Reinaldo Marcus Green
{{Short description|American filmmaker (born 1981)}}
{{Infobox person
| name =
| image = Reinaldo Marcus Green during an interview, March 2022.jpg
| caption = Green at the 2022 Santa Barbara International Film Festival
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|12|16}}
| birth_place = Bronx, New York, U.S.
| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|
}}
| occupation = Film director, producer, writer
| years_active = 2014–present
| website =
}}
Reinaldo Marcus Green (born December 16, 1981) is an American director, producer and writer. His films include Monsters and Men (2018), Joe Bell (2020), and Bob Marley: One Love (2024). His 2021 film, King Richard, was nominated for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards.
Early life
Green was born in the Bronx to an African American father and a Puerto Rican mother and grew up in Staten Island among other areas of New York City. His parents divorced, and he and his brother Rashaad primarily lived with their father. They played baseball growing up and had MLB ambitions.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/afro-latino-king-richard-director-reinaldo-marcus-green-talks-dads-spo-rcna6118|title=Black and Latino 'King Richard' director Reinaldo Marcus Green talks dads, sports|journal=NBC News|first=Arturo|last=Conde|date=19 November 2021|accessdate=20 March 2022}}
Green attended Port Richmond High School.https://statenislandarts.org/event/monsters-and-men-two-views/ {{Dead link|date=August 2021}}{{cite web |title=Two Views: North Shore + Cinema Connex |url=https://www.downtownsi.nyc/events/2019/10/16/two-views-north-shore-cinema-connex |website=downtownsi.nyc |publisher=Staten Island Arts |access-date=4 August 2021 |date=16 October 2019}} He went on to complete a Master of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and taught at an elementary school.Caprio, Kenna. [https://www.fdu.edu/fdumagazine/fdu-magazine-winter-spring-2022/venus-and-serena-trusted-him-with-their-fathers-story-and-their-own/ "Venus and Serena Trusted Him With Their Father’s Story. And Their Own. Reinaldo Marcus Green, BA’03, MAT’05 (Flor)"], FDU Magazine, Winter / Spring 2022. Accessed March 27, 2022. "'Venus and Serena are cultural icons. The epitome of Black excellence,' says Reinaldo Marcus Green. Green, BA’03, MAT’05 (Flor), didn’t grow up watching or playing tennis." He then worked at AIG for five years as a director of educational programming and talent acquisitions, needing the money to pay off his undergraduate loans.{{cite web |title=Reinaldo Marcus Green on the Disarming Power of Fiction |url=https://musicbed.com/blog/career/the-disarming-power-of-fiction-reinaldo-marcus-greens-journey-to-the-directors-seat |publisher=Musicbed Blog |access-date=4 August 2021 |date=24 April 2019}}{{Cite journal|url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/people/reinaldo-marcus-green/|title=Reinaldo Marcus Green|journal=Filmmaker Magazine|date=2015|accessdate=20 March 2022}} However, Green's department was downsized due to the 2008 financial crisis.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/king-richard-crew-black-girl-power-will-smith-1235048882/|title=Raising Our Voices: How the 'King Richard' Crew Supported Black Girl Power|journal=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Mia|last=Galuppo|date=17 November 2021|accessdate=20 March 2022}}
Disillusioned by Wall Street and introduced to film by his brother, Green enrolled in NYU Tisch School of the Arts' graduate film program when he was 27 and has since taught at the institution as an adjunct professor.{{cite web |title=Reinaldo M. Green |url=https://tisch.nyu.edu/about/directory/grad-film/1313502423 |website=tisch.nyu.edu |access-date=4 August 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite journal|url=https://www.aspentimes.com/news/reinaldo-marcus-greens-big-year/|title=Reinaldo Marcus Green's Big Year|journal=The Aspen Times|first=Andrew|last=Travers|date=22 July 2021|accessdate=20 March 2022}}
Career
Green first gained prominence through his early short films both solo and in collaboration with his brother. Among these were Stone Cars, which was shot on location in Cape Town, South Africa and showcased at the 2014 Cinéfondation in Cannes, and Stop, which was inspired by the killing of Trayvon Martin and premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=https://remezcla.com/features/culture/play-it-by-ear-how-filmmaker-reinaldo-marcus-green-went-from-working-at-chuck-e-cheese-to-playing-his-film-at-tribeca/|title=Play it By Ear: How Filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green Went From Working At Chuck E. Cheese To Playing His Film At Tribeca|website=Remezcla|date=7 October 2015|accessdate=20 March 2022}}
After receiving the Sundance Institute Fellowship in 2017, Green made his feature film debut with the 2018 drama Monsters and Men, which won the Special Jury Award for Outstanding First Feature at the Sundance Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/king-richard-movie-director-reinaldo-marcus-green-will-smith-1203242419/|title=Will Smith's 'King Richard' Movie Finds Director in 'Monsters and Men' Filmmaker|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=2019-06-13|website=Variety|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-02-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/berlin-hanway-sundance-monsters-and-men-1202690292/|title=Berlin: HanWay Boards Sundance Award Winner 'Monsters and Men'|first1=Stewart|last1=Clarke|date=February 7, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3232264/|title=Reinaldo Marcus Green|website=IMDb}} His next project was Joe Bell (2020), produced by Jake Gyllenhaal and Cary Joji Fukunaga, and starring Mark Wahlberg, Connie Britton, and Maxwell Jenkins. For his first television project, Green directed three episodes of the British crime drama Top Boy for its third series, which premiered in 2019.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jan/12/reinaldo-marcus-green-interview-monsters-and-men-top-boy|title=Reinaldo Marcus Green: 'I was asking myself: if I do nothing, am I a monster?'|journal=The Guardian|first=Jonathan|last=Romney|date=12 January 2019|accessdate=20 March 2022}}
In June 2019, it was announced Green would be directing a biopic titled King Richard, about tennis coach and father of American tennis players Venus and Serena Williams, Richard Williams, starring Will Smith in the titular role. The 2021 film has received a number of accolades.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/06/will-smith-king-richard-black-director-reinaldo-marcus-green-1202149773/|title='King Richard': Will Smith's Drama About Williams Sisters' Father Is His First Pairing With a Black Director|first1=Tambay|last1=Obenson|date=June 13, 2019}}
Green directed the HBO miniseries We Own This City (2022), starring Jon Bernthal and based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Justin Fenton.{{cite news |last1=Luers |first1=Erik |title="I Definitely Tried to Shoot This Series Like a Six-Hour Movie": Reinaldo Marcus Green on We Own This City|url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/114420-interview-reinaldo-marcus-green-we-own-this-city/ |access-date=February 20, 2024 |work=Filmmaker Magazine |date=May 10, 2022}} He directed another biopic titled Bob Marley: One Love (2024). The film depicts the life of reggae musician Bob Marley and stars Kingsley Ben-Adir in the titular role.{{cite news |last=Gorber |first=Jason |title=Interview: Director Reinaldo Marcus Green talks Bob Marley: One Love |url=https://thatshelf.com/interview-director-reinaldo-marcus-green-talks-bob-marley-one-love/ |access-date=February 20, 2024 |work=That Shelf |date=February 20, 2024}} Bob Marley: One Love received mixed reviews but was well-received by audiences.{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=J. Kim |title=Box Office: 'Bob Marley: One Love' Gets Together $7.4 Million on Friday, 'Madame Web' Falls Behind With $4.3 Million |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/bob-marley-one-love-beating-madame-web-1235914466/ |access-date=February 20, 2024 |work=Variety |date=February 17, 2024}} He is anticipated to direct an untitled dramedy for Lionsgate.{{cite news |last=Grobar |first=Matt |title='King Richard's Reinaldo Marcus Green To Write, Direct & Produce Family Dramedy For Lionsgate |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/king-richards-reinaldo-marcus-green-sets-new-film-at-lionsgate-1234975501/ |access-date=February 20, 2024 |work=Deadline |date=March 10, 2022}}
In February 2025, Green was announced to direct and co-write an untitled television special for Marvel Studios focused on Frank Castle / Punisher, reuniting with Bernthal, who portrays the titular character and will also co-write the project.{{Cite web |last=Vlessing |first=Etan |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Jon Bernthal to Return in 'Punisher' Special for Marvel and Disney+ |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jon-bernthal-punisher-special-marvel-disney-1236146371/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225161843/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jon-bernthal-punisher-special-marvel-disney-1236146371/|archive-date=February 25, 2025 |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}
Filmography
Short film
class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! width=65 |Director ! width=65 |Writer ! width=65 |Producer |
rowspan=2| 2011
| The Interview | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
One Way Ticket
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
rowspan=2| 2012
| White | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
Showtime
| {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
rowspan=2| 2013
| Street Kid | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
Festus
| {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
rowspan=4| 2014
| Stone Cars | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
Anonymous
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes|Executive}} |
Nnowm deede
| {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
The Zebra Room
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
rowspan=3| 2015
| Stop | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
Le Barrage
| {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
Semeli
| {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
2021
| In Max We Trust | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} |
Documentary short
class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Notes |
2016
| Mother Nature: Not Mommy | Also cinematographer |
Feature film
class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! width=65 |Director ! width=65 |Writer |
2018
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
2020
| Joe Bell | {{yes}} | {{no}} |
2021
| {{yes}} | {{no}} |
2024
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} |
Television
class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Director ! Executive ! Notes |
2016–2017
| First Step | {{yes}} | {{no}} | 5 episodes |
2019
| Top Boy | {{yes}} | {{yes|Co-executive}} | 3 episodes |
2021
| Amend: The Fight for America | {{yes}} | {{no}} | Documentary series |
2022
| {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Miniseries |
Acting credits
class="wikitable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |
2009
| Choices | Young man | Short film |
rowspan=3| 2011
| Prison Guard 2 | |
The Interview
| Ty Bedford |rowspan=2|Short film |
One Way Ticket
| Rei |
2022
| Correctional officer #2 | Episode "Part Six" |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|3232264}}
{{Reinaldo Marcus Green}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Green, Reinaldo Marcus}}
Category:21st-century African-American educators
Category:21st-century American educators
Category:21st-century African-American writers
Category:21st-century American male writers
Category:21st-century American screenwriters
Category:African-American film directors
Category:African-American screenwriters
Category:African-American television directors
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent
Category:American television directors
Category:Fairleigh Dickinson University alumni
Category:Film directors from New York City
Category:Port Richmond High School alumni
Category:Screenwriters from New York City
Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni
Category:Tisch School of the Arts faculty