Aretha Franklin
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Halle Berry, Anthony Anderson, Jennifer Hudson and Barry Jenkins to Be Honored at Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Black Cinema & Television
The fourth annual ceremony recognizes standout achievements in Black Cinema and for the first time ever this year--Black television.
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Audra McDonald, Who Portrays Aretha Franklin’s Mother in Respect, Will Always Say ‘Yes’ to Herself
The record-breaking Tony Award-winning actress tells The Root how she navigates the industry as a Black woman.
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A Lot of Respect: How Jennifer Hudson Is Finding Her Voice Through Aretha Franklin
'I'm still finding [my voice]. That's the gift I got from the film. It allowed me to trust it that much more,' JHud told The Root.
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Role Call: Looks Like Angela Bassett Is About to Be the Highest Paid Black Woman on TV; Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Publishes Catalogue of Spike Lee’s Work
The Chi is renewed for a fifth season, Jennifer Hudson celebrates women-owned Black businesses at the Apollo Theater and Halle Berry makes directorial debut
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Is Outkast Better Than the Beatles? A Scientific Analysis
It started with a simple tweet from comedian Ron Funches (who at least one white person assumed was Questlove’s real name). Of course, this set off a shitstorm. Everyone knows, in white culture, three things are always true: It needs a little more mayonnaise. They can’t be racist if they spent more than 2.15 hours…
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Black Women on Covers for Springtime? Groundbreaking. No Seriously, Look at the Material
First things first: I’d like to thank Miranda Priestly—aka Meryl Streep—for flawlessly delivering that iconic line in The Devil Wears Prada. Second, I’d just like to say that when it comes to understanding the subject of class, dignity, style and grace, Black women always understand the assignment. In fact, I’d even go so far as…
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Rewriting History: Pulitzer Prize Winner Suzan-Lori Parks Talks Bringing Iconic Stories to the Screen
As Black History Month transitioned into Women’s History Month—Black HerStory Month, if you’re nasty (or The Root)—the highly anticipated stories of two major Black musical icons made their way onto our (still quarantined) screens. February closed with Andra Day’s onscreen debut in the untold story of Billie Holiday’s battle with the FBI; and as spring…
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![Aretha Franklin's Son Claims Genius: Aretha Producers Did Not Obtain Family's Consent, Implores Fans Not to Support [Updated]](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets-server.theroot.kinjastaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/25163412/ukgu004nnojorvryepms-300x169.png)
Aretha Franklin's Son Claims Genius: Aretha Producers Did Not Obtain Family's Consent, Implores Fans Not to Support [Updated]
This Sunday, National Geographic will premiere a limited series called Genius: Aretha, starring Cynthia Erivo. The four-night broadcast event will culminate on March 25, which will mark the late Aretha Franklin’s 79th birthday. However, Franklin’s son Kecalf Cunningham spoke out against the upcoming series this past February on Instagram, claiming the project deal was “pushed…
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What Did Cynthia Erivo Learn From Aretha Franklin? How to Ask for What She Deserves Without Being Afraid
This upcoming weekend, Cynthia Erivo will be debuting her portrayal of the late Aretha Franklin in the upcoming limited series from National Geographic, Genius: Aretha. More info on the upcoming series, via NatGeo’s press release sent to The Root: Genius is National Geographic’s critically acclaimed anthology series that dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s…
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Mic Drop: Throw Open Your Doors and Windows, Spring Bangers Are Here
Spring has sprung, and so have a bunch of artists who have been fairly “hush-hush” during the last year. I guess we can give them a pass since we were in a global panorama, but now that the weather is getting warmer and the clothing layers are lessening, artists are coming out with a bang.…