Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin (born November 29, 1966)[1] is an American actor, youth counselor, creative arts specialist, and gang intervention specialist. He portrayed a fictionalized version of himself in the 2023 film Sing Sing. His performance earned him nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the BAFTA Awards, Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Gotham Awards, and Independent Spirit Awards. Additionally, Maclin is nominated for the 2025 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Clarence Maclin
Born (1966-11-29) November 29, 1966 (age 58)[1]
Tennessee, U.S.
Other namesDivine Eye
EducationMercy University (AS)
Known forSing Sing (2023)

Early life and education

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Maclin was born in Tennessee and raised in Mount Vernon, New York.[2] He attended Mount Vernon High School and earned an associate degree in behavioral psychology from Mercy University.[3]

Career

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When he was 29, Maclin was sentenced to 17 years at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility for robbery.[4] During his incarceration, Maclin participated in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program.[5][6] Since his release, Maclin has worked as a youth counselor, creative arts specialist, and gang intervention specialist at Lincoln Hall Boys Haven in Somers, New York.

He made his feature film debut in Sing Sing, portraying a younger version of himself. Maclin's performance has received critical acclaim.[7][8][9][10] For the role, Maclin earned nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the 30th Critics' Choice Awards, 34th Gotham Awards, 40th Independent Spirit Awards, 29th Satellite Awards, and 78th British Academy Film Awards; he won the Gotham. He also received nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 78th British Academy Film Awards & 97th Academy Awards, alongside co-writers Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, and John "Divine G" Whitfield.[11][12]

Awards and nominations

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Year Awards Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2024 The Astra Awards Best Supporting Actor Sing Sing Nominated [13]
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor 5th place [14]
Gotham Awards Outstanding Supporting Performance Won [15]
Social Justice Tribute Won
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Won [16]
Seattle Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actor Won [17]
Academy Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Pending [18]
2025 Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Performance Nominated [19]
British Academy Film Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated [20]
Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated [21]
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated [22]
Best Ensemble Won
Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated [23]
Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Davidson, Denton (2025-01-07). "Clarence Maclin on becoming a breakout star in 'Sing Sing' and what 'turned that artist back on in me'". GoldDerby. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
  2. ^ Shrestha, Naman (2024-07-10). "Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin: Where is the Ex-Sing Sing Convict Now?". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  3. ^ Daniels, Robert (6 July 2024). "On The Same Level: Paul Raci, Clarence Maclin, and Sean Johnson on Sing Sing | Interviews | Roger Ebert". rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
  4. ^ Sherman, Rachel (2024-07-12). "For This Drama, Some Actors Returned to Prison by Choice". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
  5. ^ Ford, Rebecca (2024-08-27). "From "Trouble-Prone" Prisoner to 'Sing Sing' Star". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  6. ^ Hadadi, Roxana (2024-08-15). "Don't Underestimate How Much Sing Sing's Clarence Maclin Knows About Shakespeare". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  7. ^ Iscoe, Adam (2024-07-29). "How Clarence Maclin Went from Sing Sing to "Sing Sing"". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
  8. ^ Kennedy, Lisa (2024-07-11). "'Sing Sing' Review: Divine Interventions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
  9. ^ Davidson, Denton (2024-07-16). "Clarence Maclin ('Sing Sing') eyes historic Oscar nomination for playing himself". GoldDerby. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
  10. ^ "Sing Sing star opens up on power of art and playing himself in prison drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
  11. ^ "Clarence Maclin - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  12. ^ "The 97th Academy Awards | 2025". Oscars.org. 23 January 2025. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  13. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 15, 2024). "The 2024 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  14. ^ "Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association – Official site of the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association". 2024-12-18. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  15. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (2024-12-03). "The Refreshing 'A Different Man' Best Feature Win Surprised Many in the Room at the Gothams". IndieWire. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  16. ^ "Bay Area critics pick 'Anora' as best picture of 2024, Colman Domingo as best actor". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. December 15, 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  17. ^ Bis, Josh (2024-12-16). "Seattle Film Critics Society Names "The Substance" the Best Picture of 2024". Seattle Film Critics Society. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  18. ^ "The 97th Academy Awards | 2025". www.oscars.org. 2025-02-10. Retrieved 2025-02-17.
  19. ^ Vlessing, Etan (January 20, 2025). "'Anora' Leads Vancouver Film Critics Circle Nominations With Five Nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  20. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (2025-01-15). "BAFTA Nominations: 'Conclave' & 'Emilia Pérez' Lead The Field As Open Awards Race Takes Shape". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  21. ^ Evans, Greg (2024-12-12). "'Conclave' And 'Wicked' Lead Critics Choice Awards Film Nominations – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  22. ^ Pond, Steve (2024-11-25). "'Wicked' Leads Nominations for Astra Film Awards". TheWrap. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  23. ^ "2024 Nominees | International Press Academy". Retrieved 2025-01-23.
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