After collaborating with Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films and Scott Sanders Productions on Warner Bros’ The Color Purple, in which she portrayed the character of Squeak, actress and musician H.E.R. is getting back into the business with the companies on a Majorettes-inspired project for 20th Century Studios that she’ll develop, produce and topline.
An untitled dance movie set at a fictional Historically Black College in Atlanta, pic’s story follows an introverted ballet dancer from L.A. who defies her parents by putting her thriving dance career on hold to go to college. There, she joins her Hbcu’s struggling majorette team and attempts to overcome culture shock, her stuffy dance background and fierce rivals to help return the team to its former glory.
Beyond providing cultural connection and entertainment, the Majorettes have maintained a major presence on Hbcu campuses for over 50 years. The majorette dance style, which combines elements of jazz,...
An untitled dance movie set at a fictional Historically Black College in Atlanta, pic’s story follows an introverted ballet dancer from L.A. who defies her parents by putting her thriving dance career on hold to go to college. There, she joins her Hbcu’s struggling majorette team and attempts to overcome culture shock, her stuffy dance background and fierce rivals to help return the team to its former glory.
Beyond providing cultural connection and entertainment, the Majorettes have maintained a major presence on Hbcu campuses for over 50 years. The majorette dance style, which combines elements of jazz,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
H.E.R., the Oscar, Emmy, and five-time Grammy award-winning musical artist who made her feature acting debut with the recent The Color Purple musical adaptation, is keeping her movie career marching along.
The multi-hyphenate is set to develop, produce, and star in a majorettes-inspired project set up at 20th Century Studios.
The untitled project reteams her with Oprah Winfrey and Scott Sanders, her producers on Color Purple. Fascinated by the majorettes and their impact on Black culture, H.E.R. approached Winfrey and Sanders with this project after working with them on Color Purple. The duo will produce alongside H.E.R., with Winfrey producing via her Harpo Films, and Sanders through Scott Sanders Productions.
Lauren Ashley Smith has been tapped to pen the script for what is being described as dance movie set at a fictional Historically Black College or University (Hbcu) in Atlanta. The story follows an introverted ballet dancer from L.
The multi-hyphenate is set to develop, produce, and star in a majorettes-inspired project set up at 20th Century Studios.
The untitled project reteams her with Oprah Winfrey and Scott Sanders, her producers on Color Purple. Fascinated by the majorettes and their impact on Black culture, H.E.R. approached Winfrey and Sanders with this project after working with them on Color Purple. The duo will produce alongside H.E.R., with Winfrey producing via her Harpo Films, and Sanders through Scott Sanders Productions.
Lauren Ashley Smith has been tapped to pen the script for what is being described as dance movie set at a fictional Historically Black College or University (Hbcu) in Atlanta. The story follows an introverted ballet dancer from L.
- 4/25/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jonica “Jojo” T. Gibbs is a American actress and comedian who is best known for her inspiring performance as Hattie in the hit comedy BET television series Twenties.
Jonica Gibbs Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Jonica Gibbs was born in Jackson, Aiken County, South Carolina and was raised by her great-grandparents in Hampstead, North Carolina. For college, Gibbs attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. However, poor experiences with faculty members in the department wound up discouraging Gibbs from pursuing journalism as a profession. After graduating, Gibbs found employment working a handful of jobs, including as a substitute teacher, all while acting in several student films at Savannah College of Art and Design.
Jonica Gibbs Biography: Career
In 2015, Gibbs relocated to Los Angeles, California in order to pursue acting full-time, just one year after she started with stand-up comedy.
Jonica Gibbs Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Jonica Gibbs was born in Jackson, Aiken County, South Carolina and was raised by her great-grandparents in Hampstead, North Carolina. For college, Gibbs attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. However, poor experiences with faculty members in the department wound up discouraging Gibbs from pursuing journalism as a profession. After graduating, Gibbs found employment working a handful of jobs, including as a substitute teacher, all while acting in several student films at Savannah College of Art and Design.
Jonica Gibbs Biography: Career
In 2015, Gibbs relocated to Los Angeles, California in order to pursue acting full-time, just one year after she started with stand-up comedy.
- 8/26/2023
- by Trevor Hanuka
- Uinterview
Black-ish star Marsai Martin is leading a scripted podcast remake of YA novel Free to Fall – the first project for fledgling podcast company Scripty.
Martin stars in and is exec producing the audio series in which she voices 16-year-old Rory Vaughn, who after her acceptance into an elite boarding school, uncovers a powerful secret society with mysterious connections to her late mother. It is based on the YA novel written by Lauren Miller
Rory begins questioning society’s reliance on the decision-making app Lux, voiced by You’s Tati Gabrielle, and instead, starts listening to the inner voice she’s been taught to ignore—a choice that leads her to uncover a truth neither she nor the world ever saw coming.
Queen & Slim’s Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Away’s Talitha Bateman and Black Lightning’s Jahking Guillory also star alongside Jason Genao (On My Block), Victoria Vida (Project MC2), McKinley Freeman...
Martin stars in and is exec producing the audio series in which she voices 16-year-old Rory Vaughn, who after her acceptance into an elite boarding school, uncovers a powerful secret society with mysterious connections to her late mother. It is based on the YA novel written by Lauren Miller
Rory begins questioning society’s reliance on the decision-making app Lux, voiced by You’s Tati Gabrielle, and instead, starts listening to the inner voice she’s been taught to ignore—a choice that leads her to uncover a truth neither she nor the world ever saw coming.
Queen & Slim’s Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Away’s Talitha Bateman and Black Lightning’s Jahking Guillory also star alongside Jason Genao (On My Block), Victoria Vida (Project MC2), McKinley Freeman...
- 5/10/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Walt Disney-owned 20th Century Studios has added four new creative executives to its roster under production president Steve Asbell.
Asbell, who succeeded Emma Watts in the top job last March, welcomes a slew of pedigreed creatives to his team including Sarah Shepard, Brian Dukes, Rashonda Joplin and Catherine Hughes.
“They are all stellar executives, and we’re fortunate to have them on board at a pivotal moment in our studio’s history, as we prepare to greatly expand our streaming output alongside our slate of theatrical films,” Asbell told Variety.
The upcoming 20th slate includes the Ryan Reynolds comedy action film “Free Guy,” the ensemble murder mystery “Death on the Nile,” “The King’s Man” and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” The four new hires complement a creative team that includes Scott Aversano, J. R. Young and Colin Greten.
Shepard joins 20th as senior vice president of production, moving over...
Asbell, who succeeded Emma Watts in the top job last March, welcomes a slew of pedigreed creatives to his team including Sarah Shepard, Brian Dukes, Rashonda Joplin and Catherine Hughes.
“They are all stellar executives, and we’re fortunate to have them on board at a pivotal moment in our studio’s history, as we prepare to greatly expand our streaming output alongside our slate of theatrical films,” Asbell told Variety.
The upcoming 20th slate includes the Ryan Reynolds comedy action film “Free Guy,” the ensemble murder mystery “Death on the Nile,” “The King’s Man” and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” The four new hires complement a creative team that includes Scott Aversano, J. R. Young and Colin Greten.
Shepard joins 20th as senior vice president of production, moving over...
- 2/19/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Twenty-seven new television pilots developed by creators of color have been funded through Seed&Spark’s “Keep it Colorful” crowdfunding effort, Variety has learned exclusively.
The pilots run the gamut of genres, including comedy, drama, sci-fi and animation, and many of them center on themes involving women and Lgbtq individuals.
“We are showing the industry there is a very solid and viable pipeline of talent and projects from creators of color even if they are not yet represented by agencies or don’t have deals with studios,” said Emily Best, founder and CEO of Seed&Spark. “We are going beyond the notion of ‘inclusion’ to just change the entertainment industry to reflect the world in which we actually live by getting work made and seen.”
There were approximately 50 content creators of color who entered the crowdfunding rally during “Keep it Colorful.” The 27 that met their financial goal will move forward into production.
The pilots run the gamut of genres, including comedy, drama, sci-fi and animation, and many of them center on themes involving women and Lgbtq individuals.
“We are showing the industry there is a very solid and viable pipeline of talent and projects from creators of color even if they are not yet represented by agencies or don’t have deals with studios,” said Emily Best, founder and CEO of Seed&Spark. “We are going beyond the notion of ‘inclusion’ to just change the entertainment industry to reflect the world in which we actually live by getting work made and seen.”
There were approximately 50 content creators of color who entered the crowdfunding rally during “Keep it Colorful.” The 27 that met their financial goal will move forward into production.
- 10/30/2018
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
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