Akeelah and the Bee

Synopsis

11-year-old Akeelah Anderson has a way with words. After winning her schoolwide spelling bee, she decides to enter the competition, despite her classmates' derision and the antipathy of her mother Tanya. Thanks to the efforts of her teacher Dr. Larabee, she reaches the finals. As she gets to know her fellow competitors, Akeelah realizes that coming first isn't everything in life.

Trailer

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Cast

Keke Palmer

Akeelah Anderson

Laurence Fishburne

Dr. Larabee

Angela Bassett

Tanya Anderson

Curtis Armstrong

Mr. Welch

J.R. Villarreal

Javier

Sean Michael Afable

Dylan Chiu

Sahara Garey

Georgia

Lee Thompson Young

Devon

Julito McCullum

Terrence

Erica Hubbard

Kiana

Eddie Steeples

Derrick-T

Dalia Phillips

Ms. Cross

Tzi Ma

Mr. Chiu

Jeris Poindexter

Steve

—

Sara Niemietz

Polly

—

George Hornedo

Roman

Craig Wasson

Ted Saunders

Jeff Marlow

District Judge

Lee Garlington

Regional Judge

—

Katie Kerwin McCrimmon

Herself

Crew

Art

• Warren Alan Young Production Design
• Shelley A. Wallace Art Direction
• Julieann Getman Set Decoration
• Matt Furginson Assistant Property Master
• Kathleen Kasinger Property Master
• Robert 'Cass' McEntee Construction Coordinator
• Alicia Maccarone Set Designer
• Greg Sanger Leadman

Camera

• Saeed Adyani Still Photographer
• Johnny Radzik Camera Operator
• Chris Mosio Camera Operator
• M. David Mullen Director of Photography
• Brad Heiner Key Grip
• James 'Keeper' Auld Dolly Grip
• William Rick Young Best Boy Grip
• David Mun Second Assistant Camera
• Chris Mosio Second Unit Director of Photography
• Marcos O. Lopez Second Assistant "B" Camera

Costume & Make-Up

• Cheryl Cravedi Set Costumer
• Edna Sheen Makeup Department Head
• Kenneth Walker Hair Department Head
• Riki Lin Sabusawa Costume Supervisor
• Linda Cowan Key Makeup Artist
• Gigi Williams Key Makeup Artist
• Sharen Davis Costume Design

Crew

• Kirk Huston Transportation Captain
• Angel DeSanti Transportation Captain
• Oswaldo Rojas Propmaker
• Carl Pedregal Post Production Supervisor
• Jason Dock Harrell Propmaker
• Kevin Moll Studio Teacher
• Jo Ann Smith Studio Teacher
• Heather Fielding Studio Teacher

Directing

• Doug Atchison Director
• Rodney Allen Hooks Assistant Director
• Jan McWilliams Script Supervisor

Editing

• Glenn Farr Editor
• Markus Czyzewski First Assistant Editor

Lighting

• Rich Paisley Gaffer

Production

• Nancy Hult Ganis Producer
• Jaki Brown Casting
• Aisha Coley Casting
• Jennifer Booth Production Supervisor
• Kim Taylor-Coleman Casting
• Mike Upton Co-Producer
• Laurence Fishburne Producer
• Danny Llewelyn Producer
• Kent Kubena Co-Producer
• Jules Carideo Production Coordinator
• Mark Cuban Executive Producer

Sound

• Roland N. Thai Supervising Sound Editor
• Johnny Caruso Music Editor
• Matthew Nicolay Sound mixer
• Eduardo Ponsdomenech Music Editor
• Aaron Zigman Original Music Composer
• Joel C. High Music Supervisor
• Stacey A. Washer Boom Operator
• Ken S. Polk Sound Re-Recording Mixer
• Roland N. Thai Sound Designer
• James Morioka Dialogue Editor
• Shawn Kennelly Foley Mixer
• Eric Thompson ADR Mixer

Writing

• Doug Atchison Writer

Photos