News

CBS recently announced exciting news about Devon and Abby’s upcoming wedding on The Young and the Restless. And this isn’t anything that Victor Newman can control. Devon’s mother, Harmony/Yolanda, and half-sister, Ana, are headed back to Genoa City for the festivities. Since Ana hasn’t stepped foot in the town since she left five years ago, let’s refresh our memories of the character.

Devon’s Younger Sibling

While Jamia Simone Nash originally played Ana Hamilton, actress Loren Lott stepped into the role in 2018. Since leaving Y&R in 2019, Lott has guest-starred on the Ava Duvernay series Cherish the Day and the CW’s All-American Homecoming. Plus, she’s starred in TV movies like Praise This, A Wesley Christmas, and A Wesley Christmas Wedding.

Ana Hamilton is Devon’s (Bryton James) younger half-sister. The two had rough childhoods thanks to Yolanda (then Debbi Morgan), their biological mother,...

As part of the show’s upcoming 13,000th episode celebration, actresses Loren Lott and Chene’ Lawson will reprise their roles as Ana Hamilton and Harmony (aka Yolanda Hamilton) on CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” beginning Wednesday, November 13. They will appear for several episodes as the wedding between Devon Hamilton (Bryton James) and Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway) becomes a true family affair.

Last seen in Genoa City in 2019, Lott has since appeared in episodes of “Cherish the Day,” “The Porter,” “A House Divided,” “Churchy,” and more recently, The CW’s “All American: Homecoming.” nIN 2023, she starred in the films “Praie This,” “Binged to Death” and “Once in a Valentine.” She will guest star in the Peacock original series, “Based on a True Story,” streaming next month.

As for Lawson, she last appeared on “The Young and the Restless” in May 2023, when Harmony reunited with her biological son, Devon. Elsewhere, she...

In a competitive situation, Warner Bros. has landed “The Color Purple” director Blitz Bazawule’s next project, which takes on the legendary Yasuke, an African warrior who became the first Black samurai.

Sources tell Variety that Warner Bros. beat out three other studios and streamers’ bids on the script, tentatively titled “Black Samurai,” which Bazawule wrote on spec and will direct and produce under his Inward Gaze banner.

After impressing the industry with his 2018 debut “The Burial of Kojo,” helming episodes of Ava DuVernay’s “Cherish the Day” and working with Beyoncé on her feature-length visual album “Black Is King,” Bazawule made his major studio debut with 2023’s “The Color Purple.”

The Ghanaian filmmaker, who brought his unique visual language to the Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg-produced musical movie, is said to have done the same with his take on Yasuke, an African warrior who served under Japanese daimyo...

Exclusive: Henry Simmons, Bryan Greenberg, Torrey Hanson, Ora Jones and Jasmine Batchelor are set to recur in the new MGM+ series Emperor of Ocean Park, a suspense thriller inspired by the best-selling novel of the same name from Stephen L. Carter. They join previously announced series regulars Forest Whitaker, Grantham Coleman, Tiffany Mack and Paulina Lule.

From John Wells and Sherman Payne, Emperor of Ocean Park is set in the worlds of politics, Ivy League academia and the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard. It follows Talcott Garland (Coleman), an Ivy League law professor whose quiet life is shattered when his father, Judge Oliver Garland (Whitaker), dies of an apparent heart attack. The nature of the judge’s death is questioned by Tal’s sister, Mariah (Tiffany Mack), a former journalist and inveterate conspiracy theorist, who believes that the judge, a failed Black nominee to the Supreme Court, met with foul play.

Ava DuVernay has only made five narrative features, but she’s one of the busiest women in Hollywood.

Before 2023, the California-born filmmaker’s last feature was her “A Wrinkle in Time” adaptation, released in theaters in 2018 — a five-year gap between releases that’s partially attributable to projects that sputtered in development like DC’s “New Gods” film and a Prince biopic. And yet, DuVernay has remained a constant presence during that relatively long gap, translating her numerous talents to producing and TV work. She created and directed the acclaimed Netflix miniseries “When They See Us,” about the controversial Central Park Five case. Several other TV projects followed, including OWN’s “Cherish the Day,” Netflix’s “Colin in Black and White,” and The CW’s “Naomi.” But while many of those projects have been terrific, it’s great to see the director of great films like “Middle of Nowhere” and “Selma...

She’s a writer, producer, director and Oscar-nominated documentarian, and Ava DuVernay soon will be a Casting Society career honoree.

CSA said today that the Array founder will receive its 2024 Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement at the 39th annual Artios Awards gala March 7 in Los Angeles.

“Ava DuVernay is a visionary storyteller who has staunchly championed casting professionals and the art of casting throughout her impactful career,” CSA President said Destiny Lilly said. “Her passion for inclusive and progressive casting throughout her career has catapulted careers and made her a leader in the industry.”

DuVernay’s most recent film is Origin, starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, which premiered at Venice and was nominated for the Golden Lion there. Along with the Oscar-nominated 2016 documentary 13th, her big-screen credits also include Selma, Middle of Nowhere and Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, which made her the highest-grossing Black female director in U.S.

Venerated TV host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey will sit down with Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino — who star in the big-screen musical adaptation of The Color Purple — for a trio of OWN Spotlight specials set to air in January.

Each hour-long presentation will feature a candid conversation centered around the actress’ respective roles as Shug Avery, Sofia and Celie in the new film executive-produced by Oprah and directed by Blitz Bazawule (Black Is King, Cherish the Day). “The women reflect on the making of the highly anticipated movie,” the logline reads, “how it changed their lives...

Oprah Winfrey was a ratings powerhouse with her daytime show for many years but her cable channel, OWN, has had its challenges. OWN has had some very successful comedies and dramas but no show can last forever. Which series will be cancelled or renewed next? Stay tuned!

Scripted OWN TV shows listed: All Rise, Ambitions, Cherish the Day, David Makes Man, Delilah, For Better or Worse, Greenleaf, The Haves and the Have Nots, If Loving You Is Wrong, The Kings of Napa, Love Is ___, Love Thy Neighbor, The Paynes, and Queen Sugar.

Last update: Most recent ratings added for All Rise.

Read More…...

Richard Roundtree, known for his role as Shaft in the series of films, died at the age of 81. The actor has left a legacy in both film and television for generations to come.

Roundtree made his debut in film as John Shaft in Shaft about a private detective who is hired by a mobster to help rescue his daughter who was kidnapped by Italian mobsters. The actor would go on to reprise his role of Shaft in the sequels Shaft’s Big Score (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973). A reboot of Shaft starring Samuel L. Jackson was released in 2000 with Roundtree appearing as “Uncle” Shaft. Roundtree also played the role in the short-lived CBS series.

Other films in which Roundtree appeared in include Embassy (1972), Earthquake (1974), Man Friday (1975), Diamonds (1975), Escape to Athena (1979), City Heat (1984), George of the Jungle (1997), What Men Want (2019) and The Haunting of the Mary Celeste (2020), just to name a few.

Richard Roundtree has sadly passed away.

The Shaft and Family Reunion star died at the age of 81 on Tuesday afternoon (October 24), his longtime manager Patrick McMinn confirmed.

Variety reports that the Golden Globe-nominated actor passed after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

Keep reading to find out more…

“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men in film,” Patrick shared in a statement. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”

Richard entered the industry as a model, and booked his feature film debut as the leading man John Shaft in the movie Shaft. He then went on to star in many TV shows and movies.

Most recently, Richard has starred as grandpa Jebidiah McKellan on the Netflix series Family Reunion, as well as on the series Cherish the Day.

Richard is survived by four daughters, Nicole, Tayler, Morgan and Kelli Roundtree,...

Richard Roundtree, star of “Shaft,” “Roots,” and “Generations,” has died at the age of 81.

The actor succumbed after a short battle with pancreatic cancer, TheWrap has learned. Roundtree’s family was at his side when he died. His agency, Artists & Partners, confirmed his death.

“Artists & Representatives Agency mourns the loss of our friend and client Richard Roundtree,” the agency said in a statement obtained by TheWrap. “His trailblazing career changed the face of entertainment around the globe and his enduring legacy will be felt for generations to come. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

The actor starred in a number of landmark films, including 1971’s “Shaft” and its two sequels, 1972’s “Shaft’s Big Score!” and 1973’s “Shaft in Africa.” Roundtree was nominated for a New Star of the Year at the Golden Globes following the first movie.

Roundtree also starred in “Inchon” and...

Richard Roundtree, who played the iconic lead character in the 1971 movie Shaft and its sequels, has died at the age of 81. The actor passed away on Tuesday “after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer with his family at his bedside,” per our sister site Deadline.

“Artists & Representatives Agency mourns the loss of our friend and client Richard Roundtree,” the actor’s agency said in a statement. “His trailblazing career changed the face of entertainment around the globe and his enduring legacy will be felt for generations to come. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.

This year’s first-round Primetime Emmy nominations ballot includes a total of 51 Best Limited Series hopefuls. This is down from 2022’s unusually high total of 61, yet still much higher than 2021’s 37, 2020’s 41, and 2019’s 35.

All 20,000 plus voting members of the TV academy have until June 26 to cast their 2023 Emmy Awards nominations ballots for programs. Unlike the Oscars, voters for the Emmys do not rank their choices and nominees are determined by a simple tally. After six years of not having to limit their choices in any categories, members’ selections can now not be greater than the number of eventual nominations for a given award, which, in this case, will be five.

Unlike comedy and drama series, which simply appear on the ballot by name, the limited series submissions include plot descriptions and cast lists. Which of the shows listed below do you think will land in the final lineup on...

Ava DuVernay has ended her rich overall deal with Warner Bros. Television Group, multiple sources confirm to Variety.

While news of this decision comes amid the writers strike, the contract talks were unrelated. DuVernay’s deal was set to expire on May 31 and the two parties came to a “mutual decision not to renew.”

DuVernay signed the multi-year agreement in 2018, which was reported to be valued at $100 million, following the parties’ successful collaboration on OWN’s “Queen Sugar,” which signed off last year after seven seasons.

“Ava DuVernay is one of the leading lights in our industry, a brilliantly talented writer, producer, director and entrepreneur whose ability to inspire with her art is exceeded only by her ability to entertain,” former Warner Bros. TV chief Peter Roth said in a statement announcing the pact. (Channing Dungey is the current chairman and CEO of Wbtvg.)

Under the pact, DuVernay also produced...

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) has announced the lineup for this year’s Talks Series, headlined by 2023 festival ambassador Lena Waithe.

The 27th edition of the festival will be held June 14-18 in Miami Beach, followed by a virtual program June 19-25 on ABFF Play. On Thursday, June 15, the Emmy-winning writer, producer and actor will sit for an intimate one-on-one conversation, billed as “The Lena Waithe Effect,” where she’ll recount her journey in the entertainment industry.

In addition to Waithe, the series of conversations and panels also features: “That’s Our Business,” a candid conversation with Tabitha Brown and her husband Chance Brown; a panel discussion with TV One Networks’ Kirk and Tammy Franklin (“The One”) and LisaRaye McCoy (“Asking for a Friend”); a look behind-the-scenes of Bounce TV’s “Act Your Age” starring Kym Whitley and Yvette Nicole Brown; a celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with...

The Film Independent Screenwriting Lab is 25 years old. Can you believe it? It’s officially old enough to rent a car! And sure, hardshell clams and giant tortoises can live for centuries, but you don’t reach the quarter-century mark as a Hollywood talent incubator without substance, value and tangible success.

But more than that, this year’s cohort of freshly announced Screenwriting Lab Fellows are special. Why? Because! We’re in the midst of celebrating #AD30, aka the 30th anniversary of Film Independent’s Artist Development programs. And like its elder sibling Project Involve (which got the whole ball of wax rolling in ‘93), the Screenwriting Lab has been an essential industry resource, whether your looking to develop your own skills or tap new talent.

“We’re thrilled to support this exceptional group of filmmakers, who bring compassion, authenticity and curiosity to their work exploring unique communities and characters,” says Dea Vazquez,...

Without giving away a single favorite thing, Oprah Winfrey brought the house down with a surprise appearance at CinemaCon 2023.

Revelers at the annual convention of movie theater owners were delighted by the mogul’s cameo at Tuesday’s presentation from Warner Bros. Pictures. Winfrey is a producer on the studio’s upcoming movie musical “The Color Purple,” based on the 1985 Steven Spielberg classic in which the former daytime host starred.

“‘The Color Purple’ in 1985 was the biggest and most important thing that happened to me. This is a full circle moment to be part of this film. It holds great personal meaning,” Winfrey told the crowd.

Appearing with director Blitz Bazawule, the pair showed the first footage ever screened from the project — a rousing and lush production that particularly showcased femme fatale Taraji P. Henson.

The film will open this coming Christmas Day, and boasts serious musical and Hollywood star power.

Exclusive: 93-year-old Oscar nominee June Squibb (Nebraska) has found her first, long overdue leading role in Thelma, an upcoming “action” comedy written and directed by Josh Margolin, which has wrapped production. The actress is joined in the ensemble by Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus), Richard Roundtree (Shaft), Parker Posey (The Staircase), Clark Gregg (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange).

Margolin’s first feature, based on a real-life experience involving his grandmother, is (half-jokingly) billed as Nebraska meets Mission: Impossible. It centers on 90-year-old grandmother Thelma Post (Squibb), who gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson and sets out on a uniquely treacherous quest to reclaim what was taken from her.

Zoë Worth, a longtime collaborator of Margolin’s, and producing partner Chris Kaye started developing Thelma after reading an early draft in their writer’s group, Rock & Roll Universe. The film will be their first produced together.

This Cherish the Day series did pretty well in the ratings in its first year, and OWN renewed it for a second season. Likely  at least in part due to the pandemic, it took two and a half years for season two to arrive. Has the audience forgotten about this show? Will Cherish the Day be cancelled or renewed for season three on OWN? Stay tuned.

A romantic drama anthology TV series, the Cherish the Day TV show was created by Ava DuVernay. It revolves around a different couple each season, and each episode spans a single day. The second season stars Joy Bryant, Henry Simmons, Terri J. Vaughn, and Richard Roundtree. In season two, the story revolves around the rekindling of a romance. Ellis Moran (Simmons) and Sunday St. James (Bryant) fell in love in high school and years later find themselves reunited in...

Vulture Watch

Will this couple stick together? Has the Cherish the Day TV show been cancelled or renewed for a third season on OWN? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Cherish the Day, season three. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

A romantic drama anthology TV series airing on the OWN television network, the Cherish the Day TV show was created by Ava DuVernay. It revolves around a different couple each season, and each episode spans a single day. The second season stars Joy Bryant, Henry Simmons, Terri J. Vaughn, and Richard Roundtree. In season two, the story revolves around the rekindling of...

There's rekindled romance in the second season of the Cherish the Day TV show on OWN. As we all know, Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Cherish the Day is cancelled or renewed for season three. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustrated when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the second season episodes of Cherish the Day here.

An OWN romantic drama anthology TV series, the Cherish the Day TV show was created by Ava DuVernay. It revolves around a different couple each season, and each episode spans a single day. The second season stars Joy Bryant, Henry Simmons, Terri J. Vaughn, and Richard Roundtree. In season two, the story revolves around...

Exclusive: Searchlight Pictures has wrapped production on The Supremes At Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, announcing that Dijon Means (P-Valley), Xavier Mills (Interview with the Vampire), Cleveland Berto (Terminator: Dark Fate) and Ryan Paynter (Dopesick) will round out the cast.

The upcoming film directed by Tina Mabry is based on the 2013 New York Times bestselling novel by Edward Kelsey Moore. It tells the story of three best friends dubbed “The Supremes” who have weathered life’s storms together for two generations, through marriage and children, happiness and the blues, watching as they find themselves at a crossroad that tests their lifelong bond.

Details as to the new cast members’ roles haven’t been disclosed. But the film’s ensemble also includes Russell Hornsby and Mekhi Phifer, as well as Kyanna Simone, Tati Gabrielle, Abigail Achiri, Julian McMahon, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Tony Winters. Gina Prince-Bythewood adapted the screenplay,...

Exclusive: Apple TV+’s The Morning Show is expanding its recurring cast for the upcoming third season, adding Clive Standen (Taken), Alano Miller (Dexter: New Blood) and Lindsay Duncan (A Discovery Of Witches). They’ll join new series regulars Nicole Beharie and Jon Hamm as well as fellow new recurring players Tig Notaro, Stephen Fry and Natalie Morales, as well as Julianna Margulies, who is reprising her Season 2 role.

Starring and executive produced by Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show follows the professional and personal lives of employees of media conglomerate Uba, focusing on the group that puts together the network’s morning show. Season 2 found the team emerging from the wreckage of hosts Alex (Aniston) and Bradley’s (Witherspoon) actions, to a new Uba and a world in flux, where identity is everything and the chasm between who we present as and who we really are comes into play.

It’s immediately obvious to anyone who hears her work: Alex Isley has spent her entire life surrounded by music. The singer-songwriter mixes in all kinds of influences—jazz, classical, R&b, electronica, etc.—on her latest record, Marigold. And the results will appeal to you whether you like Solange, Sade, or Sarah Vaughan. Take it from Rolling Stone Radio co-host Charlie Cooper.

“Such a vibe,” Cooper said as Isley shared her track, “Such A Thing,” on the latest show. “I feel like I could wake up to this every morning.

Click here to read the full article.

The fall premiere crush abates somewhat in the coming week, but the Sept. 28-Oct. 4 period still features more than a dozen broadcast debuts — including that of last season’s biggest new comedy, Ghosts. The final run of The Walking Dead and a significantly recast Saturday Night Live are also on tap.

Below is The Hollywood Reporter‘s rundown of premieres, returns and specials over the next seven days. It would be next to impossible to watch everything, but let THR point the way to worthy options for the coming week. All times are Et/Pt unless noted.

The Big Show

Ghosts has quickly become an anchor comedy for CBS, breaking out in its first season and becoming the second most watched comedy on TV behind Young Sheldon. It also built a devoted fanbase for the show’s deep ensemble and warmhearted approach to its characters.

Justified vet Timothy Olyphant is coming Full Circle, joining Claire Danes and Zazie Beetz in the HBO Max limited series from executive producer/director Steven Soderbergh (The Girlfriend Experience), our sister site Variety reports.

The six-episode Full Circle “follows an investigation into a botched kidnapping that uncovers long-held secrets connecting multiple characters and cultures in present day New York City.” Details about Olyphant’s character are not currently available.

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The Paper Girls have been yanked from their route.

Prime Video has cancelled the graphic novel adaptation after a single season, Deadline reports. Legendary TV is said to be shopping the show to other outlets.

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While streamers famously never release ratings (well, almost never), it’s worth noting that Paper Girls,...

The upcoming “Spiderwick Chronicles” TV series at Disney+ has cast Joy Bryant, Variety has learned exclusively.

Bryant joins previously announced cast members Lyon Daniels and Noah Cottrell as well as Christian Slater. The show is based on the popular book series of the same name by Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black.

In the show, upon leaving New York and moving to Michigan and into their run-down ancestral home—The Spiderwick Estate—with their mother, twin brothers Jared (Daniels) and Simon Grace (Cottrell), along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate, fantastical world.

Bryant has been cast as Helen Grace. Helen is described as smart, loving, and strong. In the wake of her divorce, Helen uproots her family from their home in Brooklyn to her grandfather Arthur Spiderwick’s estate in Michigan. A mother of three teenagers, she is doing everything she can to provide for her family...

Exclusive: Upcoming HBO and Channel 4 drama Get Millie Black has set The Long Song’s Tamara Lawrance as lead. With shooting beginning this week in Jamaica, the six-part detective drama has also rounded out its cast with Game of Thrones star Joe Dempsie joining and Tanya Hamilton set to direct.

Production on the Marlon James-created show began on Monday, with additional shooting to come in London further down the line. Also starring are Gershwyn Eustache Jr and Chyna McQueen.

Lawrance, who has starred in BBC drama The Long Song and has National Theatre credits to her name, will play ex-Scotland Yard detective Millie Black, who returns to Kingston to work missing persons cases for the Jamaican Police Force and soon finds herself on a quest to save a sister who won’t be saved, to find a boy who can’t be found, to solve a case...

Elizabeth Marvel has joined the star-studded cast of Blitz Bazawule’s adaptation of “The Color Purple”.

The forthcoming Warner Bros. musical movie is an adaptation of Alice Walker’s iconic American novel, as well as the Oscar-nominated 1985 film and Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that it inspired.

Production is currently underway for the project in Georgia, where the story is set. Directed by Bazawule, from a screenplay by Marcus Gardley (“The Chi”), the story spotlights Celie, a Black woman whose personal awakening in the American South of the early 20th century is at the center of this epic story.

Told through a lens of magical realism, dance and an uplifting musical score infused with African American jazz, gospel and blues, the movie aims to astonish lovers of earlier adaptations and introduce these beloved characters to a new generation.

Marvel will assume the role of Miss Millie — the unpleasant and overbearing mayor...

For decades, WarnerMedia and Discovery had largely co-existed independently. They have lived in separate universes with virtually no business interactions, as unscripted television is their main area of overlap. The Discovery networks work primarily with independent producers and not studios like Warner Bros TV, which has only produced a handful of reality shows for Discovery nets via its Shed subsidiary

However, there is a close working relationship which has flown largely under the radar and creates instant synergy post-merger — that between Warner Bros. TV and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network on the scripted side. Over the last five years, Wbtv has become OWN’s de-facto scripted studio, producing virtually all of its original scripted series, from Queen Sugar and David Makes Man to All Rise.

After the Discovery-WarnerMedia merger is complete, OWN and Wbtv will become vertically integrated, with HBO Max as OWN’s corporate sibling streamer. According to sources,...

When it comes to Shonda Rhimes’ success, there is no “Grey” area.

The “Grey’s Anatomy” creator redefined the network TV landscape before moving on to Netflix in an unprecedented first-look deal for the streamer. There, Rhimes has produced the record-breaking “Bridgerton” and created viral true crime sensation “Inventing Anna,” all while paving the way for other Black female showrunners, according to SXSW virtual panel “Female Showrunners Breaking the Mold.”

At the event, select OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and The CW filmmakers discussed the “Shonda effect” on modern television, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Produced by Warner Bros Television and Ava DuVernay’s Array, the “Breaking the Mold” panel included Dee Harris-Lawrence (“All Rise”), Jill Blankenship (“Naomi”), Shaz Bennett (“Queen Sugar”), Janine Sherman Barrois (“The Kings of Napa”), and Teri Schaffer and Raynelle Swilling (“Cherish the Day”). TVLine editor Mekeisha Madden Toby moderated the virtual panel.

Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple” movie musical has found its Celie and Sofia in Fantasia Taylor and Danielle Brooks.

Both actors reprise their respective roles from the stage musical, where Taylor made her Broadway debut as Celie in 2007 following her “American Idol” win, and Brooks earned a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Sofia in the 2015 revival.

Taylor and Brooks’ casting was announced on Thursday as part of the ABC News special “Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising.” During the broadcast, “ABC News Live Prime” anchor Linsey Davis interviewed the women about reviving their roles for the film and following the Oscar-nominated big screen performances by Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey.

Brooks relived the emotional moment when Winfrey, who is producing the new movie under her Harpo Films banner, revealed that she was chosen for the role during a Zoom call.

“I am here representing all...

Oscar- and Emmy-nominee Taraji P. Henson will star as Shug Avery in Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple.”

The forthcoming Warner Bros. movie is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, which is itself an adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The production is directed by Bazawule, best known for his work on Beyoncé’s “Black is King,” “The Burial of Kojo” and “Cherish the Day.”

Marcus Gardley (“The Chi”) wrote the screenplay, based on Alice Walker’s novel, the 1985 Warner Bros. Pictures film, and the stage musical.

In Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film version, Margaret Avery played Shug Avery — the jazz and blues singer introduced as Mister’s long-time mistress before becoming Celie’s confidant — while such talents as Jennifer Hudson, Michelle Williams, Heather Headley, Elisabeth Withers, Angela Robinson and Nicola Hughes took on the role in productions of the stage musical.

Oprah Winfrey, who made her feature...

Exclusive: Space Jam: A New Legacy actress Xosha Roquemore has joined comedy Charlie In The Pandemic, which is now filming in the Hamptons.

Roquemore joins Reid Scott (Veep,), Jordana Brewster (Fast & Furious), Adam Pally (Happy Endings), and Dylan Penn (Flag Day). Also joining is newcomer Peter Dager, a graduate of Miami’s New World School Of The Arts, whose alums include Lulu Wang, Andrea Burns and Cote de Pablo.

In Charlie In The Pandemic, the Covid bubble is popped when a New York City family hiding out in the Hamptons is surprised by a Bloody Mary-swilling, pot-smoking ‘Charlie’ from their past who brings a lifetime of hurt that might heal them all.

Xavier Manrique (Chronically Metropolitan) and his Blind Bulldog Films has teamed up with Jason Dubin’s (The Babysitters), Perry Street Films and Nicholas Schutt to produce.

David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) is exec-producing. Manrique is...

Ava DuVernay and Will Smith are among the final slate of honorees for the Critics Choice Association’s fourth annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television.

DuVernay will be honored with the first-ever Melvin Van Peebles Trailblazer Award in celebration of her achievements as an award-winning writer, director producer and film distributor.

“We are truly honored to name our prestigious Trailblazer Award after Melvin Van Peebles. Van Peebles inspired a generation of filmmakers. He was a true maverick and a visionary cinematic genius,” Shawn Edwards, Cca board member and executive producer of the Celebration of Black Cinema & Television, said in a statement announcing that award.

Van Peebles, the groundbreaking filmmaker behind such classics as “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song,” died on Sept. 21, 2021.

Van Peebles’ son, Mario Van Peebles, will present the inaugural award to DuVernay, whose current slate of projects includes the narrative film adaptation of the bestselling book “Caste” for Netflix,...

Will Smith leads the final list of honorees for the Critics Choice Association’s Fourth Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television. Smith, who is winning widespread acclaim for his role in Warner Bros. upcoming King Richard as the domineering father of Serena and Venus Williams and their tennis dynasty, has been chosen to receive the Actor award. The two-time Oscar nominee is also expected to be a major factor at the Academy Awards for this performance. Jennifer Hudson was previously announced as the recipient of the Actress Award for her role as Aretha Franklin in Respect.

The event, hosted by Emmy Award-winning actress and producer Niecy Nash will include 16 award categories as part of a star-studded night honoring standout achievements in Black filmmaking and television.

Also newly announced today:

Award winning writer, director, producer, and film distributor Ava DuVernay will be receiving the first-ever Melvin Van Peebles Trailblazer Award.

The Cuyler family is getting some new ink in its final season.

Adult Swim’s Squidbillies has set a premiere date for its farewell outing, which will kick off with back-to-back episodes on Sunday, Nov. 7 at midnight. Two episodes will then air every Sunday, leading up to the series finale.

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“Squidbillies, the show you love to overlook, is back for a 13th and final season,...

Ava DuVernay’s latest Netflix project will examine the life and career of civil rights activist and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick via “Colin in Black & White,” which is slated to premiere October 29 on Netflix. Netflix unveiled the trailer for the six-episode limited series on Tuesday, October 11. Watch the first full trailer below.

Per Netflix, the limited series “chronicles Kaepernick’s coming of age story, tackling the obstacles of race, class, and culture as the Black adopted child of a white family. ‘Colin in Black & White’ stars Jaden Michael as Young Colin before reaching the highest levels of American football as an NFL quarterback and becoming a cultural icon and activist; Nick Offerman and Mary-Louise Parker as his well-meaning parents Rick and Teresa; and Colin Kaepernick himself, who appears as the present-day narrator of his own story, guiding viewers through a robust and colorfully presented array of historical and contemporary contextual moments.

Odetta Watkins has been hired by Amazon for the newly created role of head of drama series, the streamer announced Wednesday.

In her new role, Watkins will report to Laura Lancaster, head of series for Amazon Studios. She will help shepherd a drama slate that currently includes shows like “Jack Ryan,” “The Wilds,” and “Hunters.”

“Odetta is a powerhouse at what she does – with a proven track record of recognizing and shepherding global hits, we are incredibly proud to have her join Amazon Studios,” said Lancaster. “Her leadership and creative sensibilities are invaluable as we look to continue to break boundaries and tell nuanced and entertaining stories.”

Watkins most recently worked at Warner Bros. Television. She first joined the studio in 2002 as director of current programs, rising to the rank of executive vice president of current programs, cable & streaming. She worked on the day to day logistics of shows like...

Well, this felt pretty inevitable.

Adult Swim on Friday shared an extremely brief — like, 11 seconds long — clip of Rick and Morty returning home after a long mission. Only there’s something different about the titular duo this time around. Perhaps it’s that they’re suddenly live-action. And Rick is played by freaking Christopher Lloyd.

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Comparisons between Rick and Morty and Back to the Future...

Amidst the crushing punishment Hurricane Ida lashed New Orleans and the Gulf Coast with this weekend, Ava DuVernay is today trying to find out how members of Cherish The Day‘s crew are holding up in the devastation.

Three days after the OWN drama told cast and crew to evacuate Crescent City as raging Ida moved towards landfall, the Oscar nominee took to social media Monday with the hashtag

#AllEyesOnLouisiana after being unable to get in touch with various crew members:

No power. Sewage out. No water. Nearly 1 million structures in Louisiana affected. It’s 89 degrees there as I type this. Jefferson Parish estimates 20 days to restore power. We haven’t heard from any crew member west of Orleans Parish. No cell/internet. Why isn’t this trending?

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) August 30, 2021

Does the media have to tell us what’s important to pay attention to? Does the government have to tell us?...

Pre-production on the upcoming NBC/Blumhouse limited series The Thing About Pam, starring Renée Zellweger and Josh Duhamel, has been suspended, a rep for Blumhouse told Deadline. Based on a the real-life, stranger-than-fiction story behind the 2011 murder of Betsy Faria, the series has been in final stages of pre-production in New Orleans, with filming slated to begin Sept. 8. With storm Ida now possibly making landfall in Louisiana on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane, pre-production has been paused until the storm passes.

As New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell is urging those who live outside the city’s protective levee system to evacuate, Hollywood productions in the city are hunkering down, including the Ava DuVernay OWN series Cherish The Day and Will Smith and Antione Fuqua’s movie Emancipation, which both had been filming.

The Thing About Pam, produced by Blumhouse Television, NBC News Studios and Zellweger’s Big Picture Co., is...

Exclusive: The National Hurricane Center said Friday afternoon that a Category 4 hurricane is forecast to make landfall in Louisiana on Sunday, which marks the exact day Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans 16 years ago as a Category 3 storm.

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell has called for all those who live outside the city’s protective levee system to evacuate. According to the Associated Press, they mayor also asked those inside the levees to voluntarily evacuate ahead of Hurricane Ida’s landfall, predicted for Sunday evening.

“Now is the time to start,” Cantrell said.

NBC reported that the east side of the city may get 7 to 11 feet of water from a combination of storm surge, high tide and torrential rain. Local levees may see overflow, according to the report.

The multiple Hollywood productions currently working in the city are swiftly preparing for contingencies associated with the storm.

Working on...

OWN announced Richard Roundtree and Terri J. Vaughn have joined the second season of romantic anthology drama, “Cherish The Day.”

Roundtree and Vaughn will be joining the cast in recurring roles. Roundtree is set to occur as Mandeville “Mv” St. James, a proud, loving, wry-humored former judge and widowed father of Sunday, played by Joy Bryant. Vaughn will recur as Anastasia, Ellis’ (Henry Simmons) soon-to-be ex-wife and the mother of their children.

“Cherish The Day” is an anthology series that chronicles the relationship of one couple, with each episode spanning a single day.

The first season of “Cherish The Day” starred Xosha Roquemmore, Alano Miller and Cicely Tyson, and debuted in Feb. 2020. During its seven-week first season, the series ranked No. 1 in its time period across all cable networks with Black women, households and total viewers.

While being led by Ava DuVernay, “Cherish The Day” achieved full gender parity with...

Exclusive: Richard Roundtree (Family Reunion) and Terri J. Vaughn (The Steve Harvey Show) have been tapped for recurring roles opposite Henry Simmons and Joy Bryant in season 2 of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network’s and Ava DuVernay’s anthology drama series Cherish the Day. Additionally, Angel Kristi Williams (Really Love), Sheldon Candis (Baltimore Boys) and Merawi Gerima (Residue) will direct episodes this season.

Cherish the Day, from DuVernay, Array Filmworks and Warner Bros. Television, is an anthology series that chronicles the relationship of one couple, with each episode spanning a single day. In season two, the rekindling of a romance is told — the love story of Ellis Moran (Simmons) and Sunday St. James (Bryant), who fell in love in high school but find themselves reunited in beautiful New Orleans. Ellis is a former basketball player who is now a single father of two, and Sunday is a vegetarian celebrity chef on the cusp of fame.

Paper Girls developer and executive producer Stephany Folsom is no longer serving as co-showrunner of the Amazon series, leaving Christopher C. Roger in charge, our sister site Deadline reported Saturday.

Though the comic book adaptation is currently filming, production reportedly is not impacted by Folsom’s exit.

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Based on the work written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Cliff Chiang, Paper Girls follows four...

Paul Garnes has been named president of Array Filmworks. The company’s current president, Sarah Bremner, is stepping down for a personal hiatus, according to an individual with knowledge of the situation.

“Sarah is a thoughtful executive who has built a wonderful creative development team here and is respected by our showrunners and artists. I’m grateful for her time at Array, look forward to continuing our friendship and wish her good health and happiness always,” said Array founder Ava DuVernay.

Garnes is the long-time producing partner of DuVernay. He previously served as Array’s head of physical production. In his new role, he will oversee all aspects of creative development, physical production and post-production for the company’s television and film slate.

“Paul has been my true and trusted partner for the past decade, the one who takes my dreams off the page and makes them a reality on the set and beyond,...

An October 2020 UCLA Hollywood Diversity study — which focused on broadcast, cable and streaming programming for the previous two television seasons — reported that, when it comes to racial diversity in television industry jobs, while Black, indigenous, and other people of color (Bipoc) creatives continue to make incremental gains, positions at the highest ranks and behind the camera still elude them. The group is not represented proportionately to their share of the U.S. population overall, even though audiences continue to show interest in programming with talent that represents the nation’s diversity.

The analysis found that the greatest racial disparities are in behind-the-camera jobs such as a show’s creator, director, and writer: Among digital programs, just 10.3 percent of show creators were Bipoc; in broadcast, 10.7 percent; and for cable, 14.7 percent.

White men still dominate these positions, as well as high-level TV executive jobs. As of 2020, chair/CEO positions were overwhelmingly held...

ABC is the third broadcast network (following The CW and CBS) to reveal exact premiere dates for the fall.

Dancing With the Stars‘ 30th season is first out of the gate on Monday, Sept. 20, while the Michelle Young-led cycle of The Bachelorette and new drama Queens close out ABC’s fall launch on Tuesday, Oct. 19.

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Grey’s Anatomy...