Tri-County Sentry
Friday
AUGUST 22, 2014
Entertainment News
Page 13A
Lee Daniels to Helm Biopic About Mariah Carey Parts Ways with Longtime Manager Jermaine Dupri Football Player Falsely Accused of Rape
By Maurice Bobb Ever since 2005’s Emancipation of Mimi, Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri belonged together. Not anymore. According to Billboard, the Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse singer has parted ways with her longtime manager/collaborator/producer. “I’m a very hands-on person when it comes to my work,” Dupri told Billboard in a statement. “I put my all into every project. But when I’m not allowed to do what I do, then I know it’s time for me to move on. Mariah and I enjoy working together and will continue to make great music together in the future.” The split comes on the heels of the disappoint-
Nick Cannon, Mariah Carey, and Jermaine Dupri ing sales of Elusive Chan- Carey’s biggest hits to date: teuse, which has only “We Belong Together” and moved 103,000 units since “Always Be My Baby.” its release in May. Carey is now reportIn addition to his role edly working closely with as executive producer of Kevin Liles, who currently her latest album, the So So manages Ty Dolla $ign Def mogul produced two of and Trey Songz.
Lee Daniels’ next project will depict the true story of a college-bound football player who was falsely accused of rape. According to Variety, the director is currently developing “The Brian Banks Story,” about the AllAmerican high school football player who, in 2002, had committed to USC’s football program before being accused of rape. Banks maintained his innocence, but a hasty plea bargain resulted in Brian serving over five years in prison, five years on parole and registering as a sex offender. Through the California Innocence Project, Banks’ conviction was overturned in 2012. He played in four pre-season games for the Atlanta Falcons and is now a motivational speaker and an activist and spokesperson for the California Innocence Project.
Lee Daniels “All I ever wanted was to prove my innocence,” Banks said. “Telling my story in the form of a feature film is beyond my wildest dreams.” The project will be produced by Amy Baer through her Gidden Media banner and directed by Daniels. Justin Brooks and Neil Strum are executive producing.
By Katla McGlynn How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Be Bill Cosby, apparently. The initial line up for the 2014 New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) was announced today, featuring shows by Amy Schumer, Hannibal Buress, Tig Notaro and more comedians du jour, but this year's Carnegie Hall show is reserved for Mr. Cosby. Cosby will perform at the historic venue on Saturday, November 8 during the festival which runs from November 5-9. "I would like to thank the New York Comedy Festival for bringing me to the great Carnegie Hall. Believe me, I have practiced," said Bill Cosby in a press release. The 77-year-old comedian's most recent comedy special, "Far From Finished," was released in late 2013. Earlier this year, he performed to a completely packed audience at the South By Southwest festival
Bill Cosby in Austin, TX, where he also lease, this year's festival took his very first Instagram. will include, "a roster of Now in its 11th year, festival favorites includthe NYCF boasts over 200 ing Bill Maher, Hannibal comedians performing in Buress, and Maria Bammore than 60 shows, often ford, along with first-time including panel discussions festival headliners Carly on the industry, such as Aquilino, Chris D’Elia, 2013's Behind The Scenes Tig Notaro, Amy Schumer, Of "The Colbert Report." Marc Maron, Nick OfferAccording to the re- man and Jessimae Peluso."
Tracy Morgan's attorney said the comedian is "still struggling" with his health two months after breaking several bones in a deadly New Jersey highway crash that has renewed public attention to safety in the U.S. trucking industry. "He's still struggling, but he's a fighter," attorney Benedict Morelli told NBC's "Today" show. Morgan, best known for his roles on TV comedies "30 Rock" and "Saturday Night Live," broke a leg, several ribs and his nose in June when a Wal-Mart Stores Inc tractor-trailer slammed into a limo bus Morgan and his entourage were riding in. Last month, Morgan left a rehabilitation facility to recover at home and was photographed walking gingerly with the help of a walker. Passenger James McNair, 62, a comedian known by his stage name
Tracy Morgan Jimmy Mack, died in the negligence lawsuit against crash near Cranbury, New Wal-Mart, alleging it knew or should have known that Jersey. The driver of the truck, Roper had been awake for 35-year-old Kevin Roper, more than 24 hours behas pleaded not guilty to fore the crash and was not charges of vehicular homi- in compliance with U.S. trucking regulations. cide and assault by auto. Morgan, 45, has filed a
Brian Banks Daniels’ most recent film, “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” grossed over $167 million worldwide. “Lee is a filmmaker who looks at challenging circumstances with honesty, compassion, and hope,” Baer said. “He has an emotional connection to Brian’s story that I’m certain will result in a powerful and redemptive film.”
Chattrisse Dolabaille to Play Missy Elliott in Aaliyah Biopic Bill Cosby to Perform at Carnegie Hall for 2014 New York Comedy Festival
By Wilson Morales Canadian actress Chattrisse Dolabaille has been cast to play singer-songwriter-producer and Grammy Award winner Missy Elliott in the Lifetime TV biopic of singer Aaliyah in “Aaliyah: Princess of R&B,” starring Nickelodeon actress Alexandra Shipp in the title role. Missy Elliott, along with Timberland, were instrumental to Aaliyah’s career, serving as record producers to her second album, One in a Million; it sold 3.7 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. Also cast in the film are Rachael Crawford and Sterling Jarvis as Aaliyah’s parents Diane and Michael Haughton, Lyriq Bent will portray her uncle Barry Hankerson, Izaak Smith as Timberland, and Anthony Grant as Damon Dash. A.J. Saudin and Jesse Sukunda will play the older and younger version of Aaliyah’s brother Rashad, respectively. This film will be based off of Christopher Farley‘s best-selling biography Aaliyah: More Than a Woman. The film is being produced by Aaliyah Productions Inc., with Howard Braunstein (The Informant!) Debra Martin Chase (The Princess
Chattrisse Dolabaille
Missy Elliott
Diaries), and daytime talk show host Wendy Williams serving as executive producers. Casting the film is Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd. Bradley Walsh (Turn the Beat Around) will direct from a script written by Michael Elliot (Brown Sugar). Before Beyonce and before Rihanna, self-proclaimed “street but sweet” Aaliyah was poised to become a global icon with top-selling albums, a hot movie career and an adoring fan base. But behind the spotlight, Brooklynborn, Detroit-raised Aaliyah Dana Haughton struggled to succeed in a tough business while staying grounded in the midst of her growing celebrity. The film follows the beautiful and talented performer’s inspirational journey, from
her debut on “Star Search” at the age of ten to the challenges she faced during her rise to become the Princess of R&B. On August 25, 2001, at the height of her popularity, her life was tragically cut short when a plane carrying the singer and some of her video crew crashed after takeoff from a Bahamian runway. Although just 22-years-old at the time of her death, Aaliyah continues to lead a legacy as Billboard’s tenth most famous R&B artist of the past 25 years and one of the recording industry’s most successful artists in history. This will be Dolabaille’s feature debut and the actress/singer put together a digital dossier for folks to know more about her.
Tisha Campbell-Martin Reveals She was Sexually Assaulted
From starring in films such as “School Daze” to the hit 90s comedy sitcom, “Martin,” Tisha CampbellMartin’s roles have often brought happiness and laughter to fans. Recently the actress, singer, and activist appeared as a guest panelist on daytime advice show, “The Daily Helpline,” where she offered advice to 20-year-old guest, Tamesha, who was suffering from binge eating and addiction to alcohol after being sexual assaulted when she was 12-years-old. “You can no longer be a victim, you have to be victorious at this point,” the 45-year-old actress said.
Tisha Campbell-Martin “You can’t play the victim cause at this point, I’m not saying this to put you down or anything. What I’m saying is he’s winning, and you
are allowing him to win. You are making a conscious decision to harm yourself, to hurt yourself and allow this person to still have dominion over your life. You can’t do that anymore.” "The reason why I can absolutely say this to you without judgment or anything else, and this is the first time I ever said this on camera in front of millions, national, people, is that I too have been a victim of the same thing,” she went on to reveal. “When I was three, I was raped by an older person. Now I knew as a child that I did nothing wrong and that this wasn’t my fault, but I found forgiveness in the guilt that I might’ve had.”
Tracy Morgan 'Struggling' After Car Crash