By Nadine Matthews, Special to the AFRO Harriet Tubman was the first woman in the U.S. to lead a military expedition. As extraordinary a feat as it was for her to have freed numerous enslaved African-Americans, Tubman was also part of the Union’s intelligence establishment. As second in command (at her request) of the Combahee River […]
Category: TV and Film
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, TV and Film
Robert Townsend and the Secrets Behind ‘The Five Heartbeats’
By Micha Green, AFRO Washington, D.C. Editor, mgreen@afro.com For one night only, fans of the 1991 Robert Townsend film, ‘The Five Heartbeats’ will be able to get an up, close and personal look at the behind-the-scenes action that made the movie heralded as an “instant classic,” and gave the world such songs as “A Heart is a […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, TV and Film
From ‘The New Edition Story’ to Feature Film
By Nadine Matthews, Special to the AFRO The new film “Kin” is actor Myles Truitt’s first feature length film and he is really, really excited about it. “The directors Josh and Jonathan Baker, they really set out to make this movie not like any other sci-fi movie. I really do respect them for that. It’s not […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, TV and Film
Virginia Native Awaits Big Break in “The Color Purple”
By Lenore T. Adkins, Special to the AFRO Jamal James is literally waiting in the wings to take the stage in the national tour of “The Color Purple” — he unfortunately can’t go on unless something befalls one of the three male actors he’s following. James, 30, a Centreville, Va. native, is one of two […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, BUSINESS, ENTERTAINMENT, TV and Film
‘Black-ish’ Creator Kenya Barris Sets Exclusive Netflix Deal
By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Netflix says it’s signed “black-ish” creator Kenya Barris to an exclusive production agreement. The multi-year deal announced Thursday makes Barris the latest prominent TV creator to jump from broadcast and cable to the streaming platform. In this Jan. 8, 2017 file photo, Kenya Barris arrives at the […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, TV and Film
His Name is Idris Elba, but Will He Be First Black Bond?
The Associated Press British actor Idris Elba is stoking speculation he may take over the role of James Bond when Daniel Craig steps aside, offering an enigmatic Twitter post that fueled the buzz about him becoming the first Black Bond. The star of shows such as “The Wire” and “Luther” on Aug. 12 posted an […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, Music, NEWS, TV and Film, Washington D.C. News
D.C. Resident Discusses Casting on T.I’s Newest Reality Show ‘The Grand Hustle’
By Lauren Poteat, Special to the AFRO If being a Grammy Award-winning artist, successful media mogul and reality television star isn’t enough, then maybe Atlanta’s very own T.I. might finally be content with his latest business venture, “The Grand Hustle.” The reality competition, which recently premiered on BET, features 16 contestants all vying for the chance […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS, TV and Film, Washington D.C. News
International Film Festival Explores Black Life Around the World
By Lenore T. Adkins, Special to the AFRO When groundbreaking films such as “Black Panther” do well, they have the power to uplift Blacks around the world by representing a swath of the Black experience and becoming global sensations — but even they are not enough, says Diarah N’daw-Spech, cofounder of the African Diaspora International Film […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS, TV and Film, Washington D.C. News
Ajani Amiri Thomas Named DC’s Filmmaker of the Month
By Hamil R. Harris, Special to the AFRO Calling him “bold, motivated, and unafraid to tackle true stories,” the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment is recognizing Ajani Amiri Thomas as the August 2018 Filmmaker of the Month. The son of a physician and a lawyer, Thomas has followed a childhood passion to […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, TV and Film
HBO’s ‘Random Acts of Flyness’ Is a Fantastic Voyage
By Nadine Matthews, Special to the AFRO The promotional material for HBO’s “Random Acts of Flyness” says it is “a mix of verité documentary, musical performances, surrealist melodrama and humorous animation where themes as ancestral trauma, history, death, the singularity, romance and more are woven together creating a television show like nothing seen before.” The late […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, Media, TV and Film
FX Plans: Chris Rock, Nick Offerman, Joining ‘Fargo’
By The Associated Press BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — FX is diversifying its offerings, picking up a drama about a cutting-edge tech company starring Nick Offerman, sinking resources into a limited series based in feudal Japan and returning for a fourth series of “Fargo,” this time with Chris Rock. The network revealed some of its […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Baltimore News, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS, TV and Film
Baltimore’s Wendy Davis Shines in OWN’s ‘Love Is___’
By Nadine Matthews, Special to the AFRO It’s common for sci-fi shows to play around with time shifting. Characters show up in the past or the future or even in alternate versions of the present day. It takes gumption to create a romantic comedy series where you do the same. Well, Mara Brock-Akil and Salim Akil, […]