Gina Prince-Bythewood is an American film director and screenwriter. She is known for directing the films Disappearing Acts and Love & Basketball.
By the time she was three weeks old, Prince-Bythewood had been adopted by a computer programmer and a nurse in Los Angeles, California. Her adoptive father is Caucasian and her adoptive mother is of Salvadoran and German ancestry, respectively. She grew up in Pacific Grove, California, a white, middle-class community. With the help of her adoptive parents, she was given four siblings.
Gina Prince-Bythewood attends the “Women Of The Movement” Los Angeles Special Screening Event at El Capitan Theatre on June 09, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
Prince-Bythewood completed his high school education at Pacific Grove High School in 1987. She was a varsity track and field athlete while attending UCLA’s film school. She was awarded the Gene Reynolds Scholarship for Directing and the Ray Stark Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Undergraduates while attending UCLA.. In 1991, she earned her bachelor’s degree.
“It wasn’t a great experience” when she sought out her birth mother in 2014. In order for her white birth mother to have an abortion, her family foretold that their kid would be multiracial, and she was a teenager when she gave her up for adoption.
Gina Prince-Bythewood Career
Prince Bythewood’s film, Love & Basketball, was written after she spent five years working as a television writer on shows including A Different World and South Central. Prince-Bythewood played the lead role in the film, which was based on her own life and the events of her childhood. [3] It was created in the directing and writing lab at the Sundance Institute.
A dozen awards were given to the picture, and it was nominated for three others. The Black Reel Awards named it Best Film and Best Film Poster, while the Independent Spirit Awards named it Best First Screenplay. As for its domestic box office, it took home $27.7 million, making it the sixth most well-known basketball movie in America at the time.
Adapted from Sue Monk Kidd’s best-selling book, The Secret Life of Bees is a feature film directed by her. When it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2008, it was distributed by Fox Searchlight.
Gina Prince-Bythewood’ Profile
Full Name
Gina Prince-Bythewood
Net Worth
$4 Million
Date Of Birth
June 10, 1969
Place Of Birth
United States of America
Profession
Film director, Screenwriter, Television Director, Television producer, Film Producer, Actor
Education
University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Nationality
United States of America
Spouse
Reggie Rock Bythewood (m. 1998)
Children
Toussaint Bythewood, Cassius Bythewood
Nicknames
Gina Maria Prince , Gina Prince
Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/gpbmadeit
IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0697656
Awards
Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay
Nominations
Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In A Children/Youth/Family Special, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In A Children/Youth/Family Special, Independent Spirit Award for…
Movies
Love & Basketball, Disappearing Acts, Biker Boyz, The Secret Life of Bees, Our Family Wedding, Beyond the Lights, Before I Fall, What About Your Friends, Daddy’s Girl, Before I Fall, Beyond the Lights, Our Family Wedding, The Secret Life of Bees, Biker Boyz, Disappearing Acts, Love & Basketball, Wha…
TV Shows
Shots Fired, Shots Fired
Quote
1
“On my set, people have to respect the actor’s process. I totally respect what actors do. I give them whatever time they need and I never scream out directions from the camera. I take the time to walk up to them and talk to them personally.” (from “Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Disappearing Acts” by Monice Mitchell, DGA Magazine, January 2001, 25:5, 51-53.)
Fact
1
Ran competitive track at UCLA, where she also attended film school.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Shots Fired
TV Series created by – 10 episodes, 2017 story by – 1 episode, 2017 written by – 1 episode, 2017 post-production
Beyond the Lights
2014
written by
The Secret Life of Bees
2008
screenplay
Reflections
2007
TV Short
Love & Basketball
2000
written by
Felicity
1999
TV Series writer – 1 episode
Damn Whitey
1997
Short written by
Courthouse
1995
TV Series two episodes – as Gina Prince
CBS Schoolbreak Special
1995
TV Series written by – 1 episode
Sweet Justice
1994
TV Series as Gina Prince
South Central
1994
TV Series 1 episode
A Different World
1992-1993
TV Series 4 episodes
Stitches
1991
Short as Gina Prince
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Shots Fired
2017
TV Series 1 episode post-production
Beyond the Lights
2014
The Secret Life of Bees
2008
Reflections
2007
TV Short
Everybody Hates Chris
2005
TV Series 1 episode
Girlfriends
2005
TV Series 2 episodes
The Bernie Mac Show
2003
TV Series 1 episode
Disappearing Acts
2000
TV Movie
Love & Basketball
2000
Bowl of Pork
1997
Short as Gina Prince
Damn Whitey
1997
Short as Gina Prince
Progress
1997
Short as Gina Prince
CBS Schoolbreak Special
1995
TV Series 1 episode
Stitches
1991
Short as Gina Prince
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Shots Fired
2017
TV Series executive producer / producer post-production
Daddy’s Girl
2007
TV Movie documentary producer
Reflections
2007
TV Short co-producer
Biker Boyz
2003
producer
Felicity
1998-1999
TV Series consulting producer – 8 episodes
Courthouse
1995
TV Series co-producer – as Gina Prince
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Reflections
2007
TV Short script development
South Central
TV Series story editor – 7 episodes, 1994 executive story editor – 2 episodes, 1994
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
Love & Basketball
2000
Diving Basketball Player (uncredited)
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
A Fighting Man
2012
Short the producers wish to thank
I Will Follow
2010
special thanks
This Is the Life
2008
Documentary thanks
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
2006
Documentary the producers wish to thank
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Half the Picture
2017
Documentary post-production
Herself
Tavis Smiley
2014
TV Series
Herself – Guest
Made in Hollywood
2014
TV Series
Herself
The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards
2001
TV Special
Herself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2014
AAFCA Award
African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)
Best Screenplay
Beyond the Lights (2014)
2014
Artistic Achievement Award
Chicago International Film Festival
Beyond the Lights (2014)
2009
Image Award
Image Awards
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television)
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
2008
Black Reel
Black Reel Awards
Best Director
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
2008
Black Reel
Black Reel Awards
Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
2001
Black Reel
Black Reel Awards
Theatrical – Best Director
Love & Basketball (2000)
2001
Independent Spirit Award
Independent Spirit Awards
Best First Screenplay
Love & Basketball (2000)
2000
Humanitas Prize
Humanitas Prize
Sundance Film Category
Love & Basketball (2000)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2015
Black Reel
Black Reel Awards
Outstanding Director, Motion Picture
Beyond the Lights (2014)
2015
Black Reel
Black Reel Awards
Outstanding Screenplay (Original or Adapted), Motion Picture
Beyond the Lights (2014)
2015
Image Award
Image Awards
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
Beyond the Lights (2014)
2009
Humanitas Prize
Humanitas Prize
Feature Film Category
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
2009
Image Award
Image Awards
Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television)
The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
2001
Black Reel
Black Reel Awards
Network/Cable – Best Director
Disappearing Acts (2000)
2001
Black Reel
Black Reel Awards
Theatrical – Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted)
