Brett Ratner, born on March 28, 1969, in Miami Beach, Florida, is an American film director and producer who became one of Hollywood's most commercially successful figures in the early 2000s. He is best known for helming the blockbuster Rush Hour film series, which paired Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in a buddy-cop formula that resonated with global audiences. Over the course of his career, Ratner directed a string of high-profile projects, including The Family Man, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, Tower Heist, and Hercules, while also serving as a producer or executive producer on hits such as the Horrible Bosses series, The Revenant, and War Dogs. His work behind the camera earned him a reputation as a reliable studio filmmaker who could deliver spectacle and star-driven entertainment.

Ratner's journey into filmmaking began with his first feature, Money Talks, in 1997, a comedy that showcased his knack for blending action and humor. He quickly followed with the first installment of Rush Hour in 1998, which became a cultural phenomenon and spawned two sequels, cementing his status as a director with a keen commercial instinct. Beyond his directorial efforts, Ratner co-founded RatPac Entertainment, a production company that allowed him to expand his influence across the industry, financing and producing a wide array of projects. His television work included serving as an executive producer on the popular series Prison Break, further demonstrating his versatility in both film and episodic storytelling.

Throughout his career, Ratner collaborated with numerous A-list actors and filmmakers, including Nicolas Cage on The Family Man, Anthony Hopkins and Edward Norton on Red Dragon, and Hugh Jackman on X-Men: The Last Stand. He also directed Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy in Tower Heist and worked with Dwayne Johnson on Hercules. His ability to attract major talent made him a sought-after director in Hollywood, and his projects consistently performed well at the box office. However, his professional trajectory took a dramatic turn in 2017 when numerous women in Hollywood came forward with allegations of rape and sexual assault against him. The accusations led to widespread fallout, with Warner Bros. Pictures and several talent agencies severing ties with him, and numerous business deals and prospective film projects being canceled or scrapped. In the aftermath, Ratner relocated to Israel, where he has largely remained out of the public eye, though he has continued to work on select projects, including the documentary Melania about former First Lady Melania Trump. Despite his earlier successes, his legacy remains deeply complicated by the serious allegations that reshaped his career and public standing.