Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

Director:

Doug Atchison

Writer (WGA):

Doug Atchison (written by)

Release Date:

28 April 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Changing the world... one word at a time.

Plot:

A young girl from South Los Angeles tries to make it to the National Spelling Bee.

Plot Keywords:

Spelling | Spelling Bee | Principal | National Spelling Bee | African American

Awards:

11 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Keke Palmer	...	Akeelah
Laurence Fishburne	...	Dr. Larabee
Angela Bassett	...	Tanya
Curtis Armstrong	...	Mr. Welch
J.R. Villarreal	...	Javier (as JR Villarreal)
Sean Michael Afable	...	Dylan
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 (as Jeris Lee Poindexter)
Sara Niemietz	...	Polly
George Hornedo	...	Roman
Craig Wasson	...	Ted Saunders
Katie Kerwin McCrimmon	...	Herself
Marjorie Harris	...	National Spelling Bee Head Judge
Jacques Bailly	...	National Spelling Bee Pronouncer (as Jacques Bailly Ph.D.)
Krysten Leigh Jones	...	Tough Girl #1
Amirah Hawkins	...	Tough Girl #2
Jeff Marlow	...	District Judge
Chloé Conroy	...	District Pronouncer
Lee Garlington	...	Regional Judge
Sidney Ganis	...	Regional Pronouncer (as Sid Ganis)
Austin Herrera Davis	...	Cheating Boy
Janet Borrus	...	Cheating Boy's Mom
Wolfgang Bodison	...	Akeelah's Father
Marcus Hawkins Dungey	...	Chuckie
Bonita Friedericy	...	Volunteer
Caroline J. Smith	...	Mary Calveretti
Neil Soni	...	Rajeev Subramonian
Jack Ong	...	Korean Grocer
Lauren Sanchez	...	Reporter
Fay Hauser	...	Woman on TV
Keshell Lucas	...	Little Girl on TV
Corina Boettger	...	Red-Haired Girl
Shyann Chatman	...	Eighth-Grade Girl
Todd Wagner	...	Regional Bee Assistant Judge
Brittany Curran	...	District Speller #1 (as Brittany Elizabeth Curran)
Alexandra Rieger	...	District Speller #2
Eric Don	...	Regional Speller #1
Julia Kelleher	...	Regional Speller #2
Zac Gardner	...	Regional Speller #3
John A. Ausick	...	"Sacciform" Speller
Maddy Kloss	...	"Scutellate" Speller
Mason Green	...	"Longicollis" Speller
Jessy J. Hwang	...	"Ginglymus" Speller
Biplab Panda	...	"Empennage" Speller
Alexander Christian Stephans	...	"Souchong" Speller
Katie L. Brown	...	"Intussusception" Speller
John Oxenreiter	...	"Engastrimythic" Speller
Katie Olson	...	"Escharotic" Speller
Jason Ortenberg	...	"Flocculation" Speller
Lance Norling	...	Boy in Wheelchair
Jmeka Cherrel	...	Driver
Kahlil Ashanti	...	Postman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
D.T. Carney	...	(uncredited)
Pierre D. Chambers	...	Parent (uncredited)
Rennie Cowan	...	Parent (uncredited)
Eric Fallecker	...	Student (uncredited)
Aaron Fonseca	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Andrea Frisby	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Justin Rodgers Hall	...	Parent (uncredited)
Stephanie Hass	...	National Spelling Bee Press Reporter (unconfirmed) (uncredited)
Dava Hulsey	...	Finals - Judge (uncredited)
Lanaria Johnson	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Robert McMurrer	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Kelron Mixon	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Justin D. Reininga	...	Spelling Bee Audience Member (uncredited)
Holly Traister	...	Finals Judge (uncredited)
Brittany M. Wildman	...	Speller (uncredited)
Kaitlyn Williams	...	Featured Speller (uncredited)

Directed by
Doug Atchison

Writing credits (WGA)
Doug Atchison		(written by)

Produced by
Jaki Brown	....	co-producer (as Jaki Brown-Karman)
Michael Burns	....	executive producer
Marc Butan	....	executive producer
Mark Cuban	....	executive producer
Laurence Fishburne	....	producer
Sidney Ganis	....	producer (as Sid Ganis)
Nancy Hult Ganis	....	producer
Michael Johnson	....	associate producer
Kent Kubena	....	co-producer
Danny Llewelyn	....	producer
Tom Ortenberg	....	executive producer
Michael Paseornek	....	executive producer
Dalia Phillips	....	associate producer
Michael Romersa	....	producer
Helen Sugland	....	executive producer
Mike Upton	....	co-producer
Todd Wagner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Aaron Zigman

Cinematography by
M. David Mullen		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Glenn Farr

Casting by
Jaki Brown		(as Jaki Brown-Karman)
Kim Coleman
Aisha Coley

Production Design by
Warren Alan Young

Art Direction by
Shelley A. Wallace

Set Decoration by
Julieann Getman

Costume Design by
Sharen Davis

Makeup Department
Linda Cowan	....	key makeup artist
Fay Kelly	....	assistant hair stylist
Erma Kent	....	assistant hair stylist
Edna Sheen	....	department head makeup (as Edna M. Sheen)
Kenneth Walker	....	department head hair stylist
Gigi Williams	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Jennifer Booth	....	production supervisor (as Jennifer L. Booth)
Joseph P. Genier	....	unit production manager: additional photography (as Joe Genier)
Rosemary Lara	....	manager of production: Lionsgate
Lisa Looney	....	production supervisor: additional photography
Curtis A. Miller	....	supervisor of production: Lionsgate
Carl Pedregal	....	post-production supervisor
Donna Sloan	....	executive in charge of production: Lions Gate Films
Mike Upton	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anne Carroll	....	additional assistant director
Rodney Allen Hooks	....	assistant director
David K. Riebel	....	key second assistant director (as David Riebel)
Chad Rosen	....	first assistant director: additional photography
Marvin Williams	....	second second assistant director (as Marvin J. Williams Jr.)
Ken Twohy	....	crowds assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Alysia Allen	....	art department coordinator (as Alysia D. Allen)
Roxanne Brooks	....	art department production assistant
Nelson Bush	....	set dresser
Richard Day	....	art department production assistant (as Richard J. Day Jr.)
Matthew D. Egan	....	propmaker
Bianca Ferro	....	props
Mark Finer	....	art department production assistant
Chela Fiorini	....	assistant props
Matt Furginson	....	assistant property master (as F. Matthew Furginson)
Crill Hansen	....	laborer
Lonnie Hansen	....	laborer
Jason Dock Harrell	....	propmaker
Kathleen Kasinger	....	property master
Shan Kelly	....	on-set dresser
Charles Kern	....	painter
Leslie Lawson	....	painter
Lawrence D. Lira	....	draper
Alicia Maccarone	....	set designer (as Alicia MacCarone)
Jocelyn Marsh	....	art department production assistant
Robert 'Cass' McEntee	....	construction coordinator
Douglas McKay	....	set dresser
Kristie Moore	....	painter (as Kristie E. Moore-Bialuski)
Efren N. Perez	....	set dresser (as Efrén Pérez)
Ken Peterson	....	set dresser
Buddy Ray Reynolds	....	set dresser (as Buddy Ray Reynolds-Maichel)
Oswaldo Rojas	....	propmaker
Michael Ryan	....	painter
Jose Saenz	....	greensman (as Jose A. Saenz)
Greg Sanger	....	leadman
Grant Sawyer	....	set dresser
Angela Simpson	....	art department production assistant
Marquis Smith	....	laborer
Sherman Toy	....	art department production assistant
Sal Valle	....	set dresser (as Salvador Valle)
Abraham Vorster	....	draper
John Warner	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Nancy Barker	....	first assistant sound editor
Lance Brown	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Ezra Dweck	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Greg Hedgepath	....	sound effects editor (as Gregory Hedgepath)
Matt Hedges	....	sound editorial coordinator
Melissa Kennelly	....	foley editor (as Melissa Pillmear)
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
Matthew Nicolay	....	sound mixer
Ken S. Polk	....	sound re-recording mixer
Fred Stafford	....	supervising adr editor
Roland N. Thai	....	supervising sound designer
Roland N. Thai	....	supervising sound editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Gerard Vernice	....	cable person
Stacey A. Washer	....	boom operator
James Wright	....	sound engineer: Dolby
Julie Altus	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Shelly Dutcher	....	inferno artist: Modern Videofilm, Inc.
Mark Intravartolo	....	inferno artist: Modern Videofilm, Inc.
Andrew Midgley	....	visual effects producer: Modern Videofilm, Inc.
Pat Repola	....	vice president of feature post: Modern Videofilm, Inc.
John Scheer	....	iq artist: Modern Videofilm, Inc.
Mike Uguccioni	....	visual effects supervisor: XY & Z Visual Effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric S. Adamson	....	electrician
Saeed Adyani	....	still photographer
James 'Keeper' Auld	....	dolly grip
Joseph M. Barno	....	grip
Denise Brady	....	grip
Brian Christie	....	grip
Jeffrey R. Clark	....	first assistant camera: additional photography
Cooper Donaldson	....	electrician
Manny Duran	....	key grip: additional photography
Keith Eisberg	....	assistant: Christopher Mosio, additional photography (as Keith Iceberg)
Keith Eisberg	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Jordan Garretson	....	grip
Dash Hart	....	genny operator
Timothy Hedgecock	....	electrician (as Tim Hedgecock)
Brad Heiner	....	key grip
Tommy Hubbard	....	electrician
Joshua Lee Huber	....	electrician
Stephen James	....	grip (as Stephen K. James)
John Leonetti	....	electrician (as John T. Leonetti)
Marcos O. Lopez	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as Marcus Lopez)
Matthew Minke	....	grip (as Matt Minke)
Chris Mosio	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Christopher Mosio)
Chris Mosio	....	director of photography: second unit, additional photography (as Christopher Mosio)
David Mun	....	second assistant camera
Robert Murphy	....	best boy electric
Bob Myers	....	grip (as Robert Myers)
Jarrod Oswald	....	second assistant camera: additional photography
Rich Paisley	....	gaffer
Noah Peter	....	grip
Theo Pingarelli	....	first assistant camera
Johnny Radzik	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as John Radzik)
Alexander Salazar	....	grip
Steven Douglas Smith	....	additional photographer: additional photography
Deron Tse	....	grip
Stephen L. Whitcomb	....	film loader (as Stephen Whitcomb)
William Rick Young	....	best boy grip (as Rick Young)
Mark Carlile	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Michael Fitzgerald	....	epk photographer (uncredited)
Andrew Korner	....	additional electrician (uncredited)
Dave Muskeni	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jeff Niggemeyer	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Johnny Radzik	....	steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Benita Elliott	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Robyn M. Mitchell	....	casting assistant (as Robyn Mitchell)
Cash Oshman	....	crowd casting
Eve Streger	....	casting assistant
Lamese Williams	....	casting associate
Heather Sirota	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yvonne Bastidos	....	costumer
Cheryl Cravedi	....	set costumer
Meta Issa	....	costumer (as Meta Moïse)
Riki Lin Sabusawa	....	costume supervisor
Jodie Stern	....	costumer
Robin West	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Jenny Cho	....	post-production assistant
Markus Czyzewski	....	first assistant editor (as Mark Czyzewski)
Sue Gates	....	colorist: Modern Videofilm, Inc.
Mark McCoy	....	post-production coordinator (as Mark W. McCoy)
Josh Moore	....	laboratory contact: Technicolor
David Orr	....	color timer: Technicolor
Janice Papadaki	....	negative cutter
Martha Savelio	....	telecine: Entertainment Post
Bob Wenokur	....	studio post-production representative (uncredited)

Music Department
Johnny Caruso	....	supervising music editor
Mollie B. Casey	....	music assistant
Jay Faires	....	president of music: Lionsgate
Jeanne Fay	....	music clearance
Joel C. High	....	music supervisor
Tricia Holloway	....	music consultant: Lionsgate
Kevin Koloff	....	music legal: Lionsgate
Mateo Laboriel	....	electronic music programmer
Ernest Lee	....	music recording engineer
Thomas D. Mahoney	....	music coordinator (as Tom Mahoney)
Evelyn Paglinawan	....	music legal: Lionsgate (as Evelyn J. Paglinawan)
Eduardo Ponsdomenech	....	music editor
Rebecca Rienks	....	music coordinator
Michael Stern	....	score mixer
Michael Stern	....	score recordist
Jesse Voccia	....	electronic music programmer
Sam Zeines	....	music consultant: Clockwirk Music
Aaron Zigman	....	conductor
Howard Drossin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Josh Evans	....	assistant score engineer (uncredited)
Steve Juliani	....	music preparation (uncredited)
Kory Kruckenberg	....	scoring assistant engineer (uncredited)
Satnam Ramgotra	....	musician: percussion (uncredited)
David Sabee	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Tony Barattini	....	driver
Rod Brodie	....	driver
Joe Cosentino	....	driver
Angel Desanti	....	transportation captain (as Angel De Santi)
Audrey Fitzgerald	....	driver
Wayne Flowers Jr.	....	driver (as Wayne Flowers)
William Gardner	....	driver
Nathan Hardcastle	....	transportation dispatcher
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator
Kirk Huston	....	transportation captain
Leo Landa	....	driver
Luis Mata	....	driver: additional photography
Esteban Munoz	....	mechanic (as Esteban Muñoz)
John Pellegrino	....	driver
Adam Pinkstaff	....	driver
Joseph R. Rose	....	driver (as Joe Rose)
Steven Luke Weible	....	driver (as Steve Weible)
Herbert David Wilson	....	driver (as H. David Wilson)
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Axel Alba	....	adr cast
Mary Jane Amato	....	first assistant accountant
Leland Jay Anderson	....	assistant: Laurence Fishburne
Shadee Ardalan	....	set production assistant
James M. Arnold	....	payroll accountant
Bree Bailey	....	assistant: Michael Paseornek
Kimberly Bailey	....	adr cast
Jacques Bailly	....	technical advisor (as Jacques Bailly Ph.D.)
Andrea Baker	....	adr cast
Susan Bannout	....	medic
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances: Entertainment Clearances
Jim Bartoo	....	digital asset management: Lionsgate
Kendre Berry	....	adr cast
P. John Burke	....	counsel: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, 2929 Productions
Courtney Taylor Burness	....	adr cast (as Courtney Burness)
Polly Businger	....	studio teacher
Jules Carideo	....	production coordinator
Lanei Chapman	....	adr cast (as Lanai Chapman)
Bryant Cheng	....	office production assistant
Jason Cox	....	set production assistant (as Jason M. Cox)
Kevin Davidson	....	adr cast
Jenny DeArmitt	....	assistant production coordinator
Richard DiPatri	....	assistant location manager (as Richard Dipatri)
Yon Elvira	....	supervisor: assets and production publicity, Lionsgate
Carlo Eugster	....	assistant: Sid Ganis
Heather Fielding	....	studio teacher
Jeff Fischer	....	adr cast (as Jeffrey Todd Fischer)
Jessie Flower	....	adr cast
Cynthia Gates Fujikawa	....	production accountant
Lisa Gooding	....	clearance supervisor
Pamela B. Green	....	main title: PIC (as Pamela Green)
Sarah Greenberg	....	co-president of film marketing: Lionsgate
Elaine Hall	....	dialogue coach (as Elaine Hall Katz)
Terrence Hardy Jr.	....	adr cast (as Terrence Hardy)
Liam Hearne	....	post-production accountant
Gary Hebert	....	title designer: main title, PIC
Dorottya Hegedus	....	assistant: Mike Upton (as Dorottya Hegedus-Lum)
Kayla Henry	....	adr cast
Diana Horwich	....	assistant: Doug McClure, 2929 Productions
Josh Holden Hume	....	office production assistant (as Josh 'Holden' Hume)
Paige Hurd	....	adr cast
Tracy Jackson	....	assistant: Angela Bassett
Krysten Leigh Jones	....	adr cast (as Kyrsten Leigh Jones)
Tinashe Kachingwe	....	adr cast
Andrew C. Keeter	....	location manager (as Andy Keeter)
Audrey Kendrick	....	assistant: Helen Sugland
Carlyle King	....	adr cast
Brian M. Kingman	....	insurance: Aon/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services. Inc (as Brian Kingman)
Cody Klop	....	adr cast
Katelyn Kowalick	....	adr cast
Robyn Kubena	....	assistant: Marc Butan (as Robyn Heath)
Carlos Lacamara	....	adr cast (as Carlos La Camara)
John Lafayette	....	adr cast (as John La Fayette)
Jeff L. Lieberman	....	electronic press kit (as Jeff Lieberman)
Jose Lopez	....	chef
Nery Arnold Lopez	....	chef (as Nery Lopez)
Daniel MacArthur	....	assistant: Donna Sloan
Danielle Mana	....	assistant: cast
Danielle Mana	....	production assistant: additional photography
Christopher Marlon	....	assistant: cast
Austin Marques	....	adr cast
Terence Mathews	....	adr cast (as Terence Matthew)
Douglas McClure	....	business affairs: 2929 Productions (as Douglas B. McClure)
Todd McCormick	....	production assistant: additional photography
Jan McWilliams	....	script supervisor
Robert M. Melnik	....	executive vice president: business and legal affairs, Lionsgate (as Robert Melnick)
Ricky Mendez	....	assistant: cast
Khanya Mkhize	....	adr cast
Keri Moorhouse	....	assistant: cast (as Keri Ann Moorhouse)
Robert Natter	....	assistant: Michael Romersa and Danny Lewellyn
Lisa Ng	....	assistant
A.J. Noel	....	adr cast (as AJ Noel)
Tim Palen	....	co-president of film marketing: Lionsgate
Kevin Picket	....	craft service (as Kevin Pickett)
Keith C. Pickett	....	second craft service
Julie Polkes	....	unit publicist
Michelle Pullman	....	assistant: Jay Faires
Mishon Ratliff	....	adr cast (as Mischon Ratliff)
Emily Rice	....	post-production accountant
Lyman Richardson	....	set production assistant
Ashlynn Rose	....	adr cast (as Ashlyn Rose)
James Ross	....	set security
Amber N. Roy	....	business and legal affairs: Lionsgate
Jonathan Ruiz	....	creative executive: Lionsgate
John Sacchi	....	senior vice president of production: Lionsgate
Jeff Saville	....	set production assistant
Samar Sepehri	....	contract administrator: Lionsgate
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances: Entertainment Clearances
Zack Shada	....	adr cast
Amanda Shamis	....	business and legal affairs coordinator: Lionsgate
Craig Simmons	....	assistant location manager (as Craig N. Simmons)
Jo Ann Smith	....	studio teacher (as Jo Ann M. Smith)
Michael S. Strange	....	production assistant: additional photography
Jarik Van Sluijs	....	title designer: main title, PIC
Charlyn Ware	....	vice president: business and legal affairs, Lionsgate
Robert Weisman	....	caterer
Denzel Whitaker	....	adr cast
Donald E. Wygal	....	assistant production coordinator (as Donald E. Wygal Jr.)
Cory Cate	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Julie Cummings	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Dante	....	warm-up comic (uncredited)
Chaz Fatur	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mike Kohl	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sean Kevin Sweeney	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Paul Young	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Amy Atchison	....	special thanks
Michael Behrens	....	special thanks
Eric J. Danenberg	....	special thanks
Montana Fishburne	....	dedicatee: Mr. Fishburne dedicates his performance to his daughter (as Montana)
Garth Friedrich	....	special thanks
Alex Graves	....	special thanks
Djibril N'Doye	....	special thanks (as Dubril N'Doye)
Mary N'Doye	....	special thanks (as Mary N' Doye)
Bayo Ogumdele	....	special thanks
Lou Pitt	....	special thanks
Carla M. Roberts	....	special thanks (as Carla M. Roberts Esq.)
Greg Tennant	....	special thanks
Alvin Williams	....	special thanks
Marianne Williamson	....	acknowledgement: quotes from "A Return To Love" courtesy of
Richard Yarborough	....	special thanks: Department of English, University of California, Los Angeles (as Professor Richard Yarborough)

Production Companies

• Out of the Blue... Entertainment (as Out of the Blue Entertainment)
• Reactor Films
• Cinema Gypsy Productions (in association with) (as Cinema Gypsy Productions Inc.)
• Lions Gate Films (presentation) (as Lionsgate)
• 2929 Productions (presentation)
• Starbucks Entertainment (presentation)
• Spelling Bee Productions Inc. (uncredited)

Distributors

• Lionsgate (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lionsgate (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Eagle Films (2007) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Maple Pictures (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• VideoFilmes (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Modern VideoFilm (visual effects)
• XY & Z Visual Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance
• Air Trans  special thanks
• Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld  counsel: 2929 Productions
• Amblin Entertainment  footage: "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial" courtesy of
• American High Definition  video projection equipment
• Atari Interactive  special thanks (as Atari Interactive, Inc)
• Avon Studio Transport  transportation (uncredited)
• Big Crowds  extras casting
• Black Scholar Magazines  special thanks
• Blue Note Records  special thanks
• Bobby Weisman Caterers  catering
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Crosley Radio  special thanks
• D.A.R.E.  special thanks
• Danetracks  sound design and editorial
• ESPN Enterprises  special thanks: footage courtesy of
• Electric Picture Solutions  Avid editing systems
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Entertainment Post  telecine
• Frank Schaffer Publications  special thanks
• Frederick Douglas National Historical Site  special thanks
• GDT  acknowledgement: Map content © 2005; used with permission (as GDT, Inc.)
• Getty Images  stock footage
• Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC  special thanks (as Washington DC Grand Hyatt Hotel)
• Hargrove Inc.  acknowledgement: set design of the Scripps spelling Bee by
• Hasbro Games  special thanks
• Honda Motor Company  special thanks
• Inflatable Crowd Company, The  inflatable mannequins (uncredited)
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty
• Invacare  special thanks (as Invacare MVP)
• J.L. Fisher  camera cranes and dollies (as JL Fisher)
• Juniper Post  audio services (uncredited)
• Kinetic Imageworks  post-production facilities (uncredited)
• Kodak  motion picture film
• Langers Juice Company  special thanks
• Lionsgate  soundtrack
• Los Angeles Sentinel  special thanks
• MapQuest.com  acknowledgement: MapQuest and MapQuest.com name and logo and Map content © 2005
• Mark & Tigra Little  special thanks
• Mattel  special thanks
• McDonald Publishing  special thanks (as McDonald Publishing Company)
• McIntosh Equipment  special thanks
• Merriam-Webster  acknowledgement: Webster's Third new International® Dictionary, Unabridged © 1993; by permission (as Merriam-Webster, Incorporated)
• Modern VideoFilm  end titles
• Modern VideoFilm  opticals
• Modern VideoFilm  previews
• Mondrian Hotel  special thanks
• Negative People  negative cutting
• Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, The  special thanks (as The Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting)
• PIC  main title
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Paskal Lighting  lighting and grip equipment
• Pfaff Protective Group  security (uncredited)
• Pierce Law Group  special thanks (as Pierce Law Group LLP)
• Place Called Home, A  special thanks
• Prime Casting  extras casting
• Replogle Globes  special thanks (as Replogle Globes, Inc.)
• Rockbottom Rentals  modem card rentals (uncredited)
• Rockbottom Rentals  nextel cell phone rentals (uncredited)
• Rogers & Cowan  publicist (uncredited)
• Scrabble Board Game  special thanks
• Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee  special thanks (as Scripps National Spelling Bee)
• Universal Music  special thanks
• Universal Studios Licensing  footage: "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial" courtesy of (as Universal Studio Licensing LLP)
• University of California Berkeley  special thanks
• University of Southern California (USC)  special thanks
• WUV Publications  special thanks
• Ward A.M.E. Church  special thanks
• Wilshire Stages, The  ADR recording facility (uncredited)
• Yale University  special thanks

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for some language

Runtime:

USA:112 min | Argentina:112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #42313) | UK:12A | Singapore:PG | Ireland:PG | Canada:G (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario/Quebec) | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-3 | Australia:PG | UK:PG (re-rating) (2007) | Canada:PG (Alberta) | Portugal:M/6 | Sweden:Btl (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Out of the Blue... Entertainment

Trivia:

Among the spelling words in the film are: prestidigitation, ambidextrous, pterodactyl, pulchritude, pastiche, xanthosis, cabalistic, soliterraneous, grandiloquent, catastasis, endentulous, quinquevir, bioluminescent, objugatory, kookaburra, effervescible, quiddity, pyrophanous, mountebank, numismatics, arboriculture, argillaceous, serpiginous, and logorrhea.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The plaque on the wall in Dr. Larabee's office, which he makes Akeelah read, wrongly attributes the quote to Nelson Mandela's 1994 inaugural speech. This is a common mistake, but Nelson Mandela has never used that quote in any of his published speeches. The quote is from Marianne Williamson an American spiritual activist.

Quotes:

Akeelah:[Javier has just kissed her] Why'd you do that?
Javier:I had an impulse. Are you gonna sue me for sexual harassment?
[pause, then they both laugh]

Movie Connections:

References "Scooby Doo, Where Are You!" (1969)

Soundtrack:

Let Your Baby Go

Among the best, without a doubt

Akeelah and the Bee is an excellent movie, and it deserves universal recognition for the unbelievably powerful message, storyline, and theme evident throughout. First of all, Starbucks's co-operation with Laurence Fishburne to produce the movie was a great move on everybody's part. And though many critics may say that Akeelah and the Bee was just another "inspirational film," lacking the originality and pungency necessary for good cinema, the people with such a belief just don't get it. Like Rudy (1993), Akeelah and the Bee is most certainly original in that the story is plausible, meaningful, and very emotional. The only real difference between the two films is that whereas Rudy is based on a true story, Akeelah and the Bee is completely fictional. Also, the fact that all of the real protagonists in the film are minorities brings an incredible new level to the silver screen. Very few recently released movies feature an African-American female--a youth, no less--in the role of the main character. And for viewers to see Akeelah--as well as her mother, her siblings, her best friend, her coach, and her other two spelling-bee companions: all of whom are minorities--achieve such great heights is most definitely "inspirational," and in the right sense. Even for the movie-viewer whose favorites are full of action, violence, and gore, Akeelah and the Bee strikes the heart directly. And for those who like the tear-jerkers, no better movie exists than this one. Without question, this film is one of the best I have seen in a long time, and many will agree that it is an exceptional piece of work. I would honestly be shocked if someone really believed in his or her mind that Akeelah and the Bee "was a waste of time."