Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
Kernel Score: 79% · 346 ratings · Rated PG
Genres: Drama
Released: 2006-04-28
Runtime: 113 minutes
Where to watch Akeelah and the Bee
- Free with ads: Fawesome
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
11-year-old Akeelah Anderson has a way with words. After winning her schoolwide spelling bee, she decides to enter the competition, despite her classmates' derision and the antipathy of her mother Tanya. Thanks to the efforts of her teacher Dr. Larabee, she reaches the finals. As she gets to know her fellow competitors, Akeelah realizes that coming first isn't everything in life.
Akeelah and the Bee parents' guide: ages 8+
Parents need to know that Akeelah and the Bee is a wholesome PG family drama about a girl overcoming hardship to succeed in a spelling bee.
- Violence & scariness: A little — Keywords note parental abuse as a background element, though the film is otherwise light on depicted violence.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Akeelah and the Bee
If you liked Akeelah and the Bee, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Fabelmans (2022) — 85%
- Boyhood (2014) — 84%
- Pay It Forward (2000) — 83%
- What Maisie Knew (2013) — 79%
- The Glass Castle (2017) — 80%
- The Karate Kid (1984) — 82%
- American Underdog (2021) — 79%
Director
Doug Atchison
Cast
- Keke Palmer as Akeelah Anderson
- Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Larabee
- Angela Bassett as Tanya Anderson
- Curtis Armstrong as Mr. Welch
- J.R. Villarreal as Javier
- Sean Michael Afable as Dylan Chiu
- Sahara Garey as Georgia
- Lee Thompson Young as Devon
- Julito McCullum as Terrence
- Erica Hubbard as Kiana
Akeelah and the Bee FAQ
Is Akeelah and the Bee good?
Akeelah and the Bee has a 79% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 346 audience ratings.
Where can I watch Akeelah and the Bee?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on Fawesome and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Akeelah and the Bee OK for kids?
Akeelah and the Bee is rated PG. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 8+. Parents need to know that Akeelah and the Bee is a wholesome PG family drama about a girl overcoming hardship to succeed in a spelling bee.
What movies are like Akeelah and the Bee?
If you liked Akeelah and the Bee, try The Fabelmans, Boyhood, Pay It Forward and What Maisie Knew.