Though he started working on sets as a teenager and has gone on to direct and executive produce acclaimed series like The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and Genius: Aretha Anthony Hemingway didn't always aspire to be a Hollywood power player.
"My dream was to become a doctor," says Hemingway, who grew up between New York and Wilmington, North Carolina, where he learned the ropes of production by shadowing his mother, a production manager. "My sister passed away when she was seven. I was four. Seeing how that ravaged the family and my mother specifically, it planted a seed in me to want to heal. That was my North Star for a very long time."
As he got further immersed in the entertainment business, he had a change of heart thanks in part to family friend and producer Bruce Paltrow. "He helped me see that being able to heal people does not have to come from the obvious place, the medical profession. We can bring change and healing through storytelling."
His latest venture, the CBS action-comedy True Lies, premiering March 1, is a dose of pure merriment. The thirteen-episode adaptation of James Cameron's 1994 film is unlike many of the series he's directed and/or executive produced, like slavery thriller Underground or People v. O.J., the latter of which earned him an Outstanding Limited Series Emmy in 2016.
"I don't get to do as much action and comedy as I love to," says Hemingway, who directed the True Lies pilot and executive produces with Cameron. "And [considering] the world in the last few years, I just wanted to be a part of something that brought a little escapism, some fun."
The high-octane series — which has no shortage of secret agent tech, gunfire and pyrotechnic explosions — follows international spy Harry Tasker (Steve Howey) and his wife Helen (Ginger Gonzaga), who blows his cover and joins his team of operatives.
Hemingway's deft touch in directing True Lies, overseeing its vision, and, to a greater extent, his varied body of work overall, serves as proof that Black directors needn't be relegated to a niche — they can tell all kinds of stories. "I love finding the humanity in stories I work on, that remind us that we are much more alike than we are different," he says.
That said, he's acutely aware of the rare space he occupies, and hopes to open doors for others. "I used to feel like I'm a director that happens to be Black," he says. "But I've shifted and now lead with, 'I am a Black director.' I know what that does in terms of representation," he adds, "for those who follow behind me."
True Lies is executive produced by Matt Nix, James Cameron, Rae Sanchini, McG, Mary Viola, Corey Marsh, Josh Levy and Anthony Hemingway. The series is a production of 20th Television. True Lies premieres March 1 at 10 p.m. on CBS, the CBS app, and Paramount +.
