Naomi Ackie, who plays Whitney Houston in the new biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” is the first to admit that she is not a doppelganger for the pop star. In fact, she’ll go so far as to say she doesn’t look like her at all.
The Frederick Douglass Family Initiative (FDFI), an organization the social reformer and writer’s descendants founded to keep his legacy alive, commissioned the award-winning African American concept artist Nikkolas Smith to sketch a rendering depicting Frederick Douglass in a medical mask.
Writer, director and producer Dallas Jackson is methodically building his entertainment empire. This news is a reason to celebrate because Mr. Jackson is unapologetically Black and more to the point, he’s making it his mission to open those closed doors for other gifted people of color. If you are one of the millions of Netflix customers then you might already know the work of the very talented Jackson because his slasher film “Thriller” is now playing on the streaming giant. “Thriller” is not your usual horror-slasher movie. To begin, it is executive produced and scored by rapper RZA — add 100 points
The theme for the 2019 Gala is A Journey to the Pride Lands, based on the upcoming Walt Disney feature, “THE LION KING.” Emmy-winning actress and comedienne Tiffany Haddish will serve as the Gala’s master of ceremonies. TV personality and best-selling author Star Jones returns as the Gala’s celebrity auctioneer for the third year. Presenters include Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis and author Shaka Senghor.
The multifaceted Yara Shahidi has been named an Ambassador for the 25th Anniversary Screen Actors Guild Awards®. In this role, she will participate in various SAG Awards® pre-show events and share her insider’s view via social media. Shahidi joins Harry Shum Jr., who was previously announced as a SAG Awards Ambassador, in this special celebratory role.
Ellene V. Miles will join Sony’s Motion Picture Group’s marketing team in the “newly created role” of SVP Intersectional Marketing, said a staff-wide memo by Andre Caraco, co-president of domestic marketing.