David Rodriguez Dies: Producer-Director For ‘The Chi’ And ‘Push’ Was 50

Bruce Haring
·2 min read

David Rodriguez, a writer-producer-director for film and television whose credits include The Chi, Queen of the South, and Dick Wolf’s Chicago franchise, died October 29 from complications of a stroke. He was 50.

Rodriguez was born in 1970 and raised in the Bronx by parents Millie and J.B. “David” Rodriguez. He spent his formative years at the New York Military Academy in Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY. A few years after graduating from N.Y.M.A., Rodriguez enlisted and served in the United States Marine Corps, following a family tradition of military service.

He then went on to work in Corrections and Law Enforcement, including serving time as an undercover narcotics officer in South Florida. In 2003, Rodriguez took the leap into the entertainment business to pursue his life-long dream of becoming a director.

Rodriguez worked steadily as a director, producer, and writer in film and television since 2004. In 2018 and 2019, he was the co-executive producer-director on TNT’s Animal Kingdom for John Wells Productions, and directed multiples episodes of the Starz series Hightown for Jerry Bruckheimer Television. His other recent credits include the final season premiere of the Starz hit series Power.

Previously, he was the producing/director on Season a of The Chi for Showtime. He directed multiple episodes of Queen of the South, Outsiders, and many episodes in Dick Wolf’s Chicago franchises.

Rodriguez also wrote, produced, and directed the feature films Push, American Bully and Once Upon a Time in Queens. He was a member of the DGA and served on the guild’s Western Directors Council and twice as co-chair of the guild’s Latino Committee.

Rodriguez split his time between Los Angeles and Austin. He is survived by his wife, Renee Props Rodriguez, and sons Mitchell, Colin, Brendan, and Anthony Rodriguez. He is also survived by his mother Milagros Rodriguez, and sisters Janet Rodriguez Campbell and Jackie Rodriguez Parker.

Donations in Rodriguez’s memory can be made here.

A celebration of Rodriguez’s life will be held in Los Angeles and announced at a later date.

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