Source: WENN

At the opening of comedian Chris Rock’s documentary, Good Hair, he revealed that one of his daughters came home questioning why she didn’t have “good hair.” Chris has gone on to say on several occasions that his daughter’s question caused him to think of the Bronner Bros. Hair Show and together they inspired him to put together the documentary.

“I started thinking about my daughter, and I started thinking about the Bronner Bros. Hair Show … and here we are with ‘Good Hair,’ ” Rock told MTV in a 2009 interview.

Source: WENN

While many of us were sipping wine and celebrating love on Valentine’s Day, yesterday was also the day that the One Billion Rising campaign took place. The movement is a call to end violence, specifically against women, and for justice and gender equality. As the website for the campaign says, one and three women will be raped or beaten during her life. And seeing the prevalence of violence against women these days, according to the Huffington Post, about 190 countries took part in rallies where people came out and danced together to show collective support. One person who took part in showing support was actress Thandie Newton, who decided to share her story of the abuse she says she had to deal with as a young woman trying to make it in the entertainment industry.

Speaking with CNN, Newton says, “When I was a 16-year-old fresh from boarding school going out in, you know, the casting couch, I was definitely objectified to an extreme.” And the objectification continued when she turned 18. Newton spoke about an incident where she went to an audition, a second screen test for a movie role, and literally had a camera put up her skirt:

“The director asked me to sit with my legs apart, and the camera was positioned where it could see up my skirt. I had to put my leg over the arm of the chair, and before I started my dialogue, think about the character I was supposed to be having the dialogue with and how it felt to be made love to by this person. I was thinking, ‘This is so strange, why would I need to do that?’ But this is the director, there is the casting director, it must be normal.”

It wasn’t of course. And to Newton’s horror, she later found out during a party at Cannes just a few years ago, which she attended with her husband, producer Oliver Parker, that this same director slimeball had been showing the video at his home during late night gatherings and soirees. “‘It turned out the director… used to show that video late at night to interested parties at his house – a video of me touching myself with a camera up my skirt.” She found out when a drunken producer approached her and told her that he had seen it.

Newton never revealed the name of the producer who did these things to her, and according to Daily Mail UK, didn’t say whether or not he still worked in the business, but the whole ordeal is what pushed her to be involved with One Billion Rising. We know that she’s come a long way, and hopefully other people will be able to learn from her story, and not to let themselves be exploited and disrespected in such a manner when trying to break into the business–any business.

Check out Newton speaking about her ordeal as a young actress with CNN journalist Max Foster below.

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. 

Source: WENN

From StyleBlazer

UK -born Thandie Newton has shown off her acting chops in numerous well-received movies in the States, from The Pursuit of Happyness and Crash to Tyler Perry’s emotional film For Colored Girls.  Thandie has graced numerous red carpet events with her style sleek and sophisticated during her career, yet she’s often daringenough to show a little leg or a peek-a-boo of back.

The stars were out at yesterday’s premiere of Tyler Perry’s latest flick “Good Deeds.” Celebs like Gabrielle Union and Esther Baxter donned very demure dresses which kept their looks elegant and understated. All in all, the ladies kept to a black and brown palette. Check out the fashion of the night and let us know who wore it best!

It’s been two years since Thandie Newtown decided to go natural—a decision the British actress says she made after watching Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” documentary and seeing that Lye, the active ingredient in a lot of relaxers, can melt a coke can. She recently chatted with her good friend and long-time makeup artist, Kay Montano, to discuss what the transition has been like, and Thandie says she feels much more liberated as a woman and more confident as a mother about the example she’s setting for her girls who have similar curly manes. Check out a few highlights of the interview:

On having a wilder look with big, curly hair

“I have to feel comfortable with having ‘all eyes on me‘, which I do when I work, less so in life. Ironically I don’t want to draw attention to myself because of celeb spotting, but my big hair, for a time will work as a disguise! Straight hair has been ‘on trend’ for years and years, so having big-A$$ curly hair means I’m stepping outside the mould, outside what’s accepted and applauded. It takes a little courage to do that.
Mainly, I want to wear it natural because it looks amazing!”

On the stigma surrounding natural hair

“The stigma with some black women seems to be that ‘nappy hair’ is almost as bad as loo roll trailing from your shoe. I have always let my daughter’s hair be wild and scruffy. I love the shapes and fluffy halo. But when they were ‘papped‘ in the States I had remarks about how I don’t take care of their hair. The truth is I choose to keep it that way. When I see hair that’s been pulled, stretched, brushed till bullet smooth I just think ‘ouch‘. I have my limits mind, sometimes I have to beg Nico to let me tidy it up for fear of her looking like she’s been neglected!”

How her mother handled her hair as a child

“Mum wanted me to fit in, and I don’t blame her. My hair hampered that. Poor Mum. I remember when I was 7 at my convent school, it was school photo day so all the kids came looking their best. Mum did my hair in 20 or so ‘corn rows’ with green wooden beads on each end to match my school uniform. The nuns were appalled, they wouldn’t let me have my picture taken. I felt embarrassed, disappointed, ashamed. Can you imagine how my Mum must have felt? There was a mild rukus and the next day I had my picture taken. But then I read this year a piece in The Independent about a student who appealed against not being able to wear his hair in (what the school felt was a hoodlum style) braids, and he won. That’s 30 years since the Nun’s dissed me… This sh** keeps going round and round.
Apart from the school photo incident it was 1 or 2 plaits every single day, and a bun when I was doing ballet. Never, ever, ever loose. Never.

The trouble with hairdressers today

“To be honest I do struggle with hairdressers, even now. The main problem is that hairdressers (and some at the top of their game) don’t understand how my type of hair changes dramatically depending on what climate, substance, effects it. Water in anyform is like a cheeky magic wand – even mist! But with the correct tools ad managing my kind of hair can do ANYTHING, which is brilliant! So hairdressers like the genius KerryWarn, or Maarit Niemela, are leagues better than others because they can work black hair from wet to dry in any style.
I’m surprised that more people don’t understand this (even though hair salons still seems to be culturally divided between ‘black’ hairdressing or ‘caucasian’ hairdressing), there are many black models and actresses around that they work with.
I think a problem for top hairdressers is that most black models and high end clients have weaves (Indian hair), so the technicians never work on authentic black hair. Whether black, white, blonde, brunette, I’d head to a local black hairdressers any day of the week- because if a technician can work black hair, you can work ANY hair.”

I’m totally with Thandie on the hairdresser thing, you can’t even show a beautician a certain haircut without being told “that’s weave it won’t look the same on you.” I guess that’s why she took matters into her own hands. She told Kay she had to learn how to do her own hair, and now—”I can braid, fit extensions, do my own weave, cut it, blow dry it bone straight, make hair pieces, fit wigs, style it beehive, forties, Afro, you name it.”

Can you relate to Thandie’s experience transitioning? Have you been able to find a good hairdresser or do you take care of your own mane?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

More on Madame Noire!

• Stupid H*e Isn’t So Stupid: 7 Other Random Videos That Should’ve Been Banned
• Tracy Morgan and Why It’s Hard To Judge Family Relations
• Men of a Certain Age: The Pros and Cons of Dating Much Younger and Older Guys
• Undercover Brothers: Not-So-Famous Brothers of Famous Celebs
• Why Won’t My Hair Grow?!” 4 Reasons Why Your Hair is Stalling
• 7 Things That Could Change The Way He Feels About You
• I’m a Survivor: Maia Campbell Talks New Career and Sobriety

It’s a beautiful thing that we have so many amazing black actresses working today. It’s refreshing to see Halle and Taraji and Kerry gracing the covers of magazines on a regular basis. However, there are a few thespian sistas who don’t always get as much shine as they deserve. Here are a few:

Sunday is the big day! And while I won’t hate on the current Oscar nominees (The Social Network, Black Swan, and Inception are dope), I’d like to file a grievance with the Academy for ignoring, or robbing a few black actors & actresses their just due during Oscar season. They may not always have the lead roles in the films they’re in, but they definitely always steal our attention when they waltz across the screen and stay in our minds long after the movie is over. Quietly brilliant, they are the underrated stars in the little universe known as Hollywood.

When it comes to looking great in your makeup, pairing the right colors is an important part of constructing an amazing look.

Read the rest of this entry »

(Broadway.com) — Tyler Perry’s film adaptation of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enufwill hit theaters on November 5, according toVariety. The movie was originally scheduled for a January 2011 release. The film features a slew of stage veterans including Tony winners Whoopi Goldberg, Anika Noni Rose and Phylicia Rashad as well as Kerry Washington, Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, Loretta Devine, Kimberly Elise, Macy Gray and Tessa Thompson

Read More…