Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

Credits

DIRECTOR Lee Daniels
WRITER Geoffrey Fletcher
PRODUCERS Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness

Biography

Lee Daniels (director/producer)

Lee Daniels' background is filled with bold stories as real and gritty as the narratives from the films he creates.  By the age of 21, Daniels had founded and was running his own health-care agency, providing nurses to private homes and hospitals; he was simultaneously trying to be a screenwriter.  After selling his health-care business, and giving up screenwriting, he began managing actors such as Loretta Divine, Michael Shannon, Natasha Kinsky, and Aishwarya Rai.  Daniels turned to producing as a natural result of trying to find and create great material for his clients; the organic leap to directing came soon after.

Monster's Ball was the first film from Daniels’ production company, Lee Daniels Entertainment.  The film marked Daniels as the first sole African-American producer of an Oscar®-winning and -nominated film.  Daniels also produced The Woodsman, which premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.  Nominated for three Film Independent Spirit Awards, the film received the CICAE Arthouse Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the Jury Prize at the Deauville International Film Festival, and Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking from the National Board of Review.

Released in 2006, Shadowboxer, a bold, heart-wrenching tale of two assassins, was Daniels’ directorial debut.  Following the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Daniels was also nominated for the New Directors Award at  the 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival.

Daniels recently produced the upcoming film Tennessee, which premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival.  The film is produced by Daniels, written by Russell Schaumberg, and directed by Aaron Woodley (Rhinoceros Eyes).  Daniels is also teaming with Chilean film-maker Sebastian Silva to produce Silva's next film Second Child.  The film follows an eight-year-old boy as he seeks affection and acceptance during the course of a family vacation to a country home. 

Daniels and his family live in New York City.

Sarah Siegel-Magness (producer)

Sarah Siegel-Magness is the co-founder, along with husband Gary Magness, and managing partner of Smokewood Entertainment.  Sarah’s credit include producing the award-winning Lionsgate film Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, and executive producing the critically acclaimed Vivendi Entertainment feature Tennessee.  Upcoming projects include motion picture and television projects based on Megan McDonald’s Judy Moody young adult book series and a documentary following an indigenous tribe in Brazil and its effort to become self-sufficient.  Through their Smokewood shingle, Sarah and Gary will produce films with positive messages for diverse audiences. 

Sarah graduated from the University of Colorado’s School of Business.  Following a brief career in the music industry, she launched So Low, a young women’s clothing line, which she still operates today.  The line is sold at upscale retailers nationwide.

Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to be nominated for the ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award' at age 30, and become active in the Young Entrepreneurs Organization, a global nonprofit education organization.   

Gary Magness (producer)

Gary Magness is the co-founder, along with wife Sarah Siegel-Magness, of Smokewood Entertainment. Gary’s credit include producing the award-winning Lionsgate film “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire,” and executive producing the critically acclaimed Vivendi Entertainment feature “Tennessee.”  Upcoming projects include motion picture and television treatments based on Megan McDonald’s Judy Moody young adult book series and a documentary following an indigenous Brazilian tribe in its effort to become self-sufficient.  Through their Smokewood shingle, Gary and Sarah will produce films with positive messages for diverse audiences. 

He was born in Texas and reared in Montana in a family with a legacy steeped in cattle ranching and cotton.  This rich family history led Gary to seek an agribusiness degree in college and an early career as a cattle rancher. Just as his parents segued from agriculture to cable television in the 1950s, Gary followed suit, helping to build the family business into cable giant Tele-Communications, Inc., which later merged with AT&T.  He remains a significant stockholder in the company today.

It was his entrepreneurial spirit that led Gary to become involved in many businesses which are now part of The Magness Investment Group.  The company’s diverse portfolio includes Magness Land & Cattle; Fortrust, a Denver-based state-of-the-art data center; and aquaculture breeding farms.  

Gary’s personal interest in vintage automobiles led to a personal car collection and eventually to the founding of Mango Motors, a classic car dealership.  He is also the team leader of Mango Racing, which competes in races several times each year, including the grueling Baja 1000 off-road race.  

Gary currently lives in Denver with Sarah and their family.  He is active in a number of philanthropic causes including Food Bank of the Rockies, The University of Denver, and The Fresh Air Fund.