John Ridley

Writing

John Ridley

Born 1964-10-01 · Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

John Ridley (born 1965 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American film director, actor, and writer. Ridley got his start as a stand-up comedian. He eventually was hired as a writer for sitcoms such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Martin. He began to concentrate on writing and wrote his first novel, Stray Dogs, which became the basis the 1997 film U Turn, directed by Oliver Stone. Ridley also provided the original script for the film Three Kings, starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube. But his script was changed so much by director David O. Russell that he only received a credit for the original story. He also tried his hand at directing with the film Cold Around the Heart. He is one of the creators of Urban Entertainment, showcasing short films and animation from minority filmmakers, including his own works: the animated cartoons Undercover Brother (the basis for the Undercover Brother film starring comedian Eddie Griffin) and Those Who Walk in Darkness, featuring the voice of rapper Lil' Kim — which itself was the basis of a novel of the same name written by Ridley. Additionally, Ridley developed Tim Story's 2002 motion picture Barbershop into the short-lived 2005 Showtime comedy Barbershop: The Series. Ridley was the original co-host on the MSNBC daily morning show Morning Joe upon its premiere in 2007, and was an occasional guest on the network's cancelled nightly program Scarborough Country. He hosted the short-lived Movie Club with John Ridley on American Movie Classics and has written The Authority and The American Way for DC Comics. He has recently become a regular guest commentator on American Public Media's Weekend America in a segment called "Good News, Bad News, No News" which reviews the week's news. He co-produced the film Bobby. He wrote the play Ten Thousand Years about kamikaze pilots in World War II. On the weekend of August 19, 2006, John co-hosted the syndicated program Ebert & Roeper while film critic Roger Ebert was on medical leave. On August 28, 2007, it was announced that George Lucas hired him to pen the script for his upcoming World War II film Red Tails. Currently (December, 2009) Ridley is head writer and co-executive producer of The Wanda Sykes Show. Description above from the Wikipedia article John Ridley, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

12 Years a Slave poster
7.9

In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.

12 Years a Slave

2013

Undercover Brother poster
5.9

An Afro-American organization, the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., is in permanent fight against a white organization "The Man" defending the values of the black people in North America. When the Afro-American candidate Gen. Warren Boutwell behaves strangely in his presidential campaign, Undercover Brother is hired to work undercover for "The Man" and find what happened with the potential candidate.

Undercover Brother

2002

Ben-Hur poster
5.8

A falsely accused nobleman survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him.

Ben-Hur

2016

U Turn poster
6.6

When a desperate man’s car breaks down in a bizarre desert town while evading vengeful bookies, he becomes entangled in a dangerous love triangle. Caught between a married couple, he’s faced with deadly contracts to kill them both.

U Turn

1997

Red Tails poster
6.7

The story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots to fly in a combat squadron during World War II.

Red Tails

2012

Body Cam poster
6.2

As a police officer investigates the gruesome murder of her colleague, she discovers that a mysterious supernatural force is behind it.

Body Cam

2020

Needle in a Timestack poster
5.3

Nick and Janine live in bliss until her ex warps time to try to tear them apart by using Nick's old girlfriend. As Nick's memories and reality disappear, he must decide what he's willing to sacrifice to save -- or let go of -- everything he loves.

Needle in a Timestack

2021

Needle in a Timestack poster
5.3

Nick and Janine live in bliss until her ex warps time to try to tear them apart by using Nick's old girlfriend. As Nick's memories and reality disappear, he must decide what he's willing to sacrifice to save -- or let go of -- everything he loves.

Needle in a Timestack

2021

Jimi: All Is by My Side poster
5.6

A drama based on Jimi Hendrix's life as he left New York City for London, where his career took off.

Jimi: All Is by My Side

2013

Jimi: All Is by My Side poster
5.6

A drama based on Jimi Hendrix's life as he left New York City for London, where his career took off.

Jimi: All Is by My Side

2013

Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie poster
8.1

When the Thanagarians visit Earth, Hawkgirl is forced to choose between loyalty to her people and love for her friends on her adopted planet Earth.

Justice League: Starcrossed - The Movie

2004

Shirley poster
6.6

Shirley Chisholm makes a trailblazing run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination after becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress.

Shirley

2024

Shirley poster
6.6

Shirley Chisholm makes a trailblazing run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination after becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress.

Shirley

2024

Shirley poster
6.6

Shirley Chisholm makes a trailblazing run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination after becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress.

Shirley

2024

Waiting for Godot poster
3.0

An experimental exploration of the storied play. Becket’s vision of perpetual uncertainty, anxiety, and loneliness is refracted through our current moment.

Waiting for Godot

2021

No artwork available
NR

Follows youth boxing coach Daysi Garcia as she fights to give her kids a path to a better future.

The Corner

2026

No artwork available
NR

Follows youth boxing coach Daysi Garcia as she fights to give her kids a path to a better future.

The Corner

2026

Cold Around the Heart poster
5.0

A jewel thief moves towards a reunion of revenge with his lover, who pushed him out of their speeding getaway car.

Cold Around the Heart

1997

Cold Around the Heart poster
5.0

A jewel thief moves towards a reunion of revenge with his lover, who pushed him out of their speeding getaway car.

Cold Around the Heart

1997

Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 poster
7.6

An in-depth look at the culture of Los Angeles in the ten years leading up to the 1992 uprising that erupted after the verdict of police officers cleared of beating Rodney King.

Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992

2017

Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 poster
7.6

An in-depth look at the culture of Los Angeles in the ten years leading up to the 1992 uprising that erupted after the verdict of police officers cleared of beating Rodney King.

Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992

2017

No artwork available
NR

Elijah Baley, a New York City detective, is reluctantly partnered with R. Daneel Olivaw, a humanoid robot, to solve the high-profile murder of a “Spacer” scientist. As Baley navigates the investigation, tensions arise between Earth’s overcrowded, robot-wary society and the more advanced Spacer civilizations, which embrace robotic integration.

Caves of Steel

No artwork available
NR

Elijah Baley, a New York City detective, is reluctantly partnered with R. Daneel Olivaw, a humanoid robot, to solve the high-profile murder of a “Spacer” scientist. As Baley navigates the investigation, tensions arise between Earth’s overcrowded, robot-wary society and the more advanced Spacer civilizations, which embrace robotic integration.

Caves of Steel

The American Way poster
NR

John Ridley and Jason Blum are partnering on a movie adaptation of Ridley’s recent comic book series “The American Way: Those Above and Those Below.”

The American Way