It’s been a big weekend for the Washington family. While patriarch Denzel Washington chewed the scenery on multiplex screens in “Gladiator II,” the next generation of Washingtons stormed onto streaming with the film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winner “The Piano Lesson.” With the Netflix film, Denzel and Pauletta Washington’s kids — director Malcolm, actor […]

Idris Elba (via his 22Summers production company) and Chiwetel Ejiofor have signed on as executive producers for “The Brown Dog,” a short animated film commissioned by WeTransfer. The film stars the late Michael K. Williams (“The Wire,” “Boardwalk Empire”) in his last featured performance. Williams, who memorably portrayed Omar Little in “The Wire” and Chalky […]

Usher was named the global visionary of the year at Ebony’s Power 100 Gala on Nov. 17. On stage, the Grammy winner discussed using his Super Bowl halftime show performance to showcase Southern culture. “Over 20 million people tuned in as I managed to squeeze 30 years of a career into 15 minutes and grace […]

“The Hunger Games” franchise director Francis Lawrence has signed a first-look producing deal with Lionsgate through his company About:Blank. Lawrence also closed a deal to return to direct and produce the next film in the “Hunger Games” franchise, “Sunrise on the Reaping.” The filmmaker is prepping work on that project, which is based on a […]

“Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo’s production company, Edith’s Daughter, has signed a first-look deal with Universal Pictures. The pact expands on the Tony, Grammy and Emmy-winning star’s relationship with the studio after Erivo starred as Elphaba in the highly-anticipated film adaptation of Broadway musical “Wicked.” Part 1 of the Jon M. Chu-directed film will be released […]

Legendary R&B group Boyz II Men are developing a feature film biopic that will chronicle their 30-year career, which has spawned such hits as “End of the Road”, “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday”, “On Bended Knee,” “One Sweet Day” and “Motownphilly.” The four-time Grammy-winning group has partnered with production and financing companies […]

Charlize Theron traded her post-election “depressed sweats” for a stunning Schiaparelli gown to collect the Giving Tree Award at Baby2Baby’s annual gala on Saturday night, which raised a record-breaking $17.1 million to provide basic necessities to children living in poverty. “I’m not sure about all of you, but I think we all needed a night […]

The hit docuseries “America’s Sweethearts: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” has been renewed for a second season at Netflix. The first season of the docuseries, which captured the unfiltered lives of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on and off the field, left audiences thunderstruck — or at least trying to learn the choreography to DCC’s signature pregame […]

Tyler Perry, Regina King, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and ‘The Best Man’s’ Malcolm D. Lee will be honored at the Critics Choice Association’s 7th annual Celebration of Black Cinema and Television. Actor and comedian Jay Pharoah, best known for “Saturday Night Live” and his recent comedy special “Jared”, will host the gala, held Dec. 9 at the […]