11 minute read
Hollywood Buzz
HOLLYWOOD SPOT LIGHT
Chez Hadley
Advertisement
Peacock has set a date for its highly publicized debut of Bel-Air, the contemporized reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring newcomer Jabari Banks. The series will premiere on Super Bowl Sunday, February 13.
The one-hour long show–with a two season order from Peacock– will explore the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and nods to the original show.
Because the original sitcom–which aired from 1990 to 1996–was a half-hour sitcom format, it did not deal with the inner struggles of the characters from Aunt Viv to Carlton and Will himself. The new show will peel back the layers of the characters with a modern-day twist.
Newcomer Jabari Banks stars in the title role. It is the first role for Banks, who auditioned at the urging of his father. A graduate of the Philadelphia-based, University of the Arts, Banks is also an accomplished songwriter, singer, rapper and basketball player.
He will have a mentor in Smith, who posted this message on Instagram last year: “You got a fantastic road ahead of you. I am looking forward to being an asset for you in this process as you build out your life and your career.”
Rounding out the cast are Adrian Holmes as Uncle Phil, Cassandra Freeman (Aunt Viv), Olly Sholotan (Carlton); Coco Jones (Hilary) and Akira Akbar (Ashley). Executive producers include Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, James Lassiter, Quincy Jones and Benny Medina.
OUT THIS MONTH
Moonfall February 4
The Girl Before February 10 (HBO Prime) Death On The Nile February 11 Ambulance February 18
Supernatural Horror Pays
The original 1973 blockbuster film, The Exorcist, was made for $12 million. Last month Netflix paid Lee Daniels $65 million for his exorcism film. Directed by Daniels, it stars Andra Day, Octavia Spencer, Aunjanue Ellis and Glenn Close. Production will begin later this year on the film based on the true story of a mother and her three children who experienced a series of supernatural events in their Indiana home with the children levitating, becoming violent with one another and speaking in growls and deep voices with no recollection afterward. Members of the Gary Police Force, doctors and social workers witnessed many of the incidents, including one in which her 9-year-old son walked backward up a wall.
Day plays the mom,
Glenn Close is her mother and Octavia
Spencer is a clergy member helping
Day’s character through the supernatural ordeal. Ironically enough, if you think that $65 million is a bit much, consider this: the
HOLLYWOOD BUZZ rights for the new Exorcist trilogy, starring Leslie Odom Jr., were purchased for $400 million. L.A. Focus/ February 2022 14
Issa Rae Scores Big On & Offstage
Issa Rae had quite the birthday last month. She not only landed 12 NAACP Image Award nominations for her hit HBO series, Insecure, but also signed a multi-project development deal with Audible for the audio company she founded, dubbed Raedio. As part of the deal, Raedio will develop audio content across genres including scripted comedy and non-fiction, as well as seek out audio adaptations of existing shows and IP.
“At Audible, we are committed to working with innovative voices that move and influence culture – this goal is fully realized and met by Raedio,” Zola Mashariki, head of Audible Studios, said. “This partnership is perfectly aligned with my mission in helping open doors and provide opportunities for women to succeed and flourish in their craft,” Rae said. Rae is not the only one making big moves with Audible. The company is also going into business with Kerry Washington, pacting with the A-list actress for three scripted podcast series. Audible has also signed exclusive deals with Queen Latifah, Lena Waithe, Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha God among others.
Judgement Day for Jussie
On March 10, Jussie Smollett–who was convicted last month of making false reports to the police–will finally face the judge for sentencing and find out whether or not he will have to do any jail time. The charges carry a possible sentence of up to three years in prison, but most legal experts doubt that Cook County Judge James Linn will send Smollett to prison. Instead, they believe he will be sentenced to probation and have to perform community service. Unfortunately, his troubles won’t end there. He will still have to deal with a lawsuit filed against him by the city of Chicago to recoup the more than $130,000 spent on investigating the attack now believed to have been staged. He is also being sued by the Osundairo brothers–who maintain the Smollett paid them to stage the attack. They have accused his lawyers of defamation and are seeking unspecified financial damages.
The Flossy Posse Is Back
Five years after Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Regina Hall and then newcomer Tiffany Haddish, blew up the box office with the success of “Girls Trip”, all four have signed on for the Girls Trip 2 sequel. “We are underway with Girls Trip 2, and now it’s just about what kind of trip do we take, right?” Packer said after making the announcement on Good Morning America. “Post-pandemic with all our favorite crazy ladies, what do we do with them? That’s what we got to figure out.”
Footnotes
GuGu Mbatha Raw
Hometown: Oxford, United Kingdom
Big Break: Belle Recent Project: The Girl Before, a 4-part HBO Max thriller opposite David Oyelowo
.GuGu (short for Gugulethu) Mbatha Raw cut her professional teeth as an actress in British TV and stage productions, but her true coming out came with her breakout starring role in Belle in 2013. Not only did it earn her a great deal of critical acclaim, but it marked the start of a string of starring roles in films like Beyond the Lights, Concussion, Free State of Jones and Motherless Brooklyn. And supporting roles in Disney’s 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast and Miss Sloane. In 2019, she signed on to co-star in The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon and in 2020, she landed a starring role in Disney’s Marvel series “Loki”. She presently has a TV series and two films in the works.
On discovering her desire to be an actress: I have always enjoyed performing ever since I can remember. My mother first took me to a ballet class at age 4 and I loved it so much I begged her to let me take tap classes and then modern dance and by the time I was 6 or 7 I was dancing most evenings! It was where I made all my closest friends. Then I joined a local youth drama group and was in all my school plays… Mostly musicals as that was what was accessible to us in my hometown in Oxfordshire My first stage role was Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz” at 11. From there I started taking drama grade exams though the Guildhall school of speech and Drama and that gave me the confidence to apply to the National Youth Music Theatre and the National Youth Theatre. I can’t think of a time when I didn’t want to be performing, but my route to acting definitely came first through my love of ballet.
On the best career advice she’s been given: The best piece of career advice I've ever been given is probably to follow your instincts and I think it's a great piece of life advice, not just career. There are many moments in life when you have to make decisions and I think your gut always knows the way. So, follow it.
On not defining herself: I try not to define myself. Other people are going to do that for you anyway. It is important to be conscious of the message that you're putting out there. It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get a movie to the screen. I do feel a certain element of responsibility to say something worth saying with it, as well as entertainment
On persevering: I’ve always worked hard and there are a lot of things I haven’t gotten. I learned early on that your talent is really not enough. You have to cultivate resilience and be able to bounce back from disappointment. You can’t be too fragile. I think you have to have access to your sensitive faculties, but you also have to know how to coach yourself along and give yourself a talking to and pick yourself up when you need to…’
RedCarpet Style
The red went dark last month due to Omicron, but with Tessa Thompson being named as the “new face of Armani”, we thought we’d highlight some of her best red carpet looks.
EMMY AWARDS 2017 in a shimmering multi-colored Rosie Assoulin dress
VANITY FAIR OSCARS PARTY (2020)in a Versace one-shoulder mint gown
THOR RAGNAROK PREMIERE 2017 in Schiaparelli Couture
ANNIHILATION PREMIERE in this Naeem Khan gown from her 2018 collection
THE MET GALA 2018 in a black beaded gown with black/white checked blazer
Eye OnGospel
Koryn Hawthorne Teams With Big K.R.I.T. On Latest Release
Chart-topper Koryn Hawthorne has released a new track “You (Remix)” featuring Big K.R.I.T. and cowritten by the two. Hawthorne teamed up with the chart-topping rapper/producer on the new digital single, creating a potent blast of musical inspiration with the mix of the song’s dynamic beats and her soaring vocals, along with Big K.R.I.T.’s acclaimed lyrical flow featured on “You (Remix).”
With verses such as, “All that matters is you keep pushing…don’t let nothing get in your way…any mountain can be moved”, Hawthorne and Big K.R.I.T. urge listeners on the empowering track to keep striving for their dreams. The song “You” was originally featured on Hawthorne’s I AM, the chart-topping sophomore album. The two-time GRAMMY® nominated, Billboard Music Award, NAACP Image Award, Dove and Stellar Awardwinning phenom also continues to give back to the community and shine a light on her hometown of Abbeville, Louisiana as owner of the dessert shop The Cobbler House Abbeville.
Kierra Clark-Sheard Gets Top Billing in Lifetime’s Line Sisters
Set your TV dial to Lifetime on February 12th for Line Sisters which stars Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Letoya Luckett, Drew Sidora and Ta’Rhonda Jones. Line Sisters follows four sorority sisters- Valerie (LeToya Luckett), Cassandra (Kierra Sheard-Kelly), Simona (Ta’Rhonda Jones) and Dominique (Drew Sidora) — as they reunite at a Black Greek Weekend celebration held on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Having pledged the Alpha Beta Omega Sorority, Inc., they share more than the bonds of sisterhood, after the mysterious death of the dean of pledges 15 years prior. But the past comes knocking on their door as they arrive to the island and strange and inexplicable things begin to happen to each one of them, threatening to unearth the deadly secret that may tear them apart.
Doe Showcases the Power of Prayer in New Single
Three-time GRAMMY® nominated artist/songwriter/ producer DOE has released a brand new single “When I Pray,” the first of more new music to come in 2022. DOE also released the official music video for “When I Pray,” which had a broadcast premiere airing on the BET Gospel, BET Soul, and BET Her channels, as well as on BET.com.
Recently celebrating a #1 hit for her single “Brighter,” which topped Billboard’s Gospel Airplay Chart, DOE continues to deliver inspiration to others, and advocate for self-care and spiritual renewal in the new year with her latest single, which serves as a powerful reminder of God’s love, in finding solace from struggles and connecting through prayer.
In conjunction with DOE’s new song “When I Pray,” there is a special edition clothing release, available now. The brand Art of Homage (AOH) and The Prayer Movement (TPM) have teamed up with DOE, in a collaborative effort to release a limited edition “Doe Jones Collection,” to celebrate the release of “When I Pray.”
Offering a place to share fresh outlooks and inspire each other in the new year, DOE also launched a 2022 Virtual Vision Board. Available on her website, anyone can go online to create their vision board, and share their hopes or prayers for clarity in 2022, at: http://doejonesmusic.com/clarity/.
DOE first gained worldwide attention as a teenager, performing with her family in the Christian gospel septet Forever Jones, which released three albums and garnered numerous accolades, including two GRAMMY® Award nominations. DOE garnered her third GRAMMY® nomination as a featured artist on Jonathan McReynolds’ hit song “Cycles.” Sharing her musicianship and gift for ministry with audiences around the country, in 2021 DOE recently wrapped touring as the opener on Jonathan McReynolds’ and Mali Music’s
“Jonny x Mali” Tour, along with other appearances in 2021 on the McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour.
Finally, the Nominations for the 53rd Annual NAACP Image Awards Are In…
CeCe Winans (Believe For It) and Tamela Mann (Overcomer and “Help Me”) have received a double dose of favor with nominations, facing off in both the outstanding album and song categories. Also nominated in the “Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album” category are Todd Dulaney (Anthems & Glory); Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music (Jonny X Mali: Live in LA) and Jason McGee & The Choir (Power).
Rounding out the “Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song” category are H.E.R. and Tauren Wells ("Hold Us Together”); Kirk Franklin ("Overcome 2021”) and Sounds of Blackness ("Time For Reparations").
Winners will be announced during the live broadcast of the 53, scheduled for February 26th on BET.
