Matthew A. Cherry
Director
Director who gained widespread prominence when he won the best animated short film Academy Award for his short film Hair Love in 2020. He also won that year's Black Reel Award for outstanding short.
He played college football for the University of Akron as a wide receiver. He would spend time on various NFL team's rosters and practice squads prior to pursuing filmmaking.
He won the best screenplay award at the American Black Film Festival for his 2012 short film The Last Fall. He directed the 2014 music video for the hit single "Say Yes" by Michelle Williams.
He was born and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area.
He became the second professional athlete to win an Oscar after Kobe Bryant.