Black Excellence within the Black Experience of TV and Film
China Anne McClain is heading to Broadway. The Descendants franchise star will make her stage debut as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby beginning August 3 at the Broadway Theatre, taking over the role from two-time Tony nominee Eva Noblezada, who plays her final performance on July 26. Joining McClain is Ryan McCartan, who returns […]
Tim Meadows is the latest addition to Netflix’s 13 Going on 30 reboot, joining previously announced cast members Emily Bader, Logan Lerman, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica Alba and Taylor Ortega and Dan Bucatinsky. The SNL alum, best known for comedies including Mean Girls and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, has most recently been seen starring […]
The untitled Elizabeth Banks-led Apple TV+ comedy series is filling out its recurring cast. Michelle Buteau, Hamish Linklater and Simu Liu have all come aboard, joining previously announced series regulars Ted Danson, Katey Sagal, Rob Delaney, Jared Goldstein and Spencer Moss. From creators Liz Heldens and Matt Ward, the series follows Heidi, played by Banks, […]
Starz has released the first look images and a teaser for Power: Origins, giving fans their first glimpse at the young versions of Ghost and Tommy ahead of the Power Book III: Raising Kanan series finale. Spence Moore II, known for Creed III and All American, will play young James “Ghost” St. Patrick, while Charlie […]
ESSENCE has shared the first look images of Children of Blood and Bone, the highly anticipated Paramount Pictures adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling 2018 fantasy novel, alongside an exclusive interview with director Gina Prince-Bythewood. Prince-Bythewood, whose previous credits include The Woman King and The Old Guard, told ESSENCE she was approached twice before finally committing […]
MANSA Films has announced that Newborn, the psychological thriller directed by Nate Parker and starring David Oyelowo, will be available on Video on Demand beginning July 24. The film follows Chris Newborn, played by Oyelowo, who after serving seven years in solitary confinement seeks to rebuild his life and reconnect with his family, only to […]
Updated with trailer Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman return for the most personal mission yet in the explosive female-led espionage thriller The wait is almost over. Paramount+ has released the official teaser for Lioness Season Three, and the Lioness team is heading back into the field for their most dangerous assignment yet. Created and written […]
HBO Max has released the trailer for Euphoria: A Look Back, a documentary retrospective special arriving on the platform July 24. The special is not a continuation of the drama’s story but rather a companion piece drawing on new cast interviews and archival behind-the-scenes footage from the show’s run. Zendaya, Jacob Elordi and other cast […]
A decade after 13th became a cultural touchstone, Ava DuVernay is returning to Netflix with a continuation of that work. 14th, a documentary centered on the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection and Citizenship Clauses, has been quietly in production for over a year and is set to launch on Netflix later this year. “If 13th asked […]
Hal Williams, the veteran actor whose six-decade career made him a familiar face across some of television’s most beloved Black sitcoms, died Wednesday morning at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91. His manager, Zna Portlock Houston, confirmed the death, noting he had some health issues. No further cause of death was disclosed. […]