The Run-Through with Vogue

Episode: Spike Lee on Highest 2 Lowest, How He Finds New Talent, and Loving the WNBA
Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Leah Faye Cooper (for Vogue)
Guest: Spike Lee

Overview

In this lively and insightful episode, Vogue’s Leah Faye Cooper sits down (virtually) with iconic filmmaker Spike Lee to discuss his new film Highest to Lowest, a reimagining of Kurosawa’s classic High and Low, and his enduring collaboration with Denzel Washington. The conversation ranges from the casting of A$AP Rocky and Jeffrey Wright, the film’s art and fashion, his passion for the WNBA, to NY Knicks fandom and Lee’s vibrant life in Brooklyn. Spike gives a peek into his teaching at NYU, thoughts on the evolving film industry, and how he finds new talent online.

1. Highest to Lowest: Reimagining Kurosawa and Casting Dynamics

• A Long-Awaited Reunion with Denzel Washington

  • This marks Spike Lee and Denzel Washington’s first film together in 19 years since Inside Man.
  • “This is the fifth film from the dynamic duo Dee and Lee, Batman and Robin. And I'm Robin and happy about it.” — Spike Lee [02:41]
  • Denzel initiated the project, sending the script to Spike and suggesting the collaboration.

• On Working with Denzel After 19 Years

  • “It was like we didn't have to renew anything. It was like Inside Man was yesterday, not 19 [years ago]. We didn't have to relearn or… no, no, we're in sync.” — Spike Lee [03:46]

• A$AP Rocky as Actor

  • Spike praises A$AP’s depth and insists he not get typecast:
    • “I gave him a big hug and say, your next role, you could not play a rapper… He cannot let industry box him in, especially at this young stage of his career.” — Spike Lee [04:16]
  • Jeffrey Wright also receives accolades for his transformative performance.

2. Art, Fashion, and Cultural Signaling in "Highest to Lowest"

• Incorporating Personal and Faux Art

  • The film features art from "the collection of Tonya and Spike Lee,” but only copies were used for filming to protect the originals. [05:19]
  • “Them cruels notorious for tearing shit up...” — Spike Lee [05:31]
  • The three-panel Basquiat seen in the film—Spike does not own the original.

• Fashion’s Role

  • “Fashion plays a big role in a lot of your films. You have a signature look yourself. The hat, the glasses, lots of Knicks gear…” — Leah [08:27]
  • Spike embraces orange and blue (“Orange and blue skies, this is our year…” [08:38]) and discusses how NBA and especially WNBA athletes are elevating sports fashion.

3. New York Knicks Fandom and WNBA Appreciation

• On Knicks' Prospects and Longstanding Fandom

  • “We haven't won since the 1972-73 season… That's more than 50 years.” — Spike Lee [08:48]
  • Hopes for at least making the finals this year.

• WNBA Love

  • “The ladies are killing it. They're killing it, you know, and it's a beautiful thing.” — Spike Lee [10:21]
  • Spike comments on how female athletes are outdressing their male counterparts at games.

4. The Met Gala, Black Dandyism, and Cultural Representation

• Spike at the Met Gala
  • Attending the same night as a Knicks playoff game, drawing playful ire from fans.
  • “If I didn't go to Met Gala, they might not have seen me anymore. Tell them it is. I've been cut off.” — Spike Lee [11:00]
  • On the Met's Black Dandyism theme: “About goddamn time. That was my… And that was the only one thought that either. I was not the only one.” [11:23]

5. On Education, Mentorship, and Work Ethic

• NYU Graduate Film School
  • Spike is both a tenured professor and artistic director at NYU’s Grad Film program.
  • “First day, I didn't talk about film first. I talk about work ethic. Work ethic… You got to put the work in. You got to put the work. You got to put the work in.” — Spike Lee [12:46, 13:05]
  • Urges students—especially first-gen or those speaking Spanish at home—to “bust their Kulo.”

6. State of Filmmaking, Streaming, and Theatrical Releases

• Reflections on Industry Flux

  • “There's a state of flux. Like people scared with the executives in Hollywood also screaming. So. But for me… I want people—as many people—to see High Low in the theaters before they see it September 5th on Apple TV.” — Spike Lee [14:35]

• Supporting Theaters

  • Spike thanks fans for sometimes driving hours to find a showing, emphasizing the communal theater experience.

7. Music, Community, and Finding New Talent

• Musical Highlights in Film

  • The salsa parade set-piece with the late Eddie Palmieri’s orchestra was filmed live in seven to eight takes. “Oh, that was salsa orchestra.” — Spike Lee [17:32]
  • Special mentions to Rosie Perez and Anthony Ramos’ cameo in the scene.

• Finding Talent on Instagram

  • “Back in the day… you had to move to New York or LA… Now with this technology, displaying your talent…” — Spike Lee [19:00]
  • Singer Ayanna Lee (used at the film’s finale) and Jess McCray (the “Black Joni Mitchell” in a cameo) were both discovered via Instagram.

8. Social Media and Generational Commentary

• On Social Media Addiction
  • The film comments on time spent by young people online:
    • “One of the very first scenes, Denzel's character's on his son: How many hours do you spend on this?” — Spike Lee [20:02]
    • “Ten hours on this a day cannot be good… for brains that are forming at the age and it's not good.” — Spike Lee [20:14]

9. Brooklyn Favorites: Spike’s Local Guide [20:34–21:46]

• Favorite Coffee: From the car guy—prefers street coffee.
• Movie Theater: Alamo Drafthouse; jokingly: “Anyone in the theater is the Spike Lee's Theater.” [20:47]
• Retail: Nike Town
• Restaurant: Junior’s Cheesecake (“plain”, specifically) and Steve’s Key Lime Pie in Red Hook.
• Most Underrated Place: “Sal’s Famous Pizzeria,” referencing Do the Right Thing (“but Mookie threw the garbage can the window and the shit got burned down.”) [21:27]
• Park: Fort Greene Park, then Central Park, then Prospect Park.

10. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On his Denzel collaboration:
  • “We didn’t have to relearn. No, no, we’re in sync. So it wasn’t even a problem.” [03:46]
• On the Met Gala theme:
  • “About goddamn time.” [11:23]
• On student advice:
  • “You got to put the work in. You got to put the work in.” [13:05]
• On art in film production:
  • “They weren't the originals. We made copies.” [05:27]
• On the role of streaming:
  • “I want people, as many people, to see high lows in the theaters before they see it September 5th on Apple TV.” [14:35]
• On discovering talent via Instagram:
  • “So all technology is not bad.” [20:01]
• On the WNBA:
  • “The ladies are killing it. They're killing it, you know, and it's a beautiful thing.” [10:21]

11. Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:41] – Spike on reuniting with Denzel
• [04:16] – On A$AP Rocky’s casting and advice
• [05:19] – Personal art collection and set design
• [08:38] – Knicks fandom and pop culture fashion
• [10:21] – WNBA appreciation
• [11:23] – Met Gala and black dandyism
• [12:46] – Teaching and work ethic
• [14:35] – Filmmaking in a streaming era
• [17:32] – Parade scene and Eddie Palmieri tribute
• [19:00] – Finding new talent and Instagram
• [20:02] – Social media commentary in the film
• [20:34–21:46] – Spike’s Brooklyn hotspots

12. Closing Thoughts

This episode is a quintessential Spike Lee conversation: passionate, culture-savvy, deeply invested in legacy and community, with humor and directness. Whether discussing wide-scale shifts in Hollywood, how to avoid student complacency, or simply the best cheesecake in Brooklyn, Spike Lee’s insights are candid and memorable, providing listeners with a vivid sense of both process and personality.