News

Biyi Bandele, the renowned Nigerian novelist, playwright and filmmaker behind 2013’s “Half of a Yellow Sun” and upcoming film “The King’s Horseman,” has died. He was 54.

Bandele died on Sunday in Lagos, Nigeria, according to a Facebook post from his daughter, Temi Bandele. A cause of death was not given.

“Biyi was a prodigiously talented writer and filmmaker, as well as a loyal friend and beloved father,” Temi writes in the post. “He was a storyteller to his bones, with an unblinking perspective, singular voice and wisdom which spoke boldly through all of his art, in poetry, novels, plays and on screen. He told stories which made a profound impact and inspired many all over the world. His legacy will live on through his work.”

Bandele had recently finished his latest film entitled “The King’s Horseman.” Inspired by Nigerian Nobel Prize-winning writer Wole Soyinka’s anti-colonial play “Death and the King’s Horseman,...

Biyi Bandele, the Nigerian playwright, novelist and writer-director known for his adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Half of a Yellow Sun,” died Sunday in Lagos, Nigeria. His daughter Temi Bandele announced the news of his passing on Facebook. He was 54.

No cause of death was revealed.

“Biyi was a prodigiously talented writer and film-maker, as well as a loyal friend and beloved father,” she wrote on Bandele’s official page. “He was a storyteller to his bones, with an unblinking perspective, singular voice and wisdom which spoke boldly through all of his art, in poetry, novels, plays and on screen. He told stories which made a profound impact and inspired many all over the world. His legacy will live on through his work.”

The post continued, “He was taken from us much too soon. He had already said so much so beautifully, and had so much more to say.

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Biyi Bandele, the pioneering Nigerian novelist, playwright and filmmaker who directed the 2013 adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandiwe Newton, has died. He was 54.

Bandele died Sunday in Lagos, Nigeria, his daughter Temi Bandele announced on Facebook. No cause of death was given.

“Biyi was a prodigiously talented writer and filmmaker, as well as a loyal friend and beloved father,” she wrote. “He was a storyteller to his bones, with an unblinking perspective, singular voice and wisdom which spoke boldly through all of his art, in poetry, novels, plays and on screen. He told stories which made a profound impact and inspired many all over the world. His legacy will live on through his work.”

Bandele was completing postproduction on his latest movie, The King’s Horseman, a drama inspired by the acclaimed anti-colonial...

Apple TV+ has given a straight-to-series order to a new limited series from “Honey Boy” director Alma Har’el starring Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o, the streamer announced Wednesday.

The series, titled “Lady in the Lake,” is an adaptation of the 2019 novel of the same name by Laura Lippman. Set in 1960s Baltimore, the series centers on Maddie Schwartz (Portman), a housewife and mother who is pushed by an unsolved murder to reinvent her life as an investigative journalist. The case sets her on a collision course with Cleo Sherwood (Nyong’o), a hard-working woman juggling motherhood, many jobs and a passionate commitment to advancing Baltimore’s Black progressive agenda.

Har’el co-created the series with “The Man in the High Castle” alum Dre Ryan. Har’el will write the pilot and serve as director on the series.

“Lady in the Lake” marks the first foray into television for Portman and...

Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o will star in a series adaptation of the Laura Lipman novel “Lady in the Lake,” which has been ordered straight-to-series at Apple.

The series will be co-written by Alma Har’el and Dre Ryan, with Har’el writing the pilot and directing. Endeavor Content is the studio. Both Har’el and Ryan will executive produce, as will Portman and Nyong’o. Har’el executive produces along with Christopher Leggett via Zusa, with Portman’s producing partner Sophie Mas also executive producing. Crazyrose’s Jean-Marc Vallée and Nathan Ross will also serve as executive producers, along with Julie Gardner for Bad Wolf America. Lipmman is an executive producer on the project too.

The limited series takes place in 1960s Baltimore, where an unsolved murder pushes housewife and mother Maddie Schwartz (Portman) to reinvent her life as an investigative journalist and sets her on a collision course with...

Thursday’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race reminded the Met Gala how camp is really done with a sickening series of soap-worthy slaps, gag-worthy returns and, of course, wigs on wigs on wigs.

The episode began innocently enough, with Ru challenging the queens to slap the crap out of one another for a fabulous monetary prize. And while some slaps looked more like awkward karate chops, the queens did Joan Collins proud — especially Canada’s sweetheart Brooke Lynn Hytes, who won the competition with a bite just as fierce as her bark.

That’s when s–t got real.

Barry Jenkins’ Amazon series based on the Colson Whitehead book “The Underground Railroad” is beginning to take shape.

Variety has learned that the cast will be led by Thuso Mbedu as Cora, with Chase W. Dillon as Homer, and Aaron Pierre as Caesar. The project was first set up more than two years ago on the heels of Jenkins’ Oscar wins for the film “Moonlight,” with Amazon officially ordering it to series last June.

Mbedu is an established star in her native South Africa. She is known for roles in shows such as “Is’thunzi,” “Liberty,” and “Shuga.” In both 2018 and 2019 she received an International Emmy Award nomination for her role in “Is’thunzi.” Also in 2018, Mbedu was featured on the cover of Forbes Africa’s annual “Under 30” issue highlighting young African stars and leaders.

Dillon currently has a recurring role in the upcoming BET series “First Wives Club” from Tracy Oliver.

Joseph Baxter Aug 16, 2019

Oscar-winning Moonlight director Barry Jenkins jumps to the Amazon series, The Underground Railroad.

After Moonlight surprised Oscar audiences in 2017 after nabbing the Best Motion Picture of the Year prize, the entertainment industry became the proverbial oyster of its writer/director, Barry Jenkins. Indeed, after following up this past Christmas with drama If Beale Street Could Talk, Jenkins will continue to parlay his momentum into the small screen medium, adapting an acclaimed alternate-history novel depicting the escape journey of two slaves from an antebellum U.S. South.

Jenkins will write and direct a limited series for Amazon called The Underground Railroad, adapting the 2016 novel of the same name by Colson Whitehead, into an 11-episode season of hour-long episodes. The 19th-century-set story depicts Cora, a slave in a Georgia plantation – an outcast even amongst her peers – joining new male arrival Caesar on a harrowing and arduous escape Northward. However,...

The full cast for the upcoming TV series adaptation of Stephen King's The Mist has been revealed and the most notable star is Vikings actress Alyssa Sutherland.

The series will tell the story of "a foreboding mist that arrives in one small town ushering in a terrifying new reality for its residents, putting their humanity to the test." According to THR, Sutherland will play Eve Cunningham, “a wife and mother who fights to protect her teenage daughter from unknown dangers lurking both inside and outside the mist while facing down her past.”

I’m a big fan of this story. It one of my favorites that King has written and I also thought the movie directed by Frank Darabont was great, so I’m looking forward to this series and I have high hopes for it.

Hopefully, the creative team manages to bring some solid quality and creativity to the...

Joining the previously announced Alyssa Sutherland and Frances Conroy, eight additional actors have signed on to face the otherworldly horrors of The Mist, Spike TV’s upcoming 10-episode adaptation of Stephen King’s 1980 novella:

Press Release: New York, NY, July 13, 2016 – Further casting has been announced for Spike’s new original scripted series “The Mist,” based on the classic Stephen King novella of the same name. From TWC-Dimension Television (TV), “The Mist” goes into production later this summer and premieres on Spike in 2017.

“The Mist” tells the story of a foreboding mist that arrives in one small town ushering in a terrifying new reality for its residents, putting their humanity to the test. What will people do to survive when blinded by fear? The additional casting includes (in alphabetical order):

Gus Birney as “Alex Cunningham,” the teenage daughter of Kevin and Eve Cunningham. She’s always been the ‘good daughter,...

Written and directed by Michael Omonua, "Sun Eje" ("Bleed") is a short crime film that "sheds a spotlight on the illicit trade of body parts in Lagos, Nigeria. At heart, it tells the story of Nelson who loses his job and so turns to a life of crime." The film was shot on location in Lagos and stars Samuel Ajibola ("Shuga," "The Johnsons"), Kelechi Udegbe ("Ojuju"), and Tolulope Fagbemi.  Omonua has produced seven short films and created Sun Eje as a proof of concept for his feature, "Limbs," which is set in the same environment.  See the short in its entirety below. ...

On Sunday night, Lupita Nyong'o leapt into the role of America's sweetheart while collecting her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but years ago, she was already making waves on an MTV show in Kenya. In 2009, "Shuga," a soap opera starring Nyong'o, debuted, giving the actress her first big break. The show followed very modern woman Ayira, played by Nyong'o, as she navigated the waters of dating, love and sex in Africa and all ...

By Kevin P. Sullivan...

Everyone remembers Jared Leto's time on My So-Called Life, but have you seen Cate Blanchett in her early commercial days? In honor of Sunday's big Oscars night, we've pulled together vintage videos of the show's big winners, including Jared Leto, Lupita Nyong'o, Matthew McConaughey, and Cate Blanchett. Lupita once starred in Shuga, a show on MTV Kenya, and Matthew McConaughey's "alright, alright, alright" line dates back to 1993's Dazed and Confused. Keep reading for clips of both stars' performances, plus a can't-miss interview with 23-year-old Jared, who talks about meeting Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson. Source: Getty / Steve Eichner, Universal Pictures View Slideshow ›...

Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong’o take prizes at awards celebrating diversity.

Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave was the big winner at the 9th Screen Nation Film & Television Awards in London last night.

The period drama won Favourite International Movie (made by or starring British talent), beating competition from The Butler, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and House at the End of the Street.

Chiwetel Ejiofor won Best Male Performance in a Film for his role in 12 Years a Slave, an award he previously picked up at the Screen Nation awards in 2003 for his role in Dirty Pretty Things.

Lupita Nyong’o, who co-starred alongside Ejiofor in McQueen’s period epic, picked up Favourite Female African Intl. Rising Screen Talent at the awards, which celebrate diversity in film and television.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom did not leave empty-handed as Naomie Harris was awarded Female Performance in Film.

Biyi Bandele’s Half of A Yellow Sun was...

Source: Getty/Chelsea Lauren This award season, Lupita Nyong'o's name is on everyone's lips, and for good reason - the stunning Kenyan actress has taken the film world by storm with her gripping performance in 12 Years a Slave, and the role has garnered her best supporting actress nominations at the Golden Globes and Oscars. Most recently, she took home a SAG award in the category and was also honored at the Critics' Choice Awards, where she was welcomed to the stage with a standing ovation by her idols and peers before giving an emotional, heartfelt acceptance speech (it was one for the books; if you haven't seen it yet, we suggest you grab a tissue and watch). While there's a lot to love about Lupita - her raw talent, wide-eyed ingenuity, and incredible sense of style included - there is also so much more that we didn't know about her!

Over the summer, MTV Base and the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, joined forces with the Nigerian government’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to launch Shuga, MTV’s award winning TV series and multimedia campaign. You might recall that Twelve Years A Slave actress, Lupita Nyong'o, starred in the Kenyan version of Shuga, around 2009/2010. Series 3, which is set in Nigeria, debuts on December 1, and will be available to viewers around the world, via TV and online channels like YouTube. The first Shuga series (comprised of 3 twenty-four minute episodes) was filmed in Kenya...

Over the summer, MTV Base and the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, joined forces with the Nigerian government’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to launch Shuga, MTV’s award winning TV series and multimedia campaign. You might recall that Twelve Years A Slave actress, Lupita Nyong'o, starred in the Kenyan version of Shuga, around 2009/2010. Series 3, which is set in Nigeria, debuts on December 1, and will be available to viewers around the world, via TV and online channels like YouTube. The first Shuga series (comprised of 3 twenty-four minute episodes) was filmed in Kenya...

MTV Base and the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, have joined forces with the Nigerian government’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch Shuga, MTV’s award winning TV series and multimedia campaign. You might recall that Twelve Years A Slave actress, Lupita Nyong'o, starred in the Kenyan version of Shuga, around 2009/2010. The first Shuga series (comprised of 3 twenty-four minute episodes) was filmed in Kenya in August/September 2009, starring a young cast of then upcoming Kenyan actors and actresses, telling bitter-sweet tales of love, loss, sex and relationships,...