Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude

barry jenkins

Entertainment, Movies

Lena Waithe Calls Out Will Smith, Denzel Washington for Not Funding More Black Films

As Lena Waithe’s star continues to rise, she’s taken her responsibility as a black filmmaker seriously. Not only does she make it a point to create opportunities for other deserving black creatives, but she holds other Hollywood veterans in positions of power to do the same. Despite our unquestionable talent, financing is one of the biggest challenges…

By

Jay Connor

Published

June 22, 2019
Entertainment, Movies

Poetry In Motion: Barry Jenkins to Direct Alvin Ailey Biopic

Barry Jenkins has a new project in the works and I’m about to 8-count my coins and hand over my wallet so he can hurry up and take my money. Jenkins has been confirmed as the director of an untitled Fox Searchlight film based on the life and works of acclaimed choreographer and activist, Alvin…

By

Tonja Renée Stidhum

Published

June 4, 2019
Beauty + Style

‘A Magnificent Life’: Barry Jenkins Pays Tribute to If Beale Street Could Talk Hairstylist Kenneth Walker

One of the visionaries who helped bring James Baldwin’s work to luminous life on the big screen has died. Earlier this month, the film industry lost veteran hairstylist Kenneth Walker, and on Wednesday, If Beale Street Could Talk director Barry Jenkins paid tribute to Walker’s “gorgeous soul” on Twitter. As Jenkins pointed out, Beale Street…

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

May 30, 2019
Entertainment, Music

Today’s Work Soundtrack Is If Beale Street Was Chopped and I’m Going to Flourish Because of It

If Beale Street Could Talk, it would say, “Y’all did that!” In writing about Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk, I made it no secret just how much Nicholas Brittell’s hauntingly beautiful score affected me. “Eden” still makes me feel feelings and see sounds, man. The film’s entire soundtrack is glorious, in fact. On…

By

Tonja Renée Stidhum

Published

March 11, 2019
Entertainment

2019 Oscars: Nominations Are In and Spike Lee Finally Gets His Directing Nod [Updated]

It’s time: The grand finale of awards season has announced its nominees. When the nominations announcers were… announced last week, Tracee Ellis Ross tweeted her co-host, Kumail Nanjiani on wardrobe coordination. Before the sun rose on the West Coast on Tuesday, the world got to see just what Nanjiani and Ross picked to wear as…

By

Tonja Renée Stidhum

Published

January 22, 2019
Entertainment

Black Panther Finally Comes to Collect Its Things at the 2019 Critics Choice Awards

Members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) and Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) all congregated in Santa Monica, Calif., on Sunday night, while us peons watched on the CW for the 24th Annual Critics Choice Awards. Taye Diggs (All American) hosted the dinner table event. Viola Davis showed up looking like a statuette herself…

By

Tonja Renée Stidhum

Published

January 14, 2019
Entertainment, Movies

Barry Jenkins Wants to Helm a Sci-Fi Film. Hurry Up and Take My Money in Advance

Looks like Barry Jenkins has his eyes on the science fiction genre. Um, immediately upon hearing this idea, the conclusion is clear— this needs to be a reality. Right now, Jenkins is working on an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad as part of his boss ass Amazon first-look deal. It’s a very exciting…

By

Tonja Renée Stidhum

Published

January 8, 2019
News

Beale Street’s Regina King Breaks Down What It Means to Be a Vulnerable Black Woman

We often speak about the “strong black woman” archetype, but what does it mean to be a “vulnerable black woman?” The reality is that the two characteristics are a bit symbiotic—after all, it takes a great deal of strength to make one’s self vulnerable. As Sharon in If Beale Street Could Talk, Regina King so…

By

Felice León

Published

December 17, 2018
Culture

Barry Jenkins: Beale Street Explores How Black Love 'Can Help Us Weather These Storms'

Last year when promoting his Academy Award-winning film, Moonlight, director Barry Jenkins found himself at the Governor Awards for the Academy. It was kind of a big deal. He was heading to an after party (because it’s lit!) and trying to track down his driver. While waiting, the valet told Jenkins his driver called him…

By

Felice León

Published

December 14, 2018
Entertainment

If Beale Street Could Talk, It Would Talk About Love

Barry Jenkins sure knows how to illustrate the fuck out of love. Following the critical success of Moonlight, the much-anticipated James Baldwin adaptation whispered into our ears with teaser trailers full of rich colors. Based on the 1974 novel of the same name, If Beale Street Could Talk follows Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne) as she…

By

Tonja Renée Stidhum

Published

December 12, 2018