ABFF Ventures LLC., announced the names of the sixteen semifinalists who will compete in the 1st annual ABFF Comedy Festival’s stand-up competition, presented by Warner Media. The competition is the centerpiece of ABFF Comedy Festival dedicated to showcasing emerging Black and Brown comedians and comedy writers while introducing them to the industry at-large. The inaugural festival will be held virtually June 2-13, 2021, on ABFFPlay.com, the ABFF’s streaming platform.
The semifinalists selected will all perform in the first round before a virtual audience and panel of prominent industry judges. From this group, five finalists will be selected to compete in the final round of the competition. The winner and first runner up will receive a cash prizes of $7,500 and $2,500 respectively. All five finalists will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the 25th annual American Black Film Festival in Miami, November 3-7, and an opportunity to perform in front of the festival audience. Affion Crockett (Wild N’ Out) will host the competition.
As previously announced, television and film writer/producer Kenya Barris is this years’ ABFF Comedy Festival Ambassador.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase sixteen incredibly talented and funny comedians in the early stages of their careers. The ABFF brand expansionof the comedy festival was established to help propel new generations of diverse artists to the global stage. I am so excited to be able to provide a platform that fosters diversity, and a space for laughter,” says Nicole Friday, ABFF Ventures President.
2021 ABFF Comedy Festival Stand-Up Competition Semi-Finalists:
Travis Blunt
Travis Blunt hails from Syracuse, New York. His jokes center on personal issues — like being biracial, financial struggles, relationships and more.
Rallo Boykins
Born and raised in Hyattsville, Maryland, the artist, known as Rallo, has always had a knack for comedy. Rallo was dared by a good friend to perform stand-up comedy at a Fourth of July dinner party in 2008…and the rest is history.
Kae Bradford
Kae Bradford is a Chicago-based stand-up comedian hailing from St. Louis, Missouri. Kae’s quick wit and anecdotal tales of her upbringing bring joy and laughter to her audiences.
Marshall Brandon
Born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, Marshall Brandon has been making people laugh since he uttered his first words. He recently landed the opportunity to spend the summer of 2020 at Chappelle Summer Camp.
Shanna Christmas
Shanna Christmas is a comedian/actor from Las Vegas, Nevada, who took home the 2018 Devil Cup Comedy Festival trophy for Best in Stand-Up.
Reid Clark
Reid Clark hails from Washington, D.C. In his 8 years as a stand-up comedian, his comedy has been described as dark, blue, and political, with elements of musicality and improvisation.
Cheire Danielle
Cherie Danielle is an Atlanta, Georgia-based actor/comedian, and core cast member of "The Going Live Show,” a sketch comedy show on YouTube.
Eva Evans
Eva Evans is a comedic Diva hailing from Englewood, N.J./Brooklyn, N.Y. She graduated from the Manhattan School of Comedy at Gotham Comedy Club in NYC and won the 2017 Manhattan Comedy Festival competition (NYC).
Rob Gordon
Rob Gordon, born and raised in Washington, D.C., found his love for comedy and laughter in grade school. He expresses himself not only on-stage doing stand-up, but also through skits and sketches on social media and YouTube.
Phil Hunt
Phil Hunt began his career in his hometown of Indianapolis and moved on to New York City. Poised, deliberate and polished, Phil’s mix of refined material combines unique observational commentary and imaginative storytelling steeped in a perspective all his own.
Hay J.
Haywood J. Thompson, “Hay J,” is a stand-up comedian and host from Cincinnati, Ohio, with the skill to entertain diverse crowds from Christian/Family events to music concerts. Hay J also teaches improv comedy techniques and is the winner of the national Funny Bone Competition.
Vanessa Jackson
Vannessa Jackson is a stand-up comedian and writer hailing from Rancho Cucamonga, California. Currently she resides in New York and performs stand-up comedy around the city.
Alan Massenburg
Alan Massenburg is a comedian and writer originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 2018, he won the New Comedian of the Year competition in Baltimore. He is also a writer/contributor for The Culture Collective, NYC, hosts “The Mass Hysterical Show” and co-hosts the “Proper Ebonics Podcast.”
Rashaun Reese
Rashaun Reese is a stand-up comedian from East Orange, New Jersey. A natural comedian, his routine focuses on current events, life experiences and differences between men and women.
Kenté Scott
Kenté Scott, born and raised in Oakland, California, started doing stand-up at the world-famous Comedy Store in Hollywood. Kenté recently returned from co-headlining a tour of the U.S. military bases in Japan, is a regular guest on “Quake’s House” radio show (on Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network on Sirius/XM), and hosts the Comedy Cafe.
Angela Star
Star is a stand-up comedian, actress and singer from Brooklyn, New York. Her start in stand-up comedy began at Carolines on Broadway NYC, where she frequently performed and became best known for her impersonations and interactive storytelling.
LOS ANGELES – June 2, 2021 – SHOWTIME has picked up a third season of its acclaimed Boston crime drama CITY ON A HILL. Starring Emmy nominee Kevin Bacon and Screen Actors Guild® award winner Aldis Hodge, season three will be eight one-hour episodes and is set to resume production in New York later this year to premiere in 2022. CITY ON A HILL is executive produced by multiple Emmy winner Tom Fontana (Homicide: Life on the Street), who also serves as showrunner. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks.
Season two of CITY ON A HILL centered on a federal housing project in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston plagued with drug violence and a rightful distrust in local law enforcement. FBI agent Jackie Rohr (Bacon) works to exploit Boston’s defective criminal justice system in a desperate attempt to salvage his own career. Unfortunately for Jackie, assistant district attorney Decourcy Ward (Hodge) is onto his adversary’s latest misstep. In time, the personal antagonism between these two escalates to an all-out war between the offices of the U.S. Attorney and the Suffolk DA. No one is safe from the collateral damage. At the conclusion of season two, Decourcy pursues justice in and out of the courtroom and despite his maneuvering, Jackie discovers that he can’t escape his past and gets ousted from the FBI.
Season two also stars Lauren E. Banks, Mark O’Brien, Amanda Clayton, Matthew Del Negro and Jill Hennessy with guest stars Pernell Walker, Lucia Ryan, Keiko Elizabeth, Kameron Kierce, Shannon Wallace, John Doman, and Michael O’Keefe.
In addition to Fontana, CITY ON A HILL is executive produced by Jennifer Todd, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jorge Zamacona, Barry Levinson, Chuck MacLean and Michael Cuesta. Kevin Bacon, Aldis Hodge and Michele Giordano serve as co-executive producers.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
Tribeca and Comedy Dynamics are reteaming for a slate of 10 stand-up comedy specials to be filmed at the Tribeca Film Festival, which runs June 9-20 in New York City.
The two entities partnered up in early 2020 to produce original stand-up comedy specials that were slated to be filmed at the annual fest. But after Covid restrictions took hold nationwide, they pivoted and evolved the indoor festival into an outdoor comedy drive-in set across the country at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Tribeca x Comedy Dynamics Drive-In featured hourlong comedy sets from Ester Steinberg, Dave Helem, Erica Rhodes and Daniel Webb — the first set of drive-in comedy specials filmed in the midst of the pandemic.
Produced by Tribeca and Comedy Dynamics and directed by the latter’s founder and CEO, Brian Volk-Weiss, this month’s slate of specials is part of Tribeca’s expansion into new storytelling platforms and its 12-day celebration to reopen New York and bring live entertainment back to the city.
“We had a blast working with the amazing team at Tribeca for our 2020 Comedy Drive-In at the Rose Bowl, and we’re excited to be taking the show back to New York City in 2021 to give fans a bigger, better and more interactive experience,” Volk-Weiss said.
Said Pete Torres, chief operations officer of Tribeca Enterprises: ”Tribeca is proud to be part of New York City’s cultural reopening with12 days of live entertainment at outdoor and indoor venues across all five boroughs” We’re excited to partner and grow our program with Comedy Dynamics bringing ten comedians back to the stage during our 20th anniversary celebration.”
Cisco Henson serves as executive producer for the specials, which are produced by Michael Epstein and will be filmed at Spring Studios. Here is a rundown of the performances with times, dates and artist bios:
Bill Bellamy
June 12, 8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.
Bill Bellamy is a comedian and actor who has been featured on Insecure, Self-Made, Def Comedy Jam, MTV Jamz, MTV Beach House, Last Comic Standing, Hot in Cleveland and more. Bill has several acclaimed stand-up specials under his belt, including Booty Call, Ladies Night Out and Crazy, Sexy, Dirty. Bill is also the host and EP of Bill Bellamy’s Who’s Got Jokes, which has featured rising comedians in their early days, including Tiffany Haddish, Lil Rel Howery and Karlous Miller.
Cocoa Brown
June 17, 8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.
Cocoa Brown is a comedian and actress who has appeared on Showtime at the Apollo, One Mic Stand and BET’s ComicView. She’s also appeared in Tyler Perry’s series, For Better or Worse and comedy films such as Ted 2 and The Single Moms Club. In addition to her comedic roles, Cocoa has showcased her acting talents on dramatic series such as Fox’s 9-1-1 and FX’s The People Vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Helen Hong
June 16, 10:30 p.m.
A fan favorite on the hit NPR podcast Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Helen Hong was a recurring character on HBO’s Silicon Valley, CBS’ The Unicorn and Netflix’s Huge in France. She’s performed stand-up comedy on The Arsenio Hall Show, Last Call with Carson Daly, Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen and the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. Helen was featured in the Coen Brothers’ film Inside Llewyn Davis, and has guest-starred on Jane the Virgin, Parks and Recreation and Pretty Little Liars.
Maija DiGiorgio
June 16, 8:30 p.m.
Maija DiGiorgio is recognized by New York’s Time Out magazine as one of “the freshest, funniest, unique voices to grace the microphone”. Maija has been featured on HBO Def Comedy Jam, Hot 97, Comics Unleashed, Sex and the City, Uncontrolled Comedy Hour and more. Maija received a standing ovation on her first television appearance on NBC’s Live from the Apollo and never stopped touring since, including several tours to serve our troops stationed overseas in Korea and Japan.
Josh Gondelman
June 13, 8:30 p.m.
Josh Gondelman is a writer and comedian who incubated inBoston before moving to New York City, where he currently lives and works as a writer and producer for Desus & Mero on Showtime. Previously, he spent five years at Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where he earned two Peabody Awards, four Emmy awards, and three WGA Awards for his work. Josh’s debut essay collection, Nice Try, was released in fall 2019 through Harper Perennial. In the past, Josh has written for Fuse TV’s Billy on the Street. Onstage, Joshcharms audiences using his good-natured storytelling and cracks them up with his sharp, pointy wit. He takes topics from surprise parties to his experience teaching preschool and makes them all equally hilarious. In 2016, he made his late-night stand-up debut on Conan (TBS), and made his network TV debut on Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC) in 2018. He has also appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden. Josh’s album Dancing on a Weeknight was released April 2019 on Blonde Medicine Records and hit No. 7on the Billboard comedy chart. His previous comedy album Physical Whisper debuted in March 2016 at No. 1 on the iTunes comedy chart (as well as No. 4 on the Billboard comedy chart) and stayed there for…well…longer than he expected, honestly.
Miz Cracker
June 13, 10:30 p.m.
Miz Cracker is a New York City drag queen, writer and comedienne. She launched her drag career in 2011 while participating in marches for marriage equality in Times Square. She went on to compete in RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10, landing a spot in the top five and becoming a fan favorite. She now tours the world with her one woman shows; delights fans on her YouTube channel; lectures on drag at top universities; cooks with Bon Appetit; writes for publications like Slate, ArtForum, Vice and GQ; and engages over a million followers on Instagram and Twitter. Cracker describes herself as a “woman’s lifestyle brand,” and is a vocal advocate for women’s rights. Her forthcoming solo show, American Woman, discusses how drag queens and gay men can become better allies to women in an age when Feminism is more important than ever.
Kellen Erskine
June 14, 8:30 p.m.
Comedian Kellen Erskine has appeared on Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, America’s Got Talent and the Amazon Original series, Inside Jokes. He has garnered over 30 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the coveted “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. Kellen was named one of TBS’s Top Ten Comics to Watch in 2017, and he performed at the Bridgetown, Big Sky, and Boston Comedy Festivals. In February 2018, Kellen made his late night TV stand-up debut on TBS’ Conan.
Katrina Davis
June 14, 10:30 p.m.
Katrina Davis is a stand-up from Jacksonville, Florida who sprang onto the Los Angeles comedy scene with a few 60-second sets on Kill Tony. She took on enough contenders in Roast Battle at The Comedy Store to be ranked amongst the top 50 battlers in 2018 and can been seen on America’s Got Talent as well as the Seed & Spark comedy special Everything Is Fine. Katrina performs at shows regularly all-around LA and was honored to be named one of Time Out LA’s Comics to Watch for 2019. During the pandemic, Katrina has been featured on many online comedy shows and even hosts her own monthly Zoom show called Valley Girl. Most recently Katrina can be seen on Amazon Prime’s Fact Check digital series and heard as a voice of a couple characters on YouTube’s Swipeothesis.
Jackie Fabulous
June 15, 8:30 p.m.
Comedian Jackie Fabulous captured America’s heart as a semi-finalist on the 2019 season of America’s Got Talent. She’s a hilarious and affable stand-up comedian, writer, actor, producer, motivational speaker, and headliner who uses her jokes and sparkling nature to simultaneously entertain, encourage, and empower audiences while keeping them laughing, and easily navigating the comedy gamut from family friendly to naughty. Jackie’s stand-up has been featured on The Arsenio Hall Show, Gotham Comedy Live, Fox, BET, Last Comic Standing, Kevin Harts LOL Network and more. In addition to her television appearances, Jackie Fabulous is a paid regular and headliner at several top comedy clubs such as The Comedy Cellar, The Hollywood Improv, The Laugh Factory and Funny Bone clubs.
Steven Michael Quezada
June 15, 10:30 p.m.
Steven is best known for his role as DEA agent Steven Gomez in the hit series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, while also appearing in films such as Kites, Beerfest, First Snow and 3 From Hell over his career. In addition to his acting work, Steven performs stand-up comedy across the country and also performs regularly on Carnival Cruise Lines.
Source: Deadline
INDIANAPOLIS — Comedian and actor Sinbad is set to headline the annual fundraiser for Cancer Support Community Central Indiana (CSC), “Laughing Matters.”
The event is scheduled to take place at Old National Centre in the Egyptian Room on Saturday, November 13.
According to CSC, Laughing Matters has become one of Indy’s most premier fundraisers over the last two decades and it can’t wait to welcome Sinbad to the city.
“Cancer Support Community is thrilled with the prospect of being able to hold an in-person event in 2021,” Eric Richards, the CSC president and CEO, stated in a release. “Our organization provides free support services for those impacted by cancer in our community and we could not offer the support we do without funds raised through events like Laughing Matters.”
The 21st annual Laughing Matters event includes complimentary cocktails, dinner, a silent auction, and a meet-and-greet with Sinbad for VIP guests.
Due to COVID-19 guidelines, seating is limited at this year’s event. Those interested in purchasing tickets can visit cancersupportindy.org.
We got a chance today to interview actor and comedian Katt Williams as he was doing press for his new film The House Next Door: Meet The Blacks 2, a sequel to Meet The Blacks.
We asked Katt about his new projects that he has coming up with Netflix, plus his new stand-up specials. We also asked him about his thoughts about his good friend, comedian Red Grant, who is running for Mayor of Washington D.C.
Watch the full interview below;
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court hasn’t yet ruled if Bill Cosby can leave prison or get a new trial on sex crime charges, but the Keystone State’s Parole Board has made its opinion very clear.
“Following an interview with you and a review of your file, and having considered all matters required pursuant to the parole board, in the exercise of its discretion, has determined at this time that: you are denied parole/reparole,” the Board told designated sexually violent predator Cosby earlier this month in a letter (read it here).
The state board cites several reasons for its decision to keep the 83-year old legally blind actor once known as America’s Dad behind bars. In no small part the negative recommendation by the Pennsylvania department of Corrections didn’t help Cosby’s cause. Nor dd the fact that he was refused to even participate in, let alone complete, a required treatment program “sex offenders and violence prevention.”
Back in September 2018, The Cosby Show creator was been sentenced to no less than three years and no more than 10 years” in prison by Judge Steven O’Neill after being found guilty by a jury in his second trial for the 2004 rape of former Temple University employee Andrea Constand.
Incarcerated at Pennsylvania’s State Correctional Institution at Phoenix almost three years, Cosby has been fighting the conviction almost since the moment he was sentenced. Coming up short time and time again, the disgraced comedian finally scored a win of sorts when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed in June last year to hear his rape conviction appeal.
Conducted virtually in December due to ongoing Covid-19 crisis and with Cosby absent, the 75-minute appeal hearing centered on prior bad acts testimony from five other women during the second trial, 5th amendment rights, and a 2005 press release from the prior D.A. of Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County, for better or worse.
The seven judge strong PA Supreme Court has not released an opinion on the appeal
Cosby’s reps were not so reticent today.
“The news that Actor and Comedian Bill Cosby’s parole has been ‘denied’ by the Pennsylvania State Parole Board is not a surprise to Mr. Cosby, his family, his friends and/or his legal team,” said spokesperson Andrew Wyatt on Thursday as the May 11 decision became public.
“It was brought to our attention by Mr. Cosby that over the past months, members of the PA State Parole Board had met with him and empathically stated, ‘if he did not participate in SVP [Sexually Violent Predator] courses that his parole would be denied,’” the Purpose PR boss added of his long-time client. “Mr. Cosby has vehemently proclaimed his innocence and continues to deny all allegations made against him, as being false, without the sheer evidence of any proof. Today, Mr. Cosby continues to remain hopeful that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court will issue an opinion to vacate his conviction or warrant him a new trial.”
Though Cosby admitted in his 2005 depositions to giving former Temple University employee Constand several Benadryl pills on the night of the alleged assault in his Philadelphia-area mansion in 2004, the comic has consistently insisted through his 2015 arrest, various probes, two trials and the 2018 sentencing hearing that the encounter was consensual.
Over 60 women have claimed that Cosby non-consensually drugged and assaulted them over the decades with a mix of pills and alcohol – as Constand testified was the tactic used on her. Unlike many of those women, some of whom were among the onlookers at the two trials and the sentencing hearing in the fall of 2018, Cosby paid Constand millions in a once-confidential settlement about 10 years before the criminal case was opened six years ago by the current Montgomery County D.A. Kevin Steele.
Source: Deadline
Hulu has cast its Iron Mike.
Moonlight breakout Trevante Rhodes has been tapped to play Mike Tyson in the streamer’s limited series, Iron Mike.
From the team behind I, Tonya, the eight-episode drama will explore the wild, tragic and controversial life and career behind what Hulu calls “one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture.” Tyson is not involved with the series in any capacity, though sources say Hulu executives briefed him and his team on the series a couple months ago.
I, Tonya screenwriter Steven Rogers created the series, with Karin Gist (Fox’s upcoming Our Kind of People) attached to serve as showrunner and executive producer. The series hails from Disney’s 20th Television. I, Tonya helmer Craig Gillespie will also exec produce and direct the series. Fellow exec producers include I, Tonya‘s Margot Robbie and her LuckyChap colleague Tom Ackerley. Entertainment 360’s Darin Friedman will also exec produce alongside Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless and Scott Morgan. Rhodes will also exec produce the series.
While Tyson is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time, he was convicted of rape and served three years of a six-year prison sentence. Tyson staged a boxing comeback after his release and lost in a 1997 rematch against Evander Holyfield in which he was famously disqualified for biting off a piece of his opponent’s ear. He retired in 2006 but returned to the ring against Roy Jones Jr. last year.
Rhodes’ casting brings him back to Hulu following his role in the streamer’s feature The United States vs. Billie Holiday. His credits include his role as adult Chiron in the Oscar-winning Moonlight and Netflix’s Birdbox. He’s repped by Jackoway Austen.
Picked up straight to series in February, Tyson immediately blasted the show as “tone deaf cultural misappropriation” of his life story. Tyson is, however, attached to exec produce a scripted series about his life, with Jamie Foxx attached to star. That project does not yet have a network attached.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Regina Hall and Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown are set to star in and produce Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul from production company Pinky Promise.
The film centers on Trinity Childs (Hall), the first lady of a prominent Southern Baptist megachurch, who attempts to help her pastor-husband, Lee-Curtis Childs (Brown), rebuild their congregation and reconcile their faith to make the biggest comeback that commodified religion has ever seen. Shot in a faux-documentary style, the film takes a satirical look at megachurch culture and the often nebulous perspectives that are cultivated from being both entrenched in it, as well as finding yourself on the outside looking in.
“Both Regina and Sterling are forces of nature, and the sense of play and sheer creative energy they bring to these roles will be incredible to see.” said Pinky Promise co-founder Jessamine Burgum. “We’re over the moon to partner with two of the most lovely and hardworking people in town. Honestly, it’s a dream come true.”
The pic was written and will be directed by Adamma Ebo in her feature writing and directorial debut. The script was selected for the 2019 Sundance Screenwriting Intensive, as well as the 2019 Hit List. Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya will be producing through his 59% banner with Rowan Riley and Amandla Crichlow, alongside Adanne Ebo and Kara Durrett. UTA Independent Film Group, CAA Media Finance and ICM Partners arranged for the film’s financing by Pinky Promise, and they are co-representing its domestic distribution rights.
Hall can be seen reprising her role as Dawn Darcy in the hit Showtime comedy series Black Mondayrecently , opposite Don Cheadle. Hall was seen in Tate Taylor’s thriller Breaking News in Yuba County and will star and executive produce the upcoming occult drama Master, with Amazon Studios as well as Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers opposite Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy slated for August. Hall’s recently launched production company, Rh Negative, has signed a first-look deal with Showtime as well as a six-movie slate deal with ViacomCBS’ Entertainment & Youth Group.
Two-time Emmy-winning actor and producer SBrown stars in NBC’s critically acclaimed drama series This Is Us. For his role as Randall Pearson, Brown has received an Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award. Next month he will executive produce and co-host the OWN television special Honoring Our Kings: OWN Honors Black Fatherhood, alongside Oprah Winfrey. In 2016, Brown won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of prosecutor Christopher Darden in FX’s highly-rated award-winning television event series American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson. He has received additional Emmy nominations for his work in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. His film credits include Marvel’s Black Panther, the A24 family drama Waves and Disney’s Frozen 2. He also recently created Indian Meadows Productions under a pact with 20th Television. The company’s chief mandate is to champion diversity through the development and production of entertaining, educational and inclusive projects across multiple forms of media, including film, broadcast, cable and streaming.
Hall is represented by ICM Partners and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman. Brown is represented by CAA, JWS Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham. Adamma and Adanne Ebo are represented by UTA, Redefine Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.
Pinky Promise focuses on empowering up-and-coming storytellers with the support and financing they need to achieve their vision, create wonder, and inspire empathy. Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul will join other Pinky Promise projects in development including the upcoming features, Tankhouse and Cuttlefish and upcoming series, To the Moon!.
Omari Hardwick, John Ortiz and Molly Parker have boarded The Mothership, a sci-fi adventure feature from MRC Film, Automatik and Netflix. Halle Berry previously was announced to star in and executive produce the film.
Oscar-nominated Bridge of Spies screenwriter Matthew Charman is directing the film, which will mark his feature debut. Charman also penned the screenplay, which follows Sara Morse (Berry) one year after her husband mysteriously vanished from their rural farm. When she discovers a strange, extraterrestrial object underneath their home, Sara and her kids embark on a race to find their husband, father and, most important, the truth.
Fred Berger and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones of Automatik are producing the project. Danny Stillman also serves as exec producer.
Hardwick is best known for starring in the hit Starz drama Power and currently can be seen in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead. He’s repped by WME, SMAC Entertainment, and Sloane Offer. Ortiz, whose recent credits include Horse Girl, SXSW drama The Fallout and the Netflix series Messiah, is repped by Gersh and Principal Entertainment LA. Emmy nominee Parker toplines the Netflix series Lost in Space and can be seen in its drama pic Pieces of a Woman. She is repped by CAA and Circle of Confusion.