Spike Lee is no stranger to bold storytelling, and Highest 2 Lowest is arguably the most ambitious project within his filmography. Billed as a reinterpretation of a ‘60s classic, the movie shifted the action from postwar Tokyo to a gentrified New York City, with themes that feel unmistakably Spike: Race, capitalism, and the moral cost of success. The production reunited him with Denzel Washington, one of his greatest collaborators, for the first time in nearly two decades, and added surprising new energy from A$AP Rocky, Ice Spice, Jeffrey Wright, and Rosie Perez.
What made Highest 2 Lowest stand out isn’t just the story, but the way Lee weaves film history, music, and New York culture into its DNA. From casting choices that reflect real-life family ties to Easter eggs and tributes to late icons, the details make the film fascinating both behind the scenes and on screen. Here are some of the best facts to know about the acclaimed body of work.
1. Denzel Washington juggled Broadway and film
Even with his legendary status, Washington’s work ethic hasn’t slowed. While shooting Highest 2 Lowest, he was also starring in Othello on Broadway. The schedule was so tight that Cannes organizers specifically set the premiere for May 19, a Monday — Broadway’s day off — just so Washington could attend.
2. The Cannes premiere date had layers of meaning
That May 19 premiere date carried even more symbolism. It was the 36th anniversary of Do the Right Thing’s Cannes debut in 1989, the film that cemented Lee as one of America’s boldest directors. It’s also the birthday of Malcolm X, whom Washington memorably portrayed in Lee’s 1992 masterpiece.
3. A casting detail added a real-life age twist
Casting choices often shape how audiences experience a story, and this film has one unusual generational spread. Washington is nearly 31 years older than Ilfenesh Hadera, who plays his wife, while Hadera is only about 12 years older than Aubrey Joseph, who plays her son.
4. Ice Spice made her acting debut
Bronx native Ice Spice has already dominated music charts, but Highest 2 Lowest marked her first foray into acting. Spike Lee has a long history of bringing musicians into his work, and Ice Spice’s New York roots made her a natural fit for a story so tied to the city’s culture.
5. Jeffrey Wright acted opposite his real-life son
The film gained another layer of authenticity with Jeffrey Wright sharing scenes with his son, Elijah Wright. Playing father and son both on screen and off, their pairing added emotional depth that only real-life chemistry could bring.
6. A Basquiat callback with Jeffrey Wright
In a clever Easter egg, Denzel Washington’s character’s penthouse is adorned with Basquiat paintings. That’s more than just set design flair: Jeffrey Wright famously played the artist in the 1996 film Basquiat.
7. Princess Nokia’s apartment number was A24
Spike Lee is known for his sly winks to pop culture, and here’s one tucked into the details. Princess Nokia’s character lives in apartment #A24 — a not-so-subtle shout-out to the indie powerhouse A24, which is distributing the film theatrically before it streams on Apple TV+.
8. A Prince shout-out in the title
The stylized “2” in Highest 2 Lowest wasn’t random; it was Spike Lee’s tribute to Prince. The late music icon often replaced words like “to” and “for” with numbers in his song titles (“I Would Die 4 U,” “Nothing Compares 2 U”), making it part of his signature style. Lee explained that the number was his way of saluting the late musician, whom he called his brother.
9. Spike Lee’s reunion era
This project doubled as a reunion. It’s the fifth time Lee and Washington have joined forces, following Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man. But it also marked Lee’s first collaboration with Rosie Perez in two decades and his sixth with Nicholas Turturro.
10. A story decades in the making
The origins of Highest 2 Lowest stretch far back. Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low (1963) was based on Evan Hunter’s 1959 crime novel King’s Ransom, written under the pen name Ed McBain. Over the years, Hollywood repeatedly tried to mount its own version, with Martin Scorsese, Mike Nichols, Walter Salles, and even Chris Rock (who drafted a script in 2010) all attached at some point. None materialized until Lee stepped in, securing the blessing of Kurosawa’s family and making the story his own.