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Cheryl Dunye

American actress and director · United States · On the map · Directors · Born 1966 · age 60

Cheryl Dunye is a Liberian-American film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and actress. She is the daughter of Edith Irene Hamilton Dunye and George Kekura Dunye. She was born in Liberia, but shortly after, her family moved to Philadelphia.

Cheryl Dunye is read about 102 times a day, in 20 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 17 September 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 60 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2025The Hunting WivesSeries, DirectorRainbow GirlsFilm, 2025Producer2024Dead Boy DetectivesSeries, Director2022American GigoloSeries, Director2021PrideSeries, Director2020BridgertonSeries, Director2019All RiseSeries, Director2018Love Is___Series, DirectorDykes, Camera, Action!Film, 20182017ClawsSeries, DirectorDiAna's Hair Ego RemixFilm, 2017Director2016“We’re losing these really vital stories from the queer canon and these representations of LGBTQ individuals are just disappearing throughout history”In their words29 November 2016Director Cheryl Dunye on her groundbreaking LGBTQ film ‘The Watermelon Woman,’ 20 years later-Los Angeles Times

Guggenheim FellowshipAwardQueen SugarSeries, 2016Director2013The FostersSeries, DirectorValencia: The Movie/SFilm, 2013Director2012Mommy Is ComingFilm, Director, Writer2010Hooters!Film2004My Baby's DaddyFilm, Director2002Truth Be ToldFilm, Writer2001Stranger InsideFilm, Director, Writer1998Lavender LimelightFilm1997Anonymous Was A Woman AwardAwardThe Watermelon WomanFilm, 1997Director, Writer1993An Untitled PortraitFilm, Director1992She Don't FadeFilm, Director, Writer1990JanineFilm, Director, Writer1966Born13 May 1966

People around Cheryl

Close ties

Also in Deutsch

Filmography 29

83 credits on file

Television 21

Media & music

In their own words 9

,
Cheryl Dunye
,
9 statements, newest first

  1. The watermelon woman came from the real lack of any information about the lesbian and film history of African American women. Since it wasn’t happening, I invented it

    , Own words

  2. There were 20 minutes in the middle where it just stopped.

    , Own words

  3. That shouldn’t happen on Sunday,” Dunye laughed.

    , Own words

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Awards

Guggenheim Fellowship2016
Anonymous Was A Woman Award1997

About this person

Dunye's work often concerns themes of race, sexuality, and gender, particularly issues relating to black lesbians. She is known as the first out black lesbian to ever direct a feature film with her 1996 film The Watermelon Woman. She runs the production company Jingletown Films based in Oakland, California.

Country
United States
Category
Directors
Type
Movie Director
Status
Living
Dates
Born 1966 · age 60

In the same film or series as Cheryl

Nava MauAlso in Rainbow Girls (2025)Jacqueline WoodsonAlso in Greetings from Africa (1996)Frank SiveroAlso in Truth Be Told (2002)Mary MaraAlso in Stranger Inside (2001)