Actress and screenwriter who projects a prickly and independent intelligence on screen. The sister of Spike Lee, Joie (pronounced zhwa) Lee made her film acting debut in her brother's "She's Gotta Have It" (1986) and has appeared in all of his films to date (as his sister in "Do the Right Thing" 1989 and as a romantic lead in "Mo' Better Blues" 1990). She was also featured in the independent thriller "Bail Jumper" (1989), the remake of "A Kiss Before Dying" (1991) as well as Jonathan Demme's music video for the Nevile Brothers, "Sister Rosa". Lee made her stage debut as the lead in the Zora Neale Hurston-Langston Hughes collaboration, "Mule Bone" on Broadway in 1991. Lee started Child Hoods productions with brother Cinque around 1992, becoming the associate producer, story writer and co-screenwriter of Spike's effort "Crooklyn" (1994). Loosely based on the Lees' own childhoods, the film featured an African-American Brooklyn family in the 70s with a focus on the family's ten year old daughter. In addition to her other contributions, Lee played the family's Aunt Maxine in "Crooklyn".
Profession(s):
Actor, producer, screenwriter
Sometimes Credited As:
Joie Susannah Lee
Joy Lee
Family
brother:Chris Lee (born c. 1958; in charge of merchandising movie memorabilia at Spike's Joint, Spike Lee's Brooklyn store)
brother:Cinque Lee (born in Brooklyn c. 1968; videotaped a documentary on the making of "Do the Right Thing", co-wrote "Crooklyn" (1994); started Child Hoods productions with Joie, c. 1992)
brother:David Lee (born c. 1960; served as still photographer on "She's Gotta Have It", "School Daze", "Do the Right Thing" and "Mo' Better Blues")
brother:Spike Lee (born 1956)
father:Bill Lee (scored all of Spike Lee's films and appeared in several; married Susan Kaplan after Jacquelyn Lee's death; has son, Arnold, born c. 1985; arrested for possession of heroin October 24, 1991)
half-brother:Arnold Lee (born c. 1985; mother Susan Kaplan)
mother:Jacquelyn Lee (died 1977; taught art and black literature at St. Ann's School in Brooklyn Heights; died of cancer 1976)
Companion(s)
Cliff Booker
, Companion
, ```..college classmate of Spike Lee's; met c. 1989
Education
St Ann's School Brooklyn, New York
Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville, New York music, writing, dance
2000 Acted in the Off-Broadway drama "The Hologram Theory"; billed as Joie Susannah Lee
1999 Appeared in "Summer of Sam"
1996 Acted in two of Spike's movies "Girl 6" and "Get on the Bus"
1996 Had featured role in "Nowhere Fast", helmed by brother Cinque
1994 Served as an associate producer and co-screenwriter of "Crooklyn", a semi-autobiographical film directed by Spike Lee
1991 Made stage and Broadway debut in "Mule Bone" (as Joy Lee)
1989 Acted in Spike's "Do the Right Thing"
1986 Film debut in brother's "She's Gotta Have It"
1986 Appeared in Jim Jarmusch's short, "Coffee and Cigarettes"
"Frenchified" her name "Joy" to "Joie" as a teenager
Started doing odd jobs for her brother Spike and cooking for the crew while he was making student films at NYU
