television
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Idris Elba to Receive BAFTA's Special Award for His 'Creative Contributions' to Television
Idris Elba is one of Britain’s best-known actors, and he has made a name for himself both onscreen and off with his work in the director’s chair and as a writer and producer. His contributions will be recognized at the upcoming BAFTA TV Awards, where he will receive the organization’s Special Award. “It’s a great…
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Idris Elba Doesn't Think Racist TV Shows, Films Should be Censored or Pulled, Should Come With Warning Instead
Actor Idris Elba spoke with Radio Times about his thoughts regarding media censorship. In the interview with the magazine (released Tuesday), he says he believes television programs and films that are censored or flagged for jokes deemed inappropriate or offensive should come with a warning label, not be removed from their distribution platforms. “I’m very…
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Exclusive: Oprah Winfrey, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Lionsgate and The New York Times to Adapt The 1619 Project Into Film, TV Programming and More
On August 14, 2019, on the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans’ arrival into the English colonies that would become the United States, The New York Times launched The 1619 Project. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and 2019 Root 100 honoree Nikole Hannah-Jones is the creator and architect of the historic initiative and incorporating contributions by…
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Creator of Dear White People Says Show's Growing Popularity Feels Like a 'Weird Consolation Prize'
According to data from Parrot Analytics obtained by The Root, viewership for Netflix’s series When They See Us and Dear White People jumped 329 percent during the recent uptick in Black Lives Matter protests. Justin Simien, the creator of Dear White People, says that although he’s thrilled to see interest in his work, he has…
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Did We Stutter? A Spinoff of The Office Centered Around Stanley is Gaining Attention
Fans of the NBC series The Office are getting in their last viewings before it disappears from Netflix in 2021, when the beloved show moves to NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock. While many are waiting to hear if the Peacock launch will come with a reboot of the show, one cast member is aiming to keep…
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Mahershala Ali to Play Legendary Black Boxer Jack Johnson in HBO Limited Series
Mahershala Ali has been tapped to play Jack Johnson, the world’s first Black heavyweight champion, for an upcoming limited series on HBO. According to a report from Variety, the Oscar-winning actor will star in a retelling of Johnson’s life that focuses heavily on the challenges he faced as a talented and outspoken Black athlete in…
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Kerry Washington Says Hollywood's Diversity Commitment 'Still Centers Whiteness'
The country is experiencing a racial awakening in response to the police brutality protests that are still taking place after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s deaths. Anti-racism books are flying off of shelves, streaming services have dedicated blocks of programming to Black shows and movies, and general interest in Black stories has risen for weeks.…
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Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Upcoming Season Will Be Reworked in Wake of Police Brutality Protests
Terry Crews, one of the stars of NBC’s hit comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, revealed that four of the episodes for the show’s eighth season were entirely scrapped in the wake of police brutality and Black Lives Matter protests. In an interview with Access Hollywood, Crews, who plays Sgt. Terry Jeffords on the police-centered show, revealed…
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#OscarsSoWhite Creator April Reign Is Launching a Digital Content Studio for People of Color
April Reign, well known as a diversity and inclusion advocate and the creator of #OscarsSoWhite, is partnering with the media platform Overture Global to start Ensemble, a digital content studio “aiming to accelerate opportunities for people of color both in front of and behind the camera,” according to a press release obtained by The Root.…
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Drake, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch Lead 2020 BET Award Nominations; Show To Broadcast On CBS Too
Musicians Drake, Roddy Ricch, and Megan Thee Stallion lead the nomination pack for the 2020 BET Awards, which is set to air live across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and CBS on June 28 at 8 p.m. ET. Drake is up for wins in six categories, including Male Hip-Hop Artist and Video of the…