Source: Lions Gate

In 2006, when black movies usually dealt with themes of drug deals, poor choices and the ghetto, Akeelah and the Bee represented a stark contrast. The film, which featured heavy hitter actors Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett, was uplifting and inspirational. It was a message audiences of ages, races and backgrounds could enjoy. We’re sure you remember this movie, but we bet you don’t know

The Money

Though Akeelah took years to come together, once the funding and the actors were in place, the movie was filmed in just 31 days. The film was relatively small budget at just $6 million dollars. During it’s opening weekend, it made that back and 3 times that much ($18, 811, 135) when it closed in July of 2006. Filmed in 31 days with a budget of $6 million.

We all know there’s Hollywood and then there’s black Hollywood. African American stars don’t get the same notoriety as their white counterparts despite their good looks, amazing acting chops and undeniable star power. Sad,right? From heartthrobs to veterans, these 15 thespians deserve the awards and accolades more than any other. Check out this list of black actors and actresses that should be leading in Hollywood.

WENN

Nia Long

Nia Long is beautiful. She is also the girl next door with a great deal of sass and sophistication. She lit our fire playing Nina in “Love Jones” and Bird in “Soul Food.” She’s been acting for quite some time and her staying power is phenomenal. Hollywood should take a deeper look.

I know that times are hard and everybody, including the big wigs and legends in Hollywood, need to go to work. But there are just some movies that I never thought these 10 very talented and even legendary actors and actresses would take part in. From films about video girls to black superheroes and random snakes on planes, as the anti-drug organization D.A.R.E. used to say, “Just say no.” That’s what these folks should have done when the scripts to these movies came across their desks.

Ruby Dee – Video Girl

Anytime a cast includes names like Lisa Raye, Bun B, Melyssa Ford, Meagan Good, Angela Lola Luv and Yung Joc, the legendary Ruby Dee’s name shouldn’t be attached to it. But sadly, Ruby Dee surprised the hell out of me when she appeared in the movie, Video Girl, starring Meagan Good, playing in a lead role as her grandmother. The film was about a failed dancer who becomes a popular star in hip-hop music videos, but sadly becomes addicted to drugs.The small-budget film is already a BET Thursday night classic. Coming just a few years after she picked up an Academy Award nomination for her role in American Gangster, I definitely wasn’t expecting to find one of the legendary stars of A Raisin in the Sun acting alongside the star of The Players Club in the same movie. 

FayesVision/WENN.com

Some women have all the luck. If it’s not enough that they’re world famous actresses, they have also scored big-time in the leading man department. No nerdy, unfortunate costars for these stunners. So due partly because we’re incredibly impressed by their choice of projects and partly because we are crazy jealous of their penchant for scoring some truly amazing eye candy, we salute 15 lovely, talented ladies whose string of costars have left us weak in the knees.

In the acting world, many actors and actresses are open to taking any movie role that they are offered. However, sometimes celebs simply can’t say yes and end up turning down an acting position that they were offered. Here are 15 movie parts that were originally meant for others.

WENN

Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett could have played the role of Storm in the movie X-Men but she declined. The movie role went to Halle Berry.

We love each of these actors and singers for their talent, but no role in film, TV or stage is more perfect than the roles they have together, reliving some of the most classic movie roles and songs as a duet. Here are 15 Black celebrity couples, primarily from the 90′s and beyond, we love to see together on the big screen, the main stage or in our headphones, and the many projects they’ve starred in together.

Source: Goldstar

Angela Bassett & Laurence Fishburne

This perfect cinematic couple have been featured in multiple projects together, from the big screen to the small stage. This couple most famously played Ike and Tina Turner for “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” were mother and father to Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr.), performed on the stage together in “Fences,” and appeared together again in the 2006 film, “Akeelah and the Bee.”

After the success of Waiting to Exhale, studios didn’t hesitate to throw money at anything with Terry McMillan’s name attached to it. For that reason, How Stella Got Her Groove Back was released into theaters in 1998, just two years after the book was written. And the same women who flocked to Waiting went to see Stella. The movie grossed $11 million dollars in three days and went on to earn $37 million at the box office. This story, and the story behind the story, was all over the news but we bet you don’t know these behind the scene secrets of this film.

Not everyone ages gracefully and there are some people you can look at and know their age right off the bat. Thankfully, whether it’s good genes or something else, there are celebs who do not show their age at all. Here are 15 black female stars who look much younger than their true age.

zimbio.com

Halle Berry

Mom, actress, and model Halle Berry looks amazing at the age of 46.

Source: hellobeautiful.com

From hellobeautiful.com

When Bernadine Harris stood in front of her cheating husband’s meticulous closet with a piercing stare, in the notorious scene in “Waiting To Exhale,” women all around the world knew what time it was!

His suits were hung precisely on expensive hangers and his shoes–lined up like the boots of military men– shined like they had never been worn. “This motherf**er is psychotic!” declared Bernadine as she ripped a group of blazers and silk ties from the wall. She filled a Radio Flyer red wagon with his belongings and hauled it to the front yard, piled the designer threads into his BMW, doused it with lighter fluid then watched it burn. Oh how liberating that must have felt!

All women have had that moment…that point of no return–when all the drama, tears and bullsh**t you’ve endured in a relationship, comes to a puss filled pimple head and pops! After all the hurt you’ve been through, one thing is certain–you MUST make a dramatic exit!

Read more at hellobeautiful.com

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Source: Zimbio.com

When we told you all last month that Mary J. Blige was going to be playing Betty Shabazz in a new Lifetime movie, “Betty and Coretta,” naturally the question was who would take on the role of Coretta Scott King. Many of you got your wish because Shadow & Act is reporting that none other than Angela Bassett will take on the part of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s wife. But doesn’t this seem like a bit of an actress mix-match?

Not only will the amazing Angela Bassett star in the movie, which will tell the story of how these single mothers carried on after their husbands, Martin Luther King, Jr and Malcolm X, were assassinated, the legendary Ruby Dee will also star in the film as a historical witness narrator.

Interestingly, we’ve already seen Angela Bassett as Betty Shabazz twice so perhaps she can lend her expertise to Mary J. as she prepares for this part in what has the potential to be a really amazing story. Mary has done her share of bit parts in films lately, mostly relying on her singing to carry her part, so she definitely has her work cut out for her. Production is set to begin next month so it’s looking like things are pretty final with casting. Hopefully Lifetime can pull this off.

What do you think about Angela Bassett and Mary J. in this movie?

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• How I Learned To Stop Expecting My Vagina To Smell Like Roses And Just Loved It For What It Is
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