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Akeelah and the Bee
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Synopsis
A young girl learns to believe in herself and value her intelligence in this critically-acclaimed, family-friendly drama. Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer) is an 11-year-old being raised by her mother, Tanya (Angela Bassett), who was left on her own after the death of her husband. While Akeelah is a very bright girl, she's hardly a star student and seems afraid of acting like a bookworm around her friends and classmates. However, Akeelah's teacher sees genuine potential in her student and encourages her to enter the school's spelling bee, convinced Akeelah has the brains and the talent to win. Akeelah applies herself and emerges victorious in the local competition, but discovers the going gets tougher when she goes to a statewide bee, studying for the regionals under the aegis of strict English teacher Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne), who consents to act as her coach A college professor who was a spelling-bee champ as a child, Larabee is a stubborn taskmaster who questions Akeelah's ability and commitment, but in time he develops a respect for his pupil and helps her prove her talent as she climbs the ladder to the National Spelling Bee. Meanwhile, Tanya feels intimidated when she finds the contests are dominated by children from wealthy families and privileged backgrounds, and argues that the competition may not be in Akeelah's best interest, believing instead that homework should be the one and only priority in Akeelah's life. It soon becomes apparent that if Akeelah has any intention of entering the national spelling bee championships in Washington, D.C., she will not do so with Tanya's permission or blessing. This marks the first onscreen reunion of Bassett and Fishburne since their Academy Award-nommed performances as Ike Turner and Tina Turner in Brian Gibson's 1993 biopic, What's Love Got to Do with It. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast

Curtis Armstrong Mr. Welch
Angela Bassett Tanya
Angela Bassett Wanda Palmer
Laurence Fishburne Dr. Larabee
Tzi Ma Mr. Chiu
Lee Thompson Young Devon
Dalia Phillips Ms. Cross
Erica Hubbard Kiana
Keke Palmer Akeelah Anderson
J.R. Villareal Javier
Sahara Garey Georgia
Sean Michael Afable Dylan
Julito McCullum Terrence

Production Crew

AJ Noel ADR Loop Group
Andrea Baker ADR Loop Group
Ashlynn Rose ADR Loop Group
Austin Noah Marques ADR Loop Group
Axel Alba ADR Loop Group
Carlos Lacamara ADR Loop Group
Caryle King ADR Loop Group
Cody Klop ADR Loop Group
Courtney Taylor Burness ADR Loop Group
Denzel Whitaker ADR Loop Group
Denzel Whittaker ADR Loop Group
Jeffrey Todd Fischer ADR Loop Group
Jessie Flower ADR Loop Group
John La Fayette ADR Loop Group
Katelyn Kowalick ADR Loop Group
Kayla Henry ADR Loop Group
Kendre Berry ADR Loop Group
Kevin Davidson and the Voices ADR Loop Group
Khanya Mkhize ADR Loop Group
Krysten Leigh Jones ADR Loop Group
Lanei Chapman ADR Loop Group
Mishon Ratliff ADR Loop Group
Paige Hurd ADR Loop Group
Terence Matthew ADR Loop Group
Terrence Hardy ADR Loop Group
Tinashe Kachingwe ADR Loop Group
Zack Shada ADR Loop Group
Eric Thompson ADR Mixer
Chris Navarro ADR Recordist
Barbara Harris ADR Voice Casting
Kimberly Bailey ADR Voice Casting
Angela Simpson Art Department Assistant
Mark Finer Art Department Assistant
Alysia D. Allen Art Department Coordinator
Shelley A. Wallace Art Director
Erma Kent Assistant Hair
Fay Kelly Assistant Hair
Craig N. Simmons Assistant Location Manager
Richard DiPatri Assistant Location Manager
Donald Wygal Jr. Assistant Production Coordinator
Jenny DeArmitt Assistant Production Coordinator
Chela Fiorini Assistant Properties
Matt Furginson Assistant Properties
Dalia Phillips Associate Producer
Michael K. Johnson Associate Producer
Robert Murphy Best Boy Electric
Rick Young Best Boy Grip
Stacey A. Washer Boom Operator
Gerard Vernice Cable Person
Stephen L. Whitcomb Camera Loader
Christopher Mosio Camera Operator
John Radzik Camera Operator
Aisha Coley Casting
Jaki Brown-Karman Casting
Kim Coleman Casting
Benita Elliott Casting Assistant
Eve Streger Casting Assistant
Lamese Williams Casting Assistant
Ricky Mendez Casting Assistant
Robyn Mitchell Casting Assistant
M. David Mullen Cinematographer
Steven Douglas Smith Cinematographer
Jaki Brown-Karman Co-producer
Kent Kubena Co-producer
Mike Upton Co-producer
David Orr Color Timing
Aaron Zigman Composer (Music Score)
Aaron Zigman Conductor
Robert "Cass" McEntee Construction Coordinator
Sharen Davis Costume Designer
Cheryle Cravedi Costume/Wardrobe
Jodie Stern Costume/Wardrobe
Meta Möise Costume/Wardrobe
Yvonne Bastidos Costume/Wardrobe
Riki Sabusawa-Roach Costumes Supervisor
Jose Lopez Craft Service/Catering
Keith Pickett Craft Service/Catering
Kevin Pickett Craft Service/Catering
Nery Lopez Craft Service/Catering
Robert Weisman Craft Service/Catering
Edna M. Sheen Department Head Makeup
Kenneth Walker Department Head Makeup
Elaine Hall Katz Dialogue Coach
Doug Atchison Director
James "Keeper" Auld Dolly Grip
Adam Pinkstaff Driver
Audrey Fitzgerald Driver
Dave Wilson Driver
Joe Cosentino Driver
Joel Rose Driver
John Pellegrino Driver
Leo Landa Driver
Luis Mata Driver
Rod Brodie Driver
Steve Weible Driver
Tony Barattini Driver
Wayne Flowers Driver
Will Gardner Driver
Glenn Farr Editor
Mark Czyzewski Editor
Cooper Donaldson Electrician
Eric S. Adamson Electrician
John T. Leonetti Electrician
Joshua Lee Huber Electrician
Tim Hedgecock Electrician
Tommy Hubbard Electrician
Donna Sloan Executive in Charge of Production
Helen Sugland Executive Producer
Marc Butan Executive Producer
Mark Cuban Executive Producer
Michael Burns Executive Producer
Michael Paseornek Executive Producer
Todd Wagner Executive Producer
Tom Ortenberg Executive Producer
Big Crowds Extra Casting
Prime Casting Extra Casting
Mary Jane Amato First Assistant Accountant
Jeffrey R. Clark First Assistant Camera
Keith Eisberg First Assistant Camera
Theo Pingarelli First Assistant Camera
Chad Rosen First Assistant Director
Rodney Hooks First Assistant Director
Mark Czyzewski First Assistant Editor
Nancy Barker First Assistant Sound Editor
Laura Macias Foley Artist
Vince Nicastro Foley Artist
Melissa Pillmear Foley Editor
Shawn Kennelly Foley Mixer
Rich Paisley Gaffer
Dash Hart Generator Operator
Jose A. Saenz Greensman
Alexander Salazar Grip
Brian Christie Grip
Denise Brady Grip
Deron Tse Grip
Jordan Garretson Grip
Joseph M. Barno Grip
Matt Minke Grip
Noah Peter Grip
Robert Myers Grip
Stephen K. James Grip
Brad Heiner Key Grip
Manny Duran Key Grip
Gigi Williams Key Make-up
Linda Cowan Key Make-up
Greg Sanger Leadman
Mike Upton Line Producer
Andy Keeter Location Manager
Eduardo Ponsdomenech Music Editor
Joel C. High Musical Direction/Supervision
Negative People Incorporated Negative Cutter
Charles Kern Painter
Kristie E. Moore-Bialuski Painter
Leslie Lawson Painter
Michael Ryan Painter
Audrey Kendrick Personal Assistant
Bree Bailey Personal Assistant
Carlo Eugster Personal Assistant
Daniel MacArthur Personal Assistant
Diana Horwich Personal Assistant
Dorottya Hegedus Personal Assistant
Keith Iceberg Personal Assistant
Leland Jay Anderson Personal Assistant
Lisa Ng Personal Assistant
Michelle Pullman Personal Assistant
Robert Natter Personal Assistant
Robyn Heath Personal Assistant
Tracy Jackson Personal Assistant
Emily Rice Post Production Accountant
Liam Hearne Post Production Accountant
Jenny Cho Post Production Assistant
Mark McCoy Post Production Coordinator
Carl Pedregal Post Production Supervisor
Daniel Llewelyn Producer
Laurence Fishburne Producer
Michael Romersa Producer
Nancy Hult Ganis Producer
Sid Ganis Producer
Cynthia Gates Fujikawa Production Accountant
Danielle Mana Production Assistant
Michael Strange Production Assistant
Todd Mccormick Production Assistant
Jules Carideo Production Coordinator
Warren Alan Young Production Designer
Jennifer L. Booth Production Supervisor
Lisa Looney Production Supervisor
Jason Harrell Properties Master
Kathleen Kasinger Properties Master
Matthew D. Egan Properties Master
Oswaldo Rojas Properties Master
Ken S. Polk Re-Recording Mixer
Barbara McCart Recording
Michael Stern Recording
Doug Atchison Screenwriter
Jan McWilliams Script Supervisor
David Mun Second Assistant Camera
Jarrod Oswald Second Assistant Camera
Marcus Lopez Second Assistant Camera
Marvin J. Williams Jr. Second Second Assistant Director
Christopher Mosio Second Unit Director Of Photography
Juliann Getman Set Decorator
Alicia MacCarone Set Designer
John Warner Set Designer
Shane Kelly Set Designer
Buddy Ray Reynolds-Maichel Set Dresser
Douglas McKay Set Dresser
Efrén Pérez Set Dresser
Grant Sawyer Set Dresser
Ken Peterson Set Dresser
Nelson Bush Set Dresser
Salvador Valle Set Dresser
Susan Bannout Set Medic/First Aid
Jason Cox Set Production Assistant
Jeff Saville Set Production Assistant
Lyman Richardson Set Production Assistant
Shadee Ardalan Set Production Assistant
Greg Hedgepath Sound Effects Editor
Matthew Nicolay Sound Mixer
Michael Stern Sound Mixer
Danetracks, Inc. Sound/Sound Designer
Roland N. Thai Sound/Sound Designer
Saeed Adyani Still Photographer
Fred Stafford Supervising ADR Editor
Roland N. Thai Supervising Sound Editor
Jacques Bailly Technical Advisor
Alexandra Pic Title Design
Gary Herbert Title Design
Jarik Van Sluijs Title Design
Pamela Green Title Design
Angel Desanti Transportation Captain
Kirk Huston Transportation Captain
Geno Hart Transportation Coordinator
Joseph P. Genier Unit Production Manager
Mike Upton Unit Production Manager
Julie Polkes Unit Publicist
XY&Z Visual Effects Visual Effects
Andrew Midgley Visual Effects Producer
Mike Uguccioni Visual Effects Supervisor
Year: 2006
Runtime: 107
Country: USA
MPAA Rating: PG
for some language
Category: Feature


Produced by
2929 Entertainment
Cinema Gypsy Productions
Lions Gate Films
Lionsgate
Out of the Blue Entertainment
Reactor Films

Release
April 28, 2006 (USA)
by 2929 Entertainment
Lionsgate
Lionsgate Films
Starbucks Entertainment

Awards
2006 - Best Live Action Family Film - Broadcast Film Critics Association
2006 - Best Picture - Black Reel Awards