HBO’s Euphoria season two is officially here after a very long wait.
HBO Max releases the all-new, six-part series Chillin Island.
On Monday December 13th, I attended an HBO Originals screening of Music Box: Juice WRLD series documentary. Hosted at Neuehouse Hollywood, the screening was followed by a Q&A with director Tommy Oliver hosted by Michael Ealy.
The documentary was an intimate look at the life of Juice WRLD as he navigated newfound fame and riches. His artistry was unmatched. Producer Benny Blanco is featured in the documentary and talks about Juice WRLD’s talent, which was unlike any other artists he had worked with before.
Writing his own songs, Juice WRLD was able to record music within minutes of hearing a beat in the studio. He was able to view lyrics in his head before saying them out loud. Truly a gift. His music touched on anxiety, mental health, and addiction. Oftentimes his music alluded to the overall pain and loneliness he was experiencing in his real life.
Music was an outlet for him to express his feelings and be vulnerable. For him, he was expressing his most difficult feelings. His fans saw him as a relatable figure who allowed them to feel seen when listening to his music.
The documentary highlights the ups and downs of his short yet extremely successful career. Director Tommy Oliver tells the life and story of Juice WRLD leading up to his passing. Throughout the documentary you can see his joy being surrounded by his girlfriend whom he loved dearly, his excitement to make music, and his true enjoyment to give and create art to his fans.
You can stream HBO Original Music Box: Juice WRLD documentary on HBO Max starting December 16th.
On Wednesday November 10th, I attended a special screening for HBO Max’s new original series The Sex Lives of College Girls. The show, created by Mindy Kaling, follows the lives of four roommates as they navigate their newfound freedom on Essex College campus. Executive producers of the show include Mindy Kaling, Justin Noble, and Howard Klein. The show gives a great opportunity for young women in comedy to show their wit in a predominantly male genre.
Our four leading ladies include Alyah Chanelle Scott, Amrit Kaur, Pauline Chalamet, Renee Rapp. All four ladies were glowing on the carpet. Each were dressed in their own unique style, setting them apart from the rest. Their enthusiasm for the screening and party with the cast was over the moon. It felt like a giant college reunion. The girls gave their advice to college aged girls, and shared some of their favorite moments on set without giving away any spoilers.
Other notable cast in attendance included: Midori Francis, Ilia Isorelys Paulino, Renika Williams, Lolo Spencer, Conor Donnaly, Sherri Shepherd, Maya Rose Berko, Vico Ortiz, Charles (Betti) Platt, Scott Lipman, and Mueen Jahan. Terrence Terrell, Denzel Whitaker, Richa Moorjani, BJ Novak, Cinthya Carmona, and Sydney Morgan were also in attendance. Sarah Aubrey, head of Original Content at HBO Max was in attendance for both the screening and after party.
With a packed theater, Mindy and Justin spoke before the screening and thanked everyone involved in the project. They highlighted the efforts of the cast and crew being able to make the vision come to life. On the red carpet, Mindy stated her enthusiasm for the show. She went to college on the east coast and felt that experience wasn’t yet represented in the media. She believed the show to be funny and heartfelt. The Sex Lives of College Girls captures the nuances of female friendship. More often than not, beginning your college journey there are more losses than wins seemingly. The Sex Lives of College Girls captures that in a lighthearted way.
For Mindy, one of the most important aspects of the show was assembling a writers room full of young women. Being able to bring stories about the college experience in today’s time was vital for the overall relatability of the show. The first episode launched us into the lives of four complex girls who will each have to navigate their social lives in a new school. Overall, the night was filled with immense love and positivity from the cast and all those in attendance. They are extremely proud of the show, and their hard work shines through on screen.
The Sex Lives of College Girls premieres Wednesday November 18th, exclusively on HBO Max.
As the cast of the HBO Max Original Love Live descended onto the red carpet of the DGA Theater in New York City to celebrate the release of season 2, the excitement was clear. Smiling faces and camera flashes were a welcome return to normalcy as part of the Tribeca Fall Preview. Of course, the Knockturnal was there to cover it all! If you missed season one, starring Anna Kendrick, don’t worry. Season two is in the same universe, but a completely different storyline starring Emmy nominee and executive producer William Jackson Harper.
Harper plays Marcus Watkins, a man working in publishing whose marriage unexpectedly implodes. Marcus is forced to rebuild his life brick by brick, hoping to find a love that will last. The season leans into the mess of what dating is really like, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It even explores issues of race and dating interracially. On that issue Williams says, “We did think it was very important to be as authentic as possible, but also Marcus is just Marcus and what really comes through in the first episode is the pressure that black people are under just by existing. He wants to do well at his job, he has these ideas, so we throw a lot of Marcus in the first episode because it’s really showing what it’s like to be a black professional. We wanted to do it in a nuanced way.”
On the red carpet, Harper was joined by his co-stars Jessica Williams, Punkie Johnson and Chris “Comedian CP” Powell. Anna Kendrick also made a surprise appearance as well as Janet Hubert, Arian Moayed, and John Earl Jelks. Showrunners Sam Boyd, Bridget Bedard, and Rachelle Williams also joined in the celebrations alongside the legend, Executive Producer Paul Feig.
The 10 episode season is now streaming on HBO Max.
Jesse Gi and Urvashi Pathania were at the center of HBO’s Asian Pacific American Visionaries celebration on October 15, 2021.
On Saturday night, September 25, 2021, the HBO Asian Pacific Visionaries Short Film Competition, a unique filmmaker support initiative sponsored by HBO, premiered their finalist films at Regal L.A LIVE in DTLA. Select guests were invited to attend the afterparty, which was held at an exclusive venue for the special night.
Iconic won’t even begin to describe the legacy that David Chase brought into the world when he created his hit series The Sopranos in 1999.
We caught up with emerging actor Brandon Salerno to discuss his latest projects.
From the mind of Emmy-nominated producer, Issa Rae is Sweet Life: Los Angeles, an unscripted HBO Max original following the lives of a group of successful friends in Los Angeles.