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Regina Hall Signs First-Look Deal at Showtime to Develop and Produce TV Projects
Regina Hall may have screamed hilariously in Scary Movie when she portrayed a terrified Brenda, but now we’re screaming with joy for her big news! On Monday, Showtime Networks Inc. Executive Vice President of Scripted Programming Amy Israel announced that Hall officially signed a first-look deal with the network. With the deal, she’ll be developing…
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I Got a Sneak-Peek at Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and It Looks as Rich and Vibrant as Viola Davis' Greasepaint
“A-one, A-two, a-you know what to do…” On Monday, a select few of us were invited to a sneak peek preview of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom as well as a panel discussion with the film’s director, George C. Wolfe (Lackawanna Blues, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) and titular star Viola Davis, moderated by author,…
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Michael K. Williams Dug Deep Into His Own Generational Pain to Portray Montrose in Lovecraft Country
Michael K. Williams is a standout actor in any role he portrays, and most recently, he has been receiving much acclaim for his turn as Montrose Freeman in Misha Green’s Lovecraft Country. Throughout the HBO series, Montrose is consistently plagued by the traumas that haunt him, even to the detriment of the group’s larger mission.…
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Steve McQueen Says Black Brits Influence All of British Culture and That Black Talent Should Be Able to Make 'Crappy' Films, Too
Steve McQueen is pretty damn passionate when it comes to Black creators. In a recent interview with Esquire UK, McQueen discussed the impact of Black British people on the totality of British culture and the creative freedom of Black talent, while promoting his film anthology series Small Axe. When it comes to cultural appropriation (and…
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Atlanta Man Arrested and Charged With Murder in Connection With Fatal Shooting of Thomas Jefferson Byrd
The fatal shooting of beloved actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd shocked fans and peers alike when it was announced earlier this month. The actor, who was mostly known for acting in an array of Spike Lee films, died in Atlanta at the age of 70. Now, it looks like there’s a leading suspect involved in the…
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Tony Awards 2020: Slave Play and Tina – The Tina Turner Musical Among Top Nominations
Curtain call! The 2020 Tony Awards nominations have arrived! As we recently reported, the Tony Awards will be going virtual this year (like every other major award ceremony). On Thursday, Tony Award Winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin) hosted the nominations announcement in true dramatic flair. Black Broadway is having a good year as Slave Play…
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Billboard Music Awards 2020: En Vogue Implores You to 'Free Your Mind,' Nearly 30 Years Later
It’s time for yet another (virtual) awards show! This time, it’s the Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs)! The presenters, performers and some of the winners rented out The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. I say “rented out” because it was just the stars—no audience. Host Kelly Clarkson even had to make her own audience cheer noises. Awkward!…
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Regina King Continues to Slay in Her Kingdom, Will Produce Supernatural Black Teen Drama at the CW
Regina THEE King is continuing to reign over the Hollywood kingdom with the announcement of her new project! As her directorial debut One Night In Miami continues to be a talking point in the Oscar contender conversation, Variety has reported that the actress-filmmaker is executive producing a new drama set to debut on the CW.…
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Pioneer Diverse Stock Video Company Storyblocks Launches ‘Re:Stock’ Campaign to Double BIPOC Content by 2021
The Root staff knows all about the struggle that is finding the right stock photo as the main art for a news story. You enter a search term like, “Black man contemplating imploding during a long-term lockdown” and you can’t find shit because the library is congested with white folks contemplating imploding during a long-term…
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Prime Delivery Premiere: Amazon Studios Acquires Coming 2 America From Paramount Pictures
Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem came to America many years ago in the aptly titled Coming to America—and it looks like its sequel is coming to…your crib! According to Variety, Amazon Studios has acquired the long-awaited sequel from its previous distributor Paramount Pictures for a reported roughly $125 million. Variety also reports that sources say the…
