In a photo that’s much better than that “odd” Vibe cover, Kerry Washington, graces the cover of Uptown Magazine, looking her normal flawless self. These days, promoting an expected box office smash and starring in a hit television show, Kerry is one busy lady. But she made time to stop by Uptown and talk about everything from her childhood (pre and post private school), the risks she’s taken in her acting career, and the controversy surrounding Django Unchained.

On growing up in the Washington household and her multi-culti family:

She still remembers the lively, sometimes heated, discussions on race and society around the dinner table. “My family’s very multiethnic,” she says. “When we get together for the holidays, it is the U.N., across the board.”

On the culture shock when she enrolled in an upper east side private school:

Prior to Spence, Washington thought her working-middle-class family was balling. “We had a microwave and two cars. We had a dishwasher before anyone in the building,” she says. “And then you go to this other world, and it’s, ‘Oh, we’re taking a helicopter to your house in the Hamptons?’ For a lot of classmates, I knew the only other black women they’d known were their domestic help.”

On what drew her to Django and the controversy around the movie:

“I’ve never seen slavery dealt with this way before in film. So often it’s a white character who’s the savior of black people.”

“We should have a plethora of visions and interpretations of who we are as a nation.” But she admits, “This is not necessarily the film I would make about slavery.”

On leaving the entertainment business:

“Sometimes I feel like I can’t do this anymore.” Almost once a year, her hair and makeup folks hear it: “I am done! I’m so done.”

On why she’s no saint:

“If you look at my body of work, I’ve always taken huge risks. I’ve played prostitutes, drug addicts, pimping lesbians. I do work I’m drawn to.”

You can read the rest of Kerry’s interview and check out the images and videos from the shoot at Uptown.com.

Source: Uptown Magazine.com

Ava DuVernay, who’s directed films like I Will Follow and Middle of Nowhere recently spoke with Uptown Magazine, alongside actor Omari Hardwick. DuVernay, who became the first black woman to win Best Director at Sundance for Middle of Nowhere, chatted about the lack of black love stories for directors to study and learn from, what it’s like working with the fineness that is Omari Hardwick, (She didn’t mention his fineness, the two share a more brotherly/sisterly relationship.), and what she gets from each of the actors she works with.

See why Omari says he loves working with Ava and read the rest of the interview at Uptown Magazine.

Source: Uptown Magazine

One of our favorite actors, Anthony Mackie, is walking in that mainstream shine he’s always deserved. Whether he’s doing theater, or in a motion picture alongside Matt Damon or Kerry Washington, Mackie always brings his talent. And we’re never disappointed. The actor, who stars in the new movie “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” (don’t scoff until you’ve seen it), recently chatted with the folks at Uptown about his career thus far, not getting caught up in the hype and why he’s not your regular heartthrob.

Check out excerpts from the interview below:

How he describes himself: Average guy. If your car breaks down, I’m your guy. If you need a heartthrob, I’m not your guy. I’m dead serious.

The difference between celebrity and artist: There’s a difference between being a working actor and being a celebrity … If you’re in this field you have to ask yourself that in the beginning and be honest with yourself. If you want to be a celebrity go after that 100 percent. If you want to be a working actor, it may mean doing a play that no one sees, but you love the craft.

On getting caught up: Everybody was like ‘This is it, dog, you’re blowing up. I bought into it thinking that my ‘Denzel time’ had come. I was left there with egg on my face.

His love for theater: It’s instant gratification. I know now that in certain aspects of my life, I’m a Slore for attention. I love to be on stage … and I love to say something and hear the audience respond. It’s a drug.

Who he wants to be when he grows up: I love where I am right now. If I grow up to be Don Cheadle, I’m very happy with that.

Source

And acting is not all he does. Check out the video of Mackie talking about his Brooklyn restaurant and his favorite foods.

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Tracee Ellis Ross, in all her curly haired, bubbly spirited, fashion forward glory will cover the March issue of Uptown Magazine. She discussed everything from her Hollywood career, why she won’t discuss her romantic relationship and her friendship with Kanye.

Check out the highlights below:

On coming out of her shell:

“I was shy, but it came out in a big personality. My turning point was when I let my hair go naturally and I got contact lenses. I am really blind, by the way. I have these big eyes that don’t work!

On her friendship with Kanye West:

“Kanye and I are neighbors [in L.A.], so we would see each other,” says Ross, who also has an apartment in New York. “Then we were introduced by a mutual friend, and he asked me to be in the video for his song ‘The New Workout Plan’. We can talk for hours about fashion. His closet is ridiculous. I will see him, and he will look down and ask, ‘Azzedine Alaia?’ and I am like, ‘Yeah.’ When I showed him the clip of me in the Thierry Mugler show, he was like, ‘Shut the Fawk up! I am obsessed with those two seasons of Mugler,’ he said. “We are good friends.”

On her romantic relationship:

“I am not going to hide my relationship, but I am not talking about it. When you do that, you invite other people and their opinions and issues in. You can’t discover the person on your own.”

On her path through Hollywood:

“I am really happy. I feel like some of the best careers in the industry are 10 years, and I did eight on Girlfriends. I did not know what that meant, and thank God I saved my money. I did not have to audition for Reed, and I am a producer on the show as well, which is very exciting. That’s more of the direction I want to go in. “I have a one-woman show that I am also developing. I thrive with a full plate,” she says. “I have learned that it’s not necessarily about you getting what you want, it’s more about you becoming who you want to be.”

Check out more behind the scenes pictures at Uptown Magazine.

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We just saw Peter almost get his butt handed to him by Apollo for speaking ill of Phaedra on Sunday’s episode of “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” but it seems watching that scene did nothing to make him keep his mouth shut.

In an effort to get publicity I mean clear the air, he spoke to UPTOWN magazine to tell his side of the story—again. Here’s what he had to say about Apollo and Sheree:

Husband Beef

“What people see is what it is. I don’t really know Apollo. Apollo felt like he was defending his wife [regarding] the UPTOWN article that I did . . . the article wasn’t about them. The article was about how I felt about what my wife said and what people were saying about, you know, UPTOWN Restaurant and Lounge and that she gave me money to do it and I wanted to set the record straight by saying yes she made a contribution but I didn’t take her wallet to do it.”

Sheree’s Problem

“She talks about everybody f****ed up all the time, especially my wife. She said my wife is spineless. She said my wife has no backbone. She said my wife follows around NeNe like some little puppy. She says a lot of really f****ed up things and my wife is too much of a classy chick to even go in on that so, when they ask me what I think, because me and my wife is one, I’m gone say how I feel. She thinks she’s cute but I don’t think she’s cute. If she thinks she’s cute, then that’s on her. It’s like when I watched [the show Sunday] night and she said ‘well, I know I’m cute’ and my answer was ‘really.’ It didn’t change how I feel. But all of that was at the top of the year. I just saw Sheree recently after the Soul Train Awards. She came through to Bar One and maybe she forgave me or I forgave her. We don’t know. Let’s see what happens next.”

Peter proceeds to talk about Nene and Kim’s big mouths, which only serves to prove a point Sheree made on Sunday’s episode: what kind of man talks about women behind their back? It’s bad enough when women do it, but most men don’t bother themselves with catfights unless they’ve got an ulterior motive (like getting people to visit his new bar).

I need Peter to pull a page out of the “Real Housewives of New York” chapter and see how well things worked out for Alex’s husband Simon when he started running his mouth to the media. To quote Apollo: “You too old.”

What do you think about Peter speaking out again? Does he need to have a seat? Or is it all fair game for him to talk so much trash, because he’s a part of the show now, too?

(Check out the fight too, in case you missed it.)

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

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Well look what we have here. Michael Vick on the cover of Uptown Magazine.

I know all you PETA members out there may still be holding a grudge. That’s understandable. I love me some animals too but I can’t lie and deny that Michael Vick is looking so good and grimy on this cover. He is giving it and I’m not mad at him.  I know I’m not the only one who’s oogling the goods.

Plus, he’s served his time and seems to have learned his lesson so I vote that we give him a second chance. (NFL players have done far worse.)

Anyway, after months of negotiations Uptown finally snagged Vick for the cover. (Naturally, he’s a little cautious about who he talks to these days.)

In the interview, Vick talks about how happy he is now, the Philly fan reception and how he’s matured.

Check out more quotes and delicious pictures of Vick over at Uptown Magazine.

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