Team Deakins BARRY JENKINS - Director
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Aug 27, 2025 In this engaging discussion, director Barry Jenkins, known for his acclaimed films like Moonlight and The Underground Railroad, shares his inspiring journey from South Florida to Hollywood. He reflects on his personal growth during a hiatus from filmmaking, the unique challenges of creating emotionally resonant visual stories, and the importance of introducing new voices in cinema through his production company, PASTEL. Barry also teases his unrealized time-travel script featuring Stevie Wonder, adding a touch of whimsy to the conversation.
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Use Isolation To Finish Drafts
- Go somewhere remote to write if you need solitude and urgency.
- Barry credits a residency in Brussels for finishing Moonlight's script quickly.
Awards Matter For Access, Not Ego
- Winning awards changes access and whose work gets made, but its real value is inspiring others to enter the craft.
- Barry values Moonlight's cultural ripple over the personal emotions tied to awards ceremonies.
Adapting Colson Whitehead's Novel
- Barry first read The Underground Railroad while in post on Moonlight and wanted to adapt its blend of myth and history.
- Colson Whitehead watched an early Moonlight link and later the book's Pulitzer and his access helped the adaptation happen.
