Washington Black is a compelling, new, 8-episode limited series that masterfully balances showcasing the brutality of racism throughout history with the boldness of imagination for the future. Adapted from Esi Edugyan’s award-winning novel, the series follows the extraordinary journey of a young boy named Wash. Born into slavery in 19th-century Barbados, he escapes captivity across continents in pursuit of his freedom, identity, and belonging. A wild ride.
Paradise on Hulu is something like a fool’s paradise.
CultureCon, the highly anticipated event celebrating art, music, fashion, and diversity, made its grand debut on the bustling streets of Los Angeles.
Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown are brilliant in the satirical comedy, HONK FOR JESUS. SAVE YOUR SOUL about the Church, faith, extreme abundance, sexuality, and more topics that often go unaddressed.
The cast of ‘This Is Us’ celebrated the sixth and final season of the show at PaleyFest at the Dolby Theatre on April 2 with a special screening of an episode followed by a panel with the show’s cast and creator.
Award-winning actor, Sterling K. Brown is ready to make a shift in the conversation surrounding diversity. Instead of ‘inclusion,’ the This is Us star wants to redirect the narrative to ‘celebration.’
The new family drama “Waves” from director Trey Edward Schultz tackles difficult themes that has left audiences emotionally moved and affected.
At a special tastemakers screening of the film last week in New York, a few central members of the Waves cast sat down with Vulture reporter Hunter Harris to discuss the lessons to be learned from Waves and their hesitations before making the film.
The script for the film was initially written with a white family in mind. For Renee Elise Goldsberry, one of her concerns signing on to play the central mother was that certain subject matters in the film would carry a different meaning with a black family as the focus.
“I have a son thats 10, and I was very concerned with the idea that this would be on screen and that we would perhaps be reinforcing stereotypes. So I also had a conversation with Trey and he is tremendously humble and sweet because he had that conversation again with me and he basically said, ‘I understand all those things and we have a problem on our hands, but should I not cast the best actor?’”
“One of the things I love most about this film is that it’s a film about an African American family, and our issues are our issues. It’s not a story about the world, it’s about the thing that we’re responsible for and the mistakes that we make, and I love this movie for that,” Goldsberry continued.
When Kelvin Harrison Jr. got the script, he felt it was the universal themes that reassured him that the casting would work.
“Seeing the parallels between our two coexisting lives in different parts of the world and in different races. Seeing how, you know, this did get lost in themes of grief and and connection and communication that are similar. And then I could tell the role was for me. So then I got the script and I read it and I was like, yeah, I guess we have a challenge on our hands, but let’s take it off.”
For Sterling K. Brown, who plays an overbearing father in the film, he appreciated how the movie could help parents examine the process of raising their children.
“It’s all about how parents fool themselves into thinking that it’s their job to sort of move their children into their image or why not? And the misnomer is twofold. Number one is that they kind of come into the world who they already are. And your job is to sort of help them become the best version of themselves, not turn them into anything other than who they already are.”
The film examines the approach of treating children like copies rather than individuals, and Brown says great lessons can be learned from doing the opposite.
“The learning ideally should go both ways. When there is not so much ego involved and you’re open to the idea that like you have something to learn, there is something of value coming from this young person, then you don’t feel the need to talk at them all the time. But you’re an authentic conversation with them.”
Waves is in theaters now.
From acclaimed director Trey Edward Shults, Waves is a beautiful, emotional journey of a family as they navigate through the pains and triumphs of life.
The biggest night in television was this weekended and with any major award show comes great reason for celebration. Kicking off Emmy’s weekend was Entertainment Weekly who hosted a fabulous pre-Emmy’s bash Friday night at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood.
Season 3 of NBC’s highly successful show, “This Is Us” is underway and The Knockturnal was able to catch up with three of your favorite cast members!