Forest Whitaker And Oprah Winfrey Star In The Butler
Category: Entertainment Written by Amber L. Bogins
Oprah Winfrey could well be in line to receive her second Oscar come February 2014, after The Butler has its run. Of course, given the caliber of the cast surrounding her, Winfrey might find herself one of many actors in the same film so honored.
Directed by Lee Daniels (who also helmed the film Precious), Forest Whitaker stars in the “title” role, portraying a character known as "Cecil Gaines" in the film. Winfrey plays "Gaines’" wife "Gloria". Also appearing in the film are Mariah Carrey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding, Jr, Terrence Howard, Minka Kelley, Lenny Kravitiz, David Oyelowo, Vanessa Redgrave, and Robin Williams.
The Butler tells the story of the life of Eugene Allen, the real life White House butler who served eight American presidents over three decades from 1952 to 1986. The film traces the dramatic changes that swept American society during this time, from the civil rights movement to Vietnam and beyond, and how those changes affected this man’s life and family.
The Butler is slated to open October 18.
BTW, Winfrey’s first Oscar was an honorary one, if she gets one for her work in The Butler, this would be her first for a specific performance.
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 May 2013 14:30
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'Real Housewives of Atlanta' Porsha Stewart Locked Out By Husband Kordell? [Video}
Category: Entertainment Written by News One
The battle continues as the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” reality show co-star, Porsha Stewart (pictured), now claims that her estranged husband, former NFL-player-turned-sports-analyst Kordell Stewart (pictured), reportedly changed the locks of their Atlanta mansion because he didn’t want to see her anymore, according to TMZ[1].
The couple, who are in the throes of a nasty divorce that began earlier this year, has been married less than two years. According to court documents, which were filed in a Georgia family court, Porsha says that this latest lock-out is not his first attempt at keeping her out of their sprawling digs. The 31-year-old Georgia socialite claims that Kordell locked her out of their home several times in the past and she always had to ask her attorney to intervene on her behalf.
Watch the Stewarts’ over-the-top wedding here: /p>
Unnamed sources told TMZ, however, that the 40-year-old former
...
Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 May 2013 08:01
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Palmer Woods Afro Cuban Jazz Event, May 25
Category: Entertainment Written by Cathy Nedd
Tickets, $40 or $35 each for groups of 10 or more, are sold in advance only and can be purchased online at palmerwoods.org or by calling 313-891-2514. The location of the home is provided to ticket holders. The concerts are special opportunities to hear world-class musicians who have Detroit-area roots. Included is a reception with delicious food, beverages and desserts (often related to the musical style).
For the past six years, Palmer Woods residents and Creative Arts Collective spearheads Barbara and Spencer Barefield have asked their neighbors to welcome 100-200 guests into their homes to support the arts and help to raise money to benefit their historic neighborhood.
The response has been extraordinary. "We have produced more than 50 concerts with the Palmer Woods Association, and they all sell out, sometimes more than a month in advance," guitarist/composer Spencer Barefield explains. "Musicians — incredible Detroit-based artists with international acclaim — are thrilled to perform. There have even been a number of concert guests who were so impressed with the neighborhood that they decided to buy a home and move here."
Some homeowners have so much fun that they have signed on year after to year as hosts. There is a neighborhood team that assists with concert receptions, preparing culinary feasts to match the music. Guests — who travel from far and wide — are loyal supporters. The Barefields, in collaboration with the neighborhood, have created a unique way to support the arts, improve the image and quality of life in Detroit and their historic neighborhood, and preserve its architectural treasures and history.
Music of the Grand Finale - Summer Solstice weekend:
The grand finale weekend opens on Friday, June 21 at 8pm with the Spencer Barefield Super String Quartet. "Paganini to Piazzolla, Barefield & Beyond" will be presented by this adventurous ensemble—featuring world-renowned guitarist A. Spencer Barefield, violinist Jannina Barefield Norpoth, violist John Madison and bassist John-Paul Norpoth. The quartet straddles the boundaries of traditional, avant garde and modern jazz, classical, world music and other music idioms.
The multi-talented string players will perform exciting works composed by 2010 Kresge Arts Fellow Barefield, as well as selections that will come from their repertoire, such as legendary jazz composers such as Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Oliver Nelson, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn. Add some spicy classical works of Spanish composers Enrique Granados and Manuel de Falla, and Argentine tango composer Astor Piazzolla, and the challenging works of Niccolò Paganini, for out-of-this-world music — performed by four virtuosic, super string players.
Jannina (Spencer's daughter) has soloed with the Detroit Symphony, and has been a featured performer alongside Itzhak Perlman, Emmanuelle Boisvert, Regina Carter, Marcus Belgrave, Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Jannina's husband John-Paul has performed under the batons of Itzhak Perlman, Kurt Mazur, Bright Sheng, Jamie Laredo, Otto Werner Mueller and others in numerous New York-area orchestras. John is the principal violist for the Michigan Opera Theatre and regular Detroit Symphony Orchestra sub. He is among the Detroit area's most esteemed performers and educators.
On Saturday, June 22 at 8 pm, Thornetta Davis and her ensemble fill the stage. Detroit’s “Queen of the Blues” is equally at home with R&B, soul, and the timeless Motown sound.
Last Updated on Monday, 20 May 2013 17:30
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Kerry Washington Gives Keynote And Receives Honorary Doctorate Degree At George Washington University
Category: Entertainment Written by Skyyhook, Contributing Editor/Urban Daily
Miss Kerry Washington‘s year just continues to get better! The “Scandal” star was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree today from her Alma Mater George Washington University. She also gave the keynote address to the graduates of 2013.
Said Washington,
“In real life, I’m just an actor. I play pretend. I tell stories, so bear with me because that is what I am going to do.”
Kerry is doing it big time, and we don’t see that changing anytime soon! Congratulations to both Miss Washington, and the class of 2013!
Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 May 2013 14:25
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'Star Trek's' Zoe Saldana on racism: 'I'm not going to talk about it'
Category: Entertainment Written by Roz Edward, National Content Director
Zoe Saldana arrives at the LA premiere of "Star Trek Into Darkness" at The Dolby Theater on May 14, in LA. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
(CNN) -- Zoe Saldana is one of Hollywood's leading actresses, and she's making headlines as Uhura in "Star Trek Into Darkness." She crossed barriers as the lead in "Avatar," the highest grossing movie of all time. But how does being a woman of color impact her career choices and options?
The actress, who is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, spoke about it in an interview with Ebony magazine's Kelley L. Carter:
EBONY: Speaking of color, it doesn't seem to limit you. And it almost appears seamless. Is that true? Or have there been bumps along the way because you're a woman of color?
Zoe Saldana: Nothing in life is just one layer. It's one-layered (but) it's multifaceted, and there are various factors that take place into making a decision or something happening. So the one thing I will say is, what has not changed is what I feel and think of myself and how I interact with the world, how I handle myself. I feel like I'm very confident. I'm going to have my moments of weakness, but I like who I am and I don't want to be anybody else. I don't want anybody to tell me to change when I don't want to change.
So that's just who I am. And when I approach something---whether I'm fighting for a role or I'm being offered a role---I'm not thinking whether or not anybody is doing me a favor or if I'm doing somebody else a favor. I'm just thinking, as an artist and as a woman, "is this something that best represents the craft that I want to be known for?" Or is this an accurate representation of what a woman is supposed to be?
And do I like this story? Do I like this director? Do I think the studio is going to manage and sell it properly. That's where my head is at. I'm not thinking, "Oh, I'm a woman of color, are they gonna want me?" I don't give too much energy to that, because my time is very valuable, and something that exists to others is not going to exist in my world. That's how I think I get by, by not giving it any validation by wasting more time investing into thinking about it.
EBONY: That's profound.
Zoe Saldana: Yeah. Morgan Freeman said it. And I was just told this when I was doing an interview: He's not going to talk about racism. I'm not going to talk about it. Yeah, it's an elephant. We all see it, we all know it, but I'm not going to carry it in my heart, because I want to be a person that embodies change. Not embodies war or battles or bitterness; I want to keep moving on.
Saldana is probably referring to Freeman's 2006 interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" reporter Mike Wallace. The two were discussing Black History Month, when Wallace asked Freeman: "How are you going to get rid of racism?"
"Stop talking about it. I'm going to stop calling you a White man," Freeman said to Wallace. "And I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a Black man. I know you as Mike Wallace. You know me as Morgan Freeman. You wouldn't say, 'Well, I know this White guy named Mike Wallace.' You know what I'm sayin'?"
Recently, Saldana has been revealing more about herself during her press tour. She has spoken about why she couldn't pose for every magazine, a revealing magazine photo spread, the controversy around her playing Nina Simone, and that she is "open to being with a woman."
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 May 2013 09:28
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