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Friday's Connector: Brett Ratner
Best known for blockbusters like the action-comedy "Rush Hour" franchise and "X-Men: The Last Stand", Brett Ratner is one of Hollywood’s most successful directors.
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caption="Brett Ratner is your Connector of the Day."]
Born in Miami Beach, Florida, Ratner attended High School in Israel, and became the youngest film major at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts at age 16.
Ratner directed his first feature film just ten years later - the surprise box office hit comedy "Money Talks," starring Charlie Sheen and Chris Tucker.
Since then, he's made eight feature films which have grossed over $1.5 billion dollars worldwide in a short amount of time. "X-Men: The Last Stand" opened with a staggering $123 million in just four days - the biggest Memorial Day weekend in history at the box office.
Away from the silver screen, Ratner has directed more than 100 music videos for the likes of Madonna, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z and Miley Cyrus, and he's also moved into book publishing and photography.
His publishing company, Rat Press, is re-releasing out of print books about Hollywood, and his photographs have appeared in "Vanity Fair" and "Vogue Homme."
Most recently, he's edited the Indian movie "Kites" starring Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori for western audiences; the film will be released on May 21.
On Twitter
Hello Brett Ratner and CNN friends,
What needs to be done to really connect India with the rest of the world? In what way has the original movie " Kites" change your life?
Jurgen R. Brul
Paramaribo, Suriname
Brad, you started out in moviemaking early in life, you've done all kinds of genres, and blockbusters...what do you aspire to do next?
Meredith
London
I'm really excited about the promised X-Men spin offs - are you involved in them, or would you like to be after directing The Last Stand?
Do you prefer directing movies or music videos?
Which lets you be more creative?
Alex
Sydney
Hey Brett,
I am an eighteen year old aspiring film maker. I actually just mailed out an application for your scholarship to the New York Film Academy, thank you for that opportunity! I hope to be there in September, and I was wondering if you have any words of advice for a young director.
Aidan O'Rourke (Tom's son, if you remember)
New Jersey
Why did you involved yourself with bollywood movie kites? You are a good director with a bright future, so why involve yourself with one of 99% bollywood movies that are nothing but garbage?
Hi Brett,
As a movie-goer myself, I'd like to ask your opinion about the current state of the movie industry. Do you think there's enough creativity out there to put together great films or do you think old ideas/concepts are being rehashed?
Thanks & much success!
Keira
NY
Hello Brett and cnn friends,
What inspired you to become a director at such a young age?
Judith
The Hague, the Netherlands