Dee Rees
Discover the life and films of Dee Rees (born February 7, 1977)—an American director, screenwriter, and producer whose powerful works like Pariah, Mudbound, and Bessie explore identity, race, and social truth.
Introduction
Diandrea “Dee” Rees (b. February 7, 1977) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer known for her bold, character-driven cinema that centers on underrepresented voices and issues of identity.
Rees has earned recognition for both her narrative ambition and her contributions to representation in Hollywood. Her film Mudbound (2017) made her the first Black woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Early Life and Education
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Dee Rees was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Her father worked as a police officer and her mother was a scientist affiliated with Vanderbilt University.
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Rees attended Florida A&M University, where she completed her undergraduate studies (in business) before transitioning into media and film.
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Seeking to pursue storytelling, she went on to NYU Tisch School of the Arts (Graduate Film Program).
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At NYU, Spike Lee was one of her mentors; she worked under him on projects such as Inside Man and When the Levees Broke, gaining practical experience in film production.
Career & Milestones
Early Works & Breakthrough with Pariah
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Rees began with short films including Orange Bow (2005) and a short version of Pariah (2007).
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In 2008, she made the documentary Eventual Salvation, which aired on Sundance Channel.
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Her feature breakthrough came in 2011 with Pariah, a semi-autobiographical story about a young Black woman embracing her sexuality.
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Pariah premiered at Sundance and earned Rees recognition—she won the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director and the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards.
Television and Mid-Career Projects
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Rees directed Bessie (2015), an HBO biopic about blues legend Bessie Smith, starring Queen Latifah.
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Her TV work includes episodes for Empire, When We Rise, and Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams.
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In 2020, she directed The Last Thing He Wanted, adapted from the Joan Didion novel, starring Anne Hathaway and Willem Dafoe.
Mudbound and Historic Achievements
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Mudbound (2017) is perhaps her most acclaimed film: a multi-perspective period drama about two families (Black and white) in Mississippi after WWII.
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Adapted from Hillary Jordan’s novel, Rees co-wrote and directed Mudbound.
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With Mudbound, she became the first African-American woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
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The film was acquired by Netflix at Sundance for a high purchase price, underlining its commercial and critical value.
Themes, Style & Creative Vision
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Rees often centers her films on identity, marginalization, and intersectionality (race, gender, sexuality).
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Her own identity as a Black lesbian informs her storytelling perspective, particularly in Pariah.
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She frequently draws on personal or family history—her grandmother’s experiences and family journals influenced Mudbound.
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Visually, Rees is attentive to detail, staging emotional intimacy and layered narrative shifts.
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She strives for collaboration and representation behind the camera: in Mudbound, she worked with a majority-female crew and prioritized equitable production practices.
Awards & Nominations
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Gotham Independent Film Award, Breakthrough Director (Pariah)
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Independent Spirit Awards, John Cassavetes Award (Pariah)
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Emmy nominations for Bessie (writing, directing)
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DGA Award for Outstanding Directing (Miniseries/TV Film) for Bessie
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Oscar nomination (Best Adapted Screenplay) for Mudbound
Legacy & Impact
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Dee Rees is a key figure in diversifying Hollywood’s storytelling, bringing forward narratives often overlooked.
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Her historic Oscar nomination opened doors and raised visibility for Black women writers and directors in the film industry.
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She exemplifies filmmaking that is both socially conscious and artistically ambitious—balancing personal voice and broader cultural relevance.