Datari Turner
- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
With 20 years in the entertainment business, Datari Turner has worked along side some of the biggest names in entertainment history.
From 2010 to Date, as a feature film producer, Datari Turner has produced close to 30 feature films, making him one of the most prolific independent producers working today. "Another Happy Day" and "Salvation Boulevard" both premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. LUV premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2012. Ten Thousand Saints in 2015 and Gook premiering at Sundance in 2017.
Turner produced, co-starred, and wrote the film "Video Girl" starring Meagan Good and Academy Award nominee Ruby Dee. The screenplay for "Video Girl," was recently accepted into the Academy of Motion Pictures Library and is on display in their exclusive archive. "Another Happy Day" starred Hollywood heavy weights Demi Moore, Ellen Barkin and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn. "Salvation Boulevard" starred Oscar Winners Marisa Tomei and Jennifer Connolly in addition to A- List veterans Pierce Brosnan and Ed Harris.
"LUV," produced by Turner, starring Rapper/Actor Common, Danny Glover, and Dennis Haysbert, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews and opened in theaters across the country in January 2013. While working on "LUV" Turner also produced "About Cherry" starring Academy Award nominee James Franco, and Dev Petal, who starred in the Oscar winning film "Slumdog Millionaire." "About Cherry" premiered at the 62nd Annual Berlin Festival to critical acclaim. Turner then produced and starred in the popular indie comedy "Dysfunctional Friends "which premiered at both the SXSW and ABFF Film Festivals respectively. "Dysfunctional Friends" stars Turner, Meagan Good, Stacey Dash, Stacy Keibler, and NFL Icon Terrell "T.O." Owens in his acting debut.
The dark comedy "It's a Disaster" produced by Turner, opened in theaters in April, 2013 and was rated one of the 5 Best Independent films of 2013 by the Huffington Post. "It's a Disaster starred Julia Stiles, and America Ferrera. "Kilimanjaro" starring Brian Geraghty and Abigail Spencer premiered at SXSW in 2013. The Neil Labute film "Some Velvet Morning" starring Alice Eve and Stanley Tucci, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2013. Turner produced Kilimanjaro and was an Executive Producer on the Neil Labute film.
Turner produced, co-wrote and co-starred in the film "Lap Dance" starring James Remar, Mariel Hemingway, Briana Evigan, Omari Hardwick and Lisa Raye. The John Stockwell thriller "Kid Cannabis." And the Katherine Heigl film "Jackie and Ryan" which premiered at the 71st Venice Film Festival. Turner is credited as an Executive Producer on Kid Cannabis and Associate Producer on Jackie and Ryan. Thousand Saints, starring Ethan Hawke, Emil Hircsh, and Hailee Steinfeld, became Turners 4th Produced Sundance Film in five years. Turner signed a First Look deal with CodeBlack/ Lions Gate Films in 2015. Datari Turner is currently producing, writing, and staring in "Supermodel" a film about the fashion industry which also stars Tyson Beckford, Sessilee Lopez, Roger Guenveur Smith and many others. "A Girl Like Grace" produced and co-starred in by Turner, stars Meagan Good, Raven Symone and Garcelle Beauvais, premiered at the LA Film Festival last June.
"9 Rides" produced by Turner premiered at the SXSW Film Festival to critical acclaim. Gook, a story about two Korean Kids who protect their shoe store in South Los Angeles during the L.A. Riots in 1992, won the prestigious Audience Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn for theatrical release in August, 2017. Supermodel was acquired by Netflix and premieres in the fall of 2017. A Boy. A Girl. A Dream is currently in production starred Omari Hardwick, Meagan Good, and Jay Ellis.
In Television: Datari recently signed a First Look Television Producing Deal with the largest Independent studio in the world, Entertainment One, to create, produce and develop new original programing. Turner has produced over 100 hours of original programming for networks WEtv, BET, TvOne, Starz, and the Oxygen network. Most recent television credits include "Love Thy Sister" premiering on the WE Channel in January of 2015. Datari serves as the shows Creator and Executive Producer. "Growing Up Hip-Hop" is in it's forth season staring Angela Simmons and Romeo for the WETV Channel. Datari serves as the shows Creator and Executive Producer. Growing Up Hip has turned into a lucrative franchise and is currently the highest rated television series on WETV. Growing Up Hip-Hop Atlanta, the first spin-off from the franchise, is in it's second season.
Datari currently resides in Beverly Hills, California and currently sits on the board of The Black House Foundation. He is an alum of the ABC/ Disney program and is repped at CAA.
From 2010 to Date, as a feature film producer, Datari Turner has produced close to 30 feature films, making him one of the most prolific independent producers working today. "Another Happy Day" and "Salvation Boulevard" both premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. LUV premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2012. Ten Thousand Saints in 2015 and Gook premiering at Sundance in 2017.
Turner produced, co-starred, and wrote the film "Video Girl" starring Meagan Good and Academy Award nominee Ruby Dee. The screenplay for "Video Girl," was recently accepted into the Academy of Motion Pictures Library and is on display in their exclusive archive. "Another Happy Day" starred Hollywood heavy weights Demi Moore, Ellen Barkin and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn. "Salvation Boulevard" starred Oscar Winners Marisa Tomei and Jennifer Connolly in addition to A- List veterans Pierce Brosnan and Ed Harris.
"LUV," produced by Turner, starring Rapper/Actor Common, Danny Glover, and Dennis Haysbert, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews and opened in theaters across the country in January 2013. While working on "LUV" Turner also produced "About Cherry" starring Academy Award nominee James Franco, and Dev Petal, who starred in the Oscar winning film "Slumdog Millionaire." "About Cherry" premiered at the 62nd Annual Berlin Festival to critical acclaim. Turner then produced and starred in the popular indie comedy "Dysfunctional Friends "which premiered at both the SXSW and ABFF Film Festivals respectively. "Dysfunctional Friends" stars Turner, Meagan Good, Stacey Dash, Stacy Keibler, and NFL Icon Terrell "T.O." Owens in his acting debut.
The dark comedy "It's a Disaster" produced by Turner, opened in theaters in April, 2013 and was rated one of the 5 Best Independent films of 2013 by the Huffington Post. "It's a Disaster starred Julia Stiles, and America Ferrera. "Kilimanjaro" starring Brian Geraghty and Abigail Spencer premiered at SXSW in 2013. The Neil Labute film "Some Velvet Morning" starring Alice Eve and Stanley Tucci, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2013. Turner produced Kilimanjaro and was an Executive Producer on the Neil Labute film.
Turner produced, co-wrote and co-starred in the film "Lap Dance" starring James Remar, Mariel Hemingway, Briana Evigan, Omari Hardwick and Lisa Raye. The John Stockwell thriller "Kid Cannabis." And the Katherine Heigl film "Jackie and Ryan" which premiered at the 71st Venice Film Festival. Turner is credited as an Executive Producer on Kid Cannabis and Associate Producer on Jackie and Ryan. Thousand Saints, starring Ethan Hawke, Emil Hircsh, and Hailee Steinfeld, became Turners 4th Produced Sundance Film in five years. Turner signed a First Look deal with CodeBlack/ Lions Gate Films in 2015. Datari Turner is currently producing, writing, and staring in "Supermodel" a film about the fashion industry which also stars Tyson Beckford, Sessilee Lopez, Roger Guenveur Smith and many others. "A Girl Like Grace" produced and co-starred in by Turner, stars Meagan Good, Raven Symone and Garcelle Beauvais, premiered at the LA Film Festival last June.
"9 Rides" produced by Turner premiered at the SXSW Film Festival to critical acclaim. Gook, a story about two Korean Kids who protect their shoe store in South Los Angeles during the L.A. Riots in 1992, won the prestigious Audience Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn for theatrical release in August, 2017. Supermodel was acquired by Netflix and premieres in the fall of 2017. A Boy. A Girl. A Dream is currently in production starred Omari Hardwick, Meagan Good, and Jay Ellis.
In Television: Datari recently signed a First Look Television Producing Deal with the largest Independent studio in the world, Entertainment One, to create, produce and develop new original programing. Turner has produced over 100 hours of original programming for networks WEtv, BET, TvOne, Starz, and the Oxygen network. Most recent television credits include "Love Thy Sister" premiering on the WE Channel in January of 2015. Datari serves as the shows Creator and Executive Producer. "Growing Up Hip-Hop" is in it's forth season staring Angela Simmons and Romeo for the WETV Channel. Datari serves as the shows Creator and Executive Producer. Growing Up Hip has turned into a lucrative franchise and is currently the highest rated television series on WETV. Growing Up Hip-Hop Atlanta, the first spin-off from the franchise, is in it's second season.
Datari currently resides in Beverly Hills, California and currently sits on the board of The Black House Foundation. He is an alum of the ABC/ Disney program and is repped at CAA.
