All Articles Tagged "Black Hollywood"
Inspirational Quote of the Day: Gabrielle Union Sponsored By Starbucks
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“Hollywood needs to recognize all shades of African-American beauty.” – Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union is a stunning woman. With her rich brown skin and traditionally black features, she represents African-American beauty unequivocally. Much like First Lady Michelle Obama, a beauty like Ms. Union shows the world that black women are as gorgeous as ladies of any other race. In fact it is our skin and other unique features that make our form of loveliness so special. And not content to be merely beautiful in her own right, Gabrielle is an advocate for the acceptance of our form of pretty by the mainstream establishment. Union is not just a beauty role model; she is also a black beauty advocate. Be sure to remind yourself today that you are wonderfully appealing as a black woman, even if Hollywood still needs to be educated about the full range of our exceptional natures.
You are gorgeous, Madame Noire denizens! Enjoy your day!
Lord Help Us: Creflo Dollar Courts Movie Dreams
(Eurweb) — The demand for religious films is on the rise, especially in the advent of Tyler Perry plays and big screens as well as movies produced by T. D. Jakes. Megachurch preacher Creflo Dollar is catching the wave and has opened up a film division within his Christian empire. According to reports, the new company, CAD Productions will produce at least three faith-based films a year, with one in the making right now.
Hot Idris Elba Says: “I’d Play James Bond, BUT –”
Idris Elba — hunky British actor known for his fascinating leading roles — is heating up the web today for stating that he would be happy to play James Bond in the next version of the film. But he has ONE major condition.
The Hot star of the BBC series “Luther” told CNN:
I would do it, but I don’t want to be called the first black James Bond. [Emphasis ours.] Do you understand what I ‘m saying? Sean Connery wasn’t the Scottish James Bond and Daniel Craig wasn’t the blue-eyed James Bond. So if I played him, I don’t want to be called the black James Bond.”
As Elba goes on to explain, he didn’t come to the States “to play black roles. I just came to play roles.”
That is an interesting stipulation to make — but good luck with that Idris. Just like President Obama being the first black president of the United States NO MATTER WHAT, that is how he will be seen if he lands this iconic gig.
There has been similar talk of Beyonce playing Wonder Woman if that movie idea ever makes it to the big screen. These are both very interesting casting concepts, which would certainly breathe new life into old cultural institutions. But, I wonder if the mainstream is ready for blacks to portray heroic images typically enacted by white actors, or if there might be a negative reaction.
Recently when Marvel Comics made Spiderman a black and Latino bi-racial youth, some reactions were not pretty. And this was just for the comic book.
I personally believe younger audiences are ready for a black James Bond, a creole Wonder Woman, and an Asian Superman. What do you think Madame Noire lovlies? Leave your comments below!
Robert Townsend Tackles Hollywood Anew
(Black Enterprise) — Robert Townsend hopes his latest film, In the Hive, joins his critically acclaimed and popular works such as Hollywood Shuffle and The Five Heartbeats. (In the Hive, which premiered at the American Black Film Festival and screened at this year’s Black Enterprise/Pepsi Golf & Tennis Challenge, may be in wide release next year.) The veteran entertainer broke into acting as an extra in Cooley High more than 30 years ago but branched into drama, writing, directing, and producing. From 2003 to 2007, the 44-year-old was president and CEO of The Black Family Channel. In 2009, he ventured into the digital world with Diary of a Single Mom, a Web series that will make the leap to television in a one-hour pilot on TV One on Oct. 9.
Hollywood Has a Minority Problem (And It Knows It)
(Los Angeles Times) — Further evidence has emerged that Hollywood has made little progress in hiring women and minorities to work on prime-time television shows. A survey conducted by the Directors Guild of America of more than 2,600 television episodes from 170 scripted TV series for the 2010-11 season found that white males directed 77% of all episodes, and white females directed 11% of all episodes. Minority males directed 11% all episodes and minority females directed just 1% of the shows, according to the survey of programs from the major broadcast and cable networks. The directors guild, which over the years has prodded production companies to establish diversity programs and improve hiring practices, expressed disappointment with the findings, noting that the results show little change from a similar survey in the 2009-2010 television season.
Is This What Little Bey/Jay Would Look Like?
Jay-Z took his preggers wife on babymoon/b-day trip to Venice and the pair then headed over to Croatia to hang out on a yacht and live the good life. Beyoncé showed off her baby bump in a white kini. Too cute.
Wondering what the future (current?) superstar might look like? Forensic portrait artist Dr. D’Lynn Waldron has an idea. Check out the pic below of how he thinks a mini Bey might look. The big sparkly earrings?? Comedy.
Head over to the homie Necole Bitchie to see what a little boy Jigga might look like and more pics of Bey in her bikini.
The Thrilling 30s Club in Black Hollywood
Over the weekend, Beyoncé joined the ranks of 30-something year old celebrity black women. As they say, black don’t crack and here we share with you a gallery of those beautiful black women who prove the rule. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a woman with a little experience and wisdom behind her.
Check out how fabulous 30-something can be!
Stacey Dash Leaves Single Ladies
How many Single Ladies fans out there? Well, you have a big change coming your way. Stacey Dash is leaving her role as Val on the super popular show. Rumors have been swirling around all summer about Dash’s probable exit. So why is the Clueless cutie leaving? Family.
Dash’s statement to GlobalGrind:
I have to be back in L.A. with my children right now and the ‘Single Ladies’ shooting location [in Atlanta] makes this impossible. I wish VH1 the best of luck with the show in maintaining the strong fan base we developed in Season 1.
VH1 also released a statement that essentially just wished Dash well and thanked her for her contributions to the show. Do you think the show will get a new Val like there was a new Aunt Viv on the Fresh Prince of Bel-air or will there be a whole new character? Do you believe that family is the real reason Dash is leaving?
Exclusive Interview with Zoe Saldana on the Colombiana Red Carpet
Madame Noire’s Victoria Audele got the chance to chat with the lovely Zoe Saldana at the LA premiere of Saldana’s latest box office hit Colombiana. See below to find out what she had to to say about her butt-kicking role, working with her dream directors and opening doors for other actresses.
VICTORIA: How does it feel to be playing a role such a “Colombiana”?
ZOE: I’m super excited because to play one of Olivier Megaton’s femme fatales is an honor. I grew up watching his films and he was one of those directors, along with J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg who were on my bucket list. To know that I check an amazing director off off or that list or at least say, “OK, I’ve worked with them once. I can always work with them again” is an amazing feeling. I’m very blessed to be doing what I’m doing.
VICTORIA: And you’re kicking butt! What did you do to prepare for this role?
ZOE: It was definitely challenging. Every role has its challenges. Once you stop thinking about the work, you just dive in and every day you dive in, you just respect the work more and what people do because you’re not only representing yourself, you’re representing your filmmakers, your director and the professionals that train you every single day. So that means a lot to me. I was always raised on that policy and once you see yourself on the screen and you see everyone that brought it together, it’s a good in the office for me.
VICTORIA: You were on the covers of Ebony, the Russian Harper’s Bazaar and Latina this year. How does it feel to be accepted by all cultures?
ZOE:I feel so great and I take so much pride in that. The same way that other actresses before me have opened doors and I’m a testament of that, I hope to one day open the door for the next generation of girls to step in and to claim that place and to forge and make their dreams come true.
Beautiful, smart and a total sweetheart! Don’t you just love her? Check out the Daily Beast and see Allison Samuel’s thoughts on why Zoe is the “overlooked it girl” in Hollywood. Do you agree with Allison’s reasoning?
Is Zoe Saldana Being Overlooked?
(Daily Beast) — Zoe Saldana certainly has it all, or so it would seem. Her café au lait skin is as flawless as it is pretty, her figure is toned and slim, and the powers that be in Hollywood appear willing and ready to throw big bucks behind any project she appears in. Still there’s one thing she’s oddly lacking: a major fashion-magazine cover to accompany the release of her first solo feature film.Colombiana marks Saldana’s initial foray into the “kick A$$” female superhero role and the first time she’s carried a major film all on her own—a feat only the likes of Angelina Jolie, the grand dame of female action heroes, has been able to pull off in recent years.
