Esai Morales Joins DC’s ‘Titans’ As The Villain Deathstroke
The Titans just made a killer cast addition: Esai Morales will portray Deathstroke, the fan-favorite assassin and archenemy of Teen Titans leader Dick Grayson.
The Titans, the first original programming franchise for the DC Universe subscription steaming site, launched in September and finished its first season in December. The weekly show follows the superhero squad that’s led by Batman’s former sidekick, Robin, aka Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites), and includes the hot-tempered alien princess Starfire (Anna Diop), the mysterious empath Raven (Teagan Croft), and the green-skinned shape-shifter Beast Boy (Ryan Potter).
That Titans line-up of characters was introduced with much fanfare in the pages of DC Comics back in 1980. The team, created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, didn’t have to wait long to find their signature antagonist: Deathstroke the Terminator was introduced in issue No. 2 of The New Teen Titans in December 1980.
The character bio from the show’s producers: “Slade Wilson is known for being DC’s deadliest assassin. While serving his country, Slade became an elite soldier before government testing enhanced his physiology to near superhuman levels, putting him on a path of darkness and revenge. To his family, Slade is a father and husband, but to the rest of the world, he is feared by many as the infamous Deathstroke; selling his services to the highest bidder as the ruthless assassin that never gives up and never misses.”
The character is well known to fans of the popular Teen Titans animated series from Cartoon Network as well as the show’s 2018 tie-in feature film Teen Titans Go! to the Movies. Deathstroke has also been portrayed by Manu Bennett in 36 episodes of The CW series Arrow while Joe Manganiello (True Blood) appeared as the assassin in the 2017 feature film Justice League but only with an uncredited cameo.
The DC Comics character represents an interesting footnote in Marvel Comics history. The character Deadpool, portrayed by Ryan Reynolds in the popular R-rated Fox film franchise, was created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld in 1990 as a thinly disguised version of the DC villain. Not only do the characters share similar costumes, Deadpool’s alias is Wade Wilson, which in fact rhymes with Slade Wilson.
Adding a bit more confusion for casual fans, both Deadpool and Deathstroke have similar attributes to Deadshot, a DC Comics villain introduced in the 1970s and portrayed by Will Smith on the big screen in Suicide Squad in 2016.
Morales, a Brooklyn native and graduate of New York’s High School for the Performing Arts, began his acting career in El Hermano at the Ensemble Theatre Studio and at New York’s Shakespeare Festival In The Park in The Tempest. Morales found his feature film breakthrough role as Bob Morales in Taylor Hackford’s La Bamba, the landmark 1985 biopic about Ritchie Valens.
The actor’s feature film credits include Bad Boys, Rapa Nui, Mi Familia, Fast Food Nation, Paid in Full, The Line, Atlas Shrugged: Part II, Jarhead II: Field of Fire, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, and Gun Hill Road, a film he executive produced and starred in. Gun Hill Road was a grand Jury Nominee at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. Most recently Morales starred in Sony’s Superfly and the indie film The Wall of Mexico.
Morales’ recent television credits include Ozark (Netflix), Mozart In The Jungle(Amazon Prime), Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO), and Chicago PD (NBC). Morales also had notable credits over the years on shows such as NYPD Blue (ABC), Miami Vice (NBC), Fame (NBC) Law and Order: SVU (NBC), Caprica (Syfy), and Criminal Minds (CBS).
Morales is repped by Innovative Artists, LINK Entertainment, and Eric Feig Entertainment & Media Law.
The executive producers of Titans are Greg Berlanti, Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns, Sarah Schechter, and Greg Walker.
Source: Deadline
Eunetta T. Boone- Creator Of ‘One On One’, ‘Raven’s Home’ Passes Away!
his is sad news for the TV writing community. Veteran comedy writer/producer and screenwriting teacher Eunetta T. Boone, who created the 2001 comedy series One on One, has passed away suddenly from an apparent heart attack. Boone, who was found unresponsive in her Los Angeles home on Wednesday morning, was 63.
At the time of her death, Boone was working as executive producer and showrunner on the third season of Disney Channel’s hit sitcom Raven’s Home, starring and executive produced by Raven-Symoné. Boone joined the series full-time late last year after a stint as a consultant.
“Eunetta Boone was a wonderful person and a consummate storyteller and teacher, and through her leadership on many productions including Raven’s Home, she did so well what she enjoyed most — mentoring creative talent,” Disney Channel said in a statement. “Eunetta will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by everyone who knew her. All of us at Disney Channel grieve her passing and send our deepest condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.”
In light of Boone’s death, I hear production on Raven’s Home was shut down yesterday afternoon for the remainder of this week. The network has provided grief counselors to the cast and crew.
“My heart is heavy following the loss of Raven’s Home executive producer Eunetta Boone,” Raven-Symoné said. “Eunetta was a pioneer and an inspiration to everyone she met. She was a masterful storyteller, an empathetic leader and a beacon of light to so many. I’m sending love and my deepest sympathies to Eunetta’s family and friends and all who knew and loved her. She will be missed. Thank you for everything Eunetta.”
Raven’s Home marked a return to TV for Boone, who was a rising-star TV comedy writer in the 1990s and early 2000s, working on such popular series as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Living Single, The Parent ‘Hood, The Hughleys and My Wife and Kids.
Boone, who was in high demand for staffing, had the distinction of having served as co-executive producer simultaneously on two hit series, My Wife & Kids starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, and The Hughleys starring DL Hughley and Elise Neal.
That led to Boone creating and executive producing her own successful multi-camera comedy series, One on One starring Kyla Pratt, which aired on UPN for five seasons, sold into syndication and spawned a spinoff series, Cuts, starring Marques Houston and Shannon Elizabeth.
For six years after the end of One on One, Boone was a screenwriting instructor with an emphasis in comedy writing for The UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. She also wrote a feature script, Who Is Doris Payne?
Boone began her career as a sports reporter for the Baltimore Sun, the first African American woman to cover sports in Baltimore. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a Journalism degree and received her Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University.
She is survived by her mother, Eunice Taylor; sister, Regina Ward; nieces, Breawna Taylor, MaKenna Ward and a host of friends and family.
Source: Deadline
Nicole Richie Lands In New Comedy Pilot For FOX Titled ‘Richard Lovely’!
Nicole Richie has been cast in a series regular role in the Fox single-cam comedy pilot “Richard Lovely.”
The project follows Richard Lovely (Thomas Lennon), the disgruntled author of the best-selling children’s book series, “Mr. Mouse.” He doesn’t hate children, but rather just everything about them. After a publicity fiasco involving an unexpectedly savvy 9-year-old kid, Mr. Mouse appears in Richard’s real life as he is forced into an unlikely father/son relationship that will change his life forever.
Richie will play Kelli, Richard’s publicist. She is described as a high-functioning millennial who is Richard’s polar opposite in every way except one: they both like to keep their eyes on number one – themselves. The role was originally intended to be a recurring character but after a table read, the producers decided to make Richie a regular.
In addition to Lennon, Richie joins previously announced cast members Wendie Malick, Nicole Sun, Mason Shneiderman, and Asif Ali.
The role marks a homecoming of sorts for Richie, whose breakout TV role came when she starred in the Fox unscripted series “The Simple Life” opposite Paris Hilton in 2003. Richie recently starred in the NBC comedy series “Great News” and has made appearances on HBO’s “Camping” and Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie.” Her other acting roles include “Empire,” “Barely Famous,” “Chuck,” and “8 Simple Rules.”
She is repped by WME, Impression Entertainment, and Morris Yorn.
Billy Finnegan will write and executive produce “Richard Lovely.” Alex Hardcastle will serve executive producer in addition to directing the pilot. 20th Century Fox Television will produce.
Source: Variety
CLEO TV And AFRO TV Lauded At Reception At The Newseum In Washington, D.C.
Comcast hosted a star-studded reception commemorating the launch of two new networks including CLEO TV at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night. Launched in January 2019, CLEO TV offers multicultural young women a destination for content centered around travel, home design, relationships, finances, cooking, talk shows, movies, docu-series, sitcoms and much more. CLEO TV is broadly distributed on Comcast and Spectrum. The event also recognized the launch of AFRO TV, another independent network with a diverse majority ownership offered on Comcast platforms.
Guests at Thursday’s event enjoyed music, a live performance by The String Queens and refreshments, and were joined by a host of CLEO TV talent, media and communications movers and shakers and tastemakers. Former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, National Newspaper Publishers Association President Ben Chavis, National Association of Black Journalists President Sarah Glover, President/CEO of National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications Shuanise Washington, Washington Association of Black Journalists President Donna Walker, March on Washington Film Festival Producer Broderick Johnson, Democratic National Committee African American and Women’s Outreach Director Waikinya Clanton, and U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. President/CEO Ron Busby, were among notable guests at the reception.
CLEO TV executives in attendance included Urban One Founder and Chairperson Cathy Hughes, Urban One Chairman/CEO Alfred Liggins, III, General Manager Michelle Rice, EVP of Ad Sales and Marketing Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay, VP of Programming and Production Robyn Greene Arrington, in addition to other key CLEO TV team members.
Celebrity attendees included Sister Circle co-hosts Rashan Ali, Syleena Johnson and Trina Braxton, the cast of TOUGH LOVE (Ebony Obsidian, Natalie Jacobs, Malik Rashad, Jordan Ryan Barton, Verina Banks), Chef Jernard Wells (CLEO TV Co-Host, NEW SOUL KITCHEN), Chef JJ (CLEO TV Host, JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ), Tai Beauchamp (CLEO TV Co-Host, LENS OF CULTURE) and April Reign (CLEO SPEAKS). AFRO TV executives and talent were also in attendance.
For more information on CLEO TV, visit CLEO TV’s YouTube Channel and check out exclusive, behind-the-scenes content on www.mycleo.tv. Viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on CLEO TV’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@mycleotv) using the hashtag #CLEOTV.
Pictured here is the founder of Radio One Inc, now Urban One Cathy Hughes and her son Alfred Liggins, here with TV One GM Michelle Rice on the red carpet.
Pictured here is the Yves Bollanga, founder and CEO of Afrotainment and Afro TV along with his wife at the event.
Pictured here is television host Kaya Chipungu of the show Point Of View on the red carpet at the event.
Pictured here is television host of Style Check Katrina Lee Jones on the red carpet at the event.
Pictured here is TV One GM Michelle Rice on the red carpet at the event.
Andy Garcia Joins Kenan Thompson In New NBC Comedy!
NBC just landed one of the biggest names this pilot season.
Andy Garcia, who has fielded multiple broadcast offers over the past few pilot seasons, has been tapped to star alongside Kenan Thompson in NBC’s comedy pilot from Lorne Michaels.
Formerly called Saving Kenan and now called The Kenan Show, the single-camera comedy stars the Saturday Night Live favorite as a newly widowed dad determined to be everything for his kids while begrudgingly letting his persistent father-in-law become more involved in their lives.
Garcia (the Ocean’s franchise, The Godfather: Part III) will portray Percy, Kenan’s father-in-law and a retired police officer. Jackie Clarke (NBC’s Superstore) penned the script and will executive produce the comedy alongside SNL mastermind Michaels and his Universal Television-based Broadway Video banner topper Andrew Singer. Thompson will be credited as an executive producer in addition to starring.
Should The Kenan Show be picked up to series — which now, given the star wattage with Garcia attached, seems increasingly likely — Thompson would exit SNL, where he currently ranks as the NBC variety show’s longest-running castmember. The actor, who won his first Emmy last year for SNL, has been with the sketch comedy for 16 seasons.
Repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Garcia next appears in an episode of Amazon’s anthology Modern Love and counts HBO’s My Dinner With Herve and Ballers and features including What About Love, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Passengers and Ghostbusters among his recent credits.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Cardi B, Keke Palmer, Join Lili Reinhart, Julia Stiles For Strip Club Drama Titled ‘Hustlers’
STXfilms has signed Cardi B, Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer, Julia Stiles, and Mercedes Ruehl to join strip club drama “Hustlers,” starring Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez.
The film will be directed by Lorene Scafaria (“The Meddler”). Mette Towley and Trace Lysette (“Transparent”) are also in negotiations to join the film.
The project, originally set up at Annapurna as “Hustlers at Scores,” is inspired by a New York Magazine article by Jessica Pressler. It’s set in New York City in the wake of the financial crisis and follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. The film begins shooting on March 22 in New York.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with this dynamic group of women,” said Scafaria. “We’re grateful to have assembled such a powerhouse cast and can’t wait to start filming at the end of the week.”
STXfilms is producing alongside Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, and Benny Medina, who previously collaborated with the studio on the 2018 romantic-comedy “Second Act,” as well as Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, and Jessica Elbaum for Gloria Sanchez Productions. Kate Vorhoff and Catherine Hagedorn are overseeing the film’s production for the studio. STXinternational is handling international distribution and distributing directly in the U.K. and Ireland.
Cardi B is represented by CAA; Reinhart is represented by UTA and Anonymous Content; Palmer is represented by 3 Arts, UTA, and Cari Davine at Hertz Lichtenstein & Young; Stiles is represented by Untitled Entertainment, the Gersh Agency, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern; and Ruehl is represented by Sue Leibman/Barking Dog Entertainment and Peikoff-Mahan Law Offices. Towley is represented by 3 Arts and WME and Lysette is represented by ICM Partners and Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano.
Source: Variety
Issa Rae Lands Dramatic Role With LaKeith Stanfield In Stella Meghie’s ‘The Photograph’
Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield will star in Universal’s “The Photograph,” sources tell Variety.
Stella Meghie will direct and Will Packer will produce for his eponymous production company.
The romantic drama centers on intertwining love stories in the past and present. Universal is very high on the pic after Meghie impressed execs with her original script so much so that they tapped her to direct as well. She is also on board to exec produce.
Will Packer Productions’ James Lopez will produce, while Rae executive produces. Senior vice president of production Sara Scott and creative executive Mika Pryce will oversee production for Universal.
Rae’s film career has taken off following the success of her HBO series “Insecure,” which she also exec produces. During the show’s hiatus, Rae has stayed busy on the movie front with her other Universal comedy, “Little,” bowing next month and Fox 2000’s “The Hate U Give,” which opened last fall. She recently finished production on the Paramount comedy “The Lovebirds,” which she also exec produced. She is repped by UTA and 3 Arts Entertainment.
Stanfield has also been active both on the big and small screen with his TV series “Atlanta” finishing its second season on FX last year. On the film side, LaKeith appeared in the critically acclaimed “Sorry to Bother You,” as well as Sony’s “The Girl in the Spider’s Web.” He recently finished production on Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out,” the Safdie brothers’ “Uncut Gems,” and Netflix’s “Someone Great.” He is repped by CAA and Stark Management.
Meghie’s helmed “Everything, Everything” as well as “The Weekend.” She is repped by CAA and Del Shaw Moonves.
Source: Variety
Denzel Washington To Star In Cop Thriller Titled ‘Little Things’!
Denzel Washington is in talks to star in the thriller “Little Things” for Warner Bros., sources tell Variety.
“The Blind Side” and “The Highwaymen” director John Lee Hancock is board to write. He’s also being eyed to direct, though a deal for that has not yet been closed.
The story follows a burned-out Kern County deputy sheriff named Deke, played by Washington, who teams with a crack LASD detective, Baxter, to reel in a wily serial killer. Deke’s nose for the “little things” proves eerily accurate, but his willingness to circumvent the rules embroils Baxter in a soul-shattering dilemma. Meanwhile, Deke must wrestle with a dark secret from his past.
Insiders tell Variety that Washington had been weighing several options as his next project, including directing the Sony pic “Journal of Jordan,” which Michael B. Jordan recently joined. Ultimately, a recent meeting with Hancock led Washington to choosing “Little Things” as his next project.
Washington rarely rushes to a decision, and his commitment to the film will likely lead the studio to look for another A-lister as his co-star, with hopes to begin production by this summer.
Washington was most recently seen in his first sequel, “The Equalizer 2,” which went on to become another hit for the actor, grossing $190 million worldwide, including $102 million at the domestic box office.
Source: Variety
WATCH: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Sketch Of R Kelly And Gayle King Interview
One day after CBS News aired Gayle King’s sit-down with musician and accused sexual predator R. Kelly, “Saturday Night Live” delivered its own take on the interview.
In the Mar. 9 cold open of the late-night NBC sketch show, cast member Leslie Jones portrayed King while cast member Kenan Thompson portrayed Kelly. Thompson as Kelly said that “people think he’s some type of monster” and he wanted to do the interview to “remove all the doubt.”
“My lawyer was telling me no, but my ego — my ego was telling me yes,” he said, before asking Jones as King to call him “victim” instead of his given name.
The sketch traveled through the allegations against Kelly, including that he “likes to go No. 1,” “has a harem of young girls” and “started a cult.”
“Look, I made a lot of mistakes in my life. Maybe I can’t read or write or math,” he said.
When asked about the Lifetime docuseries that features past people in Kelly’s life accusing him of the same things, the lights warmed and an orchestral score floated in. Thompson started to sing, “It’s 10-o’clock in the morning and I’m talking to Oprah’s friend. If I can just get through this, everybody’s going to love me again.”
He also sang about having to “switch directions” and “get some sympathy back” after Jones as King asked why he owed so much back child support. He claimed to be broke and then questioned if they should save some things for the interview. When Jones as King pointed out the interview was underway, he noticed the cameras for the first time, saying, “You just keep your cameras out in the open like that? Y’all some freaks.”
Ultimately, he leaned on the fact that anyone could start a rumor about any celebrity by pushing a button on their phone and saying “R. Kelly did this to me — and then attach a video of me doing that thing, and people will believe you. It’s scary.”
“I really want to laugh right now but I can’t tell if this is a prank on you or a prank on me,” Jones as King said.
Thompson as Kelly implored Jones as King to “think for a minute” about why he would do the things he was accused of. “I gave you ‘Trapped in a Closet,’ ‘Feelin’ on Yo Booty,’ ‘Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number’ and so many other clues, and this is how you repay me!?” he said.
Source: Variety
Luenell Gets Featured On Showtime’s ‘Funny WOmen Of A Certain Age’!
Fran Drescher headlines FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE a new comedy special premiering Friday, March 23 at 9/8c. Carole Montgomery, Luenell, Lynne Koplitz, Kerri Louise and Vanessa Hollingshead round out the lineup for the first television comedy special to feature six female comics over the age of 50. The outrageous hour-long special was filmed at The Bell House in Brooklyn.
Straight from the uninhibited mouths of some of the funniest, most daring and most experienced people in comedy, FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE presents women who have seen it all through their careers in the comedy world and are sharing it all on stage as they break down the walls of ageism and sexism in each hilarious set.
FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE is a monthly comedy showcase in New York and Los Angeles hosted by Montgomery, who is a well-known fixture on the comedy scene, performing for over 40 years. She’s made numerous television appearances including Politically Incorrect and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, starred in two long-running Las Vegas revues and made nearly a dozen tours around the world for Armed Forces Entertainment performing for our troops. Drescher is best known for her titular role on The Nanny and her autobiographical series Happily Divorced. Luenell is not only a touring comedian but a television star with credits including SNOOP DOGG’S BAD GIRLS OF COMEDY, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Middle. In addition to her touring schedule, Louise was a finalist on Last Comic Standing, leading to her own reality show Two Funny. Hollingshead is an accomplished actor, performance artist and writer with a television pilot currently in the works called Take My Life, Please! Koplitz, a self-proclaimed lifelong bachelorette, most recently had her own comedy special in 2017 with Lynne Koplitz: Hormonal Beast.
FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE is a Killer Bunny Entertainment production. Carole Montgomery, Dave Goldberg, Robert Cea and Evan Shapiro serve as executive producers.
