Wynn Thomas is a graduate of Boston University. He received his BFA in Theatre-Design. He started his career designing sets for the theatre. He was resident designer with the world famous NEGRO ENSEMBLE CO. Wynn also designed sets for Joe Papp's Public Theatre, Arena Stage in Wash. DC, Great Lakes Shakespeare Co. in Cleveland Ohio, and the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven.
Wynn is the first African American production designer in the history of films. As an assistant art director he worked with the distinguished production designer, Richard Slybert, on THE COTTON CLUB. He also art directed or assisted on BEAT STREET, THE MONEY PIT, BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS and THE PACKAGE with Gene Hackman.
As a production designer Wynn has worked with some of the most important film directors of the late 20th century. For director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer he designed A BEAUTIFUL MIND, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and the critically acclaimed CINDERELLA MAN. Both starring Russell Crowe. Wynn has a long term relationship with Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Productions. For many years he was their in house designer having designed A BRONX TALE directed by Robert DeNiro, WAG THE DOG directed by Barry Levinson starring DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman, ANALYZE THIS and ANALYZE THAT directed by Harold Ramis and starring DeNiro and Billy Crystal. For director Tim Burton he designed the cult classic MARS ATTACKS!! He also designed the drag queen comedy TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, JULIE NEWMAR directed by Beeban Kidron, starring Wesley Snipes and Patrick Swayze. For actor-director Edward Norton he designed KEEPING THE FAITH. Other projects that Wynn designed include ALL GOOD THINGS with Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst, the FBI thriller BREACH directed by Billy Ray and starring Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillipe.
Wynn has a long term collaborative relationship with Spike Lee. He has designed over 10 films with Spike starting with SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT, SCHOOL DAZE, DO THE RIGHT THING, MO BETTER BLUES, JUNGLE FEVER, the epic film MALCOLM X, CROOKLYN, HE GOT GAME, KINGS OF COMEDY, and the critically and commercially successful INSIDE MAN.
Wynn is the first African-American production designer to become a member of the Art Director's Guild in Los Angeles and he is the first African American nominated for the Art Director's Guild award for his design work on Tim Burton's Mars Attacks!!!. He is a proud member of United Scenic Artist Local 829. And he is thrilled to be a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
Wynn's most recent credits are the TV pilot HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER. For Disney he designed THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, which was written and directed by Peter Hedges. And for Warner Brothers he recently designed GET SMART with Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway and GRUDGE MATCH with Robert DeNiro and Slyvester Stallone. Both films were directed by Peter Segal.
Wynn's most recent films are ALMOST CHRISTMAS produced by Will Packer and directed by David Talbert. He just finished ALEX STRANGELOVE for Netflix directed by Craig Johnson. He also designed the award winning film HIDDEN FIGURES. The film was nominated for 3 Oscars including Best Picture. Wynn was awarded the Hollywood Film Award for best production design of 2016 as well as the Art Director's Guild Award for Best production Design-Period film .
Wynn’s most recent credits include SHAFT…staring Samuel L. Jackson. Directed by Tim Story. Produced by Warner Bros. The romantic drama based on the bestselling book THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR directed by Ry Russo Young. And the most recent critically acclaimed drama from Spike Lee DA 5 BLOODS.