Interview: Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel Discusses ‘Da 5 Bloods’

Not many cinematographers have as diverse a filmography as Newton Thomas Sigel. On top of Spike Lee‘s Da 5 Bloods, we also have the just released Cherry, not to mention Three Kings, The Usual Suspects, and X2: X-Men United. Then, there’s Drive, which features some of the most iconic cinematography of the last decade or so. However, Sigel has somehow never been nominated for an Academy Award. His Oscar prospects have never been better though, as Da 5 Bloods has him on the cusp of his first nod. While voters prepare to cast their ballots, I got to speak to Sigel about shooting Lee’s latest movie. We bring you that conversation today.

You can hear my interview with Sigel below. Da 5 Bloods gets a lot of attention, which goes without saying, but I wasn’t going to not mention Drive. That work with Nicolas Winding Refn was an instant classic, so any chat with Sigel deserves to bring that film up. It’s truly some of the best cinematography of the modern era. Sigel is very modest about his work, but without question, he’s one of the most underrated DP’s in the business. If you haven’t seen Lee’s flick, do yourself a favor and check it out now. Among many other things to appreciate about, Sigel contributes some terrific visuals.

Here now is my discussion with Da 5 Bloods cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel. Enjoy:

Da 5 Bloods is currently streaming on Netflix!