article by Nellie Andreeva via deadline.com
Sons of Anarchy writer/producer Charles Murray has signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, whose cable division Fox 21 TV Studios produced the gritty FX drama series. Under the pact, he will serve as executive producer and showrunner on Star, 20th TV’s upcoming drama created by Lee Daniels and Tom Donaghy, which was recently picked up to series by Fox for next season. Additionally, Murray will be developing his own projects for the studio.
Murray is coming off stints as executive producer on the first season of Netflix’s next Marvel series, Luke Cage and as one of the writers on A+E Networks’ upcoming Roots remake. He served as a writer/co-executive producer on the final two seasons of Sons of Anarchy, and also worked on CBS’ Criminal Minds, ABC’s Castle,NBC’s Third Watch as well as the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Posts tagged as “Danny Strong”
Lee Daniels’ reign at 20th Century Fox Television will continue. The “Empire” co-creator has signed a multi-year overall deal with the studio that will allow him to develop, write, direct and supervise new television projects under his Lee Daniels Entertainment banner. He will also remain an executive producer of the popular Fox drama.
“Lee Daniels has a gift for telling authentic, provocative stories that are both truthful and wildly entertaining,” commented Fox Television Group chairmen and CEOs Gary Newman and Dana Walden, who announced the news. “His casting instincts are incredible, whether he is discovering tomorrow’s stars or attracting the most accomplished performers to his projects. As a director, he elevates world class material to even greater heights, balancing heart-wrenching poignancy with surprising moments of levity that are over the top and fun. Quite simply, we love working with this inspired storyteller, and this deal is about extending and deepening our relationship.”
To say that “Empire” has been a win for Fox would be an understatement. The music industry-focused series, which stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, is the highest-rated broadcast drama in seven years.
Daniels serves as an executive producer on “Empire” along with co-creator Danny Strong, Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and showrunner Ilene Chaiken, who inked an overall with 20th Century Fox Television in May. Daniels also directed the pilot.
“I’m incredibly excited to continue my relationship with Dana and Gary, and the rest of the Fox team,” said Daniels. “I’m looking forward to developing content and finding alternative voices for both in front of and behind the camera.”
article by Whitney Friedlander via Variety.com
“Lee Daniels has a gift for telling authentic, provocative stories that are both truthful and wildly entertaining,” commented Fox Television Group chairmen and CEOs Gary Newman and Dana Walden, who announced the news. “His casting instincts are incredible, whether he is discovering tomorrow’s stars or attracting the most accomplished performers to his projects. As a director, he elevates world class material to even greater heights, balancing heart-wrenching poignancy with surprising moments of levity that are over the top and fun. Quite simply, we love working with this inspired storyteller, and this deal is about extending and deepening our relationship.”
To say that “Empire” has been a win for Fox would be an understatement. The music industry-focused series, which stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, is the highest-rated broadcast drama in seven years.
Daniels serves as an executive producer on “Empire” along with co-creator Danny Strong, Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and showrunner Ilene Chaiken, who inked an overall with 20th Century Fox Television in May. Daniels also directed the pilot.
“I’m incredibly excited to continue my relationship with Dana and Gary, and the rest of the Fox team,” said Daniels. “I’m looking forward to developing content and finding alternative voices for both in front of and behind the camera.”
article by Whitney Friedlander via Variety.com
Series starring African-American actresses are a big trend next season. Chalk it up to the popularity of ABC’s “Scandal” and the visibility of its glamorous star, Kerry Washington, or maybe a bolt of lightning that suddenly hit Hollywood after Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis got Oscar nominations in the same year for “The Help.” (Spencer won for Best Supporting Actress.) Any way you look at it, sisterhood is powerful.
Spencer, who has had a recurring role on CBS’ “Mom” this season and was rumored at one point to star in a remake of “Murder, She Wrote,” gets her own show in “Red Band Society,” a Fox medical drama that involves many supporting teenage characters who live at the hospital where Spencer is a doctor. Similarly, ABC recently ordered a new Shonda Rhimes series, “How to Get Away With Murder” starring Viola Davis as a law professor who gets wrapped up in a murder mystery with four students.
Taraji P. Henson, who was killed off CBS’ “Person of Interest” this season, dusted herself off and will report for duty on “Empire,” a new, soap-style series about the world of hip-hop music from Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, who collaborated on the smash film “The Butler.” Henson plays Cookie Lyon, the former business partner and ex-wife of Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), a music mogul trying to stay relevant.
Veteran actress Alfre Woodard has played everything from a freed slave in “12 Years a Slave” to a desperate housewife. She’s on the upswing, career-wise. Woodard is going to play the president to Katherine Heigl’s crusading CIA agent in the NBC drama “State of Affairs.”
Finally, Rashida Jones has been cast as “Angie Tribeca,” a TBS satire on police procedurals that was created by Jones’ “Office” co-star Steve Carell and his wife, Nancy.
article by Robert Rorke via nypost.com
Malik Yoba is set to co-star opposite Terrence Howard in Fox’s hip-hop industry drama pilot Empire, from Lee Daniels, Danny Strong and Brian Grazer. It centers on Lucious Lyon (Howard), a charismatic, savvy music superstar who is about to take his company, Empire Entertainment, public. Yoba, repped by Innovative and the Arlook Group, will play Vernon Turner, Lucious’s longtime friend from the streets and business associate who is now the chairman of the board of Empire Entertainment.
article by Nellie Andreeva via Deadline.com
Grammy Award-winner Tim “Timbaland” Mosley has signed on to write and produce the music for the Fox pilot, Empire. The family drama, which is written by Daniels and Danny Strong and directed by Daniels, is set in the world of the hip-hop industry and stars Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. It’s executive-produced by Daniels, Strong, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo. It will feature original and current music.
This world is something Mosley understands well. In 2013 alone, the sought-after producer, songwriter and rapper produced and co-wrote multiple tracks on four of the year’s biggest selling multi-platinum-albums: Magna Carta Holy Grail, The 20/20 Experience Part I and Part II, and Beyoncé. While he has worked with movie productions before, this endeavor marks the first time Mosley has worked so closely on a drama pilot.
article by Whitney Frielander via Variety.com
This world is something Mosley understands well. In 2013 alone, the sought-after producer, songwriter and rapper produced and co-wrote multiple tracks on four of the year’s biggest selling multi-platinum-albums: Magna Carta Holy Grail, The 20/20 Experience Part I and Part II, and Beyoncé. While he has worked with movie productions before, this endeavor marks the first time Mosley has worked so closely on a drama pilot.
article by Whitney Frielander via Variety.com
Hustle & Flow co-stars Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard will be reuniting to headline Empire, the Fox TV pilot helmed by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong. The drama takes place in the midst of a family-run hip-hop empire. Howard will be playing Lucious Lyon, who runs a record label. Henson will be playing Lucious’ ex-wife, Cookie Lyon, an ex-con who has just been released after serving 17 years in prison for dealing drugs to fund Lucious’ then-struggling record label. After being released for good behavior, naturally, Cookie is looking to reclaim what’s hers.
As if all of that isn’t enough, it turns out that Cookie was the driving force behind Lucious’ rise to super stardom and now she’s looking to do the same with the couple’s homosexual son, Jamal, who will be played by Jussie Smollet. This puts Cookie at odds with Lucious, who has rejected and shunned his son since childhood because of his sexuality. Jamal is actually the couple’s middle son of three and is described as “a sensitive soul and musical prodigy who could easily rise to superstardom if he desires.”
See more at: http://madamenoire.com/405376/taraji-p-henson-terrence-howard-star-fox-hip-hop-pilot-empire/#sthash.xol28g52.dpuf