2024 NAACP Image Awards: Get Familiar with Nominee and Veteran Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua
This year’s nominees for “Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture” at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards have delivered some of last year’s best films, Ava DuVernay – "Origin" (NEON), George C. Wolfe – "Rustin" (Netflix), Juel Taylor – "They Cloned Tyrone"(Netflix), Michael B. Jordan – "Creed III" (Amazon / MGM Studios) and Antoine Fuqua - "The Equalizer III" (Sony Pictures).
Ahead of this year’s ceremony, we’re getting familiar with Fuqua. The veteran filmmaker and former music video director is currently celebrating the success of "The Equalizer III," but keep reading to get to know the genius behind movies like Training Day and many more.
He started his career as a music video director
Before finding breakthrough success with his 2001 award-winning 2001 crime thriller Training Day, starring Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, Fuqua directed music videos for some of the most prominent musical artists in the industry, including Toni Braxton, who worked with the director on the visual for her 1993 hit “Another Sad Love Song.” Fuqua has also worked with Usher, Prince, Mint Condition, Lil Wayne, and a dozen others.
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His favorite piece of art is “Gangsta’s Paradise”
In an interview with, the filmmaker shared his favorite work: “The video that I’m really proud of was with Michelle Pfeiffer in ‘Gangsta’s Paradise.’ He added, “I grew up loving Scarface, of course, and Jerry Bruckheimer asked me to do the video. I said that I’d do it if Michelle Pfeiffer would be in it.“
He initially wanted to fly jets in the military
Before going on to direct some of the most successful movies in Hollywood, Fuqua studied electrical engineering at the University of West Virginia with the hopes of someday designing jets for the military.
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He regrets not filming American Gangster
“It breaks my heart just to say it out loud,” he once said in an He was set to shoot the film with work with longtime collaborator Denzel Washington but left due to “creative differences” with Universal.
“I didn’t know enough then. I don’t think I navigated it the way I should have or had a full perspective and understanding of the business, like the fiscal responsibilities and the pressure that everyone’s under, including the executives,” he added.
He’s directing the new Michael Jackson biopic
It was recently announced that Fuqua would be directing a biopic on the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The late icon will be portrayed by his 26-year-old nephew Jaafar Jackson. A release date has yet to be made public.
Watch the NAACP Image Awards live on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at 8:00 pm ET/PT on BET.
