Near the end of the miniseries Lawmen: Bass Reeves, David Oyelowo’s titular character is told something all too familiar to many unsung real-life heroes: “No one’s gonna ever know, but you made history today.”
“You can just imagine how many people from marginalized communities that is the truth for,” he says. “People who very much had a real hand in building this country, and whether it’s their history not being taught … or that their contribution to history hasn’t been valued in the same way, which is why getting this show made was an obsession.”
That obsession took the form of Yoruba Saxon, a talent-led production company Oyelowo created with his wife Jessica in 2014, though his desire to produce actually came from his “accidental experience” of helping to put together Ava DuVernay’s Selma years before. “I didn’t realize those moves that go on to lead...
“You can just imagine how many people from marginalized communities that is the truth for,” he says. “People who very much had a real hand in building this country, and whether it’s their history not being taught … or that their contribution to history hasn’t been valued in the same way, which is why getting this show made was an obsession.”
That obsession took the form of Yoruba Saxon, a talent-led production company Oyelowo created with his wife Jessica in 2014, though his desire to produce actually came from his “accidental experience” of helping to put together Ava DuVernay’s Selma years before. “I didn’t realize those moves that go on to lead...
- 5/15/2024
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
Get ready to delve deeper into the rich history of soul music with “Stax: Soulsville, U.S.A.” Season 1 Episode 2 titled “Chapter Two: Soul Man,” airing this Monday, May 20th, at 10:00 Pm on HBO. In this captivating episode, viewers are taken on a journey through the highs and lows of the iconic Stax Records as it breaks through to the white market with the smash hit “Soul Man.”
As the episode unfolds, viewers will witness the impact of “Soul Man” on the music industry and its role in bringing soul music to a wider audience. However, amidst the success, cracks begin to appear in the company’s façade as Stax grapples with the untimely death of its star, Otis Redding, and the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Against the backdrop of legal obstacles and ongoing racial tensions in Memphis, the episode explores the challenges...
As the episode unfolds, viewers will witness the impact of “Soul Man” on the music industry and its role in bringing soul music to a wider audience. However, amidst the success, cracks begin to appear in the company’s façade as Stax grapples with the untimely death of its star, Otis Redding, and the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Against the backdrop of legal obstacles and ongoing racial tensions in Memphis, the episode explores the challenges...
- 5/13/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
40 years later, the original "A Nightmare on Elm Street" has more than earned its place in cinema history as a slasher classic. Written and directed by the late (and very much missed) Wes Craven, the 1984 horror film follows a group of teens from Springwood, Ohio -- which looks suspiciously like Los Angeles in several shots, but charmingly so -- as they begin dreaming of the same mysterious figure. This man, whose face is covered in burn marks and wears a glove armed with razor blades, is no shared figment of their imagination. He's Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), the vengeful ghost of a local child murderer who now has the power to kill his victims in their sleep.
Why is he vengeful? Freddy, you see, was eventually arrested but avoided punishment after getting off on a legal technicality. In retaliation, his victims' loved ones hunted him down and burnt him to death,...
Why is he vengeful? Freddy, you see, was eventually arrested but avoided punishment after getting off on a legal technicality. In retaliation, his victims' loved ones hunted him down and burnt him to death,...
- 5/13/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
“It’s intimidating for anyone to want to play anyone, just because life is so precious, and everyone’s life is so rich and so full, and you want to know that you’re coming into it with the best intentions,” says Kelvin Harrison Jr., who takes on the role of Martin Luther King Jr. in National Geographic’s limited series “Genius: MLK/X.”
The eight-episode drama chronicles the lives of civil rights pioneers Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X (played by Aaron Pierre). It’s currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
See Weruche Opia (‘Genius: MLK/X’) on the ‘overwhelming’ responsibility of playing Coretta Scott King
“The reason why I get to have a career is because of Dr. King,” Harrison states. “The reason why I get to live the life I get to live, and my freedoms, and my rights, and my voice, and my image, and so much of my identity,...
The eight-episode drama chronicles the lives of civil rights pioneers Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X (played by Aaron Pierre). It’s currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
See Weruche Opia (‘Genius: MLK/X’) on the ‘overwhelming’ responsibility of playing Coretta Scott King
“The reason why I get to have a career is because of Dr. King,” Harrison states. “The reason why I get to live the life I get to live, and my freedoms, and my rights, and my voice, and my image, and so much of my identity,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
On April 25, the day that Harvey Weinstein’s New York sexual assault conviction was overturned, those who had been most vocal in the months following the former mogul’s implosion in 2017 were conspicuously silent. The X account of Time’s Up, the organization that raised $26 million in the wake of the Weinstein accusations, appeared to be a relic frozen in time. Its last post, from January 2022, was a retweet of a Movement for Black Lives missive about Martin Luther King Jr. Likewise, actresses who had embraced Time’s Up’s mission offered no commentary. Jessica Chastain was tweeting about her skin care routine, while Reese Witherspoon was gushing about a Tennessee Titans draft pick. It was as though Hollywood had already moved on from the industrywide reckoning that Weinstein’s downfall sparked.
By contrast, those with a personal stake in Weinstein’s fate — such as attorney Gloria Allred, who represented key...
By contrast, those with a personal stake in Weinstein’s fate — such as attorney Gloria Allred, who represented key...
- 5/1/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
Amy Schumer was in the zone. This was in March, when she was filming on the street in Brooklyn for her upcoming movie “Kinda Pregnant,” a comedy about a woman who pretends to be knocked up for attention. In one take, Schumer emerged from a subway station while answering a phone call — and was interrupted by a stranger shouting at her from the sidewalk: “Fuck you, Amy Schumer! You’re a Zionist! You love genocide!”
Disruptions of the four-letter variety aren’t unusual in a raucous place like New York, though they’re usually less pointed. Schumer didn’t break character, refusing to stop working as the woman carried on. The actress finished the scene finally, packed up her stuff and went home to her husband and their 4-year-old son.
“It didn’t even raise my heart rate,” Schumer says over brunch at a cozy Brooklyn Heights tavern a couple days later.
Disruptions of the four-letter variety aren’t unusual in a raucous place like New York, though they’re usually less pointed. Schumer didn’t break character, refusing to stop working as the woman carried on. The actress finished the scene finally, packed up her stuff and went home to her husband and their 4-year-old son.
“It didn’t even raise my heart rate,” Schumer says over brunch at a cozy Brooklyn Heights tavern a couple days later.
- 4/30/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Every couple of months in comic book-centric social media circles, someone reposts a comics page in which Deadpool shooting Spider-Man in the head or decapitating an exhausted Bruce Banner. These panels usually spark arguments about whether or not these kills are in character (they aren’t) or if the entire thing is a joke (it is).
Eventually, someone points out that the pages come from Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe, a 2012-2013 miniseries by Cullen Bunn and Dalibor Talajic. The story involves Deadpool’s fourth-wall-breaking powers driving him so mad that he decides to kill all the other Marvel characters because they’re fictional and their lives don’t matter. Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe may have inspired controversy, but it also inspired several sequels, including Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again.
From all that we’ve seen so far, Deadpool & Wolverine seems to have little in common with Bunn and Talajic’s take.
Eventually, someone points out that the pages come from Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe, a 2012-2013 miniseries by Cullen Bunn and Dalibor Talajic. The story involves Deadpool’s fourth-wall-breaking powers driving him so mad that he decides to kill all the other Marvel characters because they’re fictional and their lives don’t matter. Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe may have inspired controversy, but it also inspired several sequels, including Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again.
From all that we’ve seen so far, Deadpool & Wolverine seems to have little in common with Bunn and Talajic’s take.
- 4/29/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Executive producers Gina Prince-Bythewood, Reggie Rock Bythewood and co-showrunners Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon were at Deadline’s Contenders TV event Saturday to discuss the historical importance of showing Black stories onscreen in the latest season National Geographic’s anthology series Genius.
Season 4 focuses on Civil Rights icons Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) from their formative years, molded by their fathers and racial injustices, to their legendary careers that changed the world.
Undoubtedly, there have been copious amounts of media and examinations on the lives of X and King, the two most pivotal figures in fighting against racial injustices and prejudice. However, Jackson and Macedon went undeterred in trying to find a new way to tell their story in Genius MLK/X.
“We gathered a multitude of historians and people who knew either Martin or Malcolm to give us the behind-the-scenes insight as...
Season 4 focuses on Civil Rights icons Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) from their formative years, molded by their fathers and racial injustices, to their legendary careers that changed the world.
Undoubtedly, there have been copious amounts of media and examinations on the lives of X and King, the two most pivotal figures in fighting against racial injustices and prejudice. However, Jackson and Macedon went undeterred in trying to find a new way to tell their story in Genius MLK/X.
“We gathered a multitude of historians and people who knew either Martin or Malcolm to give us the behind-the-scenes insight as...
- 4/14/2024
- by Destiny Jackson
- Deadline Film + TV
Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi achieved notoriety in 1962 with the sensationalistic documentary Mondo Cane, a globetrotting exposé of bizarre rites and other human grotesqueries that opened the floodgates for a deluge of Mondo titles. When the release of their 1966 film Africa Addio (a.k.a. Africa: Blood and Guts), a despairing look at the continent’s decolonization movements, led to accusations of racism, Jacopetti and Prosperi sought to address the charges by revealing (some would say reveling in) the history of slavery in America. The resulting film, Goodbye Uncle Tom, is an extremely disturbing, at times almost unwatchable, descent into the inferno of an unpardonable institution.
Goodbye Uncle Tom leaves any pretense of objectivity behind in the dust. Using a conceit similar to such Peter Watkins classics as Culloden and The War Game, Jacopetti and Prosperi’s film brings modern-day documentary technology back into a historical setting, using it in...
Goodbye Uncle Tom leaves any pretense of objectivity behind in the dust. Using a conceit similar to such Peter Watkins classics as Culloden and The War Game, Jacopetti and Prosperi’s film brings modern-day documentary technology back into a historical setting, using it in...
- 4/13/2024
- by Budd Wilkins
- Slant Magazine
Robert “Robin” MacNeil, co-anchor and co-founder of PBS NewsHour, died April 12, PBS announced. He was 93
MacNeil died Friday morning of natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, his daughter, Alison MacNeil, told the New York Times.
Following their coverage of the 1973 Senate Watergate Hearings, MacNeil co-founded the predecessor to the PBS “MacNeil/Lehrer Report” in 1975 with fellow anchor Jim Lehrer.
“I am so deeply saddened at the loss of a precious friend. One of the greatest honors of my life was working with Robin MacNeil and being part of the way he and Jim Lehrer changed television news,” said Judy Woodruff, PBS NewsHour senior correspondent and former anchor and managing editor, in a statement. “He was brilliant and urbane, but always with a delightful sense of irony. I’m so grateful to have spoken with him in January on his birthday, when that iconic, deep Canadian baritone voice sounded exactly as...
MacNeil died Friday morning of natural causes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, his daughter, Alison MacNeil, told the New York Times.
Following their coverage of the 1973 Senate Watergate Hearings, MacNeil co-founded the predecessor to the PBS “MacNeil/Lehrer Report” in 1975 with fellow anchor Jim Lehrer.
“I am so deeply saddened at the loss of a precious friend. One of the greatest honors of my life was working with Robin MacNeil and being part of the way he and Jim Lehrer changed television news,” said Judy Woodruff, PBS NewsHour senior correspondent and former anchor and managing editor, in a statement. “He was brilliant and urbane, but always with a delightful sense of irony. I’m so grateful to have spoken with him in January on his birthday, when that iconic, deep Canadian baritone voice sounded exactly as...
- 4/12/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Harry Belafonte is a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and one of the leading human rights activists in show business.
Harry Belafonte exposed America to world music and spent his life challenging and overturning racial barriers across the globe. Belafonte met a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on King’s historic visit to New York in the early 1950s and developed a deep and abiding friendship. Belafonte played a key role in the civil rights movement, including the 1963 March on Washington. In 1985, disturbed by war, drought, and famine in Africa, Belafonte helped organize the Grammy-winning song “We Are the World,” a multi-artist effort to raise funds for Africa. Belafonte was active in efforts to end apartheid in South Africa and to release Nelson Mandela.
Belafonte served as the cultural advisor for the Peace Corps, a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and was honored as an Ambassador of Conscience by Amnesty International. Recently, Belafonte...
Harry Belafonte exposed America to world music and spent his life challenging and overturning racial barriers across the globe. Belafonte met a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on King’s historic visit to New York in the early 1950s and developed a deep and abiding friendship. Belafonte played a key role in the civil rights movement, including the 1963 March on Washington. In 1985, disturbed by war, drought, and famine in Africa, Belafonte helped organize the Grammy-winning song “We Are the World,” a multi-artist effort to raise funds for Africa. Belafonte was active in efforts to end apartheid in South Africa and to release Nelson Mandela.
Belafonte served as the cultural advisor for the Peace Corps, a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and was honored as an Ambassador of Conscience by Amnesty International. Recently, Belafonte...
- 4/12/2024
- Look to the Stars
Meagan Good is standing by her man. The Eve’s Bayou actor was with her boyfriend Jonathan Majors as he left court in New York City on April 8 after he was sentenced to probation on domestic violence charges.
In December 2023, a jury convicted Majors, 34, of assaulting and harassing his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. He was facing up to 12 months in jail, but on Monday, a judge instead ordered him to complete a year-long, in-person domestic violence intervention program. He was also ordered to have no contact with Jabbari.
Jonathan Majors arrives with Meagan Good for sentencing in his domestic abuse case at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 8, 2024 in New York City. | David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Majors and Good looked somber as they arrived at court in Manhattan on Monday. On Dec. 18, the Creed III actor was found guilty of assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree...
In December 2023, a jury convicted Majors, 34, of assaulting and harassing his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. He was facing up to 12 months in jail, but on Monday, a judge instead ordered him to complete a year-long, in-person domestic violence intervention program. He was also ordered to have no contact with Jabbari.
Jonathan Majors arrives with Meagan Good for sentencing in his domestic abuse case at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 8, 2024 in New York City. | David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
Majors and Good looked somber as they arrived at court in Manhattan on Monday. On Dec. 18, the Creed III actor was found guilty of assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree...
- 4/8/2024
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Joe Rogan Slams ‘The View’ as ‘Rabies-Infested Hen House’: ‘It Is the Show That People Love to Hate’
Joe Rogan has some choice words for TV’s most-watched daytime talk show.
In a new episode of his “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, the host bonded with author and journalist Coleman Hughes over the latter’s tense appearance on “The View.”
“It is the show that people love to hate,” Rogan said. “They get so much hate-watching … and viral clips of them saying ridiculous things. It is a rabies-infested hen house.”
Hughes visited “The View” on March 28 to promote his book “The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America” and sparred with Sunny Hostin over racial politics and how to best address poverty in America. Hughes and Hostin disagreed over Martin Luther King Jr.’s arguments in his 1964 book “Why We Can’t Wait,” and whether policy should be targeted toward socioeconomic status versus race.
On “The View,” Hostin accused Hughes of being a conservative, despite Hughes saying...
In a new episode of his “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, the host bonded with author and journalist Coleman Hughes over the latter’s tense appearance on “The View.”
“It is the show that people love to hate,” Rogan said. “They get so much hate-watching … and viral clips of them saying ridiculous things. It is a rabies-infested hen house.”
Hughes visited “The View” on March 28 to promote his book “The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America” and sparred with Sunny Hostin over racial politics and how to best address poverty in America. Hughes and Hostin disagreed over Martin Luther King Jr.’s arguments in his 1964 book “Why We Can’t Wait,” and whether policy should be targeted toward socioeconomic status versus race.
On “The View,” Hostin accused Hughes of being a conservative, despite Hughes saying...
- 4/4/2024
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
The second track on Cowboy Carter — Beyoncé’s country album on the cover of which the singer wears red, white, and blue, and carries an American flag — is a take on a song by notoriously British band, The Beatles. At first glance, the cover of “Blackbird,” while beautiful, may seem like an outlier. Other artists featured on the album include country icons like Dolly Parton, Linda Martell, and Willie Nelson. The Beatles’ song makes more sense on the album than it may initially seem, though.
Beyoncé covers The Beatles’ ‘Blackbird’ on ‘Cowboy Carter’
Cowboy Carter features a luminous, true-to-the-original cover of “Blackbird.” Beyoncé sings the song, accompanied by the harmonies of Black country artists Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Brittney Spencer, and Reyna Roberts. The folky, White Album classic is an unexpected addition to the country album. It’s also a crucial one.
Paul McCartney, who wrote the song in 1968, explained his inspiration for “Blackbird.
Beyoncé covers The Beatles’ ‘Blackbird’ on ‘Cowboy Carter’
Cowboy Carter features a luminous, true-to-the-original cover of “Blackbird.” Beyoncé sings the song, accompanied by the harmonies of Black country artists Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Brittney Spencer, and Reyna Roberts. The folky, White Album classic is an unexpected addition to the country album. It’s also a crucial one.
Paul McCartney, who wrote the song in 1968, explained his inspiration for “Blackbird.
- 3/29/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Beyoncé has so many audacious culture-clash triumphs all over Cowboy Carter. But one of the most stunning moments is also one of the simplest: her version of the Beatles classic “Blackbird.” Paul McCartney wrote the song in the summer of 1968, inspired by the American civil rights movement. All that history is right there in Beyoncé’s version. She keeps the folkie Paul guitar, complete with the squeaks, but adds her heavenly gospel-soul harmonies. What she does with the word “arise” is incredible in itself.
It’s a stroke of Beyoncé...
It’s a stroke of Beyoncé...
- 3/29/2024
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
As anyone who’s seen the Amy Winehouse documentary Amy may recall, the troubled singer was initially rattled when she and Tony Bennett were cutting a duet in a recording studio, mere months before her death. “Amy was freaking out and the tape was running,” recalls Danny Bennett, who was managing his father. “She was ready to flee at any moment.”
What we don’t see in the doc is the moment when Danny Bennett approached Winehouse and, at his father’s request, asked her to sign a copy of...
What we don’t see in the doc is the moment when Danny Bennett approached Winehouse and, at his father’s request, asked her to sign a copy of...
- 3/27/2024
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
The Little Golden Books have been a staple of childhood across several generations. Created in 1942, the collection is known for bringing picture books to children at affordable prices, with text ranging from adventures and fairytales to educational material. In fact, the story of "The Poky Little Puppy" from the Little Golden Books roster is actually the best-selling children's book of all time.
After delivering classic tales from the likes of Mary Blair, Margaret Wise Brown, Richard Scarry, Eloise Wilkins, Garth Williams, and many more, Little Golden Books have also dived into the wide world of established intellectual property, including stories inspired by "Star Wars," "Sesame Street," DC and Marvel Comics, Barbie, Disney, Nickelodeon, and much more. In recent years, Little Golden Books have also been delivering biographies of the most influential people in history, starting with Martin Luther King Jr....
The Little Golden Books have been a staple of childhood across several generations. Created in 1942, the collection is known for bringing picture books to children at affordable prices, with text ranging from adventures and fairytales to educational material. In fact, the story of "The Poky Little Puppy" from the Little Golden Books roster is actually the best-selling children's book of all time.
After delivering classic tales from the likes of Mary Blair, Margaret Wise Brown, Richard Scarry, Eloise Wilkins, Garth Williams, and many more, Little Golden Books have also dived into the wide world of established intellectual property, including stories inspired by "Star Wars," "Sesame Street," DC and Marvel Comics, Barbie, Disney, Nickelodeon, and much more. In recent years, Little Golden Books have also been delivering biographies of the most influential people in history, starting with Martin Luther King Jr....
- 3/25/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Before they were Professor Charles Xavier and Jean Grey in "X-Men," Patrick Stewart and Famke Janssen shared the screen on an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Stewart was, of course, the series lead, Enterprise-d Captain Jean-Luc Picard, while Janssen played Kamala, one of the many beautiful alien women on "Star Trek." Captain Kirk may be the famed womanizer, but Picard had his dalliances over the show's seven seasons -- Kamala included.
The episode is "The Perfect Mate," the 21st installment of the fifth season. Kamala is a Kriosian "metamorph," an empathetic being who can read their partners' feelings and adjust themselves to them. She's been betrothed to an ambassador from the neighboring world Valt, in hopes this will help end a conflict between the planets. As she travels on the Enterprise-d and works alongside Picard, they grow closer and closer.
Aired in 1992, this was Janssen's first role on television.
The episode is "The Perfect Mate," the 21st installment of the fifth season. Kamala is a Kriosian "metamorph," an empathetic being who can read their partners' feelings and adjust themselves to them. She's been betrothed to an ambassador from the neighboring world Valt, in hopes this will help end a conflict between the planets. As she travels on the Enterprise-d and works alongside Picard, they grow closer and closer.
Aired in 1992, this was Janssen's first role on television.
- 3/24/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Michel Gondry is about to make a lot of people happy, teaming with Pharrell Williams, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and recent Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph for Atlantis, a new film that is partly inspired by Williams’ upbringing.
While no plot details have been unveiled, according to Deadline, Atlantis is “a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.” In addition to Gondry signed on as director, screenwriters on board are Toy Story 4’s Martin Hynes and Tick, Tick…Boom’s Steven Levenson.
Atlantis was revealed back in 2017. While Hynes was attached even as far back as then, originally Michael Mayer – who won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for Spring Awakening – was set to direct.
Pharrell Williams has been all-in on telling his life story, even in Lego form, as Focus Features will release...
While no plot details have been unveiled, according to Deadline, Atlantis is “a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.” In addition to Gondry signed on as director, screenwriters on board are Toy Story 4’s Martin Hynes and Tick, Tick…Boom’s Steven Levenson.
Atlantis was revealed back in 2017. While Hynes was attached even as far back as then, originally Michael Mayer – who won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for Spring Awakening – was set to direct.
Pharrell Williams has been all-in on telling his life story, even in Lego form, as Focus Features will release...
- 3/22/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves) has been set to lead a new, untitled Universal feature project from director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and producer Pharrell Williams (Hidden Figures), according to multiple sources, who also tell us that 2024 Academy Award winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers) is in talks.
Universal declined comment. But the film is said to be a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.
Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4) and Steven Levenson penned the script. Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through i am Other, alongside Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions.
Known for roles in Trey Edward Shults’ Waves, Joe Wright’s Cyrano, Nat Geo’s Genius: MLK/X, which had him playing Martin Luther King Jr., and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which had him portraying B.B. King,...
Universal declined comment. But the film is said to be a coming-of-age musical, set in 1977 Virginia Beach, which draws inspiration from Williams’ childhood growing up in the city’s Atlantis Apartments.
Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4) and Steven Levenson penned the script. Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through i am Other, alongside Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions.
Known for roles in Trey Edward Shults’ Waves, Joe Wright’s Cyrano, Nat Geo’s Genius: MLK/X, which had him playing Martin Luther King Jr., and Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which had him portraying B.B. King,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Anna Camp and Griffin Matthews have been cast in “You” Season 5 at Netflix as series regulars, Variety has learned exclusively.
The pair are the latest additions to the cast of the popular show’s fifth season, which will also be its final season. It was previously announced that Madeline Brewer would also appear in a series regular role.
Camp will play both Raegan and Maddie Lockwood, twin sisters-in-law to Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley). The characters are described as follows: “Raegan is the cunning, cutthroat CFO of the Lockwood Corp who has her eyes on the throne and will crush any adversary…be them family or not. Maddie, on the other hand, presents as the unserious twin, a thrice-divorced socialite whose job is ‘vaguely PR.’ But make no mistake, a master manipulator lies underneath Maddie’s frivolous façade.”
Matthews will play Teddy Lockwood, described as the “snarky yet loyal brother-in-law of Joe Goldberg.
The pair are the latest additions to the cast of the popular show’s fifth season, which will also be its final season. It was previously announced that Madeline Brewer would also appear in a series regular role.
Camp will play both Raegan and Maddie Lockwood, twin sisters-in-law to Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley). The characters are described as follows: “Raegan is the cunning, cutthroat CFO of the Lockwood Corp who has her eyes on the throne and will crush any adversary…be them family or not. Maddie, on the other hand, presents as the unserious twin, a thrice-divorced socialite whose job is ‘vaguely PR.’ But make no mistake, a master manipulator lies underneath Maddie’s frivolous façade.”
Matthews will play Teddy Lockwood, described as the “snarky yet loyal brother-in-law of Joe Goldberg.
- 3/20/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Raoul Peck, the filmmaker behind Academy Award-nominated documentary I Am Not Your Negro, is in production on his next feature doc — an investigation into the 2021 assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moise, tentatively titled, The Hands That Held the Knives.
Over two years in the making, with unprecedented access to many of those involved, and including secret filming in Haiti’s prisons and an unexpected encounter with a fugitive who was an eyewitness to the murder, Peck’s film taking him back to his home country will be a documentary thriller, in the tradition of Graham Greene or John Le Carré.
His investigation takes him deep into the politics of Haiti, its relationship with the United States, and the corrupt business empires and criminal organizations — dealing drugs and contraband throughout the Caribbean, using weapons trafficked from the U.S. — which have now rendered the country a hellscape for its citizens. The...
Over two years in the making, with unprecedented access to many of those involved, and including secret filming in Haiti’s prisons and an unexpected encounter with a fugitive who was an eyewitness to the murder, Peck’s film taking him back to his home country will be a documentary thriller, in the tradition of Graham Greene or John Le Carré.
His investigation takes him deep into the politics of Haiti, its relationship with the United States, and the corrupt business empires and criminal organizations — dealing drugs and contraband throughout the Caribbean, using weapons trafficked from the U.S. — which have now rendered the country a hellscape for its citizens. The...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Martin Luther King Jr. once reflected on the corrupting nature of wealth and how it can bring out the worst in people. It is extremely debatable as to where this thirst for accumulating wealth actually comes from. But then, the rich people of this capitalist world seem oblivious to this aspect of their nature. The boss in Bandidos is one of those people who seem unhinged by his violent ways.
Spoilers Ahead
Who Is The Villain?
Although his name is never revealed, the man with the scarred face is the chief antagonist in Bandidos. As an illegal artifact dealer, he is looking for the treasure of Franciso de Montejo; however, unlike the Bandidos, he will kill anyone to get his hands on the final prize. The left side of his face is completely mutilated because of an incident from years ago. However, he seems indifferent towards his appearance, as he...
Spoilers Ahead
Who Is The Villain?
Although his name is never revealed, the man with the scarred face is the chief antagonist in Bandidos. As an illegal artifact dealer, he is looking for the treasure of Franciso de Montejo; however, unlike the Bandidos, he will kill anyone to get his hands on the final prize. The left side of his face is completely mutilated because of an incident from years ago. However, he seems indifferent towards his appearance, as he...
- 3/14/2024
- by Shrey Ashley Philip
- Film Fugitives
This article was featured in Den of Geek magazine, which was published before artists pulled out of SXSW 2024 in protest of US military and defense company sponsorships at this year’s event.
Crys Matthews doesn’t equivocate about her music’s north star: “It’s to amplify the voices of the unheard, shed light on the unseen, and be a steadfast reminder that hope and love are the truest pathways to justice and equity. That’s me in a nutshell.”
The 43-year-old singer-songwriter has spent much of her decade-plus career holding a mirror to America’s thorniest issues. Her protest, social justice, and freedom-infused songs have prompted comparisons to historical folk music activists such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Blending the sounds of country, gospel, Americana, and folk music, Matthews boldly sings what many are reluctant to say out loud, in the open and face-to-face.
The Confederate flag, gerrymandering,...
Crys Matthews doesn’t equivocate about her music’s north star: “It’s to amplify the voices of the unheard, shed light on the unseen, and be a steadfast reminder that hope and love are the truest pathways to justice and equity. That’s me in a nutshell.”
The 43-year-old singer-songwriter has spent much of her decade-plus career holding a mirror to America’s thorniest issues. Her protest, social justice, and freedom-infused songs have prompted comparisons to historical folk music activists such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Blending the sounds of country, gospel, Americana, and folk music, Matthews boldly sings what many are reluctant to say out loud, in the open and face-to-face.
The Confederate flag, gerrymandering,...
- 3/13/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Actor Jonathan Majors’ legal troubles have kept him in the news over the last few months. Majors was tried on assault charges amidst the high-profile lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. The lawsuit resulted in Majors being dropped from several projects. He was eventually found guilty and fired by Marvel Studios as well.
Jonathan Majors in Creed 3
The lawsuit has also been the subject of intense speculation, discussion, and media scrutiny. Mark Anthony Neal, an expert on African-American studies has presented a new take on the case and cited racial stigma as the primary reason for the verdict coming against Majors. Here is what Neal had to say about the Jonathan Majors lawsuit and why he feels the actor’s fate was already sealed.
Suggested“This brother is done”: Jonathan Majors’ Goose is Cooked, More Abuse Allegations Shatter His Career African-American Studies Expert Talks Racist Stigma in...
Jonathan Majors in Creed 3
The lawsuit has also been the subject of intense speculation, discussion, and media scrutiny. Mark Anthony Neal, an expert on African-American studies has presented a new take on the case and cited racial stigma as the primary reason for the verdict coming against Majors. Here is what Neal had to say about the Jonathan Majors lawsuit and why he feels the actor’s fate was already sealed.
Suggested“This brother is done”: Jonathan Majors’ Goose is Cooked, More Abuse Allegations Shatter His Career African-American Studies Expert Talks Racist Stigma in...
- 2/26/2024
- by Pratik Handore
- FandomWire
Donald Trump, who was sued by the Justice Department in 1973 for discriminating against Black tenants, told a group of Black conservative voters that “a lot of people” have said his four indictments are the reason that “Black people like me.” In the same breath, Trump painted himself as a victim of discrimination.
Addressing the Black Conservative Federation Honors Gala in Columbia, South Carolina, on Friday evening, Trump boasted about the pardons he gave out while in office, and continued to falsely lament that the 91 charges against him were all part...
Addressing the Black Conservative Federation Honors Gala in Columbia, South Carolina, on Friday evening, Trump boasted about the pardons he gave out while in office, and continued to falsely lament that the 91 charges against him were all part...
- 2/24/2024
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Imagine “Libs of TikTok,” but created by a state government to pillory public school teachers.
That’s the gist of a new project launched by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican, who has created a portal called “Eyes on Education” that encourages members of the public to tattle on teachers they believe are pushing so-called “woke” content on kids.
Eyes on Education enables self-styled whistleblowers to submit evidence to the state of “objectionable curricula, policies, or programs.” And the site presents a selection of such content, organized by school district.
That’s the gist of a new project launched by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican, who has created a portal called “Eyes on Education” that encourages members of the public to tattle on teachers they believe are pushing so-called “woke” content on kids.
Eyes on Education enables self-styled whistleblowers to submit evidence to the state of “objectionable curricula, policies, or programs.” And the site presents a selection of such content, organized by school district.
- 2/22/2024
- by Tim Dickinson
- Rollingstone.com
There are some hotly anticipated titles heading to top streaming services this week, and we’ll break down when and where to stream them.
Bit by bit, Hollywood is digging out from under the backlog of productions caused by striking actors and writers last year. Undeniably the WGA and SAG-AFTRA got much-deserved increases in pay and benefits from their decision to walk out in 2023, but the strikes led scripted TV productions to dry up for months, and studios are just getting back into the swing of things.
Fans will see some beloved favorites return to airwaves this week, along with a streaming original Star Wars title and much more. Check out the list below to see The Streamable’s top shows and movies premiering on streaming this week!
Monday, Feb. 19 ‘Becoming King’ Documentary Premiere | Paramount+
David Oyelowo was nominated for a Golden Globe for 2014’s “Selma,” in which he portrayed Dr.
Bit by bit, Hollywood is digging out from under the backlog of productions caused by striking actors and writers last year. Undeniably the WGA and SAG-AFTRA got much-deserved increases in pay and benefits from their decision to walk out in 2023, but the strikes led scripted TV productions to dry up for months, and studios are just getting back into the swing of things.
Fans will see some beloved favorites return to airwaves this week, along with a streaming original Star Wars title and much more. Check out the list below to see The Streamable’s top shows and movies premiering on streaming this week!
Monday, Feb. 19 ‘Becoming King’ Documentary Premiere | Paramount+
David Oyelowo was nominated for a Golden Globe for 2014’s “Selma,” in which he portrayed Dr.
- 2/19/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
How difficult is it to embody a legend in film? David Oyelowo had to answer this question for himself in 2014, when he portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the critically-acclaimed movie “Selma.” Now, Paramount+ is offering a new documentary dedicated to Oyelowo’s journey toward becoming Dr. King in that film, appropriately entitled “Becoming King” and available on Monday, Feb. 19. You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Paramount Plus.
How to Watch 'Becoming King' When: Monday, February 19, 2024 Where: Paramount Plus Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Paramount Plus. Get 30 Days Free$5.99+ / month paramountplus.com
For a Limited Time, Get a Month of Paramount+ With Code: HUJQ6R.
About 'Becoming King'
Directed by Jessica Oyelowo, “Becoming King” chronicles a seven-year transformation from actor into civil rights legend. The documentary will feature intimate footage from the film’s production, as well as interviews with Oyelowo’s closest associates and teachers,...
How to Watch 'Becoming King' When: Monday, February 19, 2024 Where: Paramount Plus Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Paramount Plus. Get 30 Days Free$5.99+ / month paramountplus.com
For a Limited Time, Get a Month of Paramount+ With Code: HUJQ6R.
About 'Becoming King'
Directed by Jessica Oyelowo, “Becoming King” chronicles a seven-year transformation from actor into civil rights legend. The documentary will feature intimate footage from the film’s production, as well as interviews with Oyelowo’s closest associates and teachers,...
- 2/19/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
At long last, Franklin Armstrong has gotten the spotlight. After 55 years, the first Black character inducted into the Peanuts gang gets to show off his complexities beyond his complexion in Apple TV+‘s latest Peanuts special, Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home Franklin. Right in time for Black History Month, no less.
The special focuses on the titular character depicted as a socially awkward kid who struggles to make new friends organically in the new neighborhood his family moves into. When he befriends hapless Charlie Brown, they instantly bond and enter a soapbox derby race. Franklin was never given this much attention or personality despite his long-running presence in Peanuts. As overdue as this special was, the significance of Franklin as a character cannot be overstated -not only to the Peanuts series but also to the diversity across the comic medium and the voices it inspired. One of whom was a co-writer on the special.
The special focuses on the titular character depicted as a socially awkward kid who struggles to make new friends organically in the new neighborhood his family moves into. When he befriends hapless Charlie Brown, they instantly bond and enter a soapbox derby race. Franklin was never given this much attention or personality despite his long-running presence in Peanuts. As overdue as this special was, the significance of Franklin as a character cannot be overstated -not only to the Peanuts series but also to the diversity across the comic medium and the voices it inspired. One of whom was a co-writer on the special.
- 2/16/2024
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
In a heartwarming twist of fate, legendary actress Julia Roberts’ life began with a touch of kindness from none other than Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King. Believe it or not, 57 years ago in Smyrna, Georgia, the Kings stepped in and covered Julia Roberts’ hospital bill after her parents were unable to do so.
Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman
Little did anyone know then that this young girl, whose early days were touched by such generosity, would blossom into one of America’s most beloved actresses. Julia Roberts’ career went on to shine brightly, culminating in an Oscar win for her unforgettable performance in Erin Brockovich and countless other accolades.
Suggested“She was the baby”: Julia Roberts Was Horribly Mistreated on the Set of Steel Magnolias
The Story of How Julia Roberts Came Into the World
Civil rights legend Martin Luther King Jr.
Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman
Little did anyone know then that this young girl, whose early days were touched by such generosity, would blossom into one of America’s most beloved actresses. Julia Roberts’ career went on to shine brightly, culminating in an Oscar win for her unforgettable performance in Erin Brockovich and countless other accolades.
Suggested“She was the baby”: Julia Roberts Was Horribly Mistreated on the Set of Steel Magnolias
The Story of How Julia Roberts Came Into the World
Civil rights legend Martin Luther King Jr.
- 2/16/2024
- by Prantik Prabal Roy
- FandomWire
Prepare for an emotionally charged episode of “Genius: MLK/X” Season 4, Episode 8 titled “Can You Imagine,” airing on National Geographic at 10:08 Pm on Thursday, February 22, 2024. In this poignant installment, viewers will witness the culmination of the remarkable lives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
As tensions within the Nation of Islam (Noi) reach a boiling point, Malcolm X finds himself in hot water after daring to criticize the organization. Meanwhile, Martin Luther King Jr.’s unwavering commitment to his political beliefs leads him to make the ultimate sacrifice for the civil rights movement.
Tragically, both leaders meet untimely ends as they are assassinated, but their legacies live on, continuing to inspire generations to come. Join National Geographic as they pay tribute to the enduring impact of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, two extraordinary individuals who fought tirelessly for justice and equality.
Don’t miss “Genius: MLK/X: Can You Imagine,...
As tensions within the Nation of Islam (Noi) reach a boiling point, Malcolm X finds himself in hot water after daring to criticize the organization. Meanwhile, Martin Luther King Jr.’s unwavering commitment to his political beliefs leads him to make the ultimate sacrifice for the civil rights movement.
Tragically, both leaders meet untimely ends as they are assassinated, but their legacies live on, continuing to inspire generations to come. Join National Geographic as they pay tribute to the enduring impact of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, two extraordinary individuals who fought tirelessly for justice and equality.
Don’t miss “Genius: MLK/X: Can You Imagine,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Prepare to be captivated by a pivotal episode of “Genius: MLK/X” Season 4, Episode 7 titled “The Sword and the Shield,” airing on National Geographic at 9:00 Pm on Thursday, February 22, 2024. In this compelling installment, viewers will witness a brief but impactful meeting between the two iconic leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, in Washington D.C. as they rally support for the passage of the Civil Rights Act.
As the Civil Rights movement gains momentum, Martin Luther King Jr. receives the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless advocacy and leadership. Meanwhile, Malcolm X takes significant steps forward by forming two new organizations, further solidifying his position as a key figure in the struggle for racial equality.
However, both men find themselves under increasing scrutiny and surveillance, highlighting the challenges they face in their fight for justice and equality. Don’t miss the drama, tension, and historical significance in...
As the Civil Rights movement gains momentum, Martin Luther King Jr. receives the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless advocacy and leadership. Meanwhile, Malcolm X takes significant steps forward by forming two new organizations, further solidifying his position as a key figure in the struggle for racial equality.
However, both men find themselves under increasing scrutiny and surveillance, highlighting the challenges they face in their fight for justice and equality. Don’t miss the drama, tension, and historical significance in...
- 2/15/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
This week’s new episodes of the NatGeo limited series Genius: MLK/X mark the final TV performance of Ron Cephas Jones, who died in August at 66 years old.
The late actor recurred as Elijah Muhammad, the embattled leader of the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X’s mentor.
More from TVLineS.W.A.T. Moves Two Vets to Recurring in Final Season, EP Promises a 'Proper Curtain Call' for Each (Exclusive)Young Sheldon First Look: Mandy Joins the Family in Final Season Title Sequence - Watch Ahead of Premiere!Genius: MLK/X Stars Discuss the 'Unnerving' Task of Portraying Civil...
The late actor recurred as Elijah Muhammad, the embattled leader of the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X’s mentor.
More from TVLineS.W.A.T. Moves Two Vets to Recurring in Final Season, EP Promises a 'Proper Curtain Call' for Each (Exclusive)Young Sheldon First Look: Mandy Joins the Family in Final Season Title Sequence - Watch Ahead of Premiere!Genius: MLK/X Stars Discuss the 'Unnerving' Task of Portraying Civil...
- 2/13/2024
- by Keisha Hatchett
- TVLine.com
Killer Mike is still on a victory lap following a clean sweep at the recent Grammy Awards, and on Monday that tour placed him on a panel at The View.
The rapper, 48, said he was “overwhelmed” after winning three awards during the pre-Grammys telecast, including trophies for best rap song, performance and album. Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Santiago Render, then encouraged viewers to keep their dreams alive.
“You have to keep whatever 9-year-old, 12-year-old, 15-year-old that is in your head, keep that child alive,” he said. “No matter what you see in the mirror, you’re still that child and your imagination has to be bigger than the room, bigger than the building, bigger than the sky because if you keep your imagination alive, everything is possible. When you limit your imagination, nothing becomes as possible as it could be.”
At that point, The View co-host Sunny Hostin...
The rapper, 48, said he was “overwhelmed” after winning three awards during the pre-Grammys telecast, including trophies for best rap song, performance and album. Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Santiago Render, then encouraged viewers to keep their dreams alive.
“You have to keep whatever 9-year-old, 12-year-old, 15-year-old that is in your head, keep that child alive,” he said. “No matter what you see in the mirror, you’re still that child and your imagination has to be bigger than the room, bigger than the building, bigger than the sky because if you keep your imagination alive, everything is possible. When you limit your imagination, nothing becomes as possible as it could be.”
At that point, The View co-host Sunny Hostin...
- 2/12/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Robert M. Young, whose 70-year career included independent and studio documentaries, narrative features, and episodes of Battlestar: Galactica, died Tuesday in Los Angeles at 99. His death was confirmed in a Facebook post by his son.
Two of his films have recently been added to the Library of Congress Film Registry. They include ¡Alambrista! (1977), a film about the life of an undocumented Mexican immigrant, which won the Camera d’Or for best first film at Cannes, and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, (1982), one of Young’s eight films with actor Edward James Olmos. Based on a true story that inspired a corrido, it tells of a man on the run after a confrontation with police.
Both films are also part of the Criterion Collection.
Those films represented a recurring theme of Young’s career, one which showed his interest in bringing social issues to wider attention.
“We lose important people all the time,...
Two of his films have recently been added to the Library of Congress Film Registry. They include ¡Alambrista! (1977), a film about the life of an undocumented Mexican immigrant, which won the Camera d’Or for best first film at Cannes, and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, (1982), one of Young’s eight films with actor Edward James Olmos. Based on a true story that inspired a corrido, it tells of a man on the run after a confrontation with police.
Both films are also part of the Criterion Collection.
Those films represented a recurring theme of Young’s career, one which showed his interest in bringing social issues to wider attention.
“We lose important people all the time,...
- 2/10/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Robert M. Young, one of the pioneers of American independent cinema whose work began nearly 70 years ago, died Tuesday in Los Angeles. The news was announced via a Facebook post from his son Andy.
In a career that lasted from 1956 to 2011 he directed documentaries, narrative features, both independent and studio releases, and even episodes of “Battlestar: Gallactica.” Two of his films have recently been added to the Library of Congress Film Registry. “¡Alambrista!” (1977), as timely today as when it was made, about the life of undocumented Mexican immigrant won the Camera d’or for best first film at Cannes. “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez” (1982), one of Young’s eight films with actor Edward James Olmos, produced by American Playhouse but released theatrically, has also been included. Both films are also part of the Criterion Collection.
Though perhaps not as well known as some pre-Sundance independent American directors like John Cassavetes,...
In a career that lasted from 1956 to 2011 he directed documentaries, narrative features, both independent and studio releases, and even episodes of “Battlestar: Gallactica.” Two of his films have recently been added to the Library of Congress Film Registry. “¡Alambrista!” (1977), as timely today as when it was made, about the life of undocumented Mexican immigrant won the Camera d’or for best first film at Cannes. “The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez” (1982), one of Young’s eight films with actor Edward James Olmos, produced by American Playhouse but released theatrically, has also been included. Both films are also part of the Criterion Collection.
Though perhaps not as well known as some pre-Sundance independent American directors like John Cassavetes,...
- 2/10/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
“Genius: MLK/X” is the fourth installment in National Geographic’s anthology series, but it’s the first one to focus on two individuals in a single season. After the first three seasons centered on Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso and Aretha Franklin, respectively, Season 4 chronicles the parallel lives of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre). The civil rights icons only met once in real life, prompting producers to find a way in to tell a unified story.
“The challenge for us at the beginning was finding the thematic connection, which we very easily found in the research,” executive producer and showrunner Damione Macedon said Thursday during the show’s panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “They went through the same emotional milestones as men at the same time. They both became husbands in and around the same time, they both became...
“The challenge for us at the beginning was finding the thematic connection, which we very easily found in the research,” executive producer and showrunner Damione Macedon said Thursday during the show’s panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “They went through the same emotional milestones as men at the same time. They both became husbands in and around the same time, they both became...
- 2/9/2024
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Would the Avatar sequels arrive on time if James Cameron weren’t so committed to his side gig producing documentary series about the planet he actually lives on? Perhaps we’ll never know. But even as the director has a full slate of blockbuster features in the pipeline, he remains as committed as ever to his work with National Geographic.
The filmmaker piped into Nat Geo’s Thursday meeting with the Television Critics Association to plug his sixth producorial effort for Disney’s conservation-minded brand in four years: Secrets of the Octopus. “As someone who’s fighting for sustainability and the preservation of nature, this is endless,” says the brand’s “Explorer at Large,” who recruited Paul Rudd to narrate this latest project. “They’re going to have to drag me out kicking and screaming — or show me where the door is because I’ve forgotten — before I stop doing this.
The filmmaker piped into Nat Geo’s Thursday meeting with the Television Critics Association to plug his sixth producorial effort for Disney’s conservation-minded brand in four years: Secrets of the Octopus. “As someone who’s fighting for sustainability and the preservation of nature, this is endless,” says the brand’s “Explorer at Large,” who recruited Paul Rudd to narrate this latest project. “They’re going to have to drag me out kicking and screaming — or show me where the door is because I’ve forgotten — before I stop doing this.
- 2/8/2024
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Get ready for a riveting episode of “Genius: MLK/X” as Season 4 Episode 6, titled “The American Promise,” airs on National Geographic at 10:09 Pm on Thursday, February 15, 2024. In this pivotal installment, viewers are transported back to the monumental events of 1963 that shaped the lives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of the March on Washington and the tragic assassination of President Kennedy, both men find themselves at a crossroads. Martin emerges as the moral leader of the civil rights movement, leading with unwavering resolve and determination. Meanwhile, Malcolm faces turmoil within the Nation of Islam, ultimately leading to his suspension from the organization.
Join the journey as “Genius: MLK/X” delves into the profound impact of these historic events on the lives and legacies of two iconic figures. Don’t miss “The American Promise” as it offers insight into the struggles and triumphs of Martin Luther King Jr.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of the March on Washington and the tragic assassination of President Kennedy, both men find themselves at a crossroads. Martin emerges as the moral leader of the civil rights movement, leading with unwavering resolve and determination. Meanwhile, Malcolm faces turmoil within the Nation of Islam, ultimately leading to his suspension from the organization.
Join the journey as “Genius: MLK/X” delves into the profound impact of these historic events on the lives and legacies of two iconic figures. Don’t miss “The American Promise” as it offers insight into the struggles and triumphs of Martin Luther King Jr.
- 2/8/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Get ready for an emotionally charged episode of “Genius: MLK/X” as Season 4 Episode 5, titled “Matriarchs,” airs on National Geographic at 9:00 Pm on Thursday, February 15, 2024. In this compelling installment, viewers are taken behind the scenes to explore the lives of Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz, the influential wives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, respectively.
As pressures and expectations mount, Coretta and Betty find themselves grappling with the challenges of balancing their public personas with their private lives. They are forced to confront their resolve and decisions, questioning the sacrifices they’ve made in the name of their husbands’ causes.
With raw emotions and poignant storytelling, “Matriarchs” offers a glimpse into the struggles and triumphs of two remarkable women who played pivotal roles in the civil rights movement. Don’t miss this powerful episode of “Genius: MLK/X” as it delves deep into the complexities of love, activism,...
As pressures and expectations mount, Coretta and Betty find themselves grappling with the challenges of balancing their public personas with their private lives. They are forced to confront their resolve and decisions, questioning the sacrifices they’ve made in the name of their husbands’ causes.
With raw emotions and poignant storytelling, “Matriarchs” offers a glimpse into the struggles and triumphs of two remarkable women who played pivotal roles in the civil rights movement. Don’t miss this powerful episode of “Genius: MLK/X” as it delves deep into the complexities of love, activism,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
The 6th American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors announced today that Kelvin Harrison Jr. is the recipient of the 2024 Rising Star Award which is presented to a contemporary artist in acknowledgement of their recent success and future promise in the film and television industry. The 2024 ABFF Honors is presented by Nice Crowd and will take place on Sunday, March 3rd at the Sls hotel in Beverly Hills, hosted by actor and comedian Tommy Davidson. Guests at the intimate, non-televised dinner will include ABFF honorees and festival partners.
As previously announced, the ABFF Honors will also celebrate legendary performer Garrett Morris; Academy Award nominated, Emmy nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress Taraji P. Henson; Tony, Emmy, AFI, and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright, and groundbreaking writer and producer Mara Brock Akil. The ABFF Fan Favorite Movie of the Year will also be announced at the show. Nominees in that category include: “A Thousand and One,...
As previously announced, the ABFF Honors will also celebrate legendary performer Garrett Morris; Academy Award nominated, Emmy nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress Taraji P. Henson; Tony, Emmy, AFI, and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright, and groundbreaking writer and producer Mara Brock Akil. The ABFF Fan Favorite Movie of the Year will also be announced at the show. Nominees in that category include: “A Thousand and One,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. wants audiences to take from “Genius: MLK/X” the idea of “community”: “Both of these men were supported by equally, if not more intelligent women. And also we had Bayard Rustin, we had Ella Baker, we had Ralph Abernathy. There’s so many incredible leaders in these times,” so “if somebody wants to be courageous and bold enough to say something and act on it and be active in this country, we have to champion that.”
The eight-episode “MLK/X” tells the parallel stories of the two title civil rights leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. (Harrison) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre), as well as their respective wives Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson). The four actors discussed the series at the New York City premiere on February 1 at the Paley Museum, along with co-star Griffin Matthews (who plays Rustin) and showrunners Damione Macedon...
The eight-episode “MLK/X” tells the parallel stories of the two title civil rights leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. (Harrison) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre), as well as their respective wives Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson). The four actors discussed the series at the New York City premiere on February 1 at the Paley Museum, along with co-star Griffin Matthews (who plays Rustin) and showrunners Damione Macedon...
- 2/5/2024
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Sheryl Lee Ralph fronts Disney Entertainment Television’s new Black History Month campaign.
Variety has the exclusive first look at the launch of the Giving Flowers initiative, a video spot featuring Ralph, Chandra Wilson, Glynn Turman, Emayatzy Corinealdi and Prentice Penny.
“Flowers never truly die,” Ralph says in the video. “They are as strong as the stories we tell. You may clip them but they will grow again. We are forever in bloom.”
The tag at the end of the video reads, “Celebrate Black Stories.” An expanded 30-second spot will debut later this month.
The campaign is intended to highlight Disney’s Black History Month television programming, which includes “Abbott Elementary” Season 3, premiering Feb. 7 on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu. The two-episode premiere of the Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X series, “Genius: MLK/X,” takes place on National Geographic on Feb. 1 along with a special simulcast on ABC.
Variety has the exclusive first look at the launch of the Giving Flowers initiative, a video spot featuring Ralph, Chandra Wilson, Glynn Turman, Emayatzy Corinealdi and Prentice Penny.
“Flowers never truly die,” Ralph says in the video. “They are as strong as the stories we tell. You may clip them but they will grow again. We are forever in bloom.”
The tag at the end of the video reads, “Celebrate Black Stories.” An expanded 30-second spot will debut later this month.
The campaign is intended to highlight Disney’s Black History Month television programming, which includes “Abbott Elementary” Season 3, premiering Feb. 7 on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu. The two-episode premiere of the Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X series, “Genius: MLK/X,” takes place on National Geographic on Feb. 1 along with a special simulcast on ABC.
- 2/2/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Portraying venerated Civil Rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X is a tall order for anyone, but Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier) and Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) certainly rise to the occasion in National Geographic’s powerful anthology Genius: MLK/X from Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood.
The eight-episode limited series, which premiered the first two episodes on Thursday, offers an intimate look at both men as husbands, fathers and eventual leaders of the Movement. Harrison and Pierre, who play King and Malcolm X respectively, deftly handle the intimidating task with a thoughtfulness and confidence that...
The eight-episode limited series, which premiered the first two episodes on Thursday, offers an intimate look at both men as husbands, fathers and eventual leaders of the Movement. Harrison and Pierre, who play King and Malcolm X respectively, deftly handle the intimidating task with a thoughtfulness and confidence that...
- 2/2/2024
- by Keisha Hatchett
- TVLine.com
On February 1, 2024, National Geographic premiered the fourth season of “Genius,” which centers on two icons of the civil rights movement: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. “Genius: MLK/X” stars Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Aaron Pierre in the titular roles, with a supporting cast that includes Weruche Opia, Jayme Lawson, Jalyn Hall and the late Ron Cephas Jones.
The limited series puts an intense focus on the formative years of Martin and Malcolm, showing how their experiences and relationships as young children and teens shaped and influenced the iconic figures they would become. Malcolm’s release from prison and Martin’s graduation from Boston University begin their respective journeys that will one day change the nation, but also begin a budding rivalry.
Executive produced by Reggie Rock Bythewood, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the pilot episode is written by playwright Jeff Stetson (“The Meeting”) and directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples.
The limited series puts an intense focus on the formative years of Martin and Malcolm, showing how their experiences and relationships as young children and teens shaped and influenced the iconic figures they would become. Malcolm’s release from prison and Martin’s graduation from Boston University begin their respective journeys that will one day change the nation, but also begin a budding rivalry.
Executive produced by Reggie Rock Bythewood, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the pilot episode is written by playwright Jeff Stetson (“The Meeting”) and directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples.
- 2/2/2024
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
The stories of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. are told in parallel for a reason in Genius: MLK/X. “They’ve been depicted as diametrically opposed,” Aaron Pierre, who plays X in the NatGeo anthology series. “I think something we discovered during this journey, in this process, is that they were, yes, two tremendous forces and powers, but they weren’t opposing forces and powers.” This much is expressed in the opening sequence of the series, which can be viewed in the video above. The scene takes place during Malcolm X and MLK’s (played by Kelvin Harrison Jr.) chance meeting on March 26, 1964, at the U.S. Senate for the outcome of the vote for the Civil Rights Act. From the onset, they are both aware of the media’s influence in their portrayals, and in the footage above, see the two ask who will be hurt most...
- 2/1/2024
- TV Insider
Despite living in the same era and working toward similar goals, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X only met once. Fittingly, they came together at the U.S. Capitol, where both men worked to ensure the Civil Rights Act of 1964 earned Congressional approval. The meeting was courteous, though not without risk, and its brevity was considered unsurprising at the time. King, a Christian minister, and Malcolm X, who had left the Nation of Islam to continue preaching his Muslim faith independently, were both Black leaders and human rights activists, but their methods and associations mostly kept them on parallel tracks. Moreover, it would’ve been easy to assume this was just the first time they would meet, not the only time.
Tragedy made a reunion impossible, and their solo encounter has sparked continued reflections on what could’ve been from historians, authors, and artists of all kinds. The latest...
Tragedy made a reunion impossible, and their solo encounter has sparked continued reflections on what could’ve been from historians, authors, and artists of all kinds. The latest...
- 2/1/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Samuel L. Jackson, Jeffrey Wright, and David Oyelowo have all portrayed civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., whose Atlanta sit-ins, Montgomery bus boycotts, and peaceful protests desegregated the nation. When Kelvin Harrison Jr. was first offered the role, he was overwhelmed by the weight of the historical figure and turned it down.
“I still was a little bit scared and unsure if that was something that I needed to be participating in,” Harrison tells Rolling Stone. “I didn’t really see what I could offer in this moment, and...
“I still was a little bit scared and unsure if that was something that I needed to be participating in,” Harrison tells Rolling Stone. “I didn’t really see what I could offer in this moment, and...
- 2/1/2024
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
Ready for a peek inside the personal lives of two of the most influential men in American history? That’s what you’ll get in the two-episode premiere on Thursday, Feb. 1 of the Emmy Award-winning anthology series, “Genius: MLK/X.” Experience the formative years and key personal relationships of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) as they develop their dueling philosophies towards the same end: racial equality. The eight-part series will also explore each man’s relationship with his wife, Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia), and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson), who proves to be as important to the Civil Rights Movement as the men they stand beside. “Genius: MLK/X” premieres Feb. 1 on National Geographic and streams Feb. 2 on Disney+ and Hulu. You can watch Genius: MLK/X with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. You can also watch with Sling TV, Hulu Live TV,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Thomas Waschenfelder
- The Streamable
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.