Released
IMDb
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.
Language
Budget$8,000,000
Revenue $18,948,425
English
Budget$8,000,000
Revenue $18,948,425
Keywords
based on true story
spelling
spelling bee
family drama
single mother
community spirit
pre-teen
parental abuse
south central los angeles
black community
independent film
Casts
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
Sidney Ganis
Regional Pronouncer
Austin Herrera Davis
Cheating Boy
Janet Borrus
Cheating Boy's Mom
Wolfgang Bodison
Akeelah's Father
Bonita Friedericy
Volunteer
Lauren Sánchez
Reporter
Fay Hauser
Woman on TV
Jack Ong
Korean Grocer
Neil Soni
Rajeev Subramonian
Tinashe
Cissi
Crews
Doug Atchison
Writer
Doug Atchison
Director
Nancy Hult Ganis
Producer
Cheryl Cravedi
Set Costumer
Saeed Adyani
Still Photographer
M. David Mullen
Director of Photography
Glenn Farr
Editor
Aisha Coley
Casting
Jaki Brown
Casting
Kim Taylor-Coleman
Casting
Aaron Zigman
Original Music Composer
Matthew Nicolay
Sound mixer
Warren Alan Young
Production Design
Julieann Getman
Set Decoration
Shelley A. Wallace
Art Direction
Edna Sheen
Makeup Department Head
Kenneth Walker
Hair Department Head
Jennifer Booth
Production Supervisor
Joel C. High
Music Supervisor
Johnny Caruso
Music Editor
Eduardo Ponsdomenech
Music Editor
Riki Lin Sabusawa
Costume Supervisor
Johnny Radzik
Camera Operator
Chris Mosio
Camera Operator
Ken S. Polk
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Roland N. Thai
Supervising Sound Editor
Roland N. Thai
Sound Designer
Stacey A. Washer
Boom Operator
Angel DeSanti
Transportation Captain
Kirk Huston
Transportation Captain
James Morioka
Dialogue Editor
Laurence Fishburne
Producer
Danny Llewelyn
Producer
Mike Upton
Co-Producer
Kent Kubena
Co-Producer
Sharen Davis
Costume Design
Linda Cowan
Key Makeup Artist
Gigi Williams
Key Makeup Artist
Carl Pedregal
Post Production Supervisor
Rodney Allen Hooks
Assistant Director
Kathleen Kasinger
Property Master
Jason Dock Harrell
Propmaker
Matt Furginson
Assistant Property Master
Alicia Maccarone
Set Designer
Robert 'Cass' McEntee
Construction Coordinator
Oswaldo Rojas
Propmaker
Greg Sanger
Leadman
Melissa Kennelly
Foley Editor
Shawn Kennelly
Foley Mixer
Laura Macias
Foley Artist
Barbara McCart
Sound Recordist
James Morioka
Supervising Dialogue Editor
Chris Navarro
ADR Recordist
Vince Nicastro
Foley Artist
Fred Stafford
Supervising ADR Editor
Eric Thompson
ADR Mixer
James 'Keeper' Auld
Dolly Grip
Brad Heiner
Key Grip
Marcos O. Lopez
Second Assistant "B" Camera
Chris Mosio
Second Unit Director of Photography
David Mun
Second Assistant Camera
Rich Paisley
Gaffer
William Rick Young
Best Boy Grip
Markus Czyzewski
First Assistant Editor
Jan McWilliams
Script Supervisor
Jules Carideo
Production Coordinator
Heather Fielding
Studio Teacher
Kevin Moll
Studio Teacher
Jo Ann Smith
Studio Teacher
Mark Cuban
Executive Producer
Backdrops & Posters
