The Urban Daily » Movies http://theurbandaily.com The eyes and ears for African-Americans looking for what's hot online, on the airwaves, on TV, in the theaters and on the streets. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:28:39 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.6 The Urban Dailyhttp://theurbandaily.com/files/2010/08/tud_logo_220x100_web.pnghttp://theurbandaily.com “Sparkle” Producer Speaks On Casting Whitney Houston http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/debra-martin-chase-sparkle-aaliya/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/debra-martin-chase-sparkle-aaliya/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:35:18 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1605125 (Originally published October 28, 2011) Meet Debra Martin Chase, shot caller extraordinaire.  Easily one of the most powerful and influential women in Hollywood, Chase has produced some of the most lucrative film franchises such as Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants, The Princess Diaries and Th... Read more..]]> (Originally published October 28, 2011)

Meet Debra Martin Chase, shot caller extraordinaire.  Easily one of the most powerful and influential women in Hollywood, Chase has produced some of the most lucrative film franchises such as Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants, The Princess Diaries and The Cheetah Girls.  She’s also dominated the small screen as well, with  Disney Channel’s musical Lemonade Mouth being the most watched cable movie of 2011 (the soundtrack was the #4 album in the U.S.).  Formerly a high pedigreed attorney (graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Mount Holyoke  College,  J.D. at  Harvard Law School), Chase decided to chase  her dream of entering of the movie biz, and soon found herself running production companies for Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington.   Eventually Chase would land her own producing deal with The Walt Disney Company, making her the first African-American woman to do so with a major studio.

Find more shooting stars in this hot city!

Chase also has an uncanny eye for talent, responsible for launching the careers of A-listers like Anne Hathaway, Blake Lively and Chris Pine.  In her gutsiest move yet, this savvy mover and shaker is at the helm of two iconic remakes: the 1976 classic Sparkle and the steamy 1986 coming of age drama Dirty Dancing.

The Urban Daily caught up with Chase to find out which R&B chanteuse was originally up for the role of Sparkle, the controversial casting of Whitney Houston, and why America seems to be so obsessed with musicals.

TUD: Can you tell us how you came to be involved in the Sparkle remake?

DMC: Whitney and I used to be producing partners and one of our favorite movies was Sparkle.  Warner Bros. owned it, so we approached them and we went into development, with Aaliyah as the lead.  My good friend, the late E. Lynn Harris wrote the screenplay and we were going to shoot it either right before or after Matrix 2 when Aaliyah died tragically.  It was sitting on the shelf for years and I would go back to Warner Bros every year, but they weren’t interested.  One night I was having dinner with the head of Sony Pictures, Michael Lynton, and Sparkle came up. He said, “I’d make that movie.”  So now here we are, two years later, in production.

Jordin Sparks has been cast as Sparkle.  What qualities did Jordin possess that made her right for the role?

She’s perfect.  Obviously she has an amazing voice and she has just the right quality about her.  She’s young and still has that innocence about her, but sophistication as well.  People will be thrilled to see that she’s a wonderful actress.  She has great raw talent and instincts—she’s going to knock this out of the park.

Whitney Houston is also on board, in the role of the girls’ mother.  It’s been a while since Whitney has been on the big screen.  What do you say to those who feel she might not be up to the task?

She’s Whitney Houston, come on!  She’s gone from The Bodyguard to Waiting To Exhale. She loves this movie and we’ve been working on this project for over 11 years, and it’s very dear to her heart.  Ironically when we first started she had aged out of the Sister’s role and she was too young to play the mother.  We are staying very true to the spirit of the original movie, but we’ve made some updates that will make it more interesting.  Whitney is very excited, and she’s going to be fabulous.

What elements of the original Sparkle will remain the same in this remake? What elements will be different?

The movie will be set in Detroit, 1968.  It’s the same plot for the most part, but we’ve sort of made it our own.  It will have the same emotional impact and we’re keeping the most iconic of the songs, and adding some new original songs. We approached this with the idea of thrilling the fans of the original movie but also having something fresh for people coming to Sparkle for the first time.

General consensus, based on the web, is that the public is very resistant to a Dirty Dancing remake, especially in light of the death of Patrick Swayze.  As a producer, what are the challenges in remaking a movie that is so close to America’s heart? What plans do you have to win over the public?

You want to keep the same touchstones as the original. The same emotion, the same romance, the same things that make the movie beloved, but you want to add some fresh elements that make it stand on its own.

One of the aspects of Dirty Dancing that people found appealing was the fact that the lead actress, Jennifer Grey wasn’t a “traditional” Hollywood beauty. She starts out as the ugly duckling and ends up blossoming towards the end of the movie.  Is that something you’re keeping in mind when you cast the lead female role in this remake?

Kenny Ortega (the director) and I are going to look for the best people possible.  We may get known players, but we’re going to look high and wide, for people who can bring those characters to life.  If you think back, the original Dirty Dancing put Patrick Swayze on the map as well as Jennifer Grey.  So the prospect of finding lightning in a bottle is just exciting.

You’re responsible for discovering new talent like Anne Hathaway (“Princess Diaries”), Chris Pine (“Star Trek”), and  Blake Lively (“Gossip Girl”).  What are you looking for when scouting for new talent?

It’s a hard thing to quantify and it  sounds kind of trite, but I’m looking for that “it” factor.  That light within them; a face that’s very attractive but interesting.  Not cookie-cutter–someone that has their own flavor.

How do you feel seeing your “alumni” doing so well in their careers?

It’s great. I just had lunch with Blake Lively a couple of weeks ago and she’s still a lovely person.  She’s going to be a very big star, she just has that whole package.  I’ve run into Anne Hathaway a few times and she is huge. We always knew that from the very beginning, she just had “star” written all over her.

You have been involved in several successful musicals such as Lemonade Mouth, Cinderella, and Cheetah Girls.  Why do you think musicals are so appealing to the American moviegoers?

Musicals have always been appealing. If you go back to great movies from MGM and internationally—Bollywood, which is the biggest film industry in the world, is solely based on musicals.  I think we forgot for a while that we loved them, but the American public has rediscovered their affinity for musicals through “Glee,”  ”High School Musical,” and Chicago. Now dance couldn’t be bigger with “Dancing With The Stars.” Musicals have the ability to take you someplace, that transcend your everyday life and bring joy and energy.

You can follow Debra Martin Chase on Twitter: @DebraMChase

Follow the cast of Sparkle on Twitter:

Jordin Sparks:  @JordinSparks

Carmen Ejogo: @carmenejogo

Tika Sumpter: @iamtikasumpter

Derek Luke: @actorderekluke

Mike Epps: @therealmikeepps

Omari Hardwick: @OmariHardwick

Ceelo Green: @CeeLoGreen

MORE FROM OUR PARTNERS:

Sony Pictures To Remake Sparkle

Whitney Houston Jordin Sparks Confirmed For Sparkle Remake


]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/debra-martin-chase-sparkle-aaliya/feed/ 7 Behind The Scenes Of “Safe House” In South Africa [EXCLUSIVE] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/behind-the-scenes-of-safe-house-in-south-africa-exclusive/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/behind-the-scenes-of-safe-house-in-south-africa-exclusive/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:54:18 +0000 Jerry Barrow, Senior Editor http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1767925 Behind The Scenes Of Watch this exclusive clip from Denzel Washington's action movie, Safe House, in theaters on Friday February 10th. RELATED POSTS: Read more..]]>
Watch this exclusive clip from Denzel Washington’s action movie, Safe House, in theaters on Friday February 10th.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/behind-the-scenes-of-safe-house-in-south-africa-exclusive/feed/ 0 New Set Pics from Tyler Perry’s “Good Deeds” [PHOTOS] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/tyler-perry-good-deeds-photos/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/tyler-perry-good-deeds-photos/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:00:24 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1763495 Read more..]]> Tyler Perry is out to rule the box office in 2012 with no less than four movies under his belt.  Perry kicks off with the romantic comedy Good Deeds starring Perry, Gabrielle Union, Thandie Newton, and Phylicia Rashad.  Perry plays Wesley Deeds, a fifth generation Ivy League businessman, whose perfect world is turned upside down when he meets a down on her luck single mother (Newton) who works as the cleaning lady in his office building.  Next up for Perry is I, Alex Cross, the reboot of the James Patterson novels which is slated for an August release.  In addition Perry, has The Marriage Counselor starring Jurnee Smollet and Kim Kardashian, and later this year, Madea’s Witness Protection.

Good Deeds opens in theaters February 24th.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/tyler-perry-good-deeds-photos/feed/ 0 Denzel Washington Breaks Down Struggles of Blacks in Hollywood http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/denzel-washington-blacks-hollywood/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/denzel-washington-blacks-hollywood/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:32:18 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1763405 Read more..]]> In a sit-down interview with The Grio’s Chris Witherspoon, actor Denzel Washington shared his views on the invisible ceiling black actors and directors hit when it comes to funding black films.

“Tyler Perry can make movies up to a certain budget, and then he hits a ceiling….it’s more they (Hollywood) don’t want to take a chance. Because this town, black or white, they’re just bean counters.  They’re just crunching the numbers.”

Washington,  who just wrapped up filming Flight with director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump”), admits that Paramount Studios only gave the project a mere $32 million budget because of the movie’s somber subject matter–Denzel’s character is an alcoholic airline pilot.

WATCH FULL INTERVIEW BELOW:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/denzel-washington-blacks-hollywood/feed/ 2 “CHRONICLE”: Make Way For The New Mutants! [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/chronicle-josh-trank-superhero/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/chronicle-josh-trank-superhero/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:02:28 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1762515 What if you woke up one morning with the power of a god?  In the new sci-fi thriller Chronicle, writer/director Josh Trank puts a fresh spin on the superhero genre,  when three normal teenagers explore the physical and moral limits of their newly acquired abilities. The Urban Daily sat down with Chronicle stars Michael B. Jordan, Dane DeHaan, and Alex Rus... Read more..]]>

What if you woke up one morning with the power of a god?  In the new sci-fi thriller Chronicle, writer/director Josh Trank puts a fresh spin on the superhero genre,  when three normal teenagers explore the physical and moral limits of their newly acquired abilities.

The Urban Daily sat down with Chronicle stars Michael B. Jordan, Dane DeHaan, and Alex Russell to find out what will make  Chronicle an instant cult classic.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/chronicle-josh-trank-superhero/feed/ 0 S**t Ignorant Rappers Say http://theurbandaily.com/movies/casey-gane-mccalla/st-ignorant-rappers-say/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/casey-gane-mccalla/st-ignorant-rappers-say/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:35:27 +0000 Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1760775 S**t Ignorant Rappers SayGiven that there is a video for s**t that everybody says. Chicken & Beef, The creators of the movie "Monkey Gang: The Mockumentary" have created "S**t Ignorant Rappers Say" from the movie. Check out the video. The video tells to the all to familiar story of a rap group that comes up only to start beefing with themselves while falling victim to corporate stereo... Read more..]]> Given that there is a video for s**t that everybody says. Chicken & Beef, The creators of the movie “Monkey Gang: The Mockumentary” have created “S**t Ignorant Rappers Say” from the movie. Check out the video. The video tells to the all to familiar story of a rap group that comes up only to start beefing with themselves while falling victim to corporate stereotypes.

ALSO SEE

Hollywood Black Film Festival Reacts To Controversial “Monkey Gang” Movie

Monkey Gang Introduces The “Low Self Esteem Gangsters”

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/casey-gane-mccalla/st-ignorant-rappers-say/feed/ 3 Mos Def To Reprise Samuel L. Jackson Role In “Jackie Brown” Prequel http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/mos-def-jackie-brown-prequel/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/mos-def-jackie-brown-prequel/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:15:25 +0000 The Urban Daily http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1760545 Mos Def To Reprise Samuel L. Jackson Role In Yasiin Bey, aka Mos Def, has been tapped to star in the upcoming Jackie Brown prequel Switch alongside actor John Hawkes. According to Read more..]]> Yasiin Bey, aka Mos Def, has been tapped to star in the upcoming Jackie Brown prequel Switch alongside actor John Hawkes.

According to Variety, the outspoken “rapter” will star as the younger version of Ordell Robbie, originally played by Samuel L. Jackson.  Set 15 years before the events in “Jackie Brown,” the story follows career criminals Ordell and Louis as they team up to kidnap Mickey Dawson, the wife of a corrupt Detroit real estate developer.

Mos has proven to be one of hip-hops better actors, this season appearing on the series “Dexter” and having roles in The Italian Job, 16 Blocks and more under his belt.

[SOURCE]

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/mos-def-jackie-brown-prequel/feed/ 3 T.I. Talks About New Movie In The Works [EXCLUSIVE AUDIO] http://theurbandaily.com/gossip-news/ddjames/t-i-new-movie-in-the-works-exclusive-audio/ http://theurbandaily.com/gossip-news/ddjames/t-i-new-movie-in-the-works-exclusive-audio/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:59:50 +0000 Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1760205 T.I. Talks About New Movie In The Works [EXCLUSIVE AUDIO]T.I. is doing it real big these days as a reality TV star, but he's in the process of making a new movie. The last time we saw Tip on the big screen was in Takers (2010) alongside Chris Brown and Idris Elba. During a recent call to his hometown station Read more..]]> T.I. is doing it real big these days as a reality TV star, but he’s in the process of making a new movie. The last time we saw Tip on the big screen was in Takers (2010) alongside Chris Brown and Idris Elba.

During a recent call to his hometown station Hot 107.9, T.I. let his fans Atlanta know that he has a film in the works. Find out what else T.I. is up to by visiting our sister site HotSpotATL.com.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/gossip-news/ddjames/t-i-new-movie-in-the-works-exclusive-audio/feed/ 4 10 Black Films That Have NOTHING To Do With Tyler Perry! http://theurbandaily.com/movies/shamika-sanders/10-black-films-that-have-nothing-to-do-with-tyler-perry/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/shamika-sanders/10-black-films-that-have-nothing-to-do-with-tyler-perry/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:04:22 +0000 Shamika Sanders http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1756455 10 Black Films That Have NOTHING To Do With Tyler Perry!For all those who complain about Tyler Perry and his limited scope on black America: You can stop protesting the man's existence now that other black films are beginning to emerge! Included in the lineup of "Dysfunctional Friends," starring Stacey Dash, is Wesley Jonathon, Terrell Owens and many other familiar... Read more..]]> For all those who complain about Tyler Perry and his limited scope on black America: You can stop protesting the man’s existence now that other black films are beginning to emerge!

Included in the lineup of “Dysfunctional Friends,” starring Stacey Dash, is Wesley Jonathon, Terrell Owens and many other familiar faces.

Black Female Director Makes History At Sundance Film Fest [PHOTO]

Top Five Black Actors To Cast For Steven Spielberg’s “MOSES”

Click here, to see the full list of non-Tyler Perry films!

Check out the trailer below:

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/shamika-sanders/10-black-films-that-have-nothing-to-do-with-tyler-perry/feed/ 0 Viola Davis And Octavia Spencer Win Big At SAG Awards [VIDEO] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/viola-davis-wins-sag-for-best-actress/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/viola-davis-wins-sag-for-best-actress/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:15:31 +0000 The Urban Daily http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1753025 Viola Davis And Octavia Spencer Win Big At SAG Awards [VIDEO]Viola Davis continued her march to the Oscars by snagging a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role. Her co-star in The Help, Octavia Spencer won Best Supporting Actress. Black Arts:... Read more..]]> Viola Davis continued her march to the Oscars by snagging a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role. Her co-star in The Help, Octavia Spencer won Best Supporting Actress.

Black Arts: Urban Film Festivals Throughout the Nation

Davis beat out Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton, Glenn Close and Michelle Williams for her prize and the cast of The Help won Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture.

See the full list of winners below:

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
*WINNER Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Supporting Role
*WINNER Octavia Spencer, The Help
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Comedy Series
*WINNER Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Steve Carell, The Office
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Comedy Series
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
*WINNER Betty White, Hot In Cleveland

Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Comedy Series
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
Glee
*WINNER Modern Family
The Office

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Television Movie Or Miniseries
Diane Lane, Cinema Verite
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult
Betty White, The Lost Valentine
*WINNER Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Television Movie Or Miniseries
Laurence Fishburne, Thurgood
*WINNER Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail
Greg Kinnear, The Kennedys
Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
James Woods, Too Big to Fail

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Drama Series
Kathy Bates, Harry’s Law
Glenn Close, Damages
*WINNER Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Julianna Margules, The Good Wife
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Drama Series
Patrick J. Adams, Suits
*WINNER Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Drama Series
*WINNER Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Dexter
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Leading Role
George Clooney, The Descendants
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
*WINNER Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Leading Role
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
*WINNER Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture
Bridesmaids
The Artist
The Descendants
*WINNER The Help
Midnight in Paris

Outstanding Performance By A Stunt Ensemble In A Motion Picture
The Adjustment Bureau
Cowboys & Aliens
*WINNER Harry Potter and the Deahtly Hallows: Part II
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
X-Men: First Class

Outstanding Performance By A Stunt Ensemble In A Television Series
Dexter
*WINNER Game of Thrones
Southland
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
True Blood

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/viola-davis-wins-sag-for-best-actress/feed/ 0 Black Female Director Makes History At Sundance Film Fest [PHOTO] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/ava-duvernay-sundance-best-director-win/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/ava-duvernay-sundance-best-director-win/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:15:42 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1752555 Black Female Director Makes History At Sundance Film Fest [PHOTO]Whoever said black film is dead, think again!  Last night at the Sundance Film Festival awards ceremony,  Ava DuVernay became the first African-American woman to win US Directing Award: Dramatic for her second feature film, Middle of Nowhere.  The movie stars  Emayatzy Corinealdi as a young woman struggling to maintain her identity while her husband (Omari Hardwick) serves an eight year sentence behind bars.  The trailblazing director tweeted a pic after her historic win: Read more..]]> Whoever said black film is dead, think again!  Last night at the Sundance Film Festival awards ceremony,  Ava DuVernay became the first African-American woman to win US Directing Award: Dramatic for her second feature film, Middle of Nowhere.  The movie stars  Emayatzy Corinealdi as a young woman struggling to maintain her identity while her husband (Omari Hardwick) serves an eight year sentence behind bars.  The trailblazing director tweeted a pic after her historic win:

Middle of Nowhere premiered at Sundance last week, and has received glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike.  The film has been picked up for distribution by Participant Media, partnering with DuVernay’s African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (AFFRM) for Middle of Nowhere to be released in theaters later this year.

The Urban Daily congratulates Ava DuVernay, the cast and AFFRM on their success!

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/ava-duvernay-sundance-best-director-win/feed/ 0 Drake On President Obama: “I Could Play Him” http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/drake-obama-on-president-obama-i-could-play-him/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/drake-obama-on-president-obama-i-could-play-him/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:29:47 +0000 Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1750345 Drake On President Obama: Drake is serious about getting back into acting, and he'd even like to play President Barack Obama. During an interview at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, Drake stated: Read more..]]> Drake is serious about getting back into acting, and he’d even like to play President Barack Obama. During an interview at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, Drake stated:

Why Rappers Love This Restaurant

“I hope somebody makes a movie about Obama’s life soon because I could play him. That’s the goal. I watch all the addresses. Anytime I see him on TV, I don’t change the channel, I definitely pay attention and listen to the inflections of his voice. If you ask anyone who knows me, I’m pretty good at impressions.”

On the outside, it seems like the only thing Drake and President Obama have in common in their bi-racial background, but maybe Drake would do a good portrayal. Find out more details right here

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/drake-obama-on-president-obama-i-could-play-him/feed/ 5 Top Five Black Actors To Cast For Steven Spielberg’s “MOSES” http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/spielberg-moses-black-actors-casting-choices/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/spielberg-moses-black-actors-casting-choices/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:54:11 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1748495 Top Five Black Actors To Cast For Steven Spielberg's Hollywood is all abuzz  with  news of director Steven Spielberg  in final talks to helm the biblical drama MOSES.  While mainstream outlets are putting actors like Liam Neeson and Daniel Craig high on their list of casting choices, most have failed to ponder the million dollar question--Who says Moses has to be White?  2011 was glaringly absent of any strong lead roles for black actors, and with a role as epic as Moses,  whoever lands the role, is practically guaranteed a Best Actor nod come awards season. The Urban Daily has compiled a list of  the best and... Read more..]]> Hollywood is all abuzz  with  news of director Steven Spielberg  in final talks to helm the biblical drama MOSES.  While mainstream outlets are putting actors like Liam Neeson and Daniel Craig high on their list of casting choices, most have failed to ponder the million dollar question–Who says Moses has to be White?  2011 was glaringly absent of any strong lead roles for black actors, and with a role as epic as Moses,  whoever lands the role, is practically guaranteed a Best Actor nod come awards season.

The Urban Daily has compiled a list of  the best and brightest amongst our black male thespians.  All of our  candidates have the talent and screen presence  to lead their people to the promised land. And let’s face it–the African-American community knows quite a bit about that!

DENZEL WASHINGTON

You can’t lose with the one of the world’s greatest actors. From Malcolm X to The Hurricane, Denzel is the best in the game when it comes to breathing life to real life iconic characters. Denzel is notorious for his Method acting approach, studying his role for months in advance, and always delivers a flawless, three dimensional depiction of the characters he portrays.


CHIWETEL EJIOFOR


Chiwetel is one of Hollywood’s greatest untapped talents.  The British-born thespian gave a knockout, Oscar-worthy performance as Dewey Hughes in the woefully underrated Talk to Me. Let’s not forget his other stellar work in Inside Man, Children of Men and American Gangster. Chiwetel has been on his grind, working with A-list directors and steadily building a solid body of work.  Talent like Chiwetel’s  needs a breakout leading role, and MOSES just might be the ticket.

DJIMON  HOUNSOU


It’s time to get Djimon back on rotation on the big screen.  Hollywood seems to have selective amnesia when it comes to the power and vulnerability Djimon brings to his roles.   This two time Oscar nominee  needs to be bumped up to leading man status.  Djimon’s gravelly bass and beautiful midnight-hued skin, could give MOSES some serious sex appeal.

AVERY BROOKS

As Captain Benjamin Sisko on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”, Avery Brooks became one of the Federation’s most iconic captains. While Captain Kirk was known for his action star, womanizing ways, and Picard for his intellect, Brooks made Captain Sisko equally cerebral and spiritual.  While his big screen presence has been limited, he gave a touching performance as Ed Norton’s mentor in American History X.   Brooks’ gravitas and magnetic screen presence would lend to a memorable Moses.

MORGAN FREEMAN

If you can play God Almighty,  being a prophet would a walk in the park for Morgan.  With a body of work that has spanned four decades, Morgan stamps all of his characters with  a quiet authority.  While Morgan has 2 Oscar wins for Best Supporting Actor, he has yet to score one for Best Lead.  Landing Moses would be the proverbial cherry on top of such an esteemed career.

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/spielberg-moses-black-actors-casting-choices/feed/ 8 OSCAR WATCH: Did The Academy Snub Mary J. Blige? http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/mary-j-blige-oscar-snub/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/mary-j-blige-oscar-snub/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:52 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1745765 OSCAR WATCH: Did The Academy Snub Mary J. Blige? Mary J. Blige is not feeling much love for The Oscars.  Yesterday, The Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences announced their nominations, and even though The Help scored four Oscar... Read more..]]>

Mary J. Blige is not feeling much love for The Oscars.  Yesterday, The Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences announced their nominations, and even though The Help scored four Oscar nods,  Blige’s “The Living Proof” was curiously left out of the running for Best Original Song.  Even curiouser, is the fact that only two songs were nominated, when the Best Original Song category usually has five slots available in previous Oscar years.  MJB quickly let her feelings be known on Twitter:

Blige’s fans came to her defense, some even citing racism as the reason for the Oscar snub.  What say you readers, should “The Living Proof” have made the Oscar shortlist?

WATCH VIDEO BELOW:

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/mary-j-blige-oscar-snub/feed/ 5 Drake On Being Offered Stereotypical Black Male Movie Roles [VIDEO] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/drake-movie-roles-on-being-offered-stereotypical-black-male-video/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/drake-movie-roles-on-being-offered-stereotypical-black-male-video/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:58:22 +0000 Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1745775 Drake On Being Offered Stereotypical Black Male Movie Roles [VIDEO]Drake received checks as an actor before he started releasing mixtapes and albums, and he's been reading scripts for movie roles. Instead of being offered parts that would show his range as an actor, Drake has been receiving scripts to play rappers and basketball players. Read more..]]> Drake received checks as an actor before he started releasing mixtapes and albums, and he’s been reading scripts for movie roles. Instead of being offered parts that would show his range as an actor, Drake has been receiving scripts to play rappers and basketball players.

Drake’s Home Sweet Home

Watch Drake talk about the moves and movies he’s hoping to make in Hollywood in the video below.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/drake-movie-roles-on-being-offered-stereotypical-black-male-video/feed/ 2 Is Spike Lee’s “Red Hook Summer” A Sequel To “Do The Right Thing”? http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/red-hook-summer-spike-lee-do-the-right-thing-sequel-to/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/red-hook-summer-spike-lee-do-the-right-thing-sequel-to/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:47:27 +0000 Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1742835 Is Spike Lee's During the world premiere of Spike Lee's new film Red Hook Summer, he instantly addressed the speculation that this project was an unofficial sequel to Do The Right Thing. According to Read more..]]> During the world premiere of Spike Lee‘s new film Red Hook Summer, he instantly addressed the speculation that this project was an unofficial sequel to Do The Right Thing. According to Moviefone, Spike Lee told the crowd in attendance at the Sundance festival crowd: “Please tell them that this is not a motherfucking sequel to Do The Right Thing!”

Spread Love It’s The Brooklyn Way

Red Hook Summer takes place in Brooklyn and features Mookie, a character played by Spike Lee in 1989′s Do The Right Thing. He does however, refer to Red Hook Summer as “another installment in my great chronicles of Brooklyn,” which includes She’s Gotta Have It, Do The Right Thing, Clockers and Crooklyn.

Find out what else Spike Lee had to say about Red Hook Summer by visiting Moviefone.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/red-hook-summer-spike-lee-do-the-right-thing-sequel-to/feed/ 0 “The Help” Scores Four Oscar Nominations http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/the-help-scores-four-oscar-nominations/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/the-help-scores-four-oscar-nominations/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:30 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1742355 Nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards were announced this morning by actress Jennifer Lawrence ("Hunger Games") and Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  "The Help"earned Oscar nods for Viola Davis (Best Actress), Octavia Spencer (Best Supporting Actress), Jessica Chastain (Best Supporting Actres), as well as Best Picture. Th... Read more..]]>

Nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards were announced this morning by actress Jennifer Lawrence (“Hunger Games”) and Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  “The Help”earned Oscar nods for Viola Davis (Best Actress), Octavia Spencer (Best Supporting Actress), Jessica Chastain (Best Supporting Actres), as well as Best Picture.

The lion’s share of nominations went to Martin Scorcese’s HUGO, which walked away with 11 Oscar nominations, including, Best Director, and Best Picture.  The Artist, follows closely with 10 nominations.   The Oscars will air Sunday, February 26th, 7P.M. EST.

Below is a complete list of nominees:

Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo (“The Artist”)
Jessica Chastain (“The Help”)
Melissa McCarthy (“Bridesmaids”)
Janet McTeer (“Albert Nobbs”)
Octavia Spencer (“The Help”)

Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh (“My Week With Marilyn”)
Jonah Hill (“Moneyball”)
Nick Nolte  (“Warrior”)
Christopher Plummer (“Beginners”)
Max von Sydow (“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”)

Best Actress

Glenn Close (“Albert Nobbs”)
Rooney Mara (“Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”)
Viola Davis (“The Help”)
Meryl Streep (“The Iron Lady”)
Michelle Williams (“My Week With Marilyn”)

Best Actor

Demian Bichir (“A Better Life”)
George Clooney (“The Descendants”)
Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”)
Gary Oldman (“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”)
Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”)

Best Director

Michel Hazanivicus (“The Artist”)
Alexander Payne (“The Descendants”)
Martin Scorsese (“HUGO”)
Woody Allen (“Midnight in Paris”)
Terrence Malick (“Tree of Life”)

Best Original Screenplay

The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
Margin Call
A Separation

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Foreign Feature

Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsier Lazhar
A Separation

Best Animated Feature

A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Best Picture

War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/the-help-scores-four-oscar-nominations/feed/ 1 Black Actors Nominated For 2012 Oscars! http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/black-actors-nominated-for-2012-oscars/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/black-actors-nominated-for-2012-oscars/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:52:51 +0000 Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1742505 Black Actors Nominated For 2012 Oscars!Black actors were not ignored in the 2012 nominations for Oscars! Congratulations to Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer who were acknowledged by being nominated for Academy Awards for their performances in The Help. In addition, The Help was nominated in the Best Picture category, and Jessica Chastain also received a nomi... Read more..]]> Black actors were not ignored in the 2012 nominations for Oscars! Congratulations to Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer who were acknowledged by being nominated for Academy Awards for their performances in The Help.

In addition, The Help was nominated in the Best Picture category, and Jessica Chastain also received a nomination for her role in the film.

See the complete list of nominees for 2012 Oscars here. Congratulations to all!

“The Help” Wins Big at Critics Choice Movie Awards

Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis in “The Help”
Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”

Octavia Spencer Of “The Help” Wins Golden Globe! [PHOTOS]

Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo in “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain in “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer in “The Help”

5 Reasons Why Black Women Should See “The Help” [ORIGINAL]

Best Picture
“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer
“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer
“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
“The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined
“War Horse” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Here’s a look at all of the competitors in their respective categories…

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/black-actors-nominated-for-2012-oscars/feed/ 2 Phonte’s Movie In A Minute, “Red Tails” http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/phontes-movie-in-a-minute-red-tails/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/phontes-movie-in-a-minute-red-tails/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:06:16 +0000 Jerry Barrow, Senior Editor http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1742095 Phonte's Movie In A Minute, Singer and MC Phonte Coleman resurrects his "Movie In A Minute" franchise to give his honest opinion on Red Tails. Packing Playlist: Raleigh/Durham... Read more..]]> Singer and MC Phonte Coleman resurrects his “Movie In A Minute” franchise to give his honest opinion on Red Tails.

Packing Playlist: Raleigh/Durham

Tigallo doesn’t pull any punches about the flick but did like the character “Lighting”, played by David Oyelowo (who we interviewed here). Does he think you should see Red Tails? Watch the clip to find out.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/phontes-movie-in-a-minute-red-tails/feed/ 1 Brandy: “Nobody Could Play Whitney Houston Like Me” [VIDEO] http://theurbandaily.com/music/ddjames/whitney-houston-brandy-nobody-could-play-whitney-houston-like-me-video/ http://theurbandaily.com/music/ddjames/whitney-houston-brandy-nobody-could-play-whitney-houston-like-me-video/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:38:10 +0000 Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1740575 Brandy: Brandy recently talked about portraying Whitney Houston in a movie, and let other actresses know that she would be the best person to play Whitney. The two co-starred in the 1997 remake of Cinderella. Brandy says she has Whitney Houston's personality and "isms" down, but doesn't want to do... Read more..]]> Brandy recently talked about portraying Whitney Houston in a movie, and let other actresses know that she would be the best person to play Whitney. The two co-starred in the 1997 remake of Cinderella.

Brandy says she has Whitney Houston’s personality and “isms” down, but doesn’t want to do the singing. Would you want to see Brandy play Whitney Houston onscreen?

Read more here.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/music/ddjames/whitney-houston-brandy-nobody-could-play-whitney-houston-like-me-video/feed/ 3 How Did “Red Tails” Do At The Box Office? http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/red-tails-box-office-red-tails-movie/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/red-tails-box-office-red-tails-movie/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:32:18 +0000 Darnella Dunham, Senior Producer http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1738385 How Did Hollywood didn't believe that Black America will support a movie like Red Tails, and many African-Americans made it a point to make to see the film this weekend to help boost the box office numbers. But how did Red Tails do on its first weekend in theaters? ... Read more..]]> Hollywood didn’t believe that Black America will support a movie like Red Tails, and many African-Americans made it a point to make to see the film this weekend to help boost the box office numbers. But how did Red Tails do on its first weekend in theaters?

5 Historic Sites African Americans Must Visit

The movie is exceeding expectations even though, studio execs didn’t expect the support to last. Red Tails surpassed the $15-$18 million it was projected to make in the first weekend by pulling in $19.4 million. On Friday, January 20th it earned $6-8 million thanks to busloads of African-Americans coming to midday screenings.

Red Tails is this weeks No. 2 film, finishing behind Underworld Awakening starring Kate Beckinsale and Michael Ely, which should brought in $25.2 million. (Not bad, since Red Tails was on almost 500 fewer screens than Underworld Awakening.)

Find out more about this weekend’s box office results right here.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/ddjames/red-tails-box-office-red-tails-movie/feed/ 2 Top 5 Songs From “Soul Food” [MUSIC] http://theurbandaily.com/music/ashleygrayson/soul-food-musictop-5-songs-from/ http://theurbandaily.com/music/ashleygrayson/soul-food-musictop-5-songs-from/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:50:07 +0000 Ashley Grayson http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1738525 Top 5 Songs From Soul Food the movie is a classic! It not only had an all-star cast, but the soundtrack that accompanied the film was just as amazing. The original soundtrack consisted of 13 tracks but we’re counting down the top five tracks. Read more..]]> Soul Food the movie is a classic! It not only had an all-star cast, but the soundtrack that accompanied the film was just as amazing. The original soundtrack consisted of 13 tracks but we’re counting down the top five tracks.

Is This Real Soul Food?

Check out our list, watch the videos, and tell us what you thought of these songs when you first heard them! Plus, take a listen to our Black Soundtracks playlist at the bottom of the page to hear some hot songs from your favorite movie soundtracks!

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“A Song For Mama” by Boyz II Men
This song instantly made every grown man and woman speed dial their mamas for some quick TLC. Years later, it’s still in heavy rotation on Mother’s Day.

“September” by Earth Wind & Fire
Not a new hit for the 90’s, but the 1978 classic “September” was a good fit for the Soul Food soundtrack. Every movie soundtrack needs at least one old school groove.

“We’re Not Making Love No More” by Dru Hill
Remember these boys from B-More? Well, this sexy song about the lack thereof was perfect for the up and down romantic relationships in Soul Food.  It makes you want to grab a friend and say, “Girl, get it together!”

“What About Us” by Total
First of all, if you remember anything about the 90’s, then you know Puff Daddy and his Bad Boy family ruled most of it. There’s nothing like a joint from the “it” girl group on Puff’s label at the time.

“I Care About You” by Milestone
Whether a real group or not, this song was smooth and actually landed on the Billboard charts.  Comprised of K-Ci & JoJo, Babyface and his two brothers, Kevon and Melvin; Milestone made the soundtrack certifiably hot!

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/music/ashleygrayson/soul-food-musictop-5-songs-from/feed/ 0 Zoe Saldana, Common, Spike Lee at Sundance Film Fest 2012 http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/sundance-2012-black-film/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/sundance-2012-black-film/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:58:05 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1737465 Zoe Saldana, Common, Spike Lee at Sundance Film Fest 2012The 2012 Sundance Film Festival kicks off today in Park City, Utah, showcasing the best independent filmmakers across the country. This year there are  21 films directed by or featuring black talent, take to the festival stage in the hopes of landing distribution deals for their projects.  Below is a list of featured projects that could be coming to a theater near you: Red Hook Summer-- dir. Spike Lee A boy from Atlanta lands in Brooklyn to spend the summer with his grandfather, who he's never seen before. Read more..]]> The 2012 Sundance Film Festival kicks off today in Park City, Utah, showcasing the best independent filmmakers across the country. This year there are  21 films directed by or featuring black talent, take to the festival stage in the hopes of landing distribution deals for their projects.  Below is a list of featured projects that could be coming to a theater near you:

Red Hook Summer– dir. Spike Lee
A boy from Atlanta lands in Brooklyn to spend the summer with his grandfather, who he’s never seen before.

LUV- dir. Justin Wilson (Common, Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Meagan Good)
Common stars as Uncle Vincent, an ex-con trying to go straight who takes his young nephew with him on a business trip that inadvertently leads him back down the same deadly path he’s been trying to avoid.

Middle of Nowhere
dir. Ava DuVernay (Emayatzy Corinealdi, Omari Hardwick, David Oyelowo, Lorraine Toussaint)
A young woman (Corinealdi) struggles to maintain her marriage and her identity when her husband (Hardwick) must serve a eight year prison sentence.

Slavery By Another Name

dir.- by Sam Pollard

Documentary that challenges one of America’s most cherished assumptions: the belief that slavery in this country ended with Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863.

The Words

dir. Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal (Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, J.K. Simmons)
When an aspiring writer claims another man’s long lost work as his own, the price he must pay is more than he could have ever imagined.

Read complete list over at BLACKFILM.COM

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/sundance-2012-black-film/feed/ 0 Michael Ealy On Underworld: “I’m Glad I Didn’t Die” [VIDEO] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/travonfree/michael-ealy-underworld-awakening/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/travonfree/michael-ealy-underworld-awakening/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:00:46 +0000 Travon Free http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1736785 Michael Ealy On Underworld: You may be familiar with Michael Ealy's work from movies like Takers, Seven Pounds, the impossible to love Beau Willie in For Colored Girls, and his great work on Sleep Cell. Well now he's taking on the world of vampires and werewolves opposite Kate Bec... Read more..]]>
You may be familiar with Michael Ealy’s work from movies like Takers, Seven Pounds, the impossible to love Beau Willie in For Colored Girls, and his great work on Sleep Cell. Well now he’s taking on the world of vampires and werewolves opposite Kate Beckinsale in the fourth installment of the Underworld series, Underworld Awakening. His Detective Sebastian debunks the trend of Black men in horror movies and survives to the end, but is he the same man when it’s over?

48 Hours in the City of Love

Watch as Michael and I discuss his new leading role on “Common Law”, the best part of working with Kate Beckinsale on a hit franchise, and why not even Jay-Z and Will Smith can get him on Broadway.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/travonfree/michael-ealy-underworld-awakening/feed/ 4 Why Hollywood Still Doesn’t Take Black Audiences Seriously [OPINION] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/travonfree/red-tails-hollywood-george-lucas/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/travonfree/red-tails-hollywood-george-lucas/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:00:40 +0000 Travon Free http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1735805 Why Hollywood Still Doesn't Take Black Audiences Seriously [OPINION] Five years ago I met an auditioned for one of the biggest managers in Hollywood. Before the audition we talked about the industry as it relates to Black actors and actresses and Hollywood’s production(or lack thereof) of Black films. What he said vastly opened my eyes  about Black entertainment. And after hearing George Luca... Read more..]]>

Five years ago I met an auditioned for one of the biggest managers in Hollywood. Before the audition we talked about the industry as it relates to Black actors and actresses and Hollywood’s production(or lack thereof) of Black films. What he said vastly opened my eyes  about Black entertainment. And after hearing George Lucas talk about the struggle to get his new film Red Tails made last week on The Daily Show(watch the interview!) because there wasn’t enough white people in it , it brought back to life for me, that five year old conversation and the agony of knowing that certain perceptions and problems still exist when making Black movies.

During the time I was meeting with the aforementioned manager (who shall remain nameless), it was 2007 and the movie The Great Debaters was on it’s way into theaters on Christmas weekend. For those who don’t recall, The Great Debaters set in 1935, was a film directed by and starring Denzel Washington that was based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College in Texas. He inspires the students to form the school’s first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship. I asked him, “Why won’t studios make more Black films like this to give more Black actors like myself a chance to work in mainstream film?” His answer? “Don’t take this the wrong way, but Black people don’t want to see those kind of movies. The proof is in the ticket sales.”

READ REST OF ESSAY HERE

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/travonfree/red-tails-hollywood-george-lucas/feed/ 5 Men Of “Red Tails” Discuss Interracial Relationship In Film [VIDEO] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/red-tails-interracial-relationship-in-film-video/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/red-tails-interracial-relationship-in-film-video/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:03:06 +0000 Jerry Barrow, Senior Editor http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1736255 Men Of One of the subplots in the Tuskegee Airmen-inspired action flick Red Tails is that one of the African-American pilots falls in love with an Italian woman while fighting overseas. When In Rome? Travel Guide Italy In this interview for TheUrbandaily Terrence Howard and David Oyel... Read more..]]>

One of the subplots in the Tuskegee Airmen-inspired action flick Red Tails is that one of the African-American pilots falls in love with an Italian woman while fighting overseas.

When In Rome? Travel Guide Italy

In this interview for TheUrbandaily Terrence Howard and David Oyelowo, who’s character Joe ‘Lightning’ Little falls in love with Sophia (Daniela Ruah), explain why this was an important part of the film.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/red-tails-interracial-relationship-in-film-video/feed/ 36 “Red Tails” Director Anthony Hemingway On Attracting A Young Audience http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/red-tails-anthony-hemingway-on-attracting-a-young-audience/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/red-tails-anthony-hemingway-on-attracting-a-young-audience/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:00:21 +0000 The Urban Daily http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1733685 "Red Tails" director Anthony Hemingway has experience connecting with a younger audience. Before taking on George Lucas's passion project about the Tuskegee Airmen, Hemingway worked on HBO's acclaimed series "The Wire" and is now behind the camera on "Treme." Read more..]]> “Red Tails” director Anthony Hemingway has experience connecting with a younger audience. Before taking on George Lucas’s passion project about the Tuskegee Airmen, Hemingway worked on HBO’s acclaimed series “The Wire” and is now behind the camera on “Treme.”

The Hollywood Black Film Festival Travel Guide

However, there is always a challenge in presenting historic topics on the big screen. A self-professed “realist” Hemingway spoke to Moviefone.com about the challenges he may face in selling younger viewers on a movie about Black fighter pilots in the 1940′s.

What’s the toughest challenge you have selling “Red Tails” to contemporary young audiences?
Trying to target a younger audience is challenging because I know this a story that they don’t know about. Growing up, I didn’t really know who the Tuskegee Airmen were. I knew that they existed, but I didn’t know their history until that HBO movie came out in ’95. That’s where it began for me, I wanted to know more. But just trying to find ways to connect with kids: if I check out, then it’s not working … That’s the trick, ’cause so many people would quickly check out when you’re talking about war stories. But to turn this around and make it about heroics and heroes was very cool.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

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“Red Tails” Is Putting Black Filmmakers In Jeopardy

]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/theurbandailystaff1/red-tails-anthony-hemingway-on-attracting-a-young-audience/feed/ 1 “THE HELP” vs “PARIAH”: WHICH ONE DESERVES OSCAR LOVE? [OPINION] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/the-help-pariah-oscars/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/the-help-pariah-oscars/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:46:12 +0000 ReBecca Theodore-Vachon http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1733265 The nominations for the 84th Annual Academy Award will be announced next week, January 24th and The Help is sure secure nods for two of its leads (Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer) as well as for Best Picture.  The question is where does PARIAH fall in this year's Oscar race?  Even with critical acclaim (... Read more..]]>

The nominations for the 84th Annual Academy Award will be announced next week, January 24th and The Help is sure secure nods for two of its leads (Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer) as well as for Best Picture.  The question is where does PARIAH fall in this year’s Oscar race?  Even with critical acclaim (96% approval on Rotten Tomatoes), and strong support from black moviegoers, director Dee Rees, and actresses Adepero Oduye, Kim Wayans, and Pernell Walker might as well be invisible to Academy voting members.  Writer Mychal Denzel Smith, in a piece for The Guardian, believes that PARIAH, is being snubbed because of its progressive and authentic portrayal of African-American life, whereas The Help falls within the guidelines of the Hollywood’s narrow and myopic view of black characters.  Smith states:

“The Help squanders an opportunity to provide a vital and revelatory look into the lives of black domestic workers in the throes of the civil rights movement; instead it sanitises their story, glosses over the realities of systemic racism, the effects of poverty, exalts the “white saviour” motif, and traffics in tired “mammy” stereotypes. Yet it has still become a white liberal favourite.”

You can read article in its entirety HERE

What say you readers? Does the Academy have a track record of rewarding black actor/actresses with Oscar awards for stereotypical black roles? Or should we support Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, regardless, in hopes for more opportunities for Black Hollywood?  Sound off in the comments section below.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/rebeccatheodorevachon/the-help-pariah-oscars/feed/ 5 A Visual Remix Of Lionel Richie’s “Hello” Using Film Clips [VIDEO] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jlbarrow/lionel-richie-hello-movie-remix/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jlbarrow/lionel-richie-hello-movie-remix/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:05:13 +0000 jlbarrow http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1733155 A Visual Remix Of Lionel Richie’s “Hello” Using Film Clips [VIDEO]According to Questlove, "nerd ish like this is my coffee in the morning." If you need a break from those repetitive "Stuff that ____ says" videos, here is an example of how some video editing software and a little imagination can make a classic home made visual. Lionel Richie's 1984 hit "Hello" is pieced together word-for-w... Read more..]]> According to Questlove, “nerd ish like this is my coffee in the morning.” If you need a break from those repetitive “Stuff that ____ says” videos, here is an example of how some video editing software and a little imagination can make a classic home made visual. Lionel Richie’s 1984 hit “Hello” is pieced together word-for-word using various movie clips from Toy Story, Inception and more.

If you’re too young to get why this is awesome, or only know “Hello” from The 40-Year-Old Virgin, take a look at the original.

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]]> http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jlbarrow/lionel-richie-hello-movie-remix/feed/ 3 Is “Red Tails” The Black “Star Wars”? [EXCLUSIVE] http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/red-tails-black-star-wars/ http://theurbandaily.com/movies/jbarrow/red-tails-black-star-wars/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:10:56 +0000 Jerry Barrow, Senior Editor http://theurbandaily.com/?p=1729525 Is On Friday January 20, 2012 George Luca's passion project, Red Tails, will finally be in theaters. After years of lobbying in Hollywood to get a feature film made about the Tuskegee Airmen, the director and producer financed the project with his own money. Read more..]]> On Friday January 20, 2012 George Luca’s passion project, Red Tails, will finally be in theaters. After years of lobbying in Hollywood to get a feature film made about the Tuskegee Airmen, the director and producer financed the project with his own money.

Where The Red Tails Worked And Played Overseas

Tapping director Anthony Hemingway (“The Wire”, “OZ”, “The Corner”) to execute his vision, an all-star cast of talent was assembled to tell the story of the fighting 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps that fought in WWII.

Given that Lucas is known by most for his epic Star Wars franchise, which was inspired in many ways by the fighting in World War II, it only seemed right to ask the cast of Red Tails if their new movie qualified to be the Black Star Wars.

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