Moonyeenn Lee
BornFebruary 1944
Johannesburg, South Africa
Died(2020-07-18)18 July 2020 (aged 76)
Johannesburg
OccupationCasting director
Years active1974–2020
SpouseLeon Lee (div. 1973)
Children2

Moonyeenn Lee (February 1944 – 18 July 2020) was a South African casting director, talent agent and producer. She earned Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work on the Hulu series The Looming Tower and the 2016 Roots remake. She became the first South African member of both the Motion Picture and Television Academies.[1][2]

Lee founded the talent agency Moonyeenn Lee & Associates (MLA) in 1974 and Khulisa Productions in 1998. She was awarded the Lionel Ngakane Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 South African Film and Television Awards.[3]

Early and personal life

Lee was born in Johannesburg. She was named after a character from the 1932 film Smilin' Through.[4] She moved to England, where she was mostly educated, when she was 7 for her mother Shirley Hepburn's work as a stage actress whilst her father stayed behind in South Africa. She began working for a knitwear company in London at 17.[5]

Lee and salesman Leon Lee were married for five years and divorced in 1974. The pair had a son David and a daughter Cindy. After her divorce, Lee was looking for a new career. She trained to become an agent with James Fraser of Fraser and Dunlop in England.[6][7]

Lee raised her children in Parkmore, who both now work in the entertainment industry. She later lived in Rosebank.[5]

Lee's agency MLA announced Lee had died at the age of 76 in Johannesburg of complications related to COVID-19 on the morning of 18 July 2020.[8][9] A number of actors, other industry people, and Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa paid their tributes.[10][11]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleNotes
1979 Game for Vultures
1979 Plekkie in die son
1986 Nag van Vrees
1987 Nukie
1987 Jane and the Lost City
1988 An African Dream
1988 Red Scorpion Produced
1988 Blind Justice
1989 Jobman Produced
1991 Panga
1993 Friends
1997 Jump the Gun
1998 Tarzan and the Lost City
1998 The Quarry
1998 The Storekeeper Short film; produced
1999 A Reasonable Man
2000 The King Is Alive
2001 High Explosive
2002 Promised Land Produced
2003 The Wooden Camera
2004 In My Country
2004 Max and Mona
2004 Hotel Rwanda
2005 Tsotsi
2006 Catch a Fire
2006 Blood Diamond
2007 Goodbye Bafana
2008 Triomf Produced
2010 Life, Above All
2010 State of Violence
2010 The Bang Bang Club
2010 The First Grader
2011 How to Steal 2 Million
2011 Lucky
2011 Machine Gun Preacher
2012 Safe House
2013 Fanie Fourie's Lobola
2013 Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
2013 Four Corners
2013 Cold Harbour
2014 Faan se trein
2014 Leading Lady
2014 Impunity
2014 The Good Lie
2015 The Endless River
2015 Eye in the Sky
2016 Shepherds and Butchers
2016 Vaya
2017 Beyond the River
2017 The Number
2017 Five Fingers for Marseilles
2019 Serenity
2019 This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection

Television

YearTitleNotes
1986 The Summer House Television film
1994 The Line Television film
1996 Inside Television film
1997 Mandela and de Klerk Television film
1998 Diamond Girl Television film
1998 Running Wild Television film
1999–2004 Yizo Yizo
2001 Dr Lucille: The Lucille Teasdale Story Television film
2002 In Desert and Wilderness
2007–2012 Wild at Heart
2007 Life Is Wild
2008 The Devil's Whore Miniseries
2009 Hopeville
2009 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
2009 The Prisoner Miniseries
2011 Leonardo
2012 Fynbos
2012 Dirty Laundry Short film
2013 Mary and Martha Television film
2014 Homeland Season 4
2015 The Gamechangers Television film
2016 Cape Town Miniseries
2016 Roots Miniseries
2016 Hooten & the Lady Miniseries
2017 Madiba Miniseries
2018 Black Panther
2018 The Looming Tower Miniseries
2019 The Girl from St. Agnes Miniseries[12]
2019 Warrior
2019 The Hot Zone
2020 Shaina Television film; posthumous release

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2016 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Roots Nominated
2017 South African Film and Television Awards Dr Lionel Ngakane Lifetime Achievement Award — Won
2018 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie The Looming Tower Nominated [13]

References

  1. ↑ "Moonyeenn Lee becomes first South African to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Sunday Times. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (20 July 2020). "Moonyeenn Lee Dies Following Covid Complications: South African Casting Director & Talent Agent Who Worked On 'Blood Diamond', 'Hotel Rwanda', 'Tsotsi' Was 76". Deadline. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  3. ↑ "Celebrating works of art in film". The Sunday Journal. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  4. ↑ Mabuza, Ernest (19 July 2020). "SA's legendary casting queen Moonyeenn Lee dies from Covid-19 complications". Times Live. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Queen of the casting scene". City Press. 23 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  6. ↑ "Moonyeenn Lee (Casting Director)". The First Grader. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  7. ↑ Sampson, Lin (17 July 2016). "Oscar role for Moonyeenn Lee". Sunday Times. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  8. ↑ "The Passing Of A Legend". MLASA. 2 November 2020. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  9. ↑ Rosser, Michael (20 July 2020). "Casting director Moonyeenn Lee dies from coronavirus". Screen Daily. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "Minister Nathi Mthethwa on the passing of casting director Moonyeenn Lee". South African Government. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  11. ↑ Vourlias, Christopher (20 July 2020). "Moonyeenn Lee, Legendary South African Agent and Casting Director, Dies at 76". Variety. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  12. ↑ Kriedemann, Kevin (5 March 2019). "In conversation with renowned casting director and agent Moonyeenn Lee". Screen Africa. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  13. ↑ "Moonyeenn Lee - Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins". Emmys. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
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