Spike Lee through the years

Filmmaker Spike Lee attends the Moncler Grenoble collection during, New York Fashion Week: The Shows in New York City. (Feb. 14, 2017)

Director Spike Lee attends the 'Chi-Raq' photo call during the 66th Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Berlin, Germany. (Feb. 16, 2016)

Director Spike Lee attends the premiere of HBO's new drama series "Vinyl", at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. (Jan. 15, 2016)

Spike Lee ranted about the gentrification of Brooklyn neighborhoods during a Black History Month speech at the Pratt Institute on Feb. 26, 2014.

Jeremy Lin greets filmmaker Spike Lee during warm-ups. (Feb. 23, 2012)

Filmmaker Spike Lee watches from the sideline while wearing Knicks' Jeremy Lin's Palo Alto High School jersey. (Feb. 17, 2012)

David Oyelowo, Spike Lee, Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. attend the "Red Tails" premiere after party at Gotham Hall in Manhattan. (Jan. 10, 2012)

Spike Lee and his children, Jackson and Satchel, arrive at the opening night performance of the Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" in Manhattan. (June 14, 2011)

Director Spike Lee attends the Gordon Parks Foundation awards dinner and auction at Gotham Hall in Manhattan. (June 1, 2011)

Director Spike Lee attends the premiere of "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" at Regal E-Walk 13 in Manhattan. (Feb. 2, 2011)

Director Spike Lee watches the Knicks play the New Jersey Nets at Madison Square Garden. (Nov. 30, 2010)

Director Spike Lee cheers on the New York Knicks as they play the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. (Oct. 30, 2010)

Director Spike Lee attends the BLUE Scholarship Gala to benefit Spelman College at The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. (Oct. 4, 2010)

Film director Spike Lee watches the Jets-Patriots game at the New Meadowlands Stadium. (Sept. 19, 2010)

Director Spike Lee enters Cipriani's for the wedding of Carmelo Anthony and LaLa Vasquez. (July 10, 2010)

Director Spike Lee attends the 2010 Riverkeeper Benefit at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. (April 14, 2010)

Film director/producer Spike Lee attends the Broadway opening of "Come Fly Away" at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan. (March 25, 2010)

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg talks with film director Spike Lee before a game between the Knicks and the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden. (Dec. 1, 2009)

Director Spike Lee, left, and writer James McBride during the photocall for "Miracle at St. Anna," in Rome. (Sept. 29, 2008)

Jackson Lee gives a kiss to his father Spike Lee during a photocall for Lee's movie, "Miracle at St Anna." (July 3, 2007)

Director Spike Lee and New York Knicks Stephon Marbury and Renaldo Balkman during media day at the Knicks practice facility. (Oct. 2, 2006)

Filmmaker Spike Lee and actress Sarah Jessica Parker attend a ceremony for Cartier at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Manhattan. (June 8, 2006)

Director Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee arrive for the 77th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. (Feb. 27, 2005)

Academy president Lord Richard Attenborough presents director Spike Lee with a BAFTA special award for his services to filmmaking in London. (Nov. 21, 2002)

Director Spike Lee attends a news conference for his movie "Bamboozled" at the Berlin Film Festival. (Feb. 12, 2001)

Director Spike Lee poses in Manhattan. (Sept. 20, 2000)

Film director Spike Lee looks at himself in a mirror during a photo session at a New York hotel on April 5, 1998.

Film producer and director Spike Lee talks about his film, "4 Little Girls," during a reception on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Feb. 11, 1998, in Washington.

Film director Spike Lee smiles as he thanks officials at East Jersey State Prison in Woodbridge, N.J., on Thursday, Aug. 7, 1997, after Lee donated $20,000 to the state's Victim of Crime Compensation Board.

Film director Spike Lee looks on during a game between the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Jan. 21, 1997.

Michael Jackson and filmmaker Spike Lee, accompanied by two unidentified children, arrive at the airport in the northeastern Brazilian city of Salvador on Friday, Feb. 9, 1996.

Film director Spike Lee speaks at a luncheon at the 100 Black Men of America conference in Miami. (June 7, 1996)