Lee Louis Daniels is an American producer, director and writer. He produced Monster's Ball and directed Precious, which received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director; it won two of the awards.

In 2012, Daniels directed The Butler, a historical fiction drama featuring an ensemble cast portraying unique events on the 20th century presidents of the United States at the White House. Daniels is also a co-creator, executive producer, and director of the television series Empire and Star, which debuted in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Daniels couldn't afford film school, so he started at a liberal arts college in Missouri but realized it wasn't for him, and moved to Hollywood, eventually working as a receptionist in a nursing agency. Realizing he could do it on his own, he quit the job and started his own agency. He sold the company and went to work casting actors using his skills from "casting" nurses. He began his career in entertainment as a casting director and manager after a chance meeting with a Hollywood producer, working on such projects as Under the Cherry Moon and Purple Rain. He continued managing talent. The documentary My Big Break features Daniels early in his career when he was managing actor Wes Bentley, who starred as Ricky Fitts in American Beauty. In the documentary, Daniels comments on Bentley's reluctance to capitalize on his newfound celebrity status.

Daniels' father, Philadelphia police officer William, was "killed in the line of duty" when Daniels was a teenager in 1975. Daniels has been very open about his father being physically abusive towards him, and even trying "to beat it [being gay] out of me".

Monster's Ball, the debut production of Lee Daniels Entertainment, was a critical and box office success. Halle Berry won the Oscar for Best Actress; the film was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay.

Daniels was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, and the film received a Best Picture nomination. It was a financial success grossing $63 million worldwide against a budget of $10 million.

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