My guest this week is Karen Pittman. She’s hit the headlines lately for her reported departure from the Max show And Just Like That…, and in this episode of 20 Questions on Deadline she explains why she won’t be back for Season 3.
Leaving the show was, Pittman said, purely due to a scheduling issue with her new upcoming Netflix series Forever and work on Season 4 of Apple TV+ series The Morning Show.
“There’s a lot of things that went into making that decision. In a perfect world I would have been able to come back and do it. We don’t live in a perfect world… I wish the girls good luck for Season 3. I’m going to be cheering them on. But I was disappointed that Nya wasn’t coming back, but I hope that she lives in the imagination of the audience, still walking around New York City.
Leaving the show was, Pittman said, purely due to a scheduling issue with her new upcoming Netflix series Forever and work on Season 4 of Apple TV+ series The Morning Show.
“There’s a lot of things that went into making that decision. In a perfect world I would have been able to come back and do it. We don’t live in a perfect world… I wish the girls good luck for Season 3. I’m going to be cheering them on. But I was disappointed that Nya wasn’t coming back, but I hope that she lives in the imagination of the audience, still walking around New York City.
- 4/4/2024
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Adriyan Rae lands recurring role on Netflix’s Forever created by Mara Brock Akil.
Forever is a reimagination of the 1975 novel by Judy Blume and follows the epic love story of two Black teens exploring their identities through the awkward — and moving — journey of being each other’s firsts in 2018 Los Angeles. Like its inspiration, the show will examine “the idea of your first love being with you forever,” said Brock Akil, who created acclaimed stories of Black love and growth like sitcom Girlfriends and drama Being Mary Jane. She was also a writer on the YA comedy Moesha.
Oscar winner Regina King (One Night in Miami) will serve as executive producer and will direct the first episode.
Rae will portray Brittany, one of Keisha’s older cousins, and is described as a social climber who looks out for Keisha and her well-being like an older sister—even if...
Forever is a reimagination of the 1975 novel by Judy Blume and follows the epic love story of two Black teens exploring their identities through the awkward — and moving — journey of being each other’s firsts in 2018 Los Angeles. Like its inspiration, the show will examine “the idea of your first love being with you forever,” said Brock Akil, who created acclaimed stories of Black love and growth like sitcom Girlfriends and drama Being Mary Jane. She was also a writer on the YA comedy Moesha.
Oscar winner Regina King (One Night in Miami) will serve as executive producer and will direct the first episode.
Rae will portray Brittany, one of Keisha’s older cousins, and is described as a social climber who looks out for Keisha and her well-being like an older sister—even if...
- 4/2/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Karen Pittman — who played Dr. Nya Wallace on “And Just Like That” since the “Sex and the City” revival premiered in 2021 — will not return for Season 3.
After two seasons on the “Sex and the City” revival series on Max, the streamer announced that Pittman would not reprise her character for the upcoming season, due to scheduling conflicts.
“It has been a joy to have Karen Pittman play the smart and stunning Professor Nya Wallace on the first two seasons of ‘And Just Like That,'” a Max spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “As we have thoroughly enjoyed working with this dynamic actress, so too have others. Due to her commitments to two other streamer series, it has become apparent that filming three shows at once isn’t possible. Due to the production realities, we are disappointed to announce that scheduling conflicts will not allow us to continue with...
After two seasons on the “Sex and the City” revival series on Max, the streamer announced that Pittman would not reprise her character for the upcoming season, due to scheduling conflicts.
“It has been a joy to have Karen Pittman play the smart and stunning Professor Nya Wallace on the first two seasons of ‘And Just Like That,'” a Max spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “As we have thoroughly enjoyed working with this dynamic actress, so too have others. Due to her commitments to two other streamer series, it has become apparent that filming three shows at once isn’t possible. Due to the production realities, we are disappointed to announce that scheduling conflicts will not allow us to continue with...
- 3/22/2024
- by Meredith Woerner
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: A fan-favorite character is leaving And Just Like That… Karen Pittman, who played Nya Wallace in the first two seasons of the Sex and the City sequel, will not be returning for the upcoming third season of the hit Max series.
Pittman was already a series regular on Apple TV+’s The Morning Show when she was cast in And Just Like That…, originally as a recurring in Season 1; she was upped to a series regular in Season 2. Earlier this month, she also was tapped for a starring role in Forever, Netflix’s upcoming drama series reimagining Judy Blume’s novel from Mara Brock Akil.
This put Pittman in the middle of a scheduling conundrum involving three high-profile series on three major streamers filming new seasons this year within similar timeframes.
According to sources, there was every intention for Pittman to be in Season 3 of Ajlt, and Nya was written into the scripts.
Pittman was already a series regular on Apple TV+’s The Morning Show when she was cast in And Just Like That…, originally as a recurring in Season 1; she was upped to a series regular in Season 2. Earlier this month, she also was tapped for a starring role in Forever, Netflix’s upcoming drama series reimagining Judy Blume’s novel from Mara Brock Akil.
This put Pittman in the middle of a scheduling conundrum involving three high-profile series on three major streamers filming new seasons this year within similar timeframes.
According to sources, there was every intention for Pittman to be in Season 3 of Ajlt, and Nya was written into the scripts.
- 3/22/2024
- by Rosy Cordero and Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Love Lies Bleeding, Girls5Eva, Kung Fu Panda 4 and Damsel.
Only Murders in the Building FYC screening
Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Meryl Streep took part in an Emmy FYC screening and Q&a on the Paramount lot on March 1, alongside showrunner John Hoffman and songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Martin Short, Meryl Streep, Benj Pasek, John Hoffman, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Jane Lynch and Justin Paul
Damsel premiere
Millie Bobby Brown and Robin Wright walked the carpet on March 1 at the NYC premiere of their new Netflix film. Brown was also supported by fiancé Jake Bongiovi and his parents, Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley.
Millie Bobby Brown and Robin Wright Jake Bongiovi, Millie Bobby Brown, Dorothea Hurley and Jon Bon Jovi
Kung Fu Panda 4 premiere
Jack Black,...
Only Murders in the Building FYC screening
Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Meryl Streep took part in an Emmy FYC screening and Q&a on the Paramount lot on March 1, alongside showrunner John Hoffman and songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Martin Short, Meryl Streep, Benj Pasek, John Hoffman, Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Jane Lynch and Justin Paul
Damsel premiere
Millie Bobby Brown and Robin Wright walked the carpet on March 1 at the NYC premiere of their new Netflix film. Brown was also supported by fiancé Jake Bongiovi and his parents, Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley.
Millie Bobby Brown and Robin Wright Jake Bongiovi, Millie Bobby Brown, Dorothea Hurley and Jon Bon Jovi
Kung Fu Panda 4 premiere
Jack Black,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“And Just Like That” and The Morning Show” star Karen Pittman is adding to her stacked TV slate by joining Mara Brock Akil’s “Forever” alongside “The Wire” alum and “Creed” franchise stalwart Wood Harris.
Brock Akil’s highly-anticipated adaptation of Judy Blum’s 1975 Judy Blume novel “Forever” was originally ordered at Netflix in 2022 under the “Girlfriends” creator’s overall deal.
Last month, Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. were announced to star in the series, described as “an epic love story of two Black teens (Keisha and Justin) exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.”
Pittman and Harris play Justin’s parents Dawn and Eric, who are navigating parenting during a time of heightened awareness around the lack of safety for Black boys in America.
Pittman‘s Dawn is a college-educated, top executive in corporate finance with...
Brock Akil’s highly-anticipated adaptation of Judy Blum’s 1975 Judy Blume novel “Forever” was originally ordered at Netflix in 2022 under the “Girlfriends” creator’s overall deal.
Last month, Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. were announced to star in the series, described as “an epic love story of two Black teens (Keisha and Justin) exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.”
Pittman and Harris play Justin’s parents Dawn and Eric, who are navigating parenting during a time of heightened awareness around the lack of safety for Black boys in America.
Pittman‘s Dawn is a college-educated, top executive in corporate finance with...
- 3/7/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Few feelings are more unforgettable than first love: The passion. The butterflies. The heartbreak! Megaproducer Mara Brock Akil clearly agrees, as she’s about to tackle one of the most impactful first-love stories of all time: Forever by young adult icon Judy Blume.
A reimagination of the 1975 novel, the upcoming series will follow the epic love story of two Black teens exploring their identities through the awkward — and moving — journey of being each other’s capital-f Firsts in 2018 Los Angeles. Like its inspiration, the show will examine “the idea of your first love being with you forever,” said Brock Akil, who created acclaimed stories of Black love and growth like sitcom Girlfriends and drama Being Mary Jane. She was also a writer on touchstone ’90s YA comedy Moesha.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced...
A reimagination of the 1975 novel, the upcoming series will follow the epic love story of two Black teens exploring their identities through the awkward — and moving — journey of being each other’s capital-f Firsts in 2018 Los Angeles. Like its inspiration, the show will examine “the idea of your first love being with you forever,” said Brock Akil, who created acclaimed stories of Black love and growth like sitcom Girlfriends and drama Being Mary Jane. She was also a writer on touchstone ’90s YA comedy Moesha.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced...
- 3/7/2024
- by Ariana Romero
- Tudum - Netflix
Karen Pittman (The Morning Show) and The Wire alum Wood Harris are set as leads opposite Michael Cooper Jr. and Lovie Simone in Forever, Netflix’s upcoming drama series from Girlfriends and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil.
A reimagining of Judy Blume’s influential — and controversial — 1975 novel Forever… for a new generation, the series adaptation tells the epic love story of two Black teens, Keisha Clark (Simone) and Justin Edwards (Cooper Jr.) exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.
Pittman plays Dawn, a college-educated, top executive in corporate finance with an easy elegance that belies her loving but paranoid form of parenting, Justin’s (Cooper Jr.) mother Dawn might be strict at times, but it’s always out of love. She’s worked hard to give him the things he needs to succeed in life and...
A reimagining of Judy Blume’s influential — and controversial — 1975 novel Forever… for a new generation, the series adaptation tells the epic love story of two Black teens, Keisha Clark (Simone) and Justin Edwards (Cooper Jr.) exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.
Pittman plays Dawn, a college-educated, top executive in corporate finance with an easy elegance that belies her loving but paranoid form of parenting, Justin’s (Cooper Jr.) mother Dawn might be strict at times, but it’s always out of love. She’s worked hard to give him the things he needs to succeed in life and...
- 3/7/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Taraji P. Henson is going to keep telling her truth.
As she took the stage at the 2024 ABFF Honors on Sunday night, “The Color Purple” star pointed to a tattoo on her left bicep that spells out those words exactly: “The Truth.”
“If you are alive and God blessed you with another day to live, it is your job to tell your truth,” Henson told the crowd gathered for the American Black Film Festival’s marquee gala. “Because by you telling your truth, you set yourself free and somebody else free. When we stay quiet, nothing changes. The squeaky wheel gets fixed.”
That ideology is something Henson’s learned to keep close over the years, particularly when it comes to navigating Hollywood.
Late last year, Henson spoke her truth and sparked an important conversation about the unique challenges Black actresses face. She used her platform during “The Color Purple” press...
As she took the stage at the 2024 ABFF Honors on Sunday night, “The Color Purple” star pointed to a tattoo on her left bicep that spells out those words exactly: “The Truth.”
“If you are alive and God blessed you with another day to live, it is your job to tell your truth,” Henson told the crowd gathered for the American Black Film Festival’s marquee gala. “Because by you telling your truth, you set yourself free and somebody else free. When we stay quiet, nothing changes. The squeaky wheel gets fixed.”
That ideology is something Henson’s learned to keep close over the years, particularly when it comes to navigating Hollywood.
Late last year, Henson spoke her truth and sparked an important conversation about the unique challenges Black actresses face. She used her platform during “The Color Purple” press...
- 3/5/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Taraji P. Henson showed off one of her tattoos as she took to the stage at the American Black Film Festival Honors on Sunday night.
“I got this tattoo a year ago, ‘The truth,’” she said, raising her left arm to the crowd, “because at the end of the day, that’s all we have, our truth. And if you are alive and God blessed you with another day to live, it is your time to tell the truth. Because by you telling the truth, you’re setting yourself free and somebody else free. But if you stay quiet, nothing changes.”
Henson was the female recipient of ABFF’s Excellence in the Arts Award, presented to her by longtime friend and Baby Boy co-star Tyrese. While on the promotional tour for The Color Purple at the end of last year, Henson spoke out about the pay disparity for Black actresses,...
“I got this tattoo a year ago, ‘The truth,’” she said, raising her left arm to the crowd, “because at the end of the day, that’s all we have, our truth. And if you are alive and God blessed you with another day to live, it is your time to tell the truth. Because by you telling the truth, you’re setting yourself free and somebody else free. But if you stay quiet, nothing changes.”
Henson was the female recipient of ABFF’s Excellence in the Arts Award, presented to her by longtime friend and Baby Boy co-star Tyrese. While on the promotional tour for The Color Purple at the end of last year, Henson spoke out about the pay disparity for Black actresses,...
- 3/4/2024
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Forever has its stars. Netflix has announced the cast for its upcoming teen drama from Mara Brock Akil (The Game) which is based on the 1975 Judy Blume novel of the same name. Brock Akil will serve as showrunner and Regina King will direct the first episode.
Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. will star as a pair of teens who fall in love and share each other’s firsts.
Read More…...
Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. will star as a pair of teens who fall in love and share each other’s firsts.
Read More…...
- 2/19/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. (On the Come Up) are set as the leads of Forever, Netflix’s upcoming series from Girlfriends and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil. Regina King (One Night In Miami) will direct the first episode and executive produce the series, a reimagening of Judy Blume’s influential — and controversial — 1975 novel Forever… for a new generation.
The series adaptation tells the epic love story of two Black teens, Keisha Clark (Simone) and Justin Edwards (Cooper Jr.) exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.
Simone’s Keisha Clark is a young confident, smart, and fiery track star with clear dreams for life after high school. Cooper Jr.’s Justin Edwards is a young man who is a nerd at heart disguised in an athlete’s body. Justin dreams of...
The series adaptation tells the epic love story of two Black teens, Keisha Clark (Simone) and Justin Edwards (Cooper Jr.) exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.
Simone’s Keisha Clark is a young confident, smart, and fiery track star with clear dreams for life after high school. Cooper Jr.’s Justin Edwards is a young man who is a nerd at heart disguised in an athlete’s body. Justin dreams of...
- 2/15/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Mara Brock Akil’s Netflix series adaptation of the 1975 Judy Blume novel “Forever” has found its two series leads, Variety has learned.
Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. are set to star in the series, which was originally ordered at Netflix back in 2022. In addition, Regina King has boarded the series as an executive producer and will direct the first episode.
The official logline states the series is “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.”
Simone will star as as Keisha Clark, described as “a young confident, smart, and fiery track star with clear dreams for life after high school.” Cooper will play Justin Edwards, “a young man who is a nerd at heart disguised in an athlete’s body. Justin dreams of playing D1 basketball and achieving more than his successful parents.
Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. are set to star in the series, which was originally ordered at Netflix back in 2022. In addition, Regina King has boarded the series as an executive producer and will direct the first episode.
The official logline states the series is “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.”
Simone will star as as Keisha Clark, described as “a young confident, smart, and fiery track star with clear dreams for life after high school.” Cooper will play Justin Edwards, “a young man who is a nerd at heart disguised in an athlete’s body. Justin dreams of playing D1 basketball and achieving more than his successful parents.
- 2/15/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
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
Exclusive: The American Black Film Festival Honors said Tuesday that Kelvin Harrison Jr. is the recipient of its 2024 Rising Star Award, presented to a contemporary artist in acknowledgement of their success and future promise in the film and television industry.
The 2024 ABFF Honors will take place March 3 at the Sls hotel in Beverly Hills, hosted by Tommy Davidson.
As previously announced, the ABFF Honors will also celebrate Garrett Morris, Taraji P. Henson, Jeffrey Wright and Mara Brock Akil. The ABFF Fan Favorite Movie of the Year will also be announced at the ceremony among nominees A Thousand and One, directed by A.V. Rockwell; American Fiction, directed by Cord Jefferson; Origin, directed by Ava DuVernay; The Color Purple, directed by Blitz Bazawule; They Cloned Tyrone, directed by Juel Taylor; and The Equalizer 3, directed by Antoine Fuqua.
“It is amazing to see ABFF honorees,...
The 2024 ABFF Honors will take place March 3 at the Sls hotel in Beverly Hills, hosted by Tommy Davidson.
As previously announced, the ABFF Honors will also celebrate Garrett Morris, Taraji P. Henson, Jeffrey Wright and Mara Brock Akil. The ABFF Fan Favorite Movie of the Year will also be announced at the ceremony among nominees A Thousand and One, directed by A.V. Rockwell; American Fiction, directed by Cord Jefferson; Origin, directed by Ava DuVernay; The Color Purple, directed by Blitz Bazawule; They Cloned Tyrone, directed by Juel Taylor; and The Equalizer 3, directed by Antoine Fuqua.
“It is amazing to see ABFF honorees,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Taking place amid the crush of parties surrounding the 2024 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala — with its black-tie Black designer dress code — drew one of the most gorgeously turned out crowds of the entire bash-filled weekend.
Held for the first time in L.A. and hosted by Robin Thede, the gala raised money for the nonprofit equity organization Fifteen Percent Pledge, founded by Brother Vellies designer Aurora James, which asks retailers to devote 15 percent of shelf space to products from Black-owned brands.
First Lady Jill Biden, wearing designer Sergio Hudson, made a surprise appearance at the event, held on the lot at Paramount Studios. She touted the achievements her husband’s administration has made to help small and minority-owned businesses (including doubling the amount of loans given by the government to small Black-owned companies) and praised James for founding the Fifteen Percent Pledge in the wake...
Held for the first time in L.A. and hosted by Robin Thede, the gala raised money for the nonprofit equity organization Fifteen Percent Pledge, founded by Brother Vellies designer Aurora James, which asks retailers to devote 15 percent of shelf space to products from Black-owned brands.
First Lady Jill Biden, wearing designer Sergio Hudson, made a surprise appearance at the event, held on the lot at Paramount Studios. She touted the achievements her husband’s administration has made to help small and minority-owned businesses (including doubling the amount of loans given by the government to small Black-owned companies) and praised James for founding the Fifteen Percent Pledge in the wake...
- 2/4/2024
- by Degen Pener
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Taraji P. Henson, Jeffrey Wright, Garrett Morris and Mara Brock Akil are the honorees of the 6th American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors.
The annual awards ceremony recognizes excellence in the motion picture and television industry. Actor and comedian Tommy Davidson will host the gala set to take place on Sunday, March 3rd at the Sls hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
Henson will be presented with the Excellence in the Arts Award (Female) for her body of work, which includes Empire, Hidden Figures, and The Color Purple.
Wright will receive the Excellence in the Arts Award (Male) recognizing his body of work, which includes Basquiat, Westworld and American Fiction.
Morris, an actor, comedian, writer, singer, and the first Black cast member of Saturday Night Live, will be honored with the Hollywood Legacy Award.
Screenwriter and producer Akil of Girlfriends, The Game and Being Mary Jane, will receive the Industry Visionary Award.
The annual awards ceremony recognizes excellence in the motion picture and television industry. Actor and comedian Tommy Davidson will host the gala set to take place on Sunday, March 3rd at the Sls hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
Henson will be presented with the Excellence in the Arts Award (Female) for her body of work, which includes Empire, Hidden Figures, and The Color Purple.
Wright will receive the Excellence in the Arts Award (Male) recognizing his body of work, which includes Basquiat, Westworld and American Fiction.
Morris, an actor, comedian, writer, singer, and the first Black cast member of Saturday Night Live, will be honored with the Hollywood Legacy Award.
Screenwriter and producer Akil of Girlfriends, The Game and Being Mary Jane, will receive the Industry Visionary Award.
- 1/25/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) has revealed its honorees for its annual awards ceremony: This year, Garrett Morris, Taraji P. Henson, Jeffrey Wright and Mara Brock Akil will be recipients of special awards.
Morris, actor, comedian and first Black castmember of Saturday Night Live, is receiving the Hollywood Legacy Award, which is “presented to a trailblazing artists whose work (four decades or more) has inspired generations and made an enduring contribution to film and television.” Henson, who is a Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated actress, is receiving the Excellence in the Arts Award (Female), which honors “a highly acclaimed artist in recognition of their body of work and distinguished career achievement.”
The Excellence in the Arts Award (Male) will be awarded to Wright, who is Oscar-nominated this year for his work in American Fiction. The Industry Visionary Award will be presented to screenwriter and producer Akil (Girlfriends, The Game,...
Morris, actor, comedian and first Black castmember of Saturday Night Live, is receiving the Hollywood Legacy Award, which is “presented to a trailblazing artists whose work (four decades or more) has inspired generations and made an enduring contribution to film and television.” Henson, who is a Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated actress, is receiving the Excellence in the Arts Award (Female), which honors “a highly acclaimed artist in recognition of their body of work and distinguished career achievement.”
The Excellence in the Arts Award (Male) will be awarded to Wright, who is Oscar-nominated this year for his work in American Fiction. The Industry Visionary Award will be presented to screenwriter and producer Akil (Girlfriends, The Game,...
- 1/24/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Taraji P. Henson, Jeffrey Wright, Garrett Morris and Mara Brock Akil will be saluted at the sixth annual ABFF Honors, presented by Nice Crowd.
Founded in 2016, ABFF Honors is the American Black Film Festival’s awards season gala, dedicated to recognizing excellence in the motion picture and television industry. The intimate, non-televised dinner, to be held at the Sls in Beverly Hills on March 3, will be hosted by actor and comedian Tommy Davidson.
Henson and Wright — who sat down last year for Variety’s Actors on Actors series to discuss their turns in “The Color Purple” and “American Fiction,” respectively — will receive the Excellence in the Arts awards, presented in recognition of their body of work and career achievement. News comes a day after Wright earned his first Academy Award nomination for the role, adding to a trophy case that already includes Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony awards; meanwhile, the...
Founded in 2016, ABFF Honors is the American Black Film Festival’s awards season gala, dedicated to recognizing excellence in the motion picture and television industry. The intimate, non-televised dinner, to be held at the Sls in Beverly Hills on March 3, will be hosted by actor and comedian Tommy Davidson.
Henson and Wright — who sat down last year for Variety’s Actors on Actors series to discuss their turns in “The Color Purple” and “American Fiction,” respectively — will receive the Excellence in the Arts awards, presented in recognition of their body of work and career achievement. News comes a day after Wright earned his first Academy Award nomination for the role, adding to a trophy case that already includes Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony awards; meanwhile, the...
- 1/24/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
We sat down with Roger Ross Williams, Ibram X Kendi & Mara Brock Akil to talk about the importance of their new film – Netflix’s Stamped from the Beginning. Directed by Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams, based on Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s New York Times best-selling book of the same name, it exposes the long-standing and powerful presence of anti-black racism in American history, using vivid animations and leading female scholars to explore the history of anti-Black racist ideas.
Leading female academics and activists such as Dr. Angela Davis, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Dr. Jennifer L. Morgan, and Dr. Kendi guide viewers through a searing account of how racist tropes and imagery were developed and enshrined in American culture
Linda Marric asks the questions.
Stamped from the Beginning is available to watch on Netflix now.
Stamped from the Beginning Interviews
The post Stamped from the Beginning Interviews – Roger Ross Williams,...
Leading female academics and activists such as Dr. Angela Davis, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Dr. Jennifer L. Morgan, and Dr. Kendi guide viewers through a searing account of how racist tropes and imagery were developed and enshrined in American culture
Linda Marric asks the questions.
Stamped from the Beginning is available to watch on Netflix now.
Stamped from the Beginning Interviews
The post Stamped from the Beginning Interviews – Roger Ross Williams,...
- 11/22/2023
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Stamped From the Beginning, the latest work from prolific Academy Award-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams, got a trailer and a release date from Netflix.
The feature revolves around the New York Times best-selling book, which chronicles the long history and frightening power of anti-black racism in America. Williams’ latest project joins a growing list of high-profile projects set to debut on the streaming service in the fall.
Stamped from the Beginning | Official Trailer
The latest trailer of Stamped From the Beginning is a documentary examining the roots of racist thinking in North America and how it evolved.
Stamped From The Beginning, as shown in the trailer, will combine live-action, animation, and interview styles to create an incredibly distinct film.
Meanwhile, we’ll learn some forgotten – and sometimes untold – stories about how the United States was built as a nation that ignored its Black history and how it’s long past time to rectify this.
The feature revolves around the New York Times best-selling book, which chronicles the long history and frightening power of anti-black racism in America. Williams’ latest project joins a growing list of high-profile projects set to debut on the streaming service in the fall.
Stamped from the Beginning | Official Trailer
The latest trailer of Stamped From the Beginning is a documentary examining the roots of racist thinking in North America and how it evolved.
Stamped From The Beginning, as shown in the trailer, will combine live-action, animation, and interview styles to create an incredibly distinct film.
Meanwhile, we’ll learn some forgotten – and sometimes untold – stories about how the United States was built as a nation that ignored its Black history and how it’s long past time to rectify this.
- 11/4/2023
- by Mantisha
- https://dailyresearchplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/new-sam
Netflix’s trailer for Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams’ Stamped From the Beginning features clips of female scholars discussing the connection between the United States’ history of racism and the history of power. The documentary based on Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s bestselling book will premiere on November 10, 2023 in select theaters, followed by a release on the streaming service on November 20.
“When we started looking at historians and scholars, we came up with a long list. I noticed the pattern that most of the people doing the work around racism in America were Black women,” stated director Williams in an interview on Netflix’s Tudum. “I asked them in pre-interviews, ‘Why do you do this work?’ And many of them said the same thing — that they had no choice. This was their experience and their life. And if they’re going to dedicate their life to something, it’s going...
“When we started looking at historians and scholars, we came up with a long list. I noticed the pattern that most of the people doing the work around racism in America were Black women,” stated director Williams in an interview on Netflix’s Tudum. “I asked them in pre-interviews, ‘Why do you do this work?’ And many of them said the same thing — that they had no choice. This was their experience and their life. And if they’re going to dedicate their life to something, it’s going...
- 10/30/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
"I love all of the things that Blackness have given America, whether or not America acknowledges it." Ooh yes, say it. Speak it. Netflix has revealed an official trailer for a documentary film called Stamped From the Beginning, arriving in theaters and for streaming on Netflix later in November this fall. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, with stops at AFI Fest and Doc NYC. Directed and produced by Roger Ross Williams, Stamped From the Beginning is executive produced by Dr. Kendi and NAACP Image Award winner Mara Brock Akil. Oscar-winning director Williams brings Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's best-selling book titled Stamped From the Beginning to life, using vivid animations and leading female scholars to explore the history of anti-Black racist ideas. Described in rave reviews as "an important & eye-opening film that should be seen by everyone everywhere as it challenges conventional thought on the relationship between Black people and America.
- 10/30/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Writer and producer Mara Brock Akil can now add actress to her resume. Known for creating such shows as Love Is, Being Mary Jane, The Game and Girlfriends, Brock Akil stars in a new action-adventure-style campaign video directed by Tyler, the Creator. It celebrates the latest collaboration between his sporty le Fleur clothing line and iconic label Lacoste.
The Lacoste x le Fleur capsule collection, available at lacoste.com and golflefleur.com, includes everything from a Varsity jacket and a knit cardigan to polo shirts, alpaca wool sweater vests, socks, T-shirts, pleated trousers and skirts, and even Swarovski pearl necklaces and bracelets, with prices ranging from $45 to $895 (for the Varsity jacket.) Logo details on the pieces include chainstitch embroidery with the word le Fleur as well as the Lacoste crocodile with Fleur printed on it.
Related: How Veteran Screenwriter and Producer Mara Brock Akil Is Supporting Writers With Nail Polish...
The Lacoste x le Fleur capsule collection, available at lacoste.com and golflefleur.com, includes everything from a Varsity jacket and a knit cardigan to polo shirts, alpaca wool sweater vests, socks, T-shirts, pleated trousers and skirts, and even Swarovski pearl necklaces and bracelets, with prices ranging from $45 to $895 (for the Varsity jacket.) Logo details on the pieces include chainstitch embroidery with the word le Fleur as well as the Lacoste crocodile with Fleur printed on it.
Related: How Veteran Screenwriter and Producer Mara Brock Akil Is Supporting Writers With Nail Polish...
- 10/27/2023
- by Degen Pener
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When Is Netflix’s Stamped From The Beginning Coming? Well, in January 2021, Netflix announced a partnership with the famous professor Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. They planned to create two documentaries and an animated series based on Dr. Kendi’s bestselling books.
One of the documentaries, titled “Stamped from the Beginning,” is set to premiere on Netflix in November 2023 after debuting at TIFF 2023.
These projects were initially revealed in early 2021, but Netflix later canceled the animated series in May 2022. Emmy Award-winner Roger Ross Williams, known for works like “The Innocence Files” and “The Apollo,” will direct both documentaries, one of which will be a hybrid-scripted feature.
The projects will be produced by Williams’ production company, One Story Up, and executive produced by Mara Brock Akil, a NAACP Image Award-winner known for shows like “Girlfriends” and “Being Mary Jane.”
Dr. Kendi will also be an executive producer. If you’re curious to...
One of the documentaries, titled “Stamped from the Beginning,” is set to premiere on Netflix in November 2023 after debuting at TIFF 2023.
These projects were initially revealed in early 2021, but Netflix later canceled the animated series in May 2022. Emmy Award-winner Roger Ross Williams, known for works like “The Innocence Files” and “The Apollo,” will direct both documentaries, one of which will be a hybrid-scripted feature.
The projects will be produced by Williams’ production company, One Story Up, and executive produced by Mara Brock Akil, a NAACP Image Award-winner known for shows like “Girlfriends” and “Being Mary Jane.”
Dr. Kendi will also be an executive producer. If you’re curious to...
- 9/14/2023
- by Om Prakash Kaushal
- https://dailyresearchplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/new-sam
Jill Marie Jones is officially coming to “The Chi,” TheWrap can reveal thanks to an exclusive clip. The “Girlfriends” star is set to play Bianca in a guest starring role.
The clip shows Bianca (Jones) curled up on a bar couch next to Douda (Curtiss Cook). Framed by romantic lighting, Bianca flirtatiously helps Douda weigh the pros and cons of the best person to take over his gang. After he finds a fault in all available options, Bianca says, “They can’t all be cold-blooded like you.”
“But that’s the job,” Douda replies before kissing her. Watch the full clip above.
In Jones’ guest starring role she will be playing a business owner “with a shady clientele and a haunted past,” according to Showtime. Jones’ debut episode will take place on Aug. 25 in the episode “ReUp.”
Best known for portraying Toni Childs in Mara Brock Akil’s beloved sitcom “Girlfriends,...
The clip shows Bianca (Jones) curled up on a bar couch next to Douda (Curtiss Cook). Framed by romantic lighting, Bianca flirtatiously helps Douda weigh the pros and cons of the best person to take over his gang. After he finds a fault in all available options, Bianca says, “They can’t all be cold-blooded like you.”
“But that’s the job,” Douda replies before kissing her. Watch the full clip above.
In Jones’ guest starring role she will be playing a business owner “with a shady clientele and a haunted past,” according to Showtime. Jones’ debut episode will take place on Aug. 25 in the episode “ReUp.”
Best known for portraying Toni Childs in Mara Brock Akil’s beloved sitcom “Girlfriends,...
- 8/16/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
If there’s one thing married couple Floyd Rance and Stephanie Tavares-Rance know how to do, it’s keep a secret. Last year, on the eve of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, its founders were tight-lipped about their 20th anniversary opening-night presenters. “I just told my mother,” says Tavares-Rance of the fact that Barack and Michelle Obama were on hand to screen their Higher Ground and Netflix documentary Descendant.
This year, the Rances face the unexpected of another kind, with the SAG-AFTRA strike beginning weeks before the Aug. 4-12 fest, which is preventing actors from promoting their projects. Says Tavares-Rance, with equanimity: “Celebrity is awesome — people love to see their favorite actor or actress on the stage, but it really is about these filmmakers of color, specifically African American filmmakers, that we want to highlight.”
Programming includes panels with the National Museum of African American...
This year, the Rances face the unexpected of another kind, with the SAG-AFTRA strike beginning weeks before the Aug. 4-12 fest, which is preventing actors from promoting their projects. Says Tavares-Rance, with equanimity: “Celebrity is awesome — people love to see their favorite actor or actress on the stage, but it really is about these filmmakers of color, specifically African American filmmakers, that we want to highlight.”
Programming includes panels with the National Museum of African American...
- 8/3/2023
- by Cori Murray
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When Is The Netflix Hybrid Documentary Movie ‘Stamped From The Beginning’ Coming? Well, in January 2021, Netflix made a significant announcement regarding its partnership with the renowned and sometimes controversial professor, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.
The streaming giant revealed plans to collaborate with him on two documentaries and an animated series based on his bestselling books.
Among the documentaries was “Stamped from the Beginning,” scheduled for release in 2023.
The ambitious project lineup generated much anticipation and excitement, with Emmy Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams leading the way through his production company, One Story Up.
Williams, known for his remarkable work on projects like “The Innocence Files,” “The Apollo,” “Life, Animated,” and “Music by Prudence,” would be directing both documentaries, one of which would be a hybrid-scripted feature.
Executive producer duties were assigned to NAACP Image Award-winner Mara Brock Akil, celebrated for her work on popular shows such as “Girlfriends,” “The Game,...
The streaming giant revealed plans to collaborate with him on two documentaries and an animated series based on his bestselling books.
Among the documentaries was “Stamped from the Beginning,” scheduled for release in 2023.
The ambitious project lineup generated much anticipation and excitement, with Emmy Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams leading the way through his production company, One Story Up.
Williams, known for his remarkable work on projects like “The Innocence Files,” “The Apollo,” “Life, Animated,” and “Music by Prudence,” would be directing both documentaries, one of which would be a hybrid-scripted feature.
Executive producer duties were assigned to NAACP Image Award-winner Mara Brock Akil, celebrated for her work on popular shows such as “Girlfriends,” “The Game,...
- 7/30/2023
- by Om Prakash Kaushal
- https://dailyresearchplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/new-sam
A fan came up with their own cast for a reboot of the hit sitcom “Girlfriends,” and the show’s creator, Mara Brock Akil, is fond of the idea: “Are we manifesting?”
“Someone said this needs to be the Girlfriends of today’s reboot,” a Twitter user by the profile name “_RareDefined” said in a tweet on Monday. The post was accompanied by a lineup of photos with the original cast of “Girlfriends” above the actresses fans thought should be cast in a potential reboot.
Also Read:
Daniel Kaluuya’s ‘Barney’ Movie Is ‘Surrealistic’ and an ‘A24-Type’ Film, Mattel Films Exec Says
The fan’s post suggested Jill Marie Jones’ character Toni Childs be played by star Coco Jones (“Bel-Air”), Persia White’s character Lynn Ann Searcy be played by Zoe Kravitz (“The Batman”), Golden Brooks’ character Maya Denise Williams be played Keke Palmer (“Nope”) and Tracee Ellis Ross...
“Someone said this needs to be the Girlfriends of today’s reboot,” a Twitter user by the profile name “_RareDefined” said in a tweet on Monday. The post was accompanied by a lineup of photos with the original cast of “Girlfriends” above the actresses fans thought should be cast in a potential reboot.
Also Read:
Daniel Kaluuya’s ‘Barney’ Movie Is ‘Surrealistic’ and an ‘A24-Type’ Film, Mattel Films Exec Says
The fan’s post suggested Jill Marie Jones’ character Toni Childs be played by star Coco Jones (“Bel-Air”), Persia White’s character Lynn Ann Searcy be played by Zoe Kravitz (“The Batman”), Golden Brooks’ character Maya Denise Williams be played Keke Palmer (“Nope”) and Tracee Ellis Ross...
- 7/3/2023
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
The Game is over, for a second time. Paramount+ has cancelled the revival series, so there are no plans for a third season, at least on the streaming service.
A sequel to the original 2006-15 comedy series, The Game was executive produced by original series creator Mara Brock Akil, showrunner and writer Devon Greggory, Salim Akil, and original executive producer Kelsey Grammer and Tom Russo.
The show stars legacy cast members Wendy Raquel Robinson and Hosea Chanchez, with new players Wendy Raquel Robinson, Hosea Chanchez, Adriyan Rae, Vaughn Hebron, and Analisa Velez. The series features a mix of the original cast and new players to offer a modern examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football. The characters tackle racism, sexism, classism, and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect, and love.
A sequel to the original 2006-15 comedy series, The Game was executive produced by original series creator Mara Brock Akil, showrunner and writer Devon Greggory, Salim Akil, and original executive producer Kelsey Grammer and Tom Russo.
The show stars legacy cast members Wendy Raquel Robinson and Hosea Chanchez, with new players Wendy Raquel Robinson, Hosea Chanchez, Adriyan Rae, Vaughn Hebron, and Analisa Velez. The series features a mix of the original cast and new players to offer a modern examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football. The characters tackle racism, sexism, classism, and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect, and love.
- 6/25/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
The Spring 2023 cohorts of Mara Brock Akil’s Writer’s Colony have been announced. The list includes the names of several rising multihyphenates including Rhema Boston, Paris Crayton III, Latasha Mercer, and Tosin Morohunfola.
The three-month screenwriting residency takes place in West Adams, Los Angeles next door to Brock Akil’s story 27 productions company. During the residency, writers develop an original script that demonstrates their voice. Over the course of their residency, they workshop their scripts and have conversations with varied entertainment professionals of all levels to prepare them to launch into the industry.
“Writers are not cogs in the machine. Writers craft complex stories that not only entertain, but reflect the times and human experience. Writers are the architects and the needed first step in our collaborative art form in the TV/film industry. And now, more than ever writers need support. That is what we are nurturing at the Writers’ Colony,...
The three-month screenwriting residency takes place in West Adams, Los Angeles next door to Brock Akil’s story 27 productions company. During the residency, writers develop an original script that demonstrates their voice. Over the course of their residency, they workshop their scripts and have conversations with varied entertainment professionals of all levels to prepare them to launch into the industry.
“Writers are not cogs in the machine. Writers craft complex stories that not only entertain, but reflect the times and human experience. Writers are the architects and the needed first step in our collaborative art form in the TV/film industry. And now, more than ever writers need support. That is what we are nurturing at the Writers’ Colony,...
- 6/2/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Mary J. Blige's name has always been synonymous with empowering others, namely through her iconic music, but now she's extended that reputation to another successful venture: the Strength of a Woman Festival. This year, the Atlanta event made elevation, education, and empowerment the number goal in every facet of the four-day affair (May 11-14) - from a moving Mother's Day gospel brunch and extravagant house ball to lively celebrity-led concerts. But that mission was most evident during Blige's thoughtful summit held on May 13 at AmericasMart, where stars gathered to share wisdom about entrepreneurship, business, health, wellness, and more with festivalgoers in the name of unity.
Walking into the building - decked out with all sorts of cool activations, booths, and vibrant pink decor - felt like arriving at a family reunion. Well-known figures and attendees, both seasoned and young, all communed together in one space with the aim to...
Walking into the building - decked out with all sorts of cool activations, booths, and vibrant pink decor - felt like arriving at a family reunion. Well-known figures and attendees, both seasoned and young, all communed together in one space with the aim to...
- 5/17/2023
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Over 50 years after Judy Blume’s classic novel Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret was published, the author’s work is back in the spotlight on many fronts
There’s a Margaret movie from Kelly Fremon Craig and Lionsgate coming this spring, and small-screen adaptation of 1975’s Forever in the works from a Mara Brock Akil and Netflix. However, leading the charge is the documentary Judy Blume Forever from Very Semi-Serious directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok.
Related Story ‘Judy Blume Forever’ Directors Davina Pardo & Leah Wolchok Document Cherished And Controversial YA Author: “Her Books Are Radically Honest” – Sundance Studio Related Story Searchlight Lands 'Theater Camp' In 8M Range In WW Sundance Deal; Pic Will Get Theatrical Release Related Story 'Bad Behaviour' Sundance Review: Jennifer Connelly & Ben Whishaw In Alice Englert's Feature Debut
Set to launch on Amazon Prime Video on April 21, the 97-minute film...
There’s a Margaret movie from Kelly Fremon Craig and Lionsgate coming this spring, and small-screen adaptation of 1975’s Forever in the works from a Mara Brock Akil and Netflix. However, leading the charge is the documentary Judy Blume Forever from Very Semi-Serious directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok.
Related Story ‘Judy Blume Forever’ Directors Davina Pardo & Leah Wolchok Document Cherished And Controversial YA Author: “Her Books Are Radically Honest” – Sundance Studio Related Story Searchlight Lands 'Theater Camp' In 8M Range In WW Sundance Deal; Pic Will Get Theatrical Release Related Story 'Bad Behaviour' Sundance Review: Jennifer Connelly & Ben Whishaw In Alice Englert's Feature Debut
Set to launch on Amazon Prime Video on April 21, the 97-minute film...
- 1/23/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s tough to capture the splash that Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” made upon its publication in 1970. The young adult novel was considered radical for its time: brutally honest about female development, menstruation, masturbation, and all the uncomfortable and wonderful humor that comes with adolescent development.
The book still courts controversy, appearing on the occasional banned book list, much to the author’s mischievous delight and dismay. Blume sits at the center of a new documentary premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, “Judy Blume Forever,” reflecting on her legacy then, now, and hurtling into the future.
Directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok frame the latter half of the 20th-century as something of a Blume-verse: so many writers and artists and publishers were touched by the novelist’s realism and touching sensitivity towards the uncomfortable subjects in life. They’ve gathered a host of...
The book still courts controversy, appearing on the occasional banned book list, much to the author’s mischievous delight and dismay. Blume sits at the center of a new documentary premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, “Judy Blume Forever,” reflecting on her legacy then, now, and hurtling into the future.
Directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok frame the latter half of the 20th-century as something of a Blume-verse: so many writers and artists and publishers were touched by the novelist’s realism and touching sensitivity towards the uncomfortable subjects in life. They’ve gathered a host of...
- 1/21/2023
- by Fran Hoepfner
- The Wrap
Where would we be without Judy Blume? The writer penned dozens of works that encouraged generations of young people to stay curious about their bodies, to ask questions, to explore and to be brave. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret — a classic if there ever was one — portrayed the anxieties of puberty and canonized a very important rhyme: “We must, we must, we must increase our bust!” Margaret and her friends would chant, willing their breasts to grow larger. Blubber dealt gracefully with grade-school bullying and complicit bystanders. Tiger Eyes observed a young woman navigating the unpredictable throes of grief.
Growing up, I borrowed Judy Blume books from the library and hoarded them like contraband. The novels were a marvel to my sheltered middle-school self: How could an adult speak so candidly and accurately to my bodily experiences? I know I’m not the first Blume fan to...
Growing up, I borrowed Judy Blume books from the library and hoarded them like contraband. The novels were a marvel to my sheltered middle-school self: How could an adult speak so candidly and accurately to my bodily experiences? I know I’m not the first Blume fan to...
- 1/21/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On a long road trip from New York to Nova Scotia a few years ago, documentarian Davina Pardo played an audiobook of Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing to help pass the time for her kids, then 5 and 8.
Blume’s effervescent voice, reading the same 1972 novel of grade school angst that had engrossed Pardo as a child, enchanted the filmmaker’s kids as well. “It took me right back,” Pardo says. “Seeing the way my kids reacted to it, but also being an adult and wanting to know the adult behind these books. Kids used to write to [Blume] and say, ‘How do you know our secrets?’ It felt like a film could be an opportunity to get to know her in a way that we hadn’t had the chance to do yet.”
Judy Blume Forever, Pardo and co-director Leah Wolchok’s new film about the 84-year-old young adult fiction pioneer,...
Blume’s effervescent voice, reading the same 1972 novel of grade school angst that had engrossed Pardo as a child, enchanted the filmmaker’s kids as well. “It took me right back,” Pardo says. “Seeing the way my kids reacted to it, but also being an adult and wanting to know the adult behind these books. Kids used to write to [Blume] and say, ‘How do you know our secrets?’ It felt like a film could be an opportunity to get to know her in a way that we hadn’t had the chance to do yet.”
Judy Blume Forever, Pardo and co-director Leah Wolchok’s new film about the 84-year-old young adult fiction pioneer,...
- 1/20/2023
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In a first trailer for “The Game” Season 2, shared exclusively with TheWrap, players on and off the field are tested by the pro football league’s unionization efforts, which leads to confrontation, betrayals and, of course, power plays. The sophomore season of the Paramount+ revival series will premiere with two episodes on Dec. 15.
“The Game” stars Wendy Raquel Robinson, Hosea Chanchez, Adriyan Rae, Vaughn Hebron, Analisa Velez and Toby Sandeman. Per the sports drama’s logline, it offers a “modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of professional football. The beloved characters tackle racism, sexism, classism and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect and love — all while trying to maintain their souls as they each play ‘The Game.'” In Season 2, the drama and laughs double as the core group fights to survive the storms of change.
Also Read:
Angela Tarantino, HBO’s SVP Media Relations, Exits...
“The Game” stars Wendy Raquel Robinson, Hosea Chanchez, Adriyan Rae, Vaughn Hebron, Analisa Velez and Toby Sandeman. Per the sports drama’s logline, it offers a “modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of professional football. The beloved characters tackle racism, sexism, classism and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect and love — all while trying to maintain their souls as they each play ‘The Game.'” In Season 2, the drama and laughs double as the core group fights to survive the storms of change.
Also Read:
Angela Tarantino, HBO’s SVP Media Relations, Exits...
- 11/21/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
The following post contains spoilers for Dead to Me‘s Season 3 premiere. Proceed with caution!
Jen Harding and Judy Hale certainly don’t need more emotional trauma, but Dead to Me‘s final season premiere piled on a little extra anyway.
More from TVLineNetflix to Adapt Judy Blume Novel Forever With Mara Brock Akil as EPNetflix Renews Ryan Murphy's Watcher for Season 2, Monster for Seasons 2, 3Performers of the Week: The Crown's Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West
Netflix’s dark comedy returned for its 10-episode swan song on Thursday, picking up shortly after Jen and Judy’s car was T-boned...
Jen Harding and Judy Hale certainly don’t need more emotional trauma, but Dead to Me‘s final season premiere piled on a little extra anyway.
More from TVLineNetflix to Adapt Judy Blume Novel Forever With Mara Brock Akil as EPNetflix Renews Ryan Murphy's Watcher for Season 2, Monster for Seasons 2, 3Performers of the Week: The Crown's Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West
Netflix’s dark comedy returned for its 10-episode swan song on Thursday, picking up shortly after Jen and Judy’s car was T-boned...
- 11/17/2022
- by Rebecca Iannucci
- TVLine.com
A James Bond-style Martini, shaken, not stirred? Nah, Noah Centineo would rather crack open a White Claw in a new trailer for Netflix’s upcoming spy thriller The Recruit.
In the trailer — which you can watch above — the To All the Boys heartthrob stars as Owen Hendricks, a fidgety new CIA lawyer who gets stuck digging through boxes of old letters from people threatening to release classified information. But a visit to one such letter-writer in prison plunges Owen into a dark and dangerous web of international intrigue. “Congratulations, you’re being followed by the entire United Nations,” he’s...
In the trailer — which you can watch above — the To All the Boys heartthrob stars as Owen Hendricks, a fidgety new CIA lawyer who gets stuck digging through boxes of old letters from people threatening to release classified information. But a visit to one such letter-writer in prison plunges Owen into a dark and dangerous web of international intrigue. “Congratulations, you’re being followed by the entire United Nations,” he’s...
- 11/16/2022
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Click here to read the full article.
Welcome to the 193rd episode of TV’s Top 5, The Hollywood Reporter’s TV podcast.
Every week, hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) break down the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners, executives and other guests, and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).
This week marks our last episode of November as Dan and I are taking some extra time off for Thanksgiving. (Our next episode will be Dec. 2.) In this installment, we’ve got a deep-dive interview into the FX-produced Hulu limited series Fleishman Is in Trouble with author and first-time showrunner Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Plus thought-provoking segments on the state of Ryan Murphy at Netflix and what happened with Westworld at HBO.
Here’s how the episode plays out:
1. Headlines
This Fool,...
Welcome to the 193rd episode of TV’s Top 5, The Hollywood Reporter’s TV podcast.
Every week, hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) break down the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners, executives and other guests, and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).
This week marks our last episode of November as Dan and I are taking some extra time off for Thanksgiving. (Our next episode will be Dec. 2.) In this installment, we’ve got a deep-dive interview into the FX-produced Hulu limited series Fleishman Is in Trouble with author and first-time showrunner Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Plus thought-provoking segments on the state of Ryan Murphy at Netflix and what happened with Westworld at HBO.
Here’s how the episode plays out:
1. Headlines
This Fool,...
- 11/11/2022
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix is going live for the first time ever in early 2023, and who better to christen the streaming service’s inaugural attempt at flying without a net than comedian Chris Rock.
Netflix announced on Thursday afternoon that Rock will be “the first artist to perform live on Netflix,” as a headliner for the service’s “first-ever live, global streaming event.”
More from TVLineNetflix to Adapt Judy Blume Novel Forever With Mara Brock Akil as EPThe Crown Reveals Its Biggest Shocker Yet: Prince Charles Breakdancing?!The Crown Premiere Recap: The Old Ship Is Taking On Water -- Grade It!
The as-yet-untitled...
Netflix announced on Thursday afternoon that Rock will be “the first artist to perform live on Netflix,” as a headliner for the service’s “first-ever live, global streaming event.”
More from TVLineNetflix to Adapt Judy Blume Novel Forever With Mara Brock Akil as EPThe Crown Reveals Its Biggest Shocker Yet: Prince Charles Breakdancing?!The Crown Premiere Recap: The Old Ship Is Taking On Water -- Grade It!
The as-yet-untitled...
- 11/10/2022
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
The fictional drama is one of the four series Akil is set to produce for the streamer
Mara Brock Akil, the screenwriter behind hit shows like “Girlfriends,” “Being Mary Jane” and “The Game,” has signed on as showrunner and executive producer for a new Netflix series based on the novel “Forever” by author Judy Blume. Netflix announced the news on Thursday in a press release obtained by TheWrap.
The drama series is set to be a modern reimagining of Blume’s 1975 novel “Forever,” which tells the story of two Black teenagers who are navigating a romantic relationship that is centered around being one another’s first intimate partners.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice. I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books, ‘Forever,’” said Akil. “I am...
Mara Brock Akil, the screenwriter behind hit shows like “Girlfriends,” “Being Mary Jane” and “The Game,” has signed on as showrunner and executive producer for a new Netflix series based on the novel “Forever” by author Judy Blume. Netflix announced the news on Thursday in a press release obtained by TheWrap.
The drama series is set to be a modern reimagining of Blume’s 1975 novel “Forever,” which tells the story of two Black teenagers who are navigating a romantic relationship that is centered around being one another’s first intimate partners.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice. I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books, ‘Forever,’” said Akil. “I am...
- 11/10/2022
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
Chris Rock will become the first artist to perform live on Netflix for the platform’s first-ever live, global streaming event. The comic actor’s upcoming special, due in early 2023, will be the inaugural such event, with additional details yet to be announced.
“Chris Rock is one of the most iconic and important comedic voices of our generation,” Netflix VP of stand-up and comedy formats, Robbie Praw, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled the entire world will be able to experience a live Chris Rock comedy event and be a part of Netflix history. This will be an unforgettable moment and we’re so honored that Chris is carrying this torch.”
Also Read:
Netflix Orders Judy Blume ‘Forever’ Series From Mara Brock Akil
This marks the multi-hyphenate’s second Netflix stand-up special following “Chris Rock: Tamborine,” which debuted in February 2018.
The live event aims to capitalize on Netflix’s comedy showcase,...
“Chris Rock is one of the most iconic and important comedic voices of our generation,” Netflix VP of stand-up and comedy formats, Robbie Praw, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled the entire world will be able to experience a live Chris Rock comedy event and be a part of Netflix history. This will be an unforgettable moment and we’re so honored that Chris is carrying this torch.”
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Netflix Orders Judy Blume ‘Forever’ Series From Mara Brock Akil
This marks the multi-hyphenate’s second Netflix stand-up special following “Chris Rock: Tamborine,” which debuted in February 2018.
The live event aims to capitalize on Netflix’s comedy showcase,...
- 11/10/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Judy Blume’s groundbreaking 1975 novel Forever is being reimagined for a new generation and as a Netflix series. The streaming service has ordered Forever to series, from showrunner and executive producer Mara Brock Akil. This is the first project under her overall deal with Netflix. It is described as “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts.” Said Brock Akil in a statement, “Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice. I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books, Forever. I am thrilled to have the opportunity of a lifetime to partner with a childhood icon and bring this story to my Netflix home, where the idea of your first love being with you...
- 11/10/2022
- TV Insider
An adaptation of Judy Blume’s 1975 young adult novel “Forever” has been greenlit by Netflix, the streamer announced Thursday.
The show is the first project to come from Mara Brock Akil’s 2020 overall deal with Netflix to develop new content for the streamer. Akil, best known as the creator of the popular 2000 Upn comedy series “Girlfriends,” will showrun and executive produce the series.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice,” Akil said in a statement on Thursday. “I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books, ‘Forever.’ I am thrilled to have the opportunity of a lifetime to partner with a childhood icon and bring this story to my Netflix home, where the idea of your first love being with you Forever is shared with the world through the lens of Black love.
The show is the first project to come from Mara Brock Akil’s 2020 overall deal with Netflix to develop new content for the streamer. Akil, best known as the creator of the popular 2000 Upn comedy series “Girlfriends,” will showrun and executive produce the series.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice,” Akil said in a statement on Thursday. “I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books, ‘Forever.’ I am thrilled to have the opportunity of a lifetime to partner with a childhood icon and bring this story to my Netflix home, where the idea of your first love being with you Forever is shared with the world through the lens of Black love.
- 11/10/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Judy Blume’s controversial young adult novel Forever will get the TV treatment from Netflix, which ordered the project to series on Thursday.
Described as a reimagination for a new generation — and not to be confused with ABC’s 2014 series or Prime Video’s 2018 series of the same name — Forever will tell the “epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts,” per the official logline. Blume’s novel, which was originally published in 1975, has frequently been challenged and banned in schools for its depictions of sex and birth control use.
Described as a reimagination for a new generation — and not to be confused with ABC’s 2014 series or Prime Video’s 2018 series of the same name — Forever will tell the “epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts,” per the official logline. Blume’s novel, which was originally published in 1975, has frequently been challenged and banned in schools for its depictions of sex and birth control use.
- 11/10/2022
- by Rebecca Iannucci
- TVLine.com
Netflix has ordered a series version of the Judy Blume novel “Forever” from Mara Brock Akil, Variety has learned.
The show was first reported as being in development at Netflix in September 2021. Brock Akil will serve as showrunner and executive producer on the series under her Netflix overall deal. This marks the first series order under the deal, which she signed in late 2020.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice,” Brock Akil said. “I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books, ‘Forever.’ I am thrilled to have the opportunity of a lifetime to partner with a childhood icon and bring this story to my Netflix home, where the idea of your first love being with you Forever is shared with the world through the lens of Black love.
The show was first reported as being in development at Netflix in September 2021. Brock Akil will serve as showrunner and executive producer on the series under her Netflix overall deal. This marks the first series order under the deal, which she signed in late 2020.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice,” Brock Akil said. “I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books, ‘Forever.’ I am thrilled to have the opportunity of a lifetime to partner with a childhood icon and bring this story to my Netflix home, where the idea of your first love being with you Forever is shared with the world through the lens of Black love.
- 11/10/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Judy Blume‘s 1975 novel Forever is being reimagined for a new generation as a Netflix series of the same name. Mara Brock Akil will serve as showrunner and executive producer of the project, her first under her overall deal with the streamer.
The drama series is an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts.
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“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice. I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books,...
The drama series is an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts.
Related Story George Clooney’s ‘Good Night, And Good Luck’ Series Adaptation Opens Writers’ Room At AMC Related Story Tech & Media Stocks Soar On Slowing Inflation, Dow Ends Session Up 1,200 Points – Update Related Story Chris Rock To Be First Comedian To Perform Live On Netflix
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice. I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books,...
- 11/10/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Judy Blume’s beloved novel Forever is set to become a Netflix series.
The streamer has given a series order to the project from writer and showrunner Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane), who has an overall deal at Netflix. Forever was one of four shows Akil and her Story27 company announced were in the works in September 2021.
Forever is inspired by Blume’s groundbreaking 1975 novel, which Akil is reimagining for a new generation. The series will tell the epic love story of two Black teenagers who are exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice,” Akil said in a statement. “I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books,...
Judy Blume’s beloved novel Forever is set to become a Netflix series.
The streamer has given a series order to the project from writer and showrunner Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane), who has an overall deal at Netflix. Forever was one of four shows Akil and her Story27 company announced were in the works in September 2021.
Forever is inspired by Blume’s groundbreaking 1975 novel, which Akil is reimagining for a new generation. The series will tell the epic love story of two Black teenagers who are exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts.
“Judy Blume’s ability to capture the real emotions we experience during the various rites of passage of our youth influenced my life choices and writing voice,” Akil said in a statement. “I’m honored to reimagine one of my favorite books,...
- 11/10/2022
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix’s royal biopic The Crown has delivered a number of stunning twists and turns across its five seasons — but nothing more jaw-dropping that what we witnessed at the end of Season 5’s fifth episode.
The episode centered around Elizabeth’s eldest son and heir apparent Prince Charles (now played by The Wire alum Dominic West) trying to modernize the monarchy and doing a revelatory TV interview while also weathering a tabloid firestorm when a private phone call with his not-so-secret lover Camilla Parker-Bowles was made public. At episode’s end, Charles gave a speech in support of his Prince’s Trust charity,...
The episode centered around Elizabeth’s eldest son and heir apparent Prince Charles (now played by The Wire alum Dominic West) trying to modernize the monarchy and doing a revelatory TV interview while also weathering a tabloid firestorm when a private phone call with his not-so-secret lover Camilla Parker-Bowles was made public. At episode’s end, Charles gave a speech in support of his Prince’s Trust charity,...
- 11/10/2022
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
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