Lee Daniels is an American film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the 2009 film Precious, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. He has also directed the films The Butler, The Paperboy, and Shadowboxer. He is the co-creator of the Fox musical drama series Empire, which aired from 2015 to 2020. He has won numerous awards for his work, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series.