Billy Hopkins

Lee Daniels
Daniels at the 2013 Outfest Legacy Awards
Born	Lee Louis Daniels (1959-12-24) December 24, 1959 (age 57) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence	Manhattan, New York City, US
Occupation	Film producer, film director
Years active	1986–present
Children	2
Website	leedanielsentertainment.com

Lee Louis Daniels (born December 24, 1959) is an American film and television producer and director. He produced Monster's Ball and directed Precious, which received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director; the film won two of the awards.

In 2012, Daniels directed The Butler, a historical fiction drama featuring an ensemble cast portraying unique events on the 20th century presidents of the United States at the White House. Daniels is also a co-creator, executive producer and director of the television series Empire and Star, which debuted in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Daniels was born on Christmas Eve, 1959, the son of Clara Watson and William L. Daniels, in Philadelphia. He graduated from upscale, suburban Radnor High School in 1978, and then Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.

He couldn't afford film school, so he started in a liberal arts college in Missouri but realized it wasn't for him, and started working as a receptionist in a nursing agency in California. Realizing he could do it on his own, he quit the job and started his own agency. He sold the company and went to work casting actors using his skills from 'casting' nurses.

He began his career in entertainment as a casting director and manager after a chance meeting with a Hollywood producer, working on such projects as Under the Cherry Moon and Purple Rain. He continued managing talent. The documentary My Big Break features Daniels early in his career when he was managing actor Wes Bentley who starred as Ricky Fitts in American Beauty. In the documentary, Daniels comments on Bentley's reluctance to capitalize on his newfound celebrity status.