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Posts tagged as “Netflix”

Grandmaster Flash Joins Upcoming Netflix 1970s Rap Series "The Get Down" as Associate Producer/Adviser

By goodblacknews on May 21, 2015
Grandmaster Flash and Mamoudou Athie
Grandmaster Flash and actor Mamoudou Athie (Photo: Netflix)

 Hip-hop icon Grandmaster Flash is set as an associate producer and adviser on The Get Down, Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming Netflix series about the 1970 NYC music scene and the birth of rap. “I can’t tell you just how much joy and great spirit we are getting from working with some of the founding fathers of the form,” Luhrmann said in a statement. “Not only in music, dance and graffiti but the culture of the time in general. The whole team is absolutely thrilled to have Grandmaster Flash on board.” Netflix also said today that newcomer Mamoudou Athie will play the DJ legend on the show (see photo above). Best known to mainstream audiences for the 1982’s “The Message,” Grandmaster Flash emerged from the ’70s Bronx scene along with fellow DJs Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa as a pioneer of the fledgling genre. “Flash developed a host of specific techniques that allowed DJs to move seamlessly from one break beat to another,” said author-journalist Nelson George, part of The Get Down writing team. “Flash’s innovations, developed in his Bronx apartment bedroom, are the bedrock of club spinning, even in the age of (vinyl emulation program) Serato.”

Related: DJ Premier Signs On As Music Producer For VH1 Rap Drama ‘The Breaks’

Flash’s involvement with Get Down follows VH1’s announcement last month of The Breaks, an original movie and potential backdoor pilot about the 1990s NYC hip-hop scene. Gang Starr’s DJ Premier will serve as music producer for that project, becoming the latest music great to oversee soundtracks for TV series including Timbaland on Fox’s Empire and T Bone Burnett on ABC’s Nashville.
article via Erik Pedersen via Deadline.com

Watch 1st Full Trailer for "What Happened, Miss Simone?", Documentary to Debut on Netflix June 26

By goodblacknews on May 1, 2015
What Happened, Miss Simone?

Netflix and RadicalMedia paired up to produce and release the documentary, “What Happened, Miss Simone?,” directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus (“The Farm: Angola,” “USA” and “Bobby Fischer Against the World”), which will premiere exclusively in all territories where Netflix is available, on June 26.
Made in cooperation with the Estate of Nina Simone, and described as an “epic” documentary, director Liz Garbus’ film interweaves never-before-heard recordings and rare archival footage together, with Nina’’s most memorable songs, incorporating never-before-heard audio tapes, recorded over the course of 3 decades, of Nina, telling her life story to various interviewers and would-be biographers. Rare concert footage and archival interviews, along with diaries, letters, interviews with Nina’’s daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, friends and collaborators, and other exclusive materials, make this the most authentic, personal, and unflinching telling of the extraordinary life of one of the 20th Century’s greatest recording artists.
Emmy–award nominated cinematographer Igor Martinovic (“House of Cards,” “Man on Wire”) shot the film, and Joshua L. Pearson (“Made in America,” “Under African Skies”) edited. Sidney Beaumont (“Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory”), Jon Kamen (“The Fog of War”), Lisa Nishimura (“The Square,” “Virunga”), Adam Del Deo (“The Square”) and Lisa Simone Kelly serve as executive producers on the film.
The documentary made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
Netflix has released a first full trailer for the upcoming film, which is embedded below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moOQXZxriKY&w=560&h=315]
article by Tambay A. Obenson via blogs.indiewire.com

Cheo Hodari Coker to Write and Executive Produce "Luke Cage" Series for Netflix and Marvel

By goodblacknews on March 31, 2015
Luke Cage Netflix Cheo Hodari Coker
Netflix and Disney’s Marvel Television announced that Cheo Hodari Coker (“Ray Donovan,” “Southland”) will serve as executive producer and showrunner of “Luke Cage,” the street-hero series slated to premiere next year.
The companies previously announced that Mike Colter (“The Good Wife,” “American Horror Story: Coven”) will play Luke Cage in the series. Colter is slated to appear in Marvel’s “A.K.A. Jessica Jones” before headlining the “Luke Cage” series.
Coker is writing the first two episodes of the series, which is slated to premiere in 2016 in all territories Netflix is available.
Coker’s feature film credits include Fox Searchlight’s Notorious B.I.G. biopic “Notorious.” He also write the book “Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of The Notorious B.I.G.” Coker started his career in journalism as a staff writer at the L.A. Times and contributed to Vice, Rolling Stone, Essence and others.
Marvel’s “Luke Cage” is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix.
article by Todd Spangler via Variety.com

Chris Tucker Lands Exclusive Deal to Premiere 1st Comedy Special on Netflix

By goodblacknews on March 24, 2015
Chris Tucker 2Chris Tucker’s first stand-up comedy special Chris Tucker Live will premiere exclusively on Netflix on Friday, July 10. Tucker produces through his banner, Chris Tucker Entertainment with Phil Joanou set to direct.
Filmed at the Historic Fox Theatre in Tucker’s hometown of Atlanta, GA, the special will showcase Tucker’s comedic chops, including impersonations, as he shares his experiences from childhood to the big time.
“Chris Tucker is a true global movie star and a one-of-a-kind talent whose remarkable energy, delivery and original style make him one of the funniest comedians of our time,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer. “We cannot wait to share his distinct and hilarious voice with our members across the globe.”
Tucker is possibly best known for playing Detective James Carter in the Rush Hour films. He appeared on Russell Simmons’ HBO Def Comedy Jam in the 1990s and landed his first starring role in the 1995 film cult classic Friday opposite Ice Cube.
Chris Tucker Live joins Netflix’s other comedy stand-up specials including Aziz Ansari, Craig Ferguson, Nick Offerman, Chelse Peretti and Chelsea Handler among others.
article by Denise Petski via deadline.com

"Orange Is The New Black"'s Laverne Cox Cast as Transgender Attorney in CBS Legal Drama Pilot

By goodblacknews on February 11, 2015
Laverne Cox Presents The T Word
(D DIPASUPIL/GETTY IMAGES)

According to Variety, “Orange Is The New Black” co-star Laverne Cox has been cast in CBS’s legal drama pilot “Doubt” from “Grey’s Anatomy” producers Joan Rater and Tony Phelan.
The project from CBS TV Studios, which was previously unnamed when it was ordered to pilot, revolves around a yet-to-be-cast attorney who gets romantically involved with one of her clients who may or may not be guilty of a brutal crime.
Cox, who in 2014 became the first openly transgender actor to be nominated for an Emmy, will play Cameron Wirth, a trans Ivy League-educated lawyer who’s both competitive and compassionate. Described as fierce and funny, Cameron’s own experience with injustice causes her to fight even harder for all of her clients.
Cox’s role is a big move for diversity and transgender actors as Hollywood tests out new shows to debut later in 2015.
Rater and Phelan wrote the pilot script and will executive produce with Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly.  Cox returns to “Orange Is The New Black’s” third season this summer on Netflix.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow@lakinhutcherson)

Mike Colter Nabs Luke Cage Role in Upcoming Marvel/Netflix Series "A.K.A. Jessica Jones"

By goodblacknews on December 28, 2014

Screen Shot 2014-12-28 at 3.33.44 PM
According to Marvel Studios, Mike Colter has signed on to play Luke Cage in the upcoming Netflix series, “A.K.A. Jessica Jones,” starring Krysten Ritter, in 2015.
The all-new 13-episode series will follow private investigator Jessica Jones who encounters the enigmatic Luke Cage, during the course of an investigation in New York City. Cage is described as a man whose past has secrets that will dramatically alter Jessica in ways she could never have imagined. After a tragic ending to her short-lived super hero stint, Jessica Jones is rebuilding her personal life and career as a detective who gets pulled into cases involving people with extraordinary abilities in New York City.
“Mike embodies the strength, edge and depth of Luke Cage,” said Executive Producer/Showrunner Melissa Rosenberg. “We’re excited to have him bring this iconic Marvel character to life.”
“Fans have longed to see Luke Cage and in Mike we’ve found the perfect actor,” said Jeph Loeb, Executive Producer/Marvel’s Head of Television. “Viewers will get to meet Luke Cage in ‘Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones,’ and experience why he is such an important super hero in the Marvel mythos.”
Colter, who has appeared in the critically-acclaimed television series “The Good Wife” and “American Horror Story: Coven”,  is currently starring in the XBox original series “Halo: Nightfall” as Jameson Locke.
“Marvel’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones” is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)

Netflix Documentary on Singer and Social Activist Nina Simone Coming in 2015

By goodblacknews on December 10, 2014

Netflix is dipping its toe into original programming again with a timely documentary on provocative musical genius and social activist Nina Simone, aka the “High Priestess of Soul.” What Happened, Miss Simone? will tell the singer’s story in her own voice using over a hundred hours of previously unheard interviews. Produced in cooperation with Simone’s estate, it will also feature rare concert videos, diaries, letters and other private materials. It was directed by Oscar-nominated director Liz Garbus and will debut next year — possibly around the same time as an unauthorized Simone biopic starring Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Zoe Saldana.
Simone was a classically-trained musician who switched to soul, jazz and blues after being denied a prestigious scholarship, reportedly because she was black. During the 1960s, her music and lyrics became infused with a strong civil rights message and she spoke at demonstrations like the “Selma to Montgomery” marches, which eventually led to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Describing her musical career, Garbus said that “for each of her millions of fans, Nina feels like a treasured secret.” Simone was also a controversial figure who advocated for violent revolution on behalf of African Americans, and Netflix said the film would take an “unflinching” look at her life.
The upcoming biopic joins other well-received titles from Netflix like the 3D-printing documentary Print the Legend and Academy Award-nominated The Square. What Happened, Miss Simone will arrive in all Netflix countries sometime next year.
Check out video of arguably her most famous protest song, “Mississippi Goddamn” below:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ25-U3jNWM&w=420&h=315]
article by Steve Dent via engadget.com

Viola Davis, Cicely Tyson, Uzo Aduba Nominated for 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards

By goodblacknews on December 10, 2014

2014 SAG nominees Viola Davis (l), Cicely Tyson (c) and Uzo Aduba (r)
2014 SAG nominees Viola Davis (l), Cicely Tyson (c) and Uzo Aduba (r)

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced the nominees for the 21st Annual SAG Awards today.  Among those honored were industry veteran Cicely Tyson, who earned a nod in the “Best Female Actor in a Television movie or Miniseries” category for her work in “A Trip to Bountiful.” (In 2013, the same role on Broadway earned Tyson a Tony Award for Best Actress.)
Viola Davis was recognized with a nomination in the Female Actor in a Drama Series category for ABC’s “How To Get Away With Murder” and “Orange Is The New Black”‘s Uzo Abuda garnered a nod for Female Actor in a Comedy Series.
The SAG Awards will air live Jan. 25 at 5 p.m. PST on TBS and TNT from the Shrine Exposition Hall in Los Angeles.  The full list of nominees follows below:

Transgender Actress Laverne Cox Makes Emmy History with Nomination

By goodblacknews on July 13, 2014

la-et-st-emmys-laverne-cox-trans-orange-is-the-001
“Orange Is the New Black” actress Laverne Cox became the first openly transgender person nominated for an Emmy. (Eric Leibowitz / Netflix)

“Orange Is the New Black” actress Laverne Cox knows her Emmy history. The self-described awards-show junkie even went online last night, checking out her Emmy chances on a predictions website, and went to bed thinking she didn’t have much of a chance of landing a nomination.
“I went to sleep and I let it go,” says Cox, a transgender actress who plays transgender inmate Sophia Burset on the Netflix show. “I said, ‘OK, God, I think the show’s going to be nominated. And that’s amazing.’ And I closed my eyes and let it go.”
Eight hours later, Cox woke up to discover she’d become the first openly transgender woman nominated for an Emmy award. Cox herself makes the distinction “openly trans,” as she says she knows of another transgender woman who won an Emmy years ago, but was not out. That minor qualification aside, she’s “over the moon, effervescent and every cliche that’s related to super-happy” about her “game-changing” Emmy nomination in the guest actress comedy category.
“Oh, my god, it’s going to take me awhile to get used to saying ‘Emmy-nominated actress,'” Cox said in a phone call from New York, where “Orange” is in production for its third season. “I only quit my restaurant job a year ago, so let me tell you, this is pretty good.”