Layla Crawford
Layla Crawford
While Quvenzhané Wallis, who plays a character called Hushpuppy in the critical acclaimed film, Beasts of the Southern Wild, has been blossoming on the big screen, there’s another young starlet who’s doing it on both film and TV.
Most recently at the Hollywood Black Film Festival, the opening night film was ‘Note to Self,’ which starred Christian Keyes, LeToya Lucket, Brely Evans, and 8 year-old Layla Crawford, who seemed to capture the hearts of many with her performance as Katrina Whittaker, daughter of Letoya Luckett’s character.
Besides making her film debut in ‘Self,’ Crawford can also be seen a series regular on the first-run syndicated comedy, The First Family, created and produced by Byron Allen and Entertainment Studios.
Featuring an all star cast that includes Marla Gibbs, Jackee Harry, John Witherspoon, and the legendary Gladys Knight, Crawford plays Olivia Johnson, the President’s youngest daughter. Last month, Layla played the daughter to LL Cool’s character on CBS’ hit series, NCIS: Los Angeles. Layla also worked with director Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight; Thirteen) as a young Rosa Parks in a PSA commercial for the National Women’s History Museum alongside four-time Emmy Award-nominee Alfred Woodard. She will be next seen in a guest starring role on the Christmas episode of CBS’ “Two and a Half Men”.
Malik Yoba
Allegiance
Popular actor Malik Yoba, like any other red-blooded human, has had to make some tough decisions in his life. Yoba having that everyday experience contributed in him taking the part of Staff Sergeant Hart in the new military drama “Allegiance.” The film, written and directed by newcomer Michael Connors, is a serious drama where the character’s are forced to prove where their loyalties lie–to their country or their families.
Bow Wow plays a medic in the army and he is the best one his company has. However, his son sick deathly ill and his request for a leave of absence gets denied. Bow Wow’s character, Reyes, decides to go AWOL. Reyes’ personal decision has an effect on all of the men around him, including his commanding officer Staff Sergeant Hart, played by Yoba.
We got a chance to talk to Malik Yoba about the film. During our conversation, we got him to give us his sales pitch as to why viewers should spend their money watching “Allegiance.”
Nicole Ari Parker
Body Heat
Nicole Ari Parker is getting super sexy for a new role she snagged as a hot, young temptress.
“Burn” is an erotic thriller based on the classic, “Body Heat.”
She’s actually a bad girl in the story, trapping her lover to take the blame for her husband’s death.
Casting for the male role hasn’t been decided yet, but Danny Glover and Giancario Esposito are on the table right now.
Parker is also gearing up for a lead role in a Jerry Bruckheimer drama pilot, “The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives.”
Sounds pretty juicy right?
The pilot is about a murder, and the secrets it brings out among three suburban couples.
Scary Movie 5
Release Date: April 12, 2013?
Distributor: Dimension Films (The Weinstein Company)?
Director: Malcolm Lee?
Screenwriter: David Zucker, Malcolm Lee?
Starring: Ashley Tisdale, Erica Ash, Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen, Simon Rex, Molly Shannon, Terry Crews, Marisa Saks, Heather Locklear, Jasmine Guy, Angie Stone, Kate Walsh, Angela “Big Ang” Raiola, Sherée Whitfield, Mike Tyson, Audrina Patridge, Kendra Wilkinson, Katt Williams?Genre: Comedy, Horror
Synopsis: Snooty, aloof, imperious, and oversexed French dance company director Pierre is putting on a new production. Jody (played by Ashley Tisdale), a Caucasian late-20s mother of two and her late-20s African American friend Kendra (played by Erica Ash) are both vying for the lead in the production. Jody’s extremely controlling former dancer mother is determined that Jody will have the brilliant career that eluded her. The highly skilled mid-30s Diva veteran dancer with the company, Heather Daltry (played by Molly Shannon), gets cut from the production and goes berserk.
Fela! performers
Fela
Producers Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith and Ruth & Stephen Hendel have announced that Grammy Award-winning recording artist and former member of Destiny’s Child Michelle Williams will join the national tour of the hit Award-winning Broadway musical Fela! when it opens at Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, DC on January 29. Fela! received three 2010 Tony Awards, including Best Choreography.
“I am thrilled to join the cast of Fela!,” said Michelle Williams. “This musical journey is one that I’ve wanted to be a part of since first seeing it on stage in 2008. The sounds, the passion and the politics of Fela Kuti have long intrigued me and speak to my heart. I am simply honored.
A triumphant and inspirational tale of courage, passion and love, Fela! is the true story of Kuti, who created a type of music, Afrobeat, and mixed these pounding eclectic rhythms (a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies) with rousing lyrics that openly attacked the corrupt and oppressive military dictatorships that ruled Nigeria and much of Africa. Featuring many of Fela Kuti’s most captivating songs and Bill T. Jones’s visionary staging, the global phenomenon that is Fela! reveals Kuti’s controversial life as an artist and political activist, while at the same time celebrating his pioneering music and committment to the cause of universal human dignity. “More than a musical, an ecstatic phenemenon” (David Cote, Time Out New York), Fela! “Is a spectacularly inspiring hybrid: theater, music, dance, biography, history lesson, political rally, and religious experience. Sublime” (Joyce Kulhawik).