black actors
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What Is 'Morris Chestnut Fine'?
Much like her daughters, my mama is always here for some good eye candy. Whenever she sees a particularly attractive man, she refers to him as a “stud muffin,” and it cracks me up every time. So, I immediately thought of her when I realized the reason “Morris Chestnut” was trending on Twitter Wednesday. It…
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Frankly My Dear, We Don't Give a Damn About These Woke Gestures If We Don't See Systemic Change in Hollywood
Hollywood is riding the woke train—without making any necessary stops along the journey to do the real work. Earlier in the month, we mentioned the emptiness of symbolic gestures in the form of Black boxes. Well, it seems like those black boxes are still continuing to cover up the bigger picture in yet other ways.…
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When It Comes to Conquering Hollywood, Jay Ellis Is Feeling Secure
“I always wanted to act,” Jay Ellis tells The Root while reminiscing about his earliest aspirations. “I had taken a couple of random theater classes as electives when I was in college, but I [also] played college basketball. I couldn’t tell my teammates ‘Yo, y’all want to come check me out in Jesus Christ Superstar?’”…
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Home Theater: One of the Most Anticipated Plays of the Chicago Theatrical Season Premieres Online
As the COVID-19 epidemic has derailed all of our lives, it has done unimaginable damage to the live entertainment industry, as festival season, concerts and theatrical productions have been unceremoniously postponed or canceled outright, leaving performers, directors, production crews and the venues themselves with gaping holes in their projected incomes. But as they say in…
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Ja'Net DuBois' Birth Father May Have Been Jazz Legend Cab Calloway, Family Claims
There appear to be some questions arising in regard to Ja’Net DuBois’ lineage. On Thursday, TMZ reported DuBois’ cause of death, confirming the late star died from cardiac arrest. However, it looks like there was another bit of found information on the death certificate that raises eyebrows. DuBois’ family believes the late actress’ birth father…
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Translating Trauma: With a Pair of Powerful Plays, Director Wardell Julius Clark Explores the PTSD of Police Killings
“I like things that subvert the audience’s expectations,” actor/director Wardell Julius Clark told The Root when asked why he gravitates to certain narratives. “We’re going to the theater for a visceral emotional experience; to learn something about ourselves and about humanity.” Clark is at the helm of two very visceral and emotional productions making their…
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ABFF Honors 2020: The House That Black Hollywood Built
The “category” was excellence, and Black Hollywood showed up and showed out. On Sunday night, the Beverly Hilton was bustling with black actors—I like to call them blacktors—producers and press gathered for the ABFF Honors, a space that Black Hollywood built to recognize our excellence in film and television. (After all, if we don’t, who…
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The Root Presents the Inaugural Blackest Awards in Honor of Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., aka 'The Skippies'
It’s awards season and that means your blood pressure and sugar levels are likely to go up and down if you spend any time paying attention to who is winning the various awards at the various awards shows. The “biggest nights” in music and movies, though, often do a fairly terrible job of acknowledging the…
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Orlando Jones Says 'Culture Vulture' American Gods Showrunner Was a 'Wigga' Who Wore Black Panther T-Shirts
Orlando Jones is not here for that culture vulture mess! Jones has been all over the news and social media lately, after confirming he was fired from Starz’s American Gods. As The Root’s Karu Daniels recently reported, “Jones, who portrays the infamous trickster god Mr. Nancy (based on Anansi the Spider—the African folklore character), claimed…
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Queen of Our Kingdom: Regina King Is Killing Us Softly in Marie Claire's 'Ambition Issue'
That face. That body. That presence. That talent. That longevity. Regina King is giving it all in Marie Claire’s November issue, appropriately titled the “Ambition Issue.” On the verge of her superhero moment in HBO’s Watchmen, King is reminding us that she’s more than built for the role, in a sleek spread for the magazine,…