Spike Lee's 2 Kids: All About His Daughter Satchel and Son Jackson (and Why the Director Calls Them His 'No. 1 Legacy')

Mar. 15, 2025

Jackson Lee, Spike Lee and Satchel Lee attend the 74th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 12, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California.Photo:Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Spike Leewants to be remembered through his kids, Satchel and Jackson.

From the start, the Academy Award-winning director believed in what they would one day accomplish.

“My No. 1 legacy is going to be through my children,” he toldVulturein a July 2012 interview. “They both are definitely going to do something in the arts. And they are going to be successful, too. I know they are going to be the best legacy that my wife, Tonya, and I leave behind.”

Today, Satchel is a multimedia artist who has studied film, television and photography. Like his father, Jackson tried his hand at directing and started his own company.

The sibling duo made history at the Golden Globe Awards whenthey were named ambassadorsfor the 2021 ceremony,marking the first timein Hollywood Foreign Press Association history that two siblings of color held the role.

Both children paid homage to their father during the announcement, with Satchel sharing, “We’re proud to carry our father’s legacy of storytelling to bring attention to communities close to our hearts.”

Here’s everything to know about Spike Lee’s kids, Satchel and Jackson.

Satchel Lee, 30

Satchel Lee attends the Chanel Womenswear Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show on March 08, 2022 in Paris, France.Kristy Sparow/Getty

Kristy Sparow/Getty

Spike and Tonya welcomed their first child, daughter Satchel, on Dec. 2, 1994. She was born and raised in New York City, according toher website bio.

Satchel looked back on her experience growing up in the spotlight as the daughter of well-known parents, explaining toThe Hollywood Reporterin February 2021, “We went to private schools our entire life, and I think it’s very difficult to be a black person — or anybody outside the majority — in those predominantly white institutions.”

Satchel pursued a similar artistic path to her parents and earned her bachelor’s degree from the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She went on to receive a master’s degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she studied photography.

Her dad celebrated her accomplishment ina May 2024 Instagram post, writing that he and Tonya were “so proud.”

Jackson Lee, Spike Lee and Satchel Lee attends The Prelude To The Olympics At Fondation Louis Vuitton on July 25, 2024 in Paris, France.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

In addition to Satchel and her brother Jackson making history as the first siblings of color to be ambassadors at the Golden Globe Awards,Outmagazine reported that she was also the first openly queer person to hold the position.

As for what Satchel has learned from her dad and mom, she toldThe Hollywood Reporterin February 2021, “Our father has always told us to do what we want and not really listen to what anybody else thinks — including him and my mother, which then becomes somewhat of a Catch-22, but the advice is still good.”

Today, Satchel works as a multimedia artist and filmmaker with a focus on portraits. According toher résumé, she has been featured in two exhibitions, one in New York and another in Chicago. Satchel was also named a finalist at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival: Through Her Lens.

That same year, shesnapped photos for campaignslike Tory Burch and worked on adigital cover forNuméromagazine. Since then, Satchel has gone on to direct music videos, including Sofía Valdés' 2022 “In Bloom.”

Satchel has also had the opportunity to photograph her father over the years, including forThe Washington Post Magazinein February 2022 andMSCHF in March 2024.

Jackson Lewis Lee, 27

Jackson Lewis Lee and Spike Lee attend the Kick Off Party Spike Lee’s Birthday Bash on March 20, 2024 in New York City.Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Spike and Tonya welcomed their son Jackson on May 23, 1997.

As a child, Spike — well-known for attending New York Knicks games — brought Jackson to Madison Square Garden to watch the team play in November 2006. At the time, Spike joked, “Someday he’ll inherit my courtside seats, but he’d better be making some money. Them seats cost!”

During a February 2021 interview withThe Hollywood Reporter,Jackson recalled his experience growing up with famous parents, including when he realized just how prominent his dad and mom were.

“It was in fourth grade whenInside Mancame out. All my friends came to school on the Monday after, and they were like, ‘Oh my God, your dad’s movie’s amazing!’ “ he explained. “I loved seeing my dad working, but I didn’t truly understand the magnitude of it.”

Jackson continued, “I thought my dad was just a big Knicks fan, honestly, because on the street everyone was all like, ‘Oh, Spike! How ’bout the Knicks?’ “

Jackson Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee and Spike Lee during Spike Lee’s 66th Birthday Bash at FancyFree on March 20, 2023 in New York City.Johnny Nunez/WireImage

When he was first dipping his toes into the creative world, heco-directed a fashion campaignin February 2019 with his sister.

Since then, Jackson has foundedhis company Indigo212and made his debut in October 2020 with the short filmThompson Farm,which opened at the HollyShorts Film Festival. In anInstagram post, he shared his hesitation to release the project because he wanted it to be “amazing.”

“My parents gave me every opportunity they didn’t have,” he added. “I felt it was my duty to do better & I thought I would disappoint the family if I didn’t achieve it. (Which couldn’t be further from the truth).”

While Jackson toldThe Hollywood Reporterin February 2021 that he initially “pigeonholed” himself to photography, he learned how to expand his horizons from his dad.

“Having a father who’s in multiple mediums — he does film, sneakers, clothing — showed me I don’t have to do just one thing,” Jackson explained.

source: people.com