BioGraph
Connecting John Singleton and Awkwafina
John Singleton
He cited the original ''Star Wars'' film as one of his strongest influences and the work of Steven Spielberg as a source of inspiration.
Steven Spielberg
American film director and screenwriter
Spielberg returned to the ''Indiana Jones'' series in 2008 with the fourth installment titled '' Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.'' Released nineteen years after ''Last Crusade'', the film is set in 1957, pitting Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) against Soviet agents led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), searching for a telepathic crystal skull.
Cate Blanchett
In 2018, Blanchett starred in ''Ocean's 8'', the all-female spin-off of the ''Ocean's Eleven'' franchise, directed by Gary Ross, opposite Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna and Awkwafina.
John Singleton
John Singleton's film debut '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), an inner city dramatization of his upbringing in South Central LA with characters loosely based on people in his life, including childhood best friends' Roman J. Artiste, aka "little Jimmy" (the real Ricky) and Michael Winters (the real Doughboy), starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Angela Bassett, Ice Cube, and Laurence Fishburne, was both a critical and commercial success. It debuted at the Cannes Film Festival.
Angela Bassett
American actress
Her agent approached Ryan Murphy about her having a role in the series and he told the agent that she was the person he had in mind for Marie Laveau.
John Singleton
His directing ability led to the VFX-driven "Remember the Time" music video for Michael Jackson, which featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson. His next films were ''Poetic Justice'' (1993) and '' Higher Learning'' (1995), which were similarly socially conscious and received mixed to positive reviews.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} Of his work with some of the 1990s' most visible rappers, Singleton states, <blockquote>"I come from the same place as rappers.
Michael Jackson
Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies.
Queen Latifah
American recording artist and actress (born 1970)
In 2008, Latifah appeared in the crime comedy '' Mad Money'' opposite Academy Award–winner Diane Keaton as well as Katie Holmes and Ted Danson. She appeared on '' Saturday Night Live'' on October 4, 2008, as moderator Gwen Ifill in a comedic sketch depicting the vice-presidential debate between then-Senator Joe Biden and then-Governor Sarah Palin and played in '' The Secret Life of Bees''.
Katie Holmes
American actress
The same year, she made a cameo in the movie '' Ocean's 8'', starring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, and Awkwafina.
John Singleton
His directing ability led to the VFX-driven "Remember the Time" music video for Michael Jackson, which featured Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson. His next films were ''Poetic Justice'' (1993) and '' Higher Learning'' (1995), which were similarly socially conscious and received mixed to positive reviews.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} Of his work with some of the 1990s' most visible rappers, Singleton states, <blockquote>"I come from the same place as rappers.
Eddie Murphy
Comedians who cite Murphy as influencing them include Russell Brand, Dave Chappelle, and Chris Rock.
Many Black actors who later received greater recognition made early appearances in Murphy's films, such as Damon Wayans in ''Beverly Hills Cop'', Halle Berry and Martin Lawrence in ''Boomerang'', Samuel L. Jackson and Cuba Gooding Jr. in ''Coming to America'', Dave Chappelle in '' The Nutty Professor'', and Chris Rock in ''Beverly Hills Cop II''.
Those who honored Murphy at the event included Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Trevor Noah, George Lopez, Kevin Nealon, Kathy Griffin, Tracy Morgan, Joe Piscopo, Jay Pharoah and Dick Gregory.
His hosting duties received overwhelming acclaim from audiences and critics alike, making it the highest watched episode since 2008 when Tina Fey played Sarah Palin. Comedians Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, and Kenan Thompson welcomed Murphy back in the opening monologue.
Dave Chappelle
His work, as well as that of Margaret Cho, was also the subject of a book by Canadian dramaturg Elizabeth Ludwig, ''American Stand-Up and Sketch Comedy'', that was published at the end of 2010.
Margaret Cho
American comedian and actress
In May 2016, she rapped on and made an appearance in the music video for "Green Tea", a song by rapper Awkwafina.
