Darnell Martin | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Darnell Martin (1964-01-07)January 7, 1964 (age 61) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Sarah Lawrence College(Bachelor of Arts) New York University(Master of Fine Arts) |
| Occupation(s) | Director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1989–present |
Darnell Martin (born January 7, 1964) is an American television and film director, screenwriter, and film producer.
Martin was born in Bronx, New York, the daughter of Marilyn, a dancer of Irish-American descent, and an African-American attorney.[1] From the Bronx, she went to Sarah Lawrence College and New York University Film School. Along the way, she worked in film labs and camera rental houses and as a bartender, made music videos and short films, and wrote the first draft ofI Like It Like That.[2]
In 1992, Martin's first short film,Suspect, which examined the treatment of young black people as assumed criminals, won critical acclaim at theNew York Public Theater's Young Black Cinema showcase. After directingSuspect, Martin served as assistant camera operator forJonathan Demme's documentaryCousin Bobby, about his cousin Robert Castle, an Episcopal pastor who works in Harlem. The film was well-received from the majority of critics.[3][failed verification]
In 1994, Martin directed theColumbia Pictures releaseI Like It Like That, acomedy-drama about a young woman who is trying to love her man, keep her family together, assert her self-worth, and keep her sanity. The film was well-received by critics, but it did not perform well at the box office.[4] In 2001, Martin directedPrison Song.
In 2011, Martin directedThe Lost Valentine, a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie starringJennifer Love Hewitt,Betty White andSean Faris. It is based on the novel byJames Michael Pratt of the same name, previously titledThe Last Valentine. In December 2011, Betty White received a nomination for theScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie for her performance. The film was a huge success, winning its time period in viewers (14.53 million, beating out Fox's second hour of coverage of the NFLPro Bowl and becoming the most-watched Hallmark movie in four years.[6] The film won the Faith & Freedom Award for Television at the 2012 Movieguide Awards.
Martin has since directed episodes of TV shows such asLaw & Order,Grey's Anatomy andThe Walking Dead.[5] In 2008, Martin wrote and directedCadillac Records, a musical-drama film based on the work ofLeonard Chess and the singers who recorded forChess Records through the early days of R&B and rock 'n' roll. In 2012, she directed the television filmFirelight. In 2016, she directedThe Walking Dead episode "Go Getters" during season 7. In 2020, she directed an episode onThe Good Lord Bird.[6] Also in 2020, she directed an episode of Netflix’s seriesGrand Army. In 2021, she directed an episode ofNew Amsterdam.
