Who is Destin Daniel Cretton?
Destin Daniel Cretton is a Filipino-American film director, writer, and producer. He was born on November 23, 1978, in Maui, Hawaii. Cretton studied film and television production at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. He is best known for his work on the films “Short Term 12,” “The Glass Castle,” and “Just Mercy.”
Destin Daniel Cretton’s Bio
Cretton was born to a Japanese-American mother and a father of mixed descent, including Filipino, Irish, and French ancestry. He grew up in Hawaii and later moved to San Diego, California, where he attended college. After graduating, he worked at a residential facility for troubled teenagers, which inspired his film “Short Term 12.”
Cretton’s career in film began in 2008 when he wrote and directed his first feature film, “I Am Not a Hipster.” He gained critical acclaim with his second feature, “Short Term 12,” which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2013. The film won the Grand Jury and Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature and was praised for its honest portrayal of life in a foster care facility.
Destin Daniel Cretton’s Movies
Cretton has directed and written several films, including:
- “I Am Not a Hipster” (2012)
- “Short Term 12” (2013)
- “The Glass Castle” (2017)
- “Just Mercy” (2019)
- “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021)
His films often explore themes of family, identity, and social justice. “Just Mercy,” based on the memoir of the same name by Bryan Stevenson, tells the true story of a young lawyer fighting for justice for a wrongfully convicted man on death row. Cretton’s latest film, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” is a Marvel superhero movie featuring an Asian American lead.
Destin Daniel Cretton’s Awards
Cretton has won several awards for his work in film, including:
- Grand Jury and Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest Film Festival for “Short Term 12” (2013)
- Hollywood Breakthrough Director Award at the Hollywood Film Awards for “The Glass Castle” (2017)
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film Director at the Directors Guild of America Awards for “Short Term 12” (2014)
Destin Daniel Cretton’s Ethnicity
Cretton is of mixed ethnicity, including Filipino, Irish, French, and Japanese-American. He has spoken about the importance of representation in film and has made efforts to include diverse perspectives in his work. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he said, “I think it’s important to have a diverse group of people making movies because there are so many different stories out there.”
Destin Daniel Cretton’s Wife and Recent Highlights
Cretton is married to Nikki Chapman, a producer and writer. The couple has two children together. In 2021, Cretton directed “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which received critical acclaim and broke box office records for a Labor Day weekend release. The film features a predominantly Asian cast and crew and has been praised for its representation and celebration of Asian culture.
Cretton’s upcoming projects include a film adaptation of the memoir “The Lost City of Z” and a television series based on the book “The Good Lord Bird” by James McBride.
