
Harvey AwardsOctober 12, 2023Best Adaptation from Comic Book/Graphic NovelSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse[45][46]
Hawaii Film Critics SocietyJanuary 13, 2021Best Adapted ScreenplayOne Night in Miami...[47]
Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film AwardsJune 30, 2023Best DirectorSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse[48]
Houston Film Critics Society AwardsJanuary 18, 2021Best ScreenplayOne Night in Miami...[49]
Hugo AwardsDecember 18, 2021Best Dramatic Presentation, Long FormSoul[50]
Indiana Film Journalists AssociationDecember 21, 2020Best Adapted ScreenplayOne Night in Miami...[51]
Breakout of the Year
NAACP Image AwardsMarch 27, 2021Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture[52][53]
Soul
North Carolina Film Critics AssociationJanuary 4, 2021Best Adapted ScreenplayOne Night in Miami...[54]
Online Film Critics Society AwardsJanuary 25, 2021Best Adapted Screenplay[55]
Satellite AwardsFebruary 15, 2021Best Original ScreenplaySoul[56]
St. Louis Film Critics Association AwardsJanuary 17, 2021Best Adapted ScreenplayOne Night in Miami...[57]
Writers Guild of America AwardsMarch 21, 2021Best Adapted Screenplay[58]

References

  1. ^ 2021 Oscar Nominations List Academy Awards Nominees
  2. ^ How Pete Docter and Kemp Powers brought the first Black Pixar protagonist to life in 'Soul'
  3. ^ 96TH OSCARS NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED
  4. ^ Verini, Bob (August 5, 2013). "L.A. Legit Review: 'One Night in Miami...'". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  5. ^ Meisel, Myron (June 11, 2013). "'One Night In Miami...': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  6. ^ Dowd, Vincent (October 11, 2016). "Muhammad Ali play puts icons of black America on stage". BBC News. Archived January 28, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  7. ^ Ray-Ramos, Dino (July 1, 2019). "Regina King To Direct Adaptation Of 'One Night In Miami'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  8. ^ Trumbore, Dave (August 24, 2019). "First Images for Pixar's 'Soul' Revealed; Cast and More Musical Details Announced". Collider. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  9. ^ Marchese, Eric (April 17, 2018). "'Little Black Shadows' Reflects the Everyday Savagery of American Slavery". Orange County Register. Digital First Media. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  10. ^ "Press Photos 'Little Black Shadows'". South Coast Repertory. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  11. ^ Romano, Nick (November 6, 2019). "Pixar bares its Soul in first look at film with Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  12. ^ Sherlock, Ben (October 13, 2019). "Kemp Powers And Mike Jones Have Co-Written The Script With Pete Docter". Screen Rant. Valnet, Inc. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  13. ^ Miller, Natalie (December 5, 2020). "From the Halls of Howard to the Director's Seat at Pixar: How a Howard Alumni Found His Passion". The Hilltop. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  14. ^ "Soul Stories by Disney". Spotify. December 16, 2020. Archived December 24, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  15. ^ "Spark & Fire - Episode 1: Pixar's Kemp Powers on "Soul" (Show Credits at end of episode)". Spark & Fire on Apple Podcasts. January 4, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  16. ^ "Podcast launches with conversations from Bill T. Jones, Isabel Allende, Yo-Yo Ma, Kemp Powers and more". Art Daily. January 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  17. ^ "Christa McAuliffe's Eyes Were Blue". Center Theatre Group. February 4, 2021. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  18. ^ Vary, Adam B. (April 19, 2021). "'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Sequel Snares New Directing Trio (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  19. ^ "The XIXth (The Nineteenth)". The Old Globe. October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  20. ^ "Kemp Powers, Fall 2024, Director, Producer, Screenwriter"
  21. ^ Kit, Borys (November 1, 2024). "Jared Leto, John Mulaney and Lupita Nyong'o to Star in True-Life Caper 'Lunik Heist'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  22. ^ Kroll, Justin (December 17, 2024). "'Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse' Taps Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson To Direct". Deadline. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  23. ^ McMillan, Graeme (December 17, 2024). "Sony's Spider-Verse 3 replaces directors as Spider-Man's animated future remains lost in time". Popverse. Archived December 18, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  24. ^ Lewis, George (December 17, 2024). "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse gets exciting update after long delay". Digital Spy. Archived December 18, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  25. ^ Bui, Hoai-Tran (July 10, 2019). "Regina King to Make Feature Film Directorial Debut With 'One Night In Miami'". /Film. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  26. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 7, 2020). "Regina King Directing Debut 'One Night In Miami' Underway With Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge & Leslie Odom Jr As '60s Icons". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  27. ^ Snetiker, Marc (August 24, 2019). "Pixar's 'Soul' cast Tina Fey, Jamie Foxx, Daveed Diggs and more". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  28. ^ LADCC Awards Turn Critical CTG
  29. ^ "'One Night in Miami' with Malcolm X, Ali Brown, and Cooke". This Stage. June 7, 2013. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  30. ^ "Olivier awards 2017: full list of nominations". The Guardian. March 6, 2017. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  31. ^ "Oscar Nominations 2024 List: Nominees by Category - Oscars 2024 News | 96th Academy Awards". ABC. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  32. ^ "2021 AAFCA Award Winners". African-American Film Critics Association. September 8, 2020. Archived April 25, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  33. ^ Davis, Clayton (January 4, 2021). ""Nomadland" Triumphs at Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards". Variety. Archived January 11, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  34. ^ Flores, Terry (March 3, 2021). "2021 Annie Award Nominations: 'Soul,' 'Wolfwalkers' and Netflix Lead". Variety. Archived March 4, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  35. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (2024-01-11). "'Nimona' Leads Annie Awards Animated Feature Competition With Nine Noms; Snubs Include 'Wish', Which Was Shut Out". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  36. ^ Fraley, Jason (February 18, 2021). "Regina King's 'One Night in Miami' leads Black Reel Awards with 15 nominations". WTOP-FM. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  37. ^ Hammond, Pete (November 13, 2023). "Jeffrey Wright, America Ferrera, Greta Lee Among Honorees For Critics Choice Celebration Of Cinema & Television Black, Latino & AAPI Achievements". Deadline Hollywood. Archived November 13, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  38. ^ Adams, Ryan (December 18, 2020). "Chloe Zhao's Nomadland Leads Chicago Film Critics Association 2020 Nominations". Awards Daily. Archived December 24, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  39. ^ Pederson, Erik (December 21, 2020). "Chicago Film Critics Awards: "Nomadland" Scores Best Picture, Director, Actress, and Two Others". Deadline Hollywood. Archived December 22, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  40. ^ Davis, Clayton (February 8, 2021). "Critics Choice Awards: "Mank" Leads With 12 Nominations, Netflix Makes History With Four Best Picture Nominees". Variety. Archived February 8, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  41. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 18, 2021). "The 2020 Denver Film Society Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived January 18, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  42. ^ Matt, Neglia (December 17, 2020). "The 2020 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations | Next Best Picture". Next Best Picture. Archived December 24, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  43. ^ Oganesyan, Natalie & Moreau, Jordan (February 3, 2021). "Golden Globes 2021: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Archived February 3, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  44. ^ Khatchatourian, Maane (February 28, 2021). "Golden Globes 2021: The Full Winners List". Variety. Archived May 2, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  45. ^ Whitbrook, James (August 11, 2023). "Check Out This Year's Harvey Award Nominees". Gizmodo. Archived August 11, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  46. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 14, 2023). "Chainsaw Man Manga Wins Best Manga Harvey Award for 3rd Straight Year". Anime News Network. Archived October 14, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  47. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 13, 2021). "The 2020 Hawaii Film Critics Society Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived January 13, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  48. ^ Anderson, Erik (June 30, 2023). "Hollywood Critics Association 2023 Midseason HCA Awards: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Past Lives, Air are Top Winners". AwardsWatch. Archived July 1, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  49. ^ Darling, Cary (January 22, 2021). "Houston Film Critics name "Nomadland" best film". Houston Chronicle. Archived January 25, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  50. ^ "2021 Hugo Awards". World Science Fiction Society. January 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  51. ^ Davis, Clayton (December 21, 2020). ""Nomadland" Tops Indiana Film Journalists Association, Leslie Odom Jr. Wins for "One Night in Miami"". Variety. Archived January 7, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  52. ^ Gibbs, Adrienne. "Netflix, HBO Lead NAACP Image Awards 2021 Nominations". Forbes. Archived February 4, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  53. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (February 2, 2021). "NAACP Awards Nominations: Netflix Tops List With "Bridgerton," "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" & "Da 5 Bloods"". Deadline Hollywood. Archived February 5, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  54. ^ Davis, Clayton (January 4, 2021). ""Minari" Wins Big With North Carolina Film Critics Association, Chloé Zhao's Directing Winning Streak Continues". Variety. Archived January 5, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  55. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (January 25, 2021). "Online Films Critics Society Unveils Annual Film Awards Recipients, Names "Nomadland" Best Picture". Deadline Hollywood. Archived January 26, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  56. ^ Van Blaricom, Mirjana (February 1, 2021). "25th Satellite Awards Nominees for Motion Pictures and Television Announced". International Press Academy. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  57. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 17, 2021). "The 2020 St. Louis Film Critics Association Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived January 18, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  58. ^ Davis, Clayton (February 16, 2021). "2021 WGA Awards Nominations: 'Borat 2' and 'Judas and the Black Messiah' Make The Cut". Variety. Archived February 26, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 22, 2021.