A Conversation with Hollywood TV and Film Director
Hanelle M. Culpepper

Chosen to direct the pilot for the tv show “Star Trek: Picard,” Hanelle M. Culpepper is the first woman to launch a new Star Trek series in its 53-year history.

Selected for the inaugural class of 2019 ReFrame Rise directors, Hanelle M. Culpepper is an energetic and unflappable award-winning director whose television credits range from superhero action adventures to thrillers and genre films to character-driven dramas.

Hanelle’s television career took off after participating in NBC Universal’s Directing Initiative, which led to an episodic directing role for Parenthood. Since then, her television work includes such shows as Counterpart, Mayans M.C., Criminal Minds, Grimm, American Crime, The Flash, Gotham, and recently, the upcoming AMC series, NOS4A2.

And in 2015, Hanelle earned her first nomination for an Image Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for her work on Criminal Minds.

Hanelle proudly serves as Alternate Board member of the DGA and co-chair of the Directors’ Guild of America’s Women’s Steering Committee.

An energetic and unflappable award-winning director, Hanelle’s television credits range from superhero action adventures to thrillers and genre films to character-driven dramas

We were so happy to spend time with her as she discussed the ins and outs of being a Hollywood director as a woman and a woman of color.