Stephan James And Laurence Fishburne To Star In “#Freerayshawn’ From Sony TV
Stephan James and Laurence Fishburne are set to star and Jasmine Cephas Jones, Skeet Ulrich and Annabeth Gish will co-star in Antoine Fuqua’s short-form drama series #Freerayshawn, The drama, from Sony Pictures TV, will be featured on Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman’s Quibi, a short-form mobile streaming service which takes long-form content and breaks it into little bits, essentially one long story told in chapters.
#Freerayshawn, which has started production in New Orleans, is believed to be the first Quibi series from a major studio as indie Sony TV continues to embrace new entrants in the original scripted programming space. It originated as a feature penned by Marc Maurino, with revisions by Michael C Martin. Seith Mann (Homeland, The Breaks) will direct and executive produce.
#Freerayshawn tells the story of a young, black Iraq War veteran named Rayshawn (James) who is set up by New Orleans police on a drug deal, runs for his life, and takes refuge inside his apartment building with his girlfriend and child. With New Orleans PD and the SWAT team outside ready to storm his home, a social media frenzy begins as community members and news outlets arrive at the scene. During this growing mayhem, a sympathetic cop named Steven Poincy (Fishburne) plays the role of negotiator, and, over the course of one brutally stressful day, Steven tries to get Rayshawn to calmly surrender in order to avoid an escalation of unnecessary violence.
Jones plays Tyisha, Ulrich is Sgt. Mike Trout and Gish portrays Detective Lincoln.
Fuqua executive produces with Fuqua Films’ David Boorstein and Kat Samick, Mann, and Justin Bursch. Fuqua Films and Sony Pictures TV co-produce.
#Freerayshawnwas briefly referenced by Katzenberg at the official unveiling of Quibi in October when he mentioned that Fuqua was developing a project the former DreamWorks Animation CEO described as a modern-day version of Dog Day Afternoon.
Fishburne’s most recent film credits include Marvel’s Ant-Man and The Wasp, The Mule and Where’d You Go Bernadette and he’ll next be seen reprising his role of Bowey King in John Wick 3.
James most recently starred in the Barry Jenkins-directed If Beale Street Could Talk and also stars in Sam Esmail’s Amazon Prime Video series Homecoming, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for his performance opposite Julia Roberts.
Ulrich co-stars as FP Jones on the hit CW series Riverdale. He also recently starred as infamous kidnapper David Mitchell in the Lifetime movie, I Am Elizabeth Smart opposite Alana Boden and Deirdre Lovejoy.
Jones will next be seen in a recurring role on HBO’s Mrs. Fletcher. Her most recent TV credits include a recurring role on the second season of NBC’s Midnight, Texas. Her upcoming films include Unt. Noah Baumbach for Netflix and Universal’s The Photograph opposite Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield.
Gish’s TV credits include The Haunting of Hill House and The X-Files and she will next be seen starring with Joseph Cross in indie film Stay at Condor Beach.
Fuqua is repped by CAA and Ziffren Brittenham. Mann is repped by CAA, Writ Large and Del Shaw Moonves. James is repped by CAA, Noble Caplan Abrams and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer. Fishburne is repped by Helen Sugland, Paradigm, and Del Shaw Moonves. Jones is repped by ATA Management, ICM Partners and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer. Ulrich is repped by Paradigm and Luber Roklin. Gish is repped by Innovative Artists and Thruline.
Source: Deadline
ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ Mistakes Regina Hall For Tiffany Haddish At Met Gala Package
Regina Hall mistakenly labeled as Tiffany HaddishABC
Oops. Good Morning America had a bit of a mix-up Tuesday, confusing Girls Trip stars Tiffany Haddish and Regina Hall, in its Met Gala package. The ABC News’ morning show mistakenly labeled Hall as Haddish in the video package (see screen shot above) which featured interviews with both stars.
Haddish had just been featured in the package two interviews prior to Hall, making the error even more glaring.
Haddish, who currently stars in the second season of Tracy Morgan’s TBS comedyThe O.G., will next be seen in features Limited Partners, The Kitchen and The Secret Life of Pets 2.
Hall stars opposite Don Cheadle in Showtime’s Black Monday, and will be seen in upcoming features Crush, Prison Logic and the Shaft reboot.
Jamie Foxx & Katie Holmes Make It Met Gala Official!
Monday night, Jamie Foxx, 51, and Katie Holmes, 40, took a big step in their relationship, hitting the star-studded Met Gala together!
The super private couple coordinated their outfits, Jamie wore purple shoes with his black suit and tie to match Katie’s Zac Posen gown, which featured a palm leaves collar that took over 56 hours to make.
While Katie opted to hit the pink carpet with BFF Zac, she and Jamie did pose as a couple inside during the cocktail reception, where they were surrounded by a pink floral wall.
During the date night, Jamie even appeared to introduce Katie to rapper Cardi B, who turned heads in a burgundy Thom Browne floor-length gown.
Hours earlier, Posen teased the evening, posting an Instagram video of Katie and Jamie dancing to Rihanna’s hit song “We Found Love” as they traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Many took to social media to share their thoughts on the couple stepping out for the biggest fashion night of the year. One Twitter user wrote, “TBH, I’d like to be inside the #MetGala with Jamie Foxx and Katie Holmes.”
Another added, “Katie Holmes and Jamie Foxx. I dig it.”
The next day, Katie posted about her “incredible night” on Instagram. Along with a video of her prepping for the gala, she wrote, “Thank u @zacposen for an incredible night! #metgala @genevieveherr @djquintero @enamelle @lorraineschwartz.”
Earlier this month, Katie and Jamie were seen holding hands on a chilly day in NYC, shutting down breakup rumors that had been swirling.
Despite their busy schedules, the couple is still making it work. A source recently told People magazine, “Katie and Jamie see each other as frequently as they can. They have known each other for years, and both turned out to be great parents, so they also have that in common. They are dedicated to their careers. Plus they give each other space.”
Another insider added, “When they can spend time together, they do. When they’re busy and they can’t, they don’t. They are two adults who enjoy each other’s company and have for a long time.”
Last year, Jamie and Katie sat next to each other at the Clive Davis and Recording Academy Pre-Grammy Gala, sharing some laughs at their table.
Katie and Jamie have kept their relationship off the radar and have only been seen in public on rare occasions. They first sparked dating rumors in 2013.
Source: EXTRA
Chadwick Boseman To Star As First Black Samurai ‘Yasuke’
Yasuke has been found, and it’s none other than Chadwick Boseman.
Deadline broke the news on Tuesday. The project has been in works for the past few years, originally being set up at Lionsgate with producer Erik Feig. Now, it’s with Feig’s Picturestart, where it will be produced with Mike De Luca’s De Luca Productions, Stephen L’Heureux’s Solipsist, Logan Coles’ X●ception Content and Boseman. If you remember correctly, MGM also has a Yasuke project set up as well.
“The legend of Yasuke is one of history’s best-kept secrets, the only person of non-Asian origin to become a samurai. That’s not just an action movie, that’s a cultural event, an exchange, and I am excited to be part of it,” said Boseman.
Yasuke (believed to have lived during the 1500s) was a samurai of Black African origin who served under the Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga in 1581 and 1582. The name “Yasuke” was granted to him by Nobunaga, although why and when is unclear. His original name is unknown – or, at least, there’s no record of it (none that’s been found at this time); so it is unclear if Yasuke is a Japanese rendering of his previous name or a wholly new name granted by his lord. According to various write-ups on Yasuke, he could’ve been from Mozambique, Angola or Ethiopia. There is no definite consensus on his origins. In fact, his background is shrouded in mystery.
Yasuke is said to have arrived in Japan in 1579 in the service of an Italian Jesuit named Alessandro Valignano and caused something of a sensation because of his Black skin, which was still foreign to the Japanese at the time. It’s said that, in one event, several people were crushed to death while clamoring to get a look at him. In Japan, he met warlord Nobunaga who suspected that the dark color of his skin was ink and not natural. Nobunaga reportedly had him strip from the waist up and made him scrub his skin. Satisfied that he was, in fact, Black, Nobunaga took a deep interest in Yasuke eventually, and he was allowed to enter Nobunaga’s service, which is when available documentation on Yasuke’s life seems to really begin.
He was described as healthy and good-looking with a pleasant demeanor. He was also said to be tall (at least 6 ft. 2 in.) and very strong, and was likely an intimidating presence for the Japanese at the time. He would rapidly rise in favor and status, until he became Nobunaga’s chief warrior, given his own residence and a ceremonial katana by Nobunaga.
Nobunaga made Yasuke his bodyguard. He was eventually made a samurai in 1581 and stationed at Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle. During this time, he learned to speak Japanese fluently as well.
Yasuke’s career as a samurai would not last long, however. In 1582, Nobunaga’s general, Mitsuhide, tried to overthrow him in a coup. Mitsuhide stormed the temple where Nobunaga was staying in Kyoto. Nobunaga, convinced of his imminent defeat at the hands of his treacherous general, committed Seppuku, ritual suicide. After Nobunaga’s death, Yasuke fled to the Azuchi Castle and entered the service of Nobunaga’s son Odo Nobutada. His son however also committed suicide after suffering defeat at the hands of Mitsuhide.
Victorious, Mitsuhide dismissed Yasuke as “a beast” and not a true samurai, because he wasn’t Japanese. Yasuke apparently offered his sword to Mitsuhide, as was customary, and returned to the service of the Jesuit Valignano, before soon falling into obscurity.
Among Boseman’s immediate upcoming projects is the crime drama, 21 Bridges.
Source: Deadline
Tiffany Haddish Teams With Chris Hemsworth For Buddy Action Comedy ‘Down Under Cover’
In what will quickly become one of the hot film packages on the Croisette, its being reported that that Avengers: Endgame‘s Chris Hemsworth is teaming up with Girls Trip‘s Tiffany Haddish on Down Under Cover, a two-hander buddy cop action comedy that is being mounted in the spirit of films like 48 Hours, Rush Hour and The Heat. Script is by Peter Hoare.
The package will be introduced at Cannes by CAA (brokering domestic) and FilmNation, which will handle international sales. Those two have done well making star-driven content available to the international buying community, with successful recent packages including 355 — the global spy thriller that sold out to the walls last Cannes, including a $20M Universal U.S. deal for the Simon Kinberg-directed film that will star Jessica Chastain, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Fan Bingbing and Lupita Nyong’o — the George Miller-directed 3000 Years Of Longing, and Knives Out, the contained whodunit that Rian Johnson directed with Daniel Craig leading the ensemble cast.
In Down Under Cover, Hemsworth will play a detective who goes undercover to crack a series of baffling casino heists in which the prime suspects are a troupe of Australian male erotic dancers. He’s forced to take the partner no one else will — Haddish’s character, a lone wolf who does things only one way: hers. Together they have to work as an unlikely duo to solve the crime of their careers. Along with the requisite beefcake physique and Aussie accent, Hemsworth has comic chops he has shown flashes of in films from Ghostbusters to Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame. Now he gets the chance to accentuate those skills alongside Haddish, who established herself as a breakout talent in Girls Trip and Night School. She just starred with Elisabeth Moss and Melissa McCarthy in the Andrea Berloff-directed drama The Kitchen, and teamed with Rose Byrne and Salma Hayek in the Miguel Arteta-directed comedy Limited Partners.
Down Under Cover is being produced by Thematic Entertainment, the production shingle hatched by Hemsworth, John Finemore, James Hoppe and Ben Grayson. Haddish is producing alongside them. She’s repped by UTA and Artists First. Hoare is Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
Source: Deadline
Dave Chappelle To Receive The Prestigious Mark Twain Prize For Humor
He may have already won two Emmys, two Grammys and Player Hater of the Year, but for Dave Chappelle, there are still a few prestigious distinctions yet unclaimed in his accomplished comedy career. He will take home one more award later this year when he receives the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the annual honor bestowed by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The Kennedy Center said Tuesday that it had chosen Chappelle, the indefatigable stand-up and co-creator and star of “Chappelle’s Show,” as the 22nd recipient of the Mark Twain Prize. Deborah F. Rutter, the Kennedy Center president, said in a statement, “Dave is the embodiment of Mark Twain’s observation that ‘against the assault of humor, nothing can stand.’ For three decades, Dave has challenged us to see hot-button issues from his entirely original yet relatable perspective.”
Chappelle will formally receive the prize (which includes a bronze bust of Mark Twain) on Oct. 27 in a ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington. That event, which traditionally features tributes from other comedians and entertainers, will be shown on PBS on Jan. 6.
Previous winners of the prize include Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Letterman, Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy. Last year the Kennedy Center rescinded the Mark Twain Prize it had given to Bill Cosby in 2009 after he was convicted of sexual assault.
Source: The New York Times
Chris Rock Joins Adam Sandler On Stage On SNL To Sing ‘I Got Fired By NBC’!
CREDIT: WILL HEATH/NBC
Adam Sandler returned to “Saturday Night Live” for the first time since 1995 to sing a chorus of “I got fired by NBC” in his opening monologue, with help from Chris Rock and Pete Davidson.
In his first turn as “SNL” host, Sandler noted the length of time that had passed since he was a young twenty-something working as a writer and performer on the show from 1990 to 1995. He eventually broke into song with the ballad “I Got Fired by NBC.”
Sample lyrics:
“Maybe they were sick of Canteen Boy/But I think they just hate Jews.”
Rock, the superstar comedian who also worked at “SNL” during Sandler’s tenure, joined him on stage for a chorus of “I got fired.” Current “SNL” trouper Pete Davidson came out for a heartfelt chorus until Sandler reminded Davidson that he hadn’t, technically, been fired by NBC yet.
“Be patient because it’s coming soon,” Sandler quipped.
The tune ended on a power-chord note with Sandler belting: “NBC said I was done/Then I made over $4 billion at the box office/so I guess you could say I won.”
“Saturday Night Live’s” cold open featured a spoof of “Game of Thrones” and “Avengers: Endgame,” with characters from both franchises competing against each other on “Family Feud.” Kenan Thompson limned “Feud” host Steve Harvey.
“You know it’s dark when you can’t even see the white people,” Thompson as Harvey quipped, referring to the debate this week about lighting standards in the most recent episode of “Game of Thrones.”
Kate McKinnon played “Thrones” warrior Brienne. Leslie Jones played “Avengers’ ” Groot. “Bitch, I’m Groot,” Jones told Thompson, repeatedly.
In a later sketch, “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon and Kristen Wiig made surprise appearances as partygoers at the “Sandler Family Reunion.”
Sandler plucked heartstrings at the end of the program with a tribute to his “SNL” colleague Chris Farley, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar.
Watch below.
Source: Variety
Sketch: Check Out The ‘Avengers Endgame’ Sketch On Saturday Night Live
With all of the hype of Avengers Endgame taking over the box office and becoming the number one box office hit of all time, you knew Saturday Night Livewas going to take a stab at a sketch mocking the film. Well, they did, except they even added HBO‘s hit TV show Game Of Thrones in a Family Feudsketch, with host Steve Harvey. and tell us what you think. Here’s the sketch;
‘The Bobby Debarge Story’ To Premiere On TV One On June 29th!
TV One continues its tradition of highlighting inspirational music figures with the premiere of the original film, THE BOBBY DEBARGE STORY, which will air on Saturday, June 29at8 P.M. ET/7C, followed by an encore presentation at 10 P.M. ET/9C. Debuting during Black Music Month, the film’s stars include Roshon Fegan (Shake It Up, Greenleaf) in the lead role as Bobby DeBarge, Tyra Ferrell (Boyz InThe Hood, White Men Can’t Jump) as Etterlene DeBarge, Blue Kimble(Media) as Tommy DeBarge andAdrian Marcel as James DeBarge. Big Boi (Outkast) portrays legendary music mogul Berry Gordy, while Lloyd appears as Switch member Gregory Williams.
In his first role as a leading man, Fegan brilliantly transforms into the falsetto master and takes audiences inside the tumultuous life of the former lead singer of the late 70’s R&B/Funk Band Switch.
“The most dynamic and powerful acting role I’ve ever portrayed,” shared Fegan. “It was an honor to tell this musical legend’s life story.”
Despite his success in music, Bobby DeBarge, the eldest sibling of the world-famous pop group DeBarge struggled with fame and fortune and found his life in peril. The film explores the highs and lows of the singer’s life in the limelight, including his rise to stardom, coping with memories of his dysfunctional childhood, romantic relationships, struggles with substance abuse, incarceration and failing health.
“It was truly amazing watching the characters unfold in front of my eyes and the incredible acting that was bestowed upon this project,” said the film’s director Russ Parr. “I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by the performances that they see. Although this is a tragic story, I believe it’s told with dignity and respect to the legacy of Bobby DeBarge.” Parr is also a writer and producer known for the award-winning “The Undershepherd,” “Hear No Evil” and “35 and Ticking.”
THE BOBBY DEBARGE STORY is the latest addition to TV One’s successful slate of acclaimed original films that range from dramas and comedies to biopics and more. TV One’s highest-rated original film WHEN LOVE KILLS debuted #1 on cable among African-American households in its premiere time slot. Original feature films LOVE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENTand BOBBI KRISTINArank at #2 and #3, respectively, in the network’s history – both were also #1 on cable among African-American households in their premiere timeslots. An additional encore for THE BOBBY DEBARGE STORY is scheduled to air for Sunday, June 30at9 P.M. ET/8C and 11 P.M. ET/10C.
THE BOBBY DEBARGE STORY is produced for TV One by Swirl Films. Executive Producers are Eric Tomosunas and Teri DeBarge. The film is written by Norman Vance, Jr., directed by Russ Parr with casting provided by Leah Daniels Butler (Leah Daniels Butler Casting) and George Pierre (Pierre Casting). For TV One, Karen Peterkin and Jason Ryan are the Executive Producers in Charge of Production, Donyell Kennedy-McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting and Robyn Greene Arrington is Vice President of Original Programming and Production.
Check Out Chris Tucker, Steve Harvey Hanging Out At The Kentucky Derby!
Hundreds of celebrities, sports stars, politicians and executives came out to celebrate Derby Eve with the Bridgeman family at the Trifecta gala, held this year at the KFC Yum Center.
The annual charity event benefits the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which was founded in 1993 by the late Jim Valvano, as well as Louisville’s West End School and the University of Louisville’s Autism Center. This is the 18th year that former NBA star and Louisville businessman Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman and his family — including his children, Eden, Justin and Ryan — have hosted a Kentucky Derby Eve party, each year raising funds for charities.
This year’s party was headlined by musical guest Usher and hosted by comedian Steve Harvey. Among the attendees who walked the red carpet were actor Chris Brown, actress Vivica A. Fox, singer Michelle Williams and celebrity chef Demaris Phillips.
