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Posts tagged as “Hulu”

Elijah Kelley to Star as Sammy Davis Jr. in Hulu Series Produced by Lee Daniels

Elijah Kelley to Star as Sammy Davis Jr. in Hulu Series Produced by Lee Daniels

By goodblacknews on April 14, 2022

According to Variety.com, Hulu has ordered from Lee Daniels’ company eight episodes of a biographical limited series about legendary entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. based on the book In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr. by Wil Haygood. Elijah Kelley is set to play the lead role.

Daniels is writing the series with Thomas Westfall, as well as executive producing and directing at least the first two episodes.

Kelley, who has starred in musical projects such as BET‘s record-breaking New Edition miniseries in 2017, NBC’s The Wiz Live in 2015 and the 2007 remake of Hairspray, will collaborate on some of the show’s music in addition to starring and producing.

Davis rose from childhood stardom on the vaudeville stage to become one of the most famous African American entertainers of the 1950s and 1960s, famed for his impeccable tap dancing skills and his warm and inviting vocal style. Davis even overcame losing an eye in an accident and re-learned how to move onstage and perform.

At the same time, he faced several career challenges — over his relationships with white film stars, his 1960 marriage to Swedish actress May Britt, his conversion to Judaism, his closeness to the Kennedys and later Richard Nixon, his problems with alcohol and drugs, and difficulties with identity within the Black community as the times and attitudes changed.

To read more: https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/sammy-davis-jr-series-lee-daniels-hulu-elijah-kelley-1235232780/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/sammy-davis-jr-drama-starring-elijah-kelley-and-from-lee-daniels-lands-at-hulu-1235130031/

[Photo: Sammy Davis Jr., (l); Elijah Kelley (r) via Everett Collection and Beast Williams]

GBN’s MERRY MONTH OF STEVIE: Stevie Wonder’s “Talking Book” Speaks Again Through Its Covers (LISTEN)

GBN’s MERRY MONTH OF STEVIE: Stevie Wonder’s “Talking Book” Speaks Again Through Its Covers (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on May 21, 2020

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

On a previous post, GBN presented a playlist featuring all cover versions (remakes) from Stevie Wonder‘s legendary album “Songs in the Key of Life.”

With today’s playlist, from our month of playlists devoted to Stevie Wonder in honor of his 70th birthday, we take the same approach to Stevie’s 1972 watershed album, “Talking Book.” “Talking Book” is at the front end of Stevie’s period of immense creativity in the 1970s.

Still in his early 20s, and having won creative freedom over his work in his newest Motown contract, he created a multi-textured album filled with funk rhythms, smooth soul, and swinging pop – all merged together into one genius record that still sounds great today. (To hear NPR’s “Story of Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book” segment, click here.)

The album kicks off with the elegant “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” – which has become Stevie’s most-covered song, with over 250 versions recorded by other artists through the years according to SecondHandSongs.com (a website devoted to cover songs).

Many of those versions are similar. As evidence of Stevie’s complete crossover popularity by that point in his career, ‘Sunshine’ actually became an easy listening staple, performed by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Johnny Mathis to Liza Minnelli – and also by Jim Nabors, Vicki Lawrence, Brigitte Bardot and Englebert Humperdinck.

Opening with alternative rocker Jack White‘s version of that standard, our goal is to give you a playlist that feels both familiar to your memories of the original album, but also stretches musically to a few new places.

We’ve mixed in rock, easy listening, funk, dance, a cappella, jazz, Brazilian by artists as diverse as Macy Gray, Rufus, Michael Bublé and Sergio Mendes. We’ve placed the songs in their original album order, and have limited each song to one version – and each covering artist to only one track.

The list concludes with one of the newest Stevie Wonder covers – actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph beautifully covers “I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)” for the soundtrack to “High Fidelity,” the new Hulu series in which she co-stars. Set around the vinyl-obsessed employees of a small independent record store, the choice to cover Stevie circa 2020 demonstrates that the music faithful still remain true believers in the sounds of Mr. Wonder.

Enjoy!

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:2gtNgYAOsiwQyGzH1oB0gN”/]

Donald Glover, "Atlanta," "Blackish" Garner Multiple Nominations for 2017 Primetime Emmys

By goodblacknews on July 13, 2017

2017 Emmy nominees Viola Davis, Donald Glover, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)
The nominees for the 2017 Primetime Emmys were announced this morning, and among them are nods in the Best Comedy Series category for writer/creator/star Donald Glover‘s freshman FX half-hour “Atlanta” as well as writer/creator Kenya Barris‘ veteran ABC show “Black-ish,” which also garnered nods in the Lead Comedy Actor and Actress categories for its stars Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross. Glover also picked up a nod for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
Emmy winner Viola Davis was recognized again for her role as Annalise Keating in ABC’s  “How to Get Away With Murder,” and Sterling K. Brown came through in the Lead Actor in a Drama Series category for his work on the popular NBC hit “This is Us.” Jeffrey Wright and Thandie Newton were acknowledged for their Supporting Roles in “Westworld,” as was Samira Wiley for her work in the original Hulu series “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Up against Wiley in the same category is her former “Orange Is the New Black” castmate Uzo Aduba.
Additionally, Leslie Jones grabbed a nomination in the Supporting Role in Comedy category for her work on “Saturday Night Live,” and RuPaul Charles got some love in the Host for a Reality/Reality-Competition Program category for his work on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Behind the scenes, Donald Glover earned his third Emmy nomination for “Atlanta” in the directing category, and his fourth, along with his brother Stephen Glover, for Writing for a Comedy Series. Ava DuVernay & Spencer Averick were nominated in the Writing for a Nonfiction Program category for their outstanding work on the Netflix documentary “13th.” The full list of nominees follows below:
Drama Series
“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
“The Crown” (Netflix)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“House of Cards” (Netflix)
“Stranger Things” (Netflix)
“This Is Us” (NBC)
“Westworld” (HBO)
Comedy Series
“Atlanta” (FX)
“Black-ish” (ABC)
“Master of None” (Netflix)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Silicon Valley” (HBO)
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix)
“Veep” (HBO)
Drama Actress
Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder”)
Claire Foy (“The Crown”)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Keri Russell (“The Americans”)
Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”)
Drama Actor
Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”)
Anthony Hopkins (“Westworld”)
Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”)
Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”)
Liev Schreiber (“Ray Donovan”)
Kevin Spacey (“House of Cards”)
Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”)
Comedy Actor
Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”)
Aziz Ansari (“Master of None”)
Zach Galifianakis (“Baskets”)
Donald Glover (“Atlanta”)
William H. Macy (“Shameless”)
Jeffrey Tambor (“Transparent”)
Comedy Actress
Pamela Adlon (“Better Things”)
Tracee Ellis-Ross (“black-ish”)
Jane Fonda (“Grace and Frankie”)
Lily Tomlin (“Grace and Frankie”)
Allison Janney (“Mom”)
Ellie Kemper (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep”)

Chris Rock Lands $40 Million Netflix Deal for Two Comedy Specials

By goodblacknews on October 14, 2016
Chris Rock Netflix specials
Chris Rock (A.M.P.A.S./REX SHUTTERSTOCK)

article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

According to Variety.com, Chris Rock has signed with Netflix for two new stand-up comedy specials.  The two-special-deal is reported to be worth $40 million. Amazon, Hulu and HBO — where Rock has a long history, starting with his late-night series “The Chris Rock Show” — were also bidding for the specials.

The Netflix specials mark Rock’s return to stand-up after an eight-year hiatus – his last being 2008’s “Kill the Messenger,” which aired on HBO.  Most recently, the comedian hosted the Oscars in January of this year.

“Chris Rock is a beloved actor and director, and his remarkable stand-up makes him comic royalty. There is no one like him, and Netflix offers the global platform and creative freedom that will serve as a perfect home for someone with his incredible talent,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix chief content officer.

Rock commented, “I’m very excited to be working with Ted and Lisa and all the good people at Netflix. I can’t wait to get back on stage.”

Aside from the 2016 Oscars, Rock recently had a guest-starring role on Fox’s “Empire”, and directed HBO’s comedy special “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo.”  Some of this Emmy and Grammy winner’s most notable credits include “The Chris Rock Show,” his scripted sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris,” which he created and narrated, “Saturday Night Live” from 1989 to 1993. On the film side, he starred in “CB4”, “Grown Ups,” Top Five,”, “I Think I Love My Wife,” “Down To Earth” and the “Madagascar” franchise.

Hulu Picks Up Comedy Pilot "Crushed" from Tina Gordon Chism Starring Regina Hall

By goodblacknews on January 20, 2016
Regina Hall
Regina Hall (photo via blogs.indiewire.com)

Hulu has picked up a comedy pilot from “Peebles” director Tina Gordon Chism, titled “Crushed,” with Regina Hall attached to star.

Tina Gordon Chism
Tina Gordon Chism (photo via blogs.indiewire.com)

Produced by Chris Selak, “Crushed” is about an African American family who stumbles into a successful wine business in Napa. Described as a “fish-out-of-water story,” the series will follow the family’s unorthodox approach to wine making and their unique life style.
The project was initially set up at HBO in 2013 but the network didn’t pick it up. Lionsgate Television, who are producing, then shopped it elsewhere, with Hulu eventually snapping it up, ordering a pilot.
“Crushed” joins other new original projects in development for Hulu – the Netflix and Amazon Prime competitor co-owned by Disney, Fox, and NBCUniversal.
article by Tambay A. Obenson via blogs.indiewire.com