Michael Bay

Michael Bay is an American film director and producer best known for blockbuster action movies including Transformers, Armageddon and Bad Boys, as well as his signature use of explosions, fast-paced editing and elaborate action sequences. Bay spent his childhood in Los Angeles, where he developed an interest in filmmaking as a child. At age 15, he interned at Lucasfilm, working with storyboards for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Bay attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where he studied English and film before earning a graduate degree from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Bay began his career directing commercials and music videos before making his feature film debut with Bad Boys in 1995, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The movie’s success established him as an action director and led to projects including The Rock in 1996 and Armageddon in 1998. He later directed Pearl Harbor (2001) and launched the live-action Transformers franchise in 2007. Bay also cofounded the production company Platinum Dunes, which produced horror films including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010).

Throughout his career, Bay has earned recognition for his work in film and won a Saturn Award for Best Director for Armageddon. His other directing credits include Bad Boys II (2003), Pain & Gain (2013), 13 Hours (2016) and Ambulance (2022). He has also produced films including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) and A Quiet Place (2018).

Bay has previously dated model and sportscaster Lisa Dergan.