By Ariyana Griffin Special to the AFRO Spike Lee’s special exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum recently closed after taking thousands on a journey through his collection of art, photos and memorabilia– all connected to his career, interests and life. Lee, born in Atlanta and raised in Brooklyn, is an Academy Award and prime time Emmy winner, […]
Category: TV and Film
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Ready for this year’s Super Bowl commercials? Here are the ads filling game breaks on Sunday
By Wyatte Grantham-PhilipsAP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Super Bowl Sunday is here — and, as always, there’s a vast roster of advertisers ready to vie for fans’ attention during game breaks. Airing a Super Bowl commercial is no easy feat. On top of the reported $7 million price tag for a 30-second spot […]
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Diverse excellence takes center stage: Black stars shine among 2024 Oscars nominations
By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia (NNPA NEWSWIRE) – The recent unveiling of the 96th Academy Awards nominations brought forth a notable roster of Black talent, marking a significant stride for the industry in recognizing diversity within the film industry. The list of nominees reveals that, to some degree, the Academy has finally […]
Posted inObituaries
Carl Weathers, linebacker-turned-actor who starred in ‘Rocky’ movies and ‘The Mandalorian,’ dies
By Mark KennedyAP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, facing off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore,” has died. He was 76. Matt Luber, his manager, said […]
Posted inBlack History
Lanny Smoot to be the first Disney Imagineer inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
(Black PR Wire) – Lanny Smoot, a Disney Research Fellow and longtime member of Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development, is being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He is the first Disney Imagineer to receive this prestigious recognition and only the second individual from The Walt Disney Company to be inducted—the first […]
Posted inD.C. Community
Radio icon Donnie Simpson takes final bow after 55 years in media
By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Legendary radio and media personality Donnie Simpson signed off, possibly for the last time, on Jan. 12. The illustrious career that spanned an incredible 55 years ended with a heartfelt message from the iconic DJ himself. “Today’s the day,” Simpson posted on X. “Please make sure you tune into my […]
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
PRESS ROOM: ‘The Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary’ to premiere Saturday, Feb. 10 on CBS
Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer and Tichina Arnold of CBS’ “The Neighborhood” (Black PR Wire) — CBS presents “The Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary” (previously known as the “Super Bowl Gospel Celebration”), to air Saturday, Feb. 10 (8-9 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME […]
Posted inBaltimore Events
Celebrating artistry: Baltimore welcomes home Rashad Corey, assistant costume designer for “The Color Purple”
By Ericka Alston BuckSpecial to the AFRO The enchanting evening of Dec. 23, saw The Senator Theatre in Baltimore come alive with vibrant hues of purple, marking an exclusive private screening of “The Color Purple.” The event doubled as a celebration for Baltimore native and assistant costume designer Rashad Corey, who returned to his hometown […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Golden Globes: ‘Color Purple’ stars, other Black entertainers vie for awards
By AFRO Staff Hollywood is ready to party as the Golden Globes return for its annual boozy celebration of film and television’s biggest names. The 81st annual GLobes begins at 8 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 7 and will air live on both coasts on CBS, which is available with an antenna or through cable and […]
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Obamas, Oprah among nominees at creative arts Emmy Awards
By Andrew DaltonAP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pedro Pascal and Melanie Lynskey are up for two of the most coveted Emmy Awards on Jan. 15, but both are also among this weekend’s nominees at the creative arts Emmys. Pascal, nominated for best actor in a drama for ” The Last of Us,” is […]
Posted inMovie Reviews
Finding new dimensions, sisterhood, and healing in ‘The Color Purple’
By Lindsey BahrAP Film Writer It’s not a secret that Fantasia Barrino did not want to play Celie again. The “American Idol” winner hadn’t had the best time doing “The Color Purple” on Broadway. The protagonist of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel tells her story of sexual, physical and psychological abuses in the early 20th […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Byron Allen makes a $3.5 billion bid to acquire BET Media Group, cementing legacy in Black media ownership
By Ebony JJ CurrySenior ReporterNew Pittsburgh Courier Making a bold move that underscores the importance of Black ownership in media, Byron Allen, the founder, chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group, has placed a substantial $3.5 billion bid to acquire BET Media Group. This marks Allen’s second attempt to secure the media properties that have […]