Nine actors of color earned Academy Award nominations on Monday, setting an Oscar record for diversity in those categories. The achievement comes after years of aggressive efforts by the Academy to diversify its membership in the wake of all-white acting nominees for the 2015 and 2016 ceremonies. That ignominious event was almost repeated last year […]
Continue readingAwkwafina, Cynthia Erivo, Joaquin Phoenix, Renee Zellweger and the “Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar” duo of Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo will serve as presenters for the 78th Golden Globes awards, Variety has learned.Many of those actors have a history of recognition from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Last year, Phoenix won […]
Continue readingCynthia Erivo, a two-time Oscar nominee for Harriet (for best actress and best original song) is set to star in and produce a film based on the life of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, a 19th century African princess who, after being orphaned and enslaved by a West African King, was taken in by Queen Victoria’s court.Erivo […]
Continue readingHalle Berry’s 2002 win at the Academy Awards was a historic moment.When presenter Russell Crowe opened the envelope and read Berry’s name for her performance in “Monster’s Ball,” she became the first Black woman to win an Oscar for best actress. Through tears, Berry thanked the women who came before her — including Dorothy Dandridge, […]
Continue readingAfter writing and directing the Oscar-nominated biopic Harriet, Kasi Lemmons has set her next project — an adaptation of Maaza Mengiste’s The Shadow King.Set during Mussolini’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia, the best-selling historical fiction novel tells the story of the Ethiopian women soldiers who were left out of the historical record of World War II.Atlas […]
Continue readingKasi Lemmons will adapt and direct Maaza Mengiste’s historical fiction novel The Shadow King about the Ethiopian women soldiers, left out of the historical record, who went to battle against Mussolini’s invading army in 1935 Ethiopia. Atlas Entertainment is producing.The novel follows, Aster, the wife of a commander in Haile Selassie’s overwhelmed army, and her […]
Continue readingUntil Issa Rae and John Cho announced “Harriet” star Cynthia Erivo as a nominee for best actress for the 92nd Academy Awards, it was looking increasingly likely that the Oscars were heading for a repeat of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that drove the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences four years ago to aggressively begin […]
Continue readingCynthia Erivo could land two Academy Award nominations on Monday morning: one for Best Actress for her applauded turn in “Harriet,” and another as singer and performer of the period drama film’s musical anthem, “Stand Up.” However, Erivo did not land a BAFTA nomination earlier this week for “Harriet,” and neither did any people of […]
Continue readingIn the first 72 years of the Academy Awards (1927-99), 14 fact-based movies won the best-picture prize, or 19%. In the 21st century, fact-based films have won 33% of the time.Last year, three of 2018’s four acting winners were playing real-life characters. And six of the eight best-picture contenders were fact-based, including winner “The Green […]
Continue readingSpecialty fare enjoyed a strong fall, well ahead of award kudos, as “Judy (“Roadside Attractions), “Harriet” (Focus Features), “Parasite” (Neon), and “Jojo Rabbit” (Fox Searchlight) all passed the $20 million mark. But being late to the party turned out to be a risky strategy this year.Both “Bombshell” (Lionsgate) and “Uncut Gems” (A24) are riding good […]
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