Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts tagged as “Django Unchained”

Samuel L. Jackson to Receive Britannia Awards Honor this Fall

'The Legend of Tarzan' film premiere, Los Angeles, USA - 27 Jun 2016
Samuel L. Jackson (Rex/Shutterstock)

article by Erik Pedersen via deadline.com

BAFTA Los Angeles said today that Samuel L. Jackson will receive its Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment at the British Academy Britannia Awards in the fall.

Jackson has appeared in more than 100 films, scoring a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for 1994’s Pulp Fiction. He has been a regular in Quentin Tarantino films, including Jackie Brown,  Kill Bill Vol. 2 and more recently The Hateful Eight and Django Unchained.
Jackson’s credits also range from Spike Lee’s School Daze and Do the Right Thing to such blockbusters as Jurassic Park, the second Star Wars trilogy and the Avengers franchise. He next appears in The Legend of Tarzan and has roles in several upcoming pics including The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage and Kong: Skull Island.

Reginald Hudlin to Produce Oscar Telecast in 2016

Reginald Hudlin (photo via pepperdine.edu)
Reginald Hudlin (photo via pepperdine.edu)

According to Variety.com, filmmaker (“Boomerang”, “House Party”) and producer Reginald Hudlin will produce the 88th Academy Awards with veteran live television events producer  David Hill. The Awards will be held Feb. 28, 2016.

Hudlin is an Oscar-nominated producer for “Django Unchained,” and last year produced the Governors Awards. He has been the executive producer of the NAACP Image Awards since 2012. Hudlin was the first president of entertainment for BET Networks from 2005-09.
Hill was a longtime 21st Century Fox/News Corp. executive who stepped down in June to launch a production banner that focused on live TV events. Hill is known for his skill at overseeing live sports production, and was key in building Fox Sports; in recent years he’s overseen “American Idol” for the Fox network.
“We’re delighted to have this talented team on board,” said AMPAS president Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “David is a true innovator with a dynamic personality.  His vast experience as a live events producer, coupled with Reggie’s energy, creativity and talent as a filmmaker, is sure to make this year’s Oscar telecast a memorable one.”
“I’m looking forward to working with the Academy again,” said Hudlin. “I love every kind of film, and this year’s awards will be a celebration of the total range of cinema.”
“We’re excited to work with David and Reggie,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “With their enthusiasm and breadth of experience, they will bring a fresh perspective to the Oscar show.”
New producers always come in with ambitious ideas but have to contend with demands from both AMPAS and ABC. Those include the constraints of how to add innovative elements while keeping the running time manageable. And there are many elements that have to be included, such as 24 awards, recaps of the Sci-Tech honors and the Governors Awards and the In Memoriam segment. In all, that means a producer has less than 45 minutes to include such options as an opening monologue, performance of nominated songs, etc.
For the record, here are the producers of the past decade: the 2006 ceremony, Gil Cates (hosted by Jon Stewart); 2007, Laura Ziskin (hosted by Ellen DeGeneres); 2008 Cates (Jon Stewart again); 2009 Laurence Mark & Bill Condon (Hugh Jackman); 2010 Bill Mechanic, Adam Shankman (Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin); 2011 Bruce Cohen, Don Mischer (James Franco, Anne Hathaway); 2012 Brian Grazer (after Brett Ratner exited; host, Billy Crystal).  Neil Meron and Craig Zadan produced the last three, which were hosted by Seth MacFarlane, Ellen DeGeneres and Neil Patrick Harris.
original article by Tim Gray; additions by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Happy 65th Birthday Oscar Nominee Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. JacksonSamuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor, Morgan Freeman, and the director Spike Lee. After gaining critical acclaim for his role in Jungle Fever in 1991, he appeared in films such as Patriot GamesAmos & AndrewTrue Romance and Jurassic Park. In 1994, he was cast as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, and his performance received several award nominations and critical acclaim.
Jackson has since appeared in over 100 films, including Die Hard with a VengeanceJackie BrownUnbreakableThe IncrediblesShaftSnakes on a PlaneDjango Unchained, as well as the Star Wars prequel trilogy and small roles in Quentin Tarantino‘s Kill Bill Vol. 2 and Inglourious Basterds.
He played Nick Fury in Iron ManIron Man 2ThorCaptain America: The First Avenger, and Marvel’s The Avengers, the first five of a nine-film commitment as the character for the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Jackson is set to reprise his role as Fury in the 2014 film, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the 2015 film, Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Jackson’s many roles have made him one of the highest-grossing actors at the box office. Jackson has won multiple awards throughout his career and has been portrayed in various forms of media, including films, television series, and songs. In 1980, Jackson married LaTanya Richardson, with whom he has a daughter, Zoe.  In October 2011, Jackson became the actor with the highest-grossing film total of all time.
article via wikipedia.org

‘The Butler’ Becomes 1st Black Film with Black Director To Break $100 Million Sales Mark In Over 20 Years

Lee Daniels’ The Butler has reached a new milestone.  According to reports, the drama is the first black film of 2013 to surpass the $100 million sales mark at the box office. In addition, it’s now the first “black film” directed by a black filmmaker to reach the achievement in the last 23 years.  “You’d find very few films that tell stories about black people, and that were directed by black filmmakers, with grosses of over $100 million,” Indie Wire reports.

“Part of the reason for that is that, within the studio system, black directors just haven’t always been given the opportunity to direct “black films” – especially those that did gross over $100 million in recent years, like Django UnchainedDreamgirlsThe Pursuit Of Happyness, and even Big Mommas House, which all grossed over $100 million, in their years of release, un-adjusted for inflation.”  Thanks to the success of the film, Lee Daniels says big box office bucks are no longer a concern for his future projects.

“I don’t think I’m going to have a problem now. I made $100 million for The Butler,” he said. “I’m in a rare group. So this is something I feel good about.”  Sources say the The Best Man Holiday, set for a November 15 release, has the potential to reach a similar height.
article by Myeisha Essex via blackamericaweb.com

Kerry Washington to Host "Saturday Night Live" on November 2nd

"Scandal" and "Django Unchained" Actress Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington

In the midst of ongoing debate about diversity (or the lack thereof) on the cast of Saturday Night Live, comes the news that Scandal star Kerry Washington will be hosting the show for the first time on November 2nd.
Although best known for her dramatic film roles in Django Unchained and Save The Last Dance, Washington has shown her comedic chops in movies like Peeples and I Think I Love My Wife.  SNL, which is currently in its 38th season, has been under fire for not featuring any people of color among its six new cast members.
Black comedian Kenan Thompson, a veteran of the show, has argued that producers have had trouble finding African-American women who are “ready” to perform on SNL.
Washington will be joined by musical guest Eminem, making his sixth appearance on the show.
article via thegrio.com

Kerry Washington Named People Magazine's Best Dressed Woman Of 2013

hbz-best-dressed-kerry-washington-lgnPeople Magazine revealed Friday that Kerry Washington topped their new list of the world’s best-dressed women.  “I like to find balance in an outfit where it doesn’t feel too much of any one thing,” she told the magazine about her red carpet style. “It’s not dressing like a nun and it’s also not dressing like I’m in a swimsuit competition. It’s finding the middle ground.”
With her new marriage and the success of “Scandal,” Washington definitely had a standout year, and we are sure her Emmy nomination is just icing on the cake.  The Hollywood actress shared that she and her stylist of two years, Erin Walsh ,have been working to find the perfect dress for Sunday’s ceremony. “Erin and I really work hand in hand,” she said. “We’re always sending each other ideas and pictures.”
She added, “For me the goal is to feel comfortable, event-appropriate and to be an elevated, more special version of myself or to feel like the best version of myself in that context and just be in the moment.”
Other fashion titles for 2013 went to Solange Knowles for Best Risk-Taking Style, Jennifer Lawrence for Best High Fashion Style, Jessica Chastain for Best Red Carpet Style and Jenna Dewan-Tatum for Best Pregnancy Style.
Past stars who’ve won the “Best Dressed” title include Gwyneth Paltrow, Blake Lively and Zoë Saldana.
article by Myeisha Essex via blackamericaweb.com

OPINION: Director Steve McQueen's '12 Years a Slave' Seems Like A Game-Changer

Steve McQueen,  Michael Fassbender
Actor Michael Fassbender, left, and director Steve McQueen on the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival. (Nathan Denette / Associated Press / September 6, 2013)

Brad Pitt didn’t say much during the question-and-answer session that followed the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of “12 Years a Slave” on Friday night, just a short comment on why he produced and co-starred in the Steve McQueen period drama.

But, like his turn as an abolitionist-minded maverick amid a group of brutal slaveowners, Pitt spoke volumes as he stood on the stage with cast and filmmakers. “If I never get to participate in a film again,” he said, his voice trailing off as if to imply this would be enough, “this is it for me,” he finally finished.
It’s a sentiment you could imagine the lead cast members — Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong’o and of course Chiwetel Eijiofor, standing out amid the standouts — sharing with Pitt. And it’s a sentiment you could imagine the audience feeling. Festivals come and go; movies rise and fade. But once in a great while there’s a film that feels almost instantly, in the room, like it’s going to endure, and change plenty of things along the way. And “12 Years” offers that feeling.
Most narrowly, that’s true on Oscar level. By 9 p.m. Friday night, just six days into September, the film had already become a top contender for various acting, writing and directing prizes, as well as the big prize. You could say that’s premature. But you probably wouldn’t if you sat in the room. (Vulture’s Kyle Buchanan certainly didn’t hold back.)
It’s equally true on a social level. “12 Years” tells the fact-based story of Solomon Northup (Eijiofor), a free man who in 1841 was kidnapped and sold into slavery, and his travails — at once horrifying and surprising, no matter how much you think you’re ready for them — when he is trafficked to a series of Southern plantations for more than a decade.

Kerry Washington Graces the June Cover of Elle Magazine

kerry washington elle
Kerry Washington has landed the cover of Elle‘s June 2013 issue, making it the actress’ first major fashion mag cover. Washington poses in a sweet cardigan and plaid shorts by Marc Jacobs, with just a hint of a Carine Gilson Lingerie Couture bra peeking out.  It shouldn’t be too surprising that Kerry’s scored a major cover — not only is she a Best-Dressed List regular with enviable red carpet style, but she also stars in TV’s hottest show, Scandal, and was part of the massively successful Django Unchained.
Yet with all that success, Kerry had yet to pose for a fashion magazine cover up till now. Women’s Health, Ebony, Essence, Vibe — plenty of non-fashion glossies have chosen Kerry for their covers. She even shared the cover of Elle‘s “Women in Hollywood” issue in December 2012. But the likes of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar eluded her. Until now.
article via huffingtonpost.com

Jamie Foxx to be Honored at MTV Movie Awards

jamie foxx
Jamie Foxx will get some special love during this weekend’s MTV Movie Awards.  The actor, who won an Academy Award for 2004′s “Ray,” will be honored with the “MTV Generation Award” at Sunday’s event. The trophy acknowledges an actor who captivates the network’s audience. Past recipients include Reese Witherspoon, Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise and Sandra Bullock.
Foxx is also nominated for four MTV Movie popcorn statuettes for Best Male Performance, Best Fight, Best Kiss and Best WTF Moment in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.”
“As a comedian, Academy award-winning actor and Grammy award-winning artist, Jamie Foxx is a triple threat superstar unlike any we’ve seen in a long time,” said MTV President Stephen Friedman in a statement. “Jamie has captivated audiences for nearly two decades with a dizzying array of memorable performances, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate him at this year’s Movie Awards.”
Foxx will next be seen on the big screen opposite Channing Tatum in the action thriller “White House Down,” which hits theaters June 28.  Actress Rebel Wilson is host of the ceremony, which will air live on the East Coast at 9 p.m. on Sunday via MTV. The broadcast will be tape-delayed for the West Coast.
article via eurweb.com

"Red Tails" and "Scandal" Take Top Honors at 44th NAACP Image Awards



 
“Red Tails” was named top motion picture and “Scandal” top drama series at the 44th annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on Friday.  Denzel Washington (“Flight”) and Viola Davis (“Won’t Back Down”) won lead actor and actress honors, while Samuel Jackson and Kerry Washington of “Django Unchained” earned supporting nods.
“Beasts of the Southern Wild” (whose Benh Zeitlin was named top director) and “Red Tails” tied for independent motion picture honors, while “The Intouchables” triumphed for top international feature.  Kerry Washington, previously announced as the President’s Award honoree, was also named top drama actress for “Scandal.”  Also winning acting awards in TV drama were LL Cool J (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Omar Epps (“House”) and Loretta Devine (“Grey’s Anatomy”).