Paris Barclay | |
|---|---|
 Barclay in 2013 | |
| Born | Paris K. C. Barclay (1956-06-30)June 30, 1956 (age 69) Chicago Heights, Illinois, United States |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupation | Television director |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | parisbarclay |
Paris K. C. Barclay (born June 30, 1956) is an American television director, producer, and writer. He is a two-timeEmmy Award winner and is among the busiest single-camera television directors, having directed nearly 200 episodes of television to date, for series such asNYPD Blue,ER,The West Wing,CSI,Lost,The Shield,House,Sons of Anarchy,In Treatment,Glee,Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,The Watcher, andAmerican Horror Story: NYC. He serves as an executive producer on many of the shows he directs, and has served as a writer and co-creator as well. From 2013 to 2017, Barclay served two terms as the President of theDirectors Guild of America.
With his ninth Emmy nomination for an episode ofDahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story in 2023, Barclay became the first Black director to be nominated by the Television Academy in every narrative dramatic category.[1]
Barclay was born inChicago Heights, Illinois. Raised Catholic, he attendedLa Lumiere School, a private college preparatoryboarding school inLa Porte, Indiana.[2] On scholarship, he was one of the first African-Americans to attend the school.
Barclay went on to study English atHarvard University, where he was extremely active in student musical theatre productions and thea cappella singing groupThe Harvard Krokodiloes. During his four years there, he wrote 16 musicals, including the music for two of the annualHasty Pudding shows. Barclay attended both the La Lumiere School and Harvard withJohn Roberts, now the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. His Harvard roommate was novelistArthur Golden, author ofMemoirs of a Geisha.
Following his graduation from Harvard, Barclay worked as a copywriter and creative supervisor atGrey,BBDO, Cunningham & Walsh, andMarsteller. Hoping to create more opportunities for minorities, Barclay started his own production company, Black & White Television, and went on to direct music videos for artists such asBob Dylan ("It's Unbelievable"), theNew Kids On The Block ("Games"[3]), as well asJanet Jackson andLuther Vandross ("The Best Things in Life Are Free"[4]). Most notably, he created eight videos forLL Cool J, including "Mama Said Knock You Out", which won awards from bothMTV andBillboard—and went on to be listed byThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.[5] In 2013,Complex Magazine ranked"Mama Said Knock You Out" as one of the top 50 rap videos of the 1990s,[6] crediting it with creating "one of the most crucial links in establishing the cultural bridge between boxing and rap." Barclay was often hired to direct music videos to promote films, introducing audiences toHouse Party (1990),White Men Can't Jump (1992),Mo' Money (1992),Posse (1993), andCool Runnings (1993), among others.
In 2012, Barclay directed his first music video in 16 years, working once again with LL Cool J and R&B star Joe on the video for "Take It". Also drawing on his music video experience was Barclay's episode ("The Coup") of theSteven Spielberg-producedNBC seriesSmash, in which TV Fanatic said that the Barclay-directed number for the original song "Touch Me" (written by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder) "pushed the boundaries from traditional Broadway show to music video level."[7]
Barclay began his successful career in television with an unaired episode ofAngel Street in 1992. He was hired byJohn Wells, who was making his debut as an executive producer.
Barclay directedShawn andMarlon Wayans' first feature film,Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) – also featuringKeenen Ivory Wayans,Vivica Fox, andBernie Mac. It was a surprise box office hit that has since achieved cult status. Barclay also directed theHBO movie,The Cherokee Kid (1996), a Western dramedy starringSinbad,James Coburn,Burt Reynolds.
After directing episodes ofER, Barclay directed and eventually became a producer ofNYPD Blue. In three years there, Barclay would receive twoEmmy Awards for best directing—the second of which was for the episode titled "Hearts and Souls"— featuring the death ofJimmy Smits' characterBobby Simone. The episode has been ranked one ofTV Guide's 100 Best Episodes of All Time.[8] Barclay reteamed with Smits again in his role as "Nero Padilla" onSons of Anarchy.[9]
In 2000, Barclay joined forces with fellowNYPD Blue producersSteven Bochco andNicholas Wootton to createCity of Angels, a medical drama with a predominantly African-American cast includingBlair Underwood,Viola Davis,Octavia Spencer,Maya Rudolph, andVivica Fox. The show aired on CBS for two seasons while winning twoNAACP awards.
In 2002 he returned to theJohn Wells fold to produce and direct a pilot,The Big Time, featuringChristina Hendricks,Dylan Baker,Molly Ringwald andChristopher Lloyd—which eventually aired as a two-hour movie.[10] In the years that followed, Barclay worked on a wide variety of television dramas and comedies. He served as co-executive producer and producing director of the seriesCold Case, for which he has also directed nine episodes. Other shows he directed in the decade includeThe West Wing,Huff,Law & Order,Numb3rs,Lost,House,The Shield,Weeds,Monk,The Good Wife,NCIS: Los Angeles,Sons of Anarchy,CSI,The Mentalist and 9 episodes ofGlee.
2008 marked Barclay's return toHBO, where he executive produced three seasons ofIn Treatment, as well as directed 36 episodes. The series garnered a Golden Globes nomination for Best Drama Series in 2009 and series leadGabriel Byrne won the Golden Globe for Best Television Actor in a Drama Series that same year.[11] In 2008, the series won 2 Emmys forGlynn Turman for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series andDianne Wiest won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.[12]
Also in 2008, Barclay collaborated with screenwriterDustin Lance Black to write the MTV filmPedro, the story of Pedro Zamora fromThe Real World: San Francisco. The film, directed by Nick Oceano, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and earned the Writers Guild, the Humanitas Prize, and GLAAD Media Awards nominations.
In 2011, Barclay became the executive producer and primary director for thefourth season ofFX'sSons of Anarchy, a role he continued through the seventh and final season.
In 2013, Barclay directedGlee episodes "Diva"[13] and "Lights Out".[14] earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series[15] for “Diva.”
In 2014, Barclay again directedSons of Anarchy's season premiere and penultimate episodes, along withGlee's milestone “100,” which brought his third Emmy nomination[16] forGlee. During this period, he also directed episodes ofThe Good Wife,Steven Spielberg'sExtant starringHalle Berry, theTommy Schlamme/Sam Shaw period dramaManhattan, andGlee's emotional flashback episode "2009," the first half of the series finale.
In 2015, Barclay served as executive producer/director on FX’sThe Bastard Executioner, created byKurt Sutter and starringStephen Moyer andKatey Sagal. At the end of the year, he directed an episode of FOX’s hit seriesEmpire, the Television Critics Association’s program of the year.
In 2016, Barclay joined theShondaland family by directing an episode of ABC's critically acclaimed show,Scandal, created/produced byShonda Rhimes, starringKerry Washington. In the fall, he went on to executive produce and direct the pilot for FOX’sPitch, created by Dan Fogelman and Rick Singer. The series starredKylie BunburyMark-Paul Gosselaar andMark Consuelos, and Barclay directed four episodes in total.
In 2017, Barclay executive produced and directed the pilot for another Shondaland drama,Station 19, aGrey's Anatomy spinoff centered on Seattle firefighters. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC and aired over 100 episodes.
In early 2019, Barclay reunited with his Pedro co-writerDustin Lance Black to produce and direct the Americans for the Equality Act public awareness campaign for theHuman Rights Campaign. The series, which launched on March 25, 2019 with a debut video featuring Academy Award-winning actressSally Field and her son Sam Greisman, highlighted prominent figures in entertainment, sports and beyond speaking about the need for theEquality Act — a crucial civil rights bill that would extend clear, comprehensive non-discrimination protections to millions of LGBTQ people nationwide.[17] The powerhouse lineup of supporters includedJamie Lee Curtis,Jane Lynch,Jesse Tyler Ferguson andJustin Mikita,[18]Adam Rippon,[19] Shea Diamond,[20]Marcia Gay Harden,Alexandra Billings, Blossom Brown,Justina Machado,[21]Gloria Calderon Kellett, Charlie and Max Carver, andKaramo Brown.[22] The series was modeled after HRC's successful Americans for Marriage Equality campaign and was awarded at the 4th Annual Shorty Social Good awards. It ultimately helped lead to the act's passage in the House of Representatives.[23]
In May 2021, Barclay directed a virtual reading of Larry Kramer'sThe Normal Heart, withSterling K. Brown,Laverne Cox,Jeremy Pope andGuillermo Diaz.[24]
Also in 2021, after executive producing and directing 14 episodes ofStation 19, Barclay directed two episodes of theRyan Murphy Netflix seriesDahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (withEvan Peters,Richard Jenkins, andNiecy Nash). The series surpassed 1 billion hours viewed on Netflix, one of the few shows in Netflix history to cross the 1 billion hour viewing mark within 60 days.[25] Despite controversies surroundingDahmer, Barclay’s work on Episode 6, "Silenced," received wide praise. Daniel Fienberg ofThe Hollywood Reporter[26] wrote, "Directed with more empathy than voyeurism by Paris Barclay, 'Silenced' tells the story of Tony Hughes (excellent newcomer Rodney Burnford [sic]), presented here as perhaps the only victim with whom Jeffrey had traces of a real relationship. It’s easily the best episode of the series, an uncomfortably sweet and sad hour of TV that probably should have been the template for the entire show. Tony was deaf and, in placing a Black, deaf, gay character at the center of the narrative, the series is giving voice to somebody whose voice has too frequently been excluded from gawking serial killer portraits." Kayla Cobb said in her review of "Silenced" forThe Decider,[27] "It’s not just the strongest episode of the entire series; it’s one of the most heart-wrenching episodes of the year." For this episode, Barclay received a 2023 Emmy nomination for Best Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie.[28] Barclay’s work on the series finale, "God of Forgiveness, God of Vengeance," was also nominated by the Hollywood Critics Association.[29]
AfterDahmer, Paris reteamed with Ryan Murphy to executive produce and direct 2 episodes of the Netflix seriesThe Watcher (withNaomi Watts,Bobby Cannavale,Margo Martindale andMia Farrow). The series was a hit, ranking as the #1 most watched show on Netflix the week of its debut.[30]
In 2024, Paris helmed two episodes of a new Ryan Murphy franchise for FX/HULU:American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, as well as two episodes ofMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story withJavier Bardem andChloe Sevigny. He spent the remainder of the year directing the pilot and executive producing the ABC series,Doctor Odyssey, starringJoshua Jackson andDon Johnson. The pilot premiered September 26, amassing 13.6 million cross platform viewers in its first week, making it ABC's best drama premiere in four years.[31] Paris directed 6 of the season's 18 episodes.
In 2024, his first feature documentary,Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It (featuringRingo Starr,Eric Clapton,Billy Porter, andOlivia Harrison) made the festival rounds. It premiered at theSXSW Film Festival in March 2023 andDOC NYC in November 2024 to rave reviews.Variety called the film "eye-opening"[32] andRolling Stone called it a "portrait of a gifted musician."[33]
The first half of 2025, Paris completed work onDoctor Odyssey and shot two episodes of Season 3 of Shawn Ryan’s hit Netflix series,The Night Agent, starringGabriel Basso. He followed that up by directingZachary Quinto’s twisty dramaBrilliant Minds.
In the theater, Barclay presented his original musicalOn Hold With Music atManhattan Theater Club in 1984, with a cast includingJason Alexander, Terry Burrell,John Dossett, Ray Gill, andMaureen Brennan. Based on his life in advertising, Barclay wrote and composed the musical in its entirety.[34]
In 1985, he wrote the book, music and lyrics for another musical drama entitledAlmos' a Man, based ona short story byRichard Wright – which had been developed in the second year of the ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop in New York,[34] under the tutelage of Charles Strouse and Stephen Sondheim. It was produced that year at Soho Rep, receiving a mixed review fromTheNew York Times' Mel Gussow.[35]
After years of directing, Barclay returned to composing in September 2001 with the premiere of a musical based on the collection of lettersDear America: Letters Home from Vietnam. CalledLetters from ‘Nam, the play featured Grammy winnerMaureen McGovern, future Tony winnerLevi Kreis, andDavid Burnham. Praised by reviewers[36][37] and opening days before theSeptember 11 attacks in 2001, the Vietnam musical reportedly hit home emotionally with many who performed in it, produced it, or experienced it.[38]
In 2003, Barclay wrote songs for and co-directedOrder My Steps for the Cornerstone Theater Company. The musical play, with book by Tracey Scott Wilson, dealt with the African-American church's response to the AIDS epidemic.The Los Angeles Times called it a "moving tale about the human toll of AIDS."[39]
Barclay returned to Vietnam withOne Red Flower: Letters from ‘Nam, a reworked version of the musical was produced at the Village Theater in Issaquah to further acclaim,[40] with Levi Kreis and David Burnham reprising their roles. Other productions followed, with the most significant being Eric Schaeffer's "gritty and emotional"[41] staging at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia in 2004.
In 2008, Barclay presented a reading ofOne Red Flower in Los Angeles to benefit New Directions, an organization that supports veterans of all wars. Maureen McGovern, Levi Kreis and David Burnham returned in featured roles, with television starsHunter Parrish andJosh Henderson. Although it was not a full production, again it received glowing reviews, described by Beverly Cohn in the Santa Monica Mirror as an "evening that had the audience smiling with a lump in its throat."[42] Barclay is currently working withBrian Yorkey (Next to Normal) to developOne Red Flower as a television movie, now entitledLetters From ‘Nam.
In June 2013, Barclay was elected President of theDirectors Guild of America, the firstAfrican-American and first openly gay President in the history of the Guild.[43] After the vote, Barclay expressed gratitude for the honor and admiration for the Union's history, saying "I am profoundly honored to be elected President of the DGA.... The DGA has worked for more than three-quarters of a century to advance the creative and economic rights of directors and their teams and I look forward to continuing this strong tradition of service. As the son of a glass blower and a tile maker from Chicago, I am extremely humbled to have the honor to serve in the footsteps of the legendary leaders of the DGA likeFrank Capra,Robert Wise andGil Cates." Barclay was nominated for the Presidency by past-PresidentMichael Apted, who said of him, "Paris' qualifications for DGA president are exceptional.... His understanding of the issues facing directors and their teams is outstanding and his ability to resolve problems and create solutions is beyond compare." His nomination was seconded bySteven Soderbergh, who said of Barclay, "This is a great moment for our Guild; Paris will be a phenomenal leader as we move into the future."[44] Barclay was enthusiastically re-elected in June 2015.[45]
Before being elected DGA President, Barclay served four terms as First Vice President of the DGA, where he was the first African-American Officer in the history of the guild. While serving as First Vice President, Barclay was also chair of the DGA'sPolitical Action Committee, whose mission it is to promote the interests of DGA members to state and federal lawmakers. Their top issues include battling online copyright threats and promoting production tax incentives. He also served on the Western Directors Council and co-chaired the Diversity Task Force, whose mission is to encourage the hiring of women and minority directors to networks and studios.[46] In addition, Barclay served as a board member of the DGA-affiliated Franco-American Cultural Fund, which promotes cultural exchange between French and American directors.
Barclay completed his second term as DGA president in June 2017. He was succeeded by Thomas Schlamme, whom he worked with onThe West Wing andManhattan, as well as on the DGA board.[47]
Barclay's work for the DGA continues even after his presidency: he helped create and teaches the Guild's First Time Director Orientation.,[48] and in the successful 2020 contract negotiations Barclay co-chaired the Television Creative Rights Committee.[49] He also serves as the co-Chair of the DGA's Return to Work Committee, which created the protocols that brought the industry back to work after the COVID shutdown. In 2021, he was elected the Guild's Secretary/Treasurer.
In 2021, he was named an Honorary Life Member of the DGA, one of the guild's highest honors, recognizing his career achievements and leadership in the industry. His acceptance speech earned praise for its focus on his hopes for his two sons.[50] He currently serves as the Guild's Secretary/Treasurer.
During his three decades as a director, Barclay has developed a strong reputation as a go-to director capable of working adeptly in multiple genres - described in a June 2011 article in Variety as a "highly adaptive force with the ability to control both TV detectives and scene-stealing gleesters". The same article ranked Barclay among the "Ten TV Directors Who Leave Their Mark"[51] and another called him “one of the most reputable TV directors in Hollywood.”[52]
Sons of Anarchy creatorKurt Sutter stated in an interview withThe Star-Ledger[53] that it wasn't until Barclay came on board to direct that the show found its "groove", observing: "We had all those glitches in those first two or three episodes [...] We had (Paris) come in [...] and we all just started trusting what we were doing here." Later in an interview for Variety, Kurt stated "The great thing about (exec producer Paris Barclay) is that he's a writer and he's also a director [...] so he can get the scripts and understand the production realities of it but also understand creatively what the need for everything is."[54]
In an interview with TV Fanatic,GleeactorBlake Jenner credited Barclay for guiding him through a difficult scene in the episode "Lights Out", saying "He was just so nurturing."[55]
In a piece forVulture, television critic Matt Zoller Seitz cites Barclay as one of the few producer/directors who can "manage and drive the medium [of television]" as well as a writer-showrunner can. Seitz explains, "Directors tend to think in terms of images and moments; those skill sets aren't often compatible with the left-brain requirements of managing a sitcom or drama (though there are always exceptions; see veteran TV director Paris Barclay's executive-producer credit on FX's stylishly nasty biker drama,Sons of Anarchy)."[56]
Ryan Murphy, creator of theFox hitGlee, called Barclay's episode "Wheels" a "turning point for the show".[57]
Over time, many of Barclay's former assistants have gone on to great Hollywood success in their own right. One of his first assistants wasKevin Williamson, writer ofScream andI Know What You Did Last Summer, and the creator and executive producer of the hit television showsDawson’s Creek,The Vampire Diaries, andThe Following.[58] Josh Barry, another former Barclay assistant,[59] was the head of the television department at Prospect Park after working as an executive in Drama Development at ABC.[60] He was recently tapped to be the President ofShawn Levy's 21 Laps Television as part of a major deal withNetflix.[61] Sam Martin, the former HBO executive (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,Lackawanna Blues) and film producer (Pariah), and Jason Clodfelter, former Co-President atSony Television and now President of Television at Legendary Entertainment,[62] both previously served as Barclay assistants.[63]
Openlygay since late in his college days,[64] he was a regular contributor toThe Advocate for several years. Barclay married food-industry executive Christopher Barclay (né Mason), his partner of 10 years, in 2008.[65] They have 2 children.
He's namedNashville,Airplane!,Dunkirk, and West Side Story (both versions) among his favorite movies and influences.[citation needed]
Film
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Angel Street | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Moon Over Miami | Yes | No | Episode "Black River Bride" |
| 1995 | Extreme | Yes | No | Episode "Death Do Us Part" |
| Silk Stalkings | Yes | No | Episode "Tricks of the Trade" | |
| Diagnosis: Murder | Yes | No | Episode "Witness to Murder" | |
| 1996–2000 | ER | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
| 1996–1997 | Sliders | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Second Noah | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Brooklyn South | Yes | No | Episode: "A Rev. Runs Through It" |
| 1997–1998 | Clueless | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 1997–1999 | NYPD Blue | Yes | No | 12 episodes; also supervising producer |
| 2000 | City of Angels | Yes | Yes | 4 episodes, also co-creator |
| 2000–2002 | The West Wing | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
| 2002 | The Chang Family Saves the World | Yes | No | TV pilot |
| 2002–2003 | Fastlane | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | American Dreams | Yes | No | Episode "Change a Comin'" |
| The Street Lawyer | Yes | No | TV pilot | |
| 2003–2008 | Cold Case | Yes | Yes | 9 episodes |
| 2003–2007 | The Shield | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
| 2004 | Huff | Yes | No | Episode: "Lipstick on Your Panties" |
| Dead Lawyers | Yes | No | TV pilot | |
| 2005 | Law & Order | Yes | No | Episode "Ain't No Love" |
| NUMB3RS | Yes | No | Episode "Dirty Bomb" | |
| House | Yes | No | Episode "Three Stories" | |
| Hate | Yes | No | TV pilot | |
| 2007 | Dirt | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| Lost | Yes | No | Episode "Stranger in a Strange Land" | |
| 2007–2009 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Yes | No | 4 episodes |
| 2007–2008 | Monk | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Weeds | Yes | No | Episode "The Three Coolers" |
| The Mentalist | Yes | No | Episode "Red Brick and Ivy" | |
| 2008–2010 | In Treatment | Yes | Yes | 36 episodes |
| 2008–2014 | Sons of Anarchy | Yes | Yes | 15 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 2009–2015 | Glee | Yes | No | 9 episodes |
| 2009–2014 | The Good Wife | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Miami Medical | Yes | No | Episode "An Arm and a Leg" |
| 2011 | The Chicago Code | Yes | No | Episode "Greylord and Gambit" |
| Big Mike | Yes | No | TV pilot | |
| 2012 | Smash | Yes | No | Episode "The Coup" |
| 2013 | Last Resort | Yes | No | Episode "The Pointy End of the Spear" |
| The New Normal | Yes | No | Episode "Rocky Bye Baby" | |
| 2014 | Extant | Yes | No | Episode "Shelter" |
| Manhattan | Yes | No | Episode "Last Reasoning of Kings" | |
| 2015 | The Bastard Executioner | Yes | Yes | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Scandal | Yes | No | Episode "I See You" |
| Empire | Yes | No | Episode "The Tameness of a Wolf" | |
| Pitch | Yes | Yes | 4 episodes | |
| 2017 | How to Get Away with Murder | Yes | No | Episode "I'm Not Her" |
| Perfect Citizen | Yes | No | TV pilot | |
| 2018–2024 | Station 19 | Yes | Yes | 18 episodes |
| 2021 | Rebel | Yes | No | Episode "36 Hours" |
| 2022–2024 | Monster | Yes | No | 4 episodes |
| 2022 | The Watcher | Yes | Yes | 2 episodes |
| American Horror Story: NYC | Yes | No | 2 episodes | |
| 2023 | With Love | Yes | No | Episode "Christmas Eve" |
| 2024–2025 | Doctor Odyssey | Yes | Yes | 5 episodes |
| 2024 | American Sports Story | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
| 2025 | Brilliant Minds | Yes | No | Episode "Once Upon a Time in America" |
TV movies
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "The Rhythm" | Kwamé |
| "Big Ole Butt" | LL Cool J | |
| "One Shot at Love" | ||
| 1990 | "Jingling Baby" | |
| "Around the Way Girl" | ||
| "Funhouse" | Kid 'n Play | |
| "Unbelievable" | Bob Dylan | |
| 1991 | "Strictly Business" | LL Cool J |
| "Mama Said Knock You Out" | ||
| 1992 | "Tragic Comic" | Extreme |
| 2012 | "Take It" | LL Cool J Feat. Joe |
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | NYPD Blue | Nominated | [66] |
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | NYPD Blue: "Lost Israel, Part 2" | Won | |||
| 1999 | Outstanding Drama Series | NYPD Blue | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | NYPD Blue: "Hearts and Souls" | Won | |||
| 2002 | The West Wing: "The Indians in the Lobby" | Nominated | |||
| 2010 | Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series | Glee: "Wheels" | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Glee: "Diva" | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | Glee: "100" | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie | Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: "Silenced" | Nominated | [28] | |
| 1997 | Directors Guild of America Award | Outstanding Directing - Drama Series | ER | Nominated | |
| 1999 | NYPD Blue | Won | |||
| 2001 | The West Wing | Nominated | |||
| 2002 | The West Wing | Nominated | |||
| 2003 | The West Wing | Nominated | |||
| 2006 | House | Nominated | |||
| 2007 | Robert B. Aldrich Service Award | Received | |||
| 2009 | Outstanding Directing - Drama Series | In Treatment | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Directing - Comedy Series | Weeds | Nominated | |||
| 2010 | Outstanding Directing - Drama Series | In Treatment | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Directing - Comedy Series | Glee | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Honorary Life Member | Received | |||
| Year | Association | For | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Project Angel Food | Founder's Award from in 1998 | |
| 2001 | GLAAD Association | Stephen F. Kolzak Award | |
| 2003 | US Department of Health and Human Services | Voice Award | [67] |
| 2004 | Pan-African Film Festival | Pioneer Award | |
| 2009 | POWER UP | Top Ten Gay Men in Entertainment | [68] |
| 2010 | Shane's Inspiration Gala | Visionary Leadership Award | |
| 2010 | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences | Television with a Conscience | [69] |
| 2010 | Peabody Award | In Treatment | [70] |
| 2010 | Cornerstone Theater | Bridge Award | [71] |
| 2011 | Advertising Age | 50 Most Creative People | [72] |
| 2012 | Liberty Hill Foundation | Upton Sinclair Award | [73] |
| 2012 | In the Life Media | Family Values Award | [74] |
| 2013 | Peabody Award | Glee | [75][76] |
| 2013 | African-American Film Critics Association | Legacy Award | [77] |
| 2014 | NAACP Image Award | The Hall of Fame Award | [78] |
| 2017 | Aviva Family & Children Services Program | Artistic Excellence Award | [79] |
| 2017 | Hasty Pudding Institute of Harvard University | Order of the Golden Sphinx | [80] |
| 2018 | Human Rights Campaign | Visibility Award | [81] |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
