11-year-old Akeelah Anderson has a way with words. After winning her schoolwide spelling bee, she decides to enter the competition, despite her classmates' derision and the antipathy of her mother Tanya. Thanks to the efforts of her teacher Dr. Larabee, she reaches the finals. As she gets to know her fellow competitors, Akeelah realizes that coming first isn't everything in life.
Cast
Keke Palmer
Akeelah Anderson
Laurence Fishburne
Dr. Larabee
Angela Bassett
Tanya Anderson
Curtis Armstrong
Mr. Welch
J.R. Villarreal
Javier
Sean Michael Afable
Dylan Chiu
Sahara Garey
Georgia
Lee Thompson Young
Devon
Julito McCullum
Terrence
Erica Hubbard
Kiana
Eddie Steeples
Derrick-T
Dalia Phillips
Ms. Cross
Tzi Ma
Mr. Chiu
Jeris Poindexter
Steve
Sara Niemietz
Polly
George Hornedo
Roman
Craig Wasson
Ted Saunders
Jeff Marlow
District Judge
Lee Garlington
Regional Judge
Katie Kerwin McCrimmon
Herself
Sidney Ganis
Regional Pronouncer
Austin Herrera Davis
Cheating Boy
Janet Borrus
Cheating Boy's Mom
Wolfgang Bodison
Akeelah's Father
Bonita Friedericy
Volunteer
Lauren Sánchez Bezos
Reporter
Fay Hauser
Woman on TV
Jack Ong
Korean Grocer
Neil Soni
Rajeev Subramonian
Tinashe
Cissi
Crew
Doug Atchison
Director, Writer
Glenn Farr
Editor
M. David Mullen
Director of Photography
Rodney Allen Hooks
Assistant Director
Jules Carideo
Production Coordinator
Mark Cuban
Executive Producer
Jennifer Booth
Production Supervisor
Nancy Hult Ganis
Producer
Laurence Fishburne
Producer
Danny Llewelyn
Producer
Kent Kubena
Co-Producer
Mike Upton
Co-Producer
Warren Alan Young
Production Design
Johnny Radzik
Camera Operator
Chris Mosio
Camera Operator, Second Unit Director of Photography
David Mun
Second Assistant Camera
Marcos O. Lopez
Second Assistant "B" Camera
James 'Keeper' Auld
Dolly Grip
Carl Pedregal
Post Production Supervisor
Aisha Coley
Casting
Jaki Brown
Casting
Kim Taylor-Coleman
Casting
Cheryl Cravedi
Set Costumer
Riki Lin Sabusawa
Costume Supervisor
Sharen Davis
Costume Design
Kenneth Walker
Hair Department Head
Edna Sheen
Makeup Department Head
Gigi Williams
Key Makeup Artist
Linda Cowan
Key Makeup Artist
Roland N. Thai
Sound Designer, Supervising Sound Editor
Ken S. Polk
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Matthew Nicolay
Sound mixer
Barbara McCart
Sound Recordist
Stacey A. Washer
Boom Operator
Vince Nicastro
Foley Artist
Laura Macias
Foley Artist
Melissa Kennelly
Foley Editor
Shawn Kennelly
Foley Mixer
Fred Stafford
Supervising ADR Editor
Eric Thompson
ADR Mixer
Chris Navarro
ADR Recordist
Aaron Zigman
Original Music Composer
Joel C. High
Music Supervisor
Johnny Caruso
Music Editor
Eduardo Ponsdomenech
Music Editor
Angel DeSanti
Transportation Captain
Kirk Huston
Transportation Captain
James Morioka
Supervising Dialogue Editor, Dialogue Editor
Julieann Getman
Set Decoration
Alicia Maccarone
Set Designer
Robert 'Cass' McEntee
Construction Coordinator
Jason Dock Harrell
Propmaker
Oswaldo Rojas
Propmaker
Saeed Adyani
Still Photographer
Jan McWilliams
Script Supervisor
Kathleen Kasinger
Property Master
Matt Furginson
Assistant Property Master
William Rick Young
Best Boy Grip
Brad Heiner
Key Grip
Rich Paisley
Gaffer
Jo Ann Smith
Studio Teacher
Heather Fielding
Studio Teacher
Kevin Moll
Studio Teacher
Shelley A. Wallace
Art Direction
Markus Czyzewski
First Assistant Editor
Greg Sanger
Leadman
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