In 1992, Franklin got his first big break in directing with the film One False Move, for which he earned the New Generation Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the MTV Movie Award for Best New Filmmaker, and the IFP Spirit Award for Best Director.11 In 1995, he once again received rave reviews from critics for his direction of Devil in a Blue Dress, which starred Denzel Washington. Two years later, in 1997, he directed the film One True Thing, which starred Renée Zellweger, William Hurt, and Meryl Streep, who earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for her role in the film. More recently, in 2014, Franklin was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for House of Cards (Episode: “Chapter 14”).
Actor, screenwriter, producer, and director who has won numerous awards for his directing talents, and has been nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (House of Cards)After graduating from UC Berkeley in 1971 with a degree in dramatic arts, Franklin tried his hand at acting for a few years, landing small roles on television. He decided to further his education at the American Film Institute where he received his M.F.A. in directing in 1986. On changing his career from acting to directing, Franklin said, “The problem with being a black actor in Hollywood, especially at that time, was that we didn’t have careers, we had jobs. I was one of those few people who actually made a living, but there was no security because you really couldn’t create a market for yourself…I started writing to create roles for myself, then went to the American Film Institute to learn how to direct, because I wanted to have a little more control over my life.”10