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It’s been a big weekend for the Washington family.

While patriarch Denzel Washington chewed the scenery on multiplex screens in “Gladiator II,” the next generation of Washingtons stormed onto streaming with the film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize winner “The Piano Lesson.” With the Netflix film, Denzel and Pauletta Washington’s kids — director Malcolm, actor John David and producer Katia — add to both their family mythos and Wilson’s legacy.

“We’re standing on the shoulders of the Wilsonians,” John David Washington told Variety at the film’s Los Angeles premiere on Nov. 19, listing artists who’ve appeared in Wilson’s works on stage and screen, including his father, Viola Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Charles Dutton.

“They showed us how to do it,” he said. “Hopefully the younger generation will be inspired by what’s possible with these words.”

Malcolm,...

Denzel Hayes Washington Jr., or Denzel Washington, began his career in the 70s with television. Slowly, he moved into films and created a name for himself. Since then, he has come a long way in the show business. Now, he is all over the news for his new movie, Gladiator II.

Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 3 | Credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Washington not only earned popularity with his amazing acting skills, but has also done a fair share of directing and producing movies like Antwone Fisher and Fences. The actor has won two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Tony Award so far. But there’s more to it. Here are ten little-known facts about him!

1. Denzel Washington had strict restrictions at home Denzel Washington in Flight | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Denzel Washington never had a liberal family. Even though he made his name in the acting industry,...

Denzel Washington is determined to get Ridley Scott his long “overdue” Oscar.

Washington, who reunites with Scott for “Gladiator II” almost 20 years after 2007’s “American Gangster,” told The Hollywood Reporter that Scott not having won Best Director is almost criminal.

“Ridley is overdue,” Washington said. “How can he not have won an Oscar? That doesn’t even make sense. I don’t believe it, actually.”

Scott’s original 2000 “Gladiator” won Best Picture, with star Russell Crowe winning Best Actor. Scott was up for Best Director, having been nominated in the category previously with “Thelma & Louise” and again with “Black Hawk Down.” Scott has won BAFTA Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Primetime Emmy Awards, just not an Academy Award yet.

And Washington is ready to make 2025 Scott’s year.

Washington said to “BBC Radio 1” that Scott not having an Oscar is proof that the Academy can’t do their “job” recognizing talent.

Paul Mescal is hoping “Glicked” is the new “Barbenheimer” by urging moviegoers to take in a double feature of “Gladiator II” and “Wicked.”

“I think they complement each other really well because they’re so different,” the Oscar-nominated actor told me at the “Gladiator II” premiere on Monday night in Los Angeles. “And if you love cinema, get out there and support it. Don’t wait for it to come on to a streamer, because we’re at a critical junction. We have been for a little while with theatrical films. If cinema is a thing for you, get out and see both films.”

Fred Hechinger, who plays Emperor Caracalla in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” sequel, said he’s planning on a “Glicked” day at the theater. “I love ‘Wicked,’” he said. “I’ll sing ‘Defying Gravity.’”

Speaking of singing, Mescal and Hechinger also detailed going to a karaoke bar...

“Gladiator II” pulled out all the stops Monday night while celebrating its Los Angeles premiere at the Tcl Chinese Theatre — and everyone got to keep their head, too!

Stars Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington were in attendance for the well-heeled Hollywood fête as heavyweight actors, influencers and industry power players turned out to toast Ridley Scott and Paramount Pictures’ highly anticipated, decades-in-the-making sequel to their 2001 Best Picture Oscar winner, “Gladiator.”

The star of that original bloody epic, Russell Crowe, also took home that year’s Academy Award for Best Actor. Could Mescal follow suit? Or perhaps supporting attention for Washington or Pedro Pascal? Or at long last, will Scott take home the year’s top prize for directing?

Only time will tell what awaits “Gladiator II.” But on Monday, Hollywood was alight with excitement over the two-and-half-hour epic, also starring Connie Nielsen, “Stranger Things” breakout Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger of “The White Lotus” fame.

Order in the court! Onyx Collective’s hit legal drama “Reasonable Doubt” has been renewed on Hulu for Season 3.

That’s right, the verdict is in and Jacqueline “Jax” Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi) is headed back into the courtroom alongside the members of her dream legal team Krystal (Angela Grovey) and Daniel (Tim Jo). And with the way last season ended — no spoilers — Jax and her husband Lewis (McKinley Freeman) are going to need all the help they can get.

While Morris Chestnut guest starred in the second season, there are no confirmed cast details for now. However, the main crew included Corinealdi, Freeman, Grovey, Jo, Pauletta Washington, Aderinsola Olabode, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Victor Rasuk, Shannon Kane, Nefetari Spencer, Yvonne Cox and more.

The series, which was created and written by Raamla Mohamed (“Scandal”), centers in on beautiful and confident Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney as she juggles motherhood, a struggling marriage,...

Denzel Washington‘s acting career has come full circle. Does this signal the conclusion of 42 years spent in the spotlight? When director Ridley Scott approached the 69-year-old about starring in Gladiator II, Washington could not turn down the chance to work with the esteemed director on the epic sequel set in Ancient Rome. As Denzel shines in one of his more acrimonious roles, he’s hinted at retirement.

Will Denzel Washington retire from acting after ‘Gladiator II’? Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington at a ‘Gladiator II’ press conference during the 2024 Tokyo International Film Festival | Mila Gruber/Getty Images

Denzel Washington stars in Gladiator II as Macrinus, a wealthy arms dealer who will do whatever it takes to become emperor. Set more than 20 years after the death of Russell Crowe’s Maximus in Gladiator, the sequel follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), one of Macrinus’s gladiators and mentees, who he employs to battle in the famed Colosseum.

Malcolm Washington is hitting the red carpet at the premiere of his directorial debut!

Malcolm, 33, premiered his new Netflix movie The Piano Lesson at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival on Tuesday (September 10) held at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, Canada.

Supporting Malcolm at the premiere were his parents Denzel and Pauletta Washington, sister Katia, and brother John David, who appears in the movie.

Cast members in attendance also included Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Skylar Aleece Smith, Danielle Deadwyler, Corey Hawkins, and Gail Bean.

Here’s the movie’s synopsis from Netflix: “Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression, The Piano Lesson follows the lives of the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household and an heirloom, the family piano, which documents the family history through carvings made by their enslaved ancestor.”

The Piano Lesson comes to select theaters on November 8 and will be released on Netflix...

The first time Malcolm Washington attended the Toronto International Film Festival, he was a spectator, along for the ride as his older brother, actor John David Washington, debuted a film.

“I’m a movie lover — like, I’m a student of the game and a fan first, so I was watching a bunch of movies. I remember sitting there like, ‘I hope I get to experience this on the other side of it,’ Malcolm Washington tells Variety. That memory sprang to mind when he learned that “The Piano Lesson,” his film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play and his feature directorial debut, had been selected for TIFF. “It’s surreal.’”

When the Netflix film makes its international premiere on Tuesday night at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Malcolm won’t take the “seasoned vet approach.” He plans to sit through the screening. “You make movies for audiences — to connect with people,...

Malcolm Washington, the son of famous actors Denzel and Pauletta Washington, has directed his first feature film. The film is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning August Wilson play “The Piano Lesson.” Netflix will release the film globally.

Washington spent years preparing for the challenge of adapting Wilson’s complex family drama play to film. He studied the history and culture of Pittsburgh in the 1930s, when the story is set. Washington also spoke to relatives of the late Wilson to better understand his work.

The film tells the story of the Charles family and their debate over an heirloom grandfather clock covered in depictions of their ancestry. These carved images hold deep meaning for the family members’ understanding of themselves and their past. When watching the play, parts of the story resonated strongly with Washington and his own concerns with ancestry and legacy as a rising filmmaker.

An impressive cast,...

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, The Perfect Couple and Rebel Ridge.

Rebel Ridge special screening

Netflix hosted a special screening at the Egyptian Theatre on Tuesday to celebrate the upcoming release of Rebel Ridge, in partnership with Beyond Fest. Stars Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson and AnnaSophia Robb attended.

Aaron Pierre, AnnaSophia Robb, Jeremy Saulnier and Don Johnson Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist premiere

Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Don Cheadle and Terrence Howard walked the carpet at the NYC premiere of their new Peacock series

Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson and Will Packer Kevin Hart The Perfect Couple premiere

Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson and Meghann Fahy debuted their Netflix murder mystery series on Wednesday, alongside EPs Susanne Bier,...

Exclusive: The 60th Chicago International Film Festival has named the Netflix film The Piano Lesson as its opener, and the fest award first time director and co-writer Malcolm Washington its Breakthrough Award. The film’s star, John David Washington, will be presented the Spotlight Award “in recognition of the emotional complexity and power he brings to his transfixing performance as Boy Willie.”

The festival opening festivities take place October 16. The Netflix adaptation of the August Wilson play is a Washington family affair. Aside from siblings Malcolm and John David, The Piano Lesson is produced by their father, Denzel Washington, alongside his oft-collaborator Todd Black. Their sister, Katia Washington, is executive producer, and mom, Pauletta Washington, plays the role of Mama Ola.

In the famous Wilson play, a battle brews in the Charles household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother...

Exclusive: Pauletta Pearson Washington says that the film adaptation of August Wilson’s acclaimed play The Piano Lesson has been a family affair. “All my babies are involved in this,” the actor, musician and philanthropist declares.

“My son directed it,” she says pointing to filmmaker Malcolm Washington, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Virgil Williams.

“And John David’s in it,” Washington adds, referring to her eldest child, the actor John David Washington.

“And so is Olivia, we play the same role at different ages,” she says proudly of daughter Olivia Washington.

“And here’s Katia,” who was seated by her at a cocktail party hosted by Netflix to celebrate the streamer’s roster of movies being screened at the Telluride Film Festival.

Katia is an executive producer of The Piano Lesson.

Pauletta, Malcolm, John David and Katia Washington. Photo by Baz Bamigboye/Deadline

Her husband Denzel Washington is a producer of The Piano Lesson,...

Editor’s Note: This review originally published during the 2024 Telluride Film Festival. Netflix opens “The Piano Lesson” in theaters on Friday, November 8 and on streaming Friday, November 22.

“The Piano Lesson” is the latest in a string of recent adaptations of August Wilson’s 10-play American Century Cycle, after 2016’s “Fences” and 2020’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Denzel Washington starred in and directed the former and he produces his son Malcolm Washington’s feature directorial debut here. Denzel’s other son (Malcolm’s brother) John David Washington stars in the ensemble piece, Malcolm’s older sister Katia Washington executive produces, and rounding out the firmly family affair, the film is dedicated to Washington family matriarch, actress Pauletta Washington, with a “for mama” on screen dedication.

“The Piano Lesson” opens in 1911 Mississippi, as Fourth of July fireworks bathe a wordless heist in red and blue flashes. A group of unnamed Black men...

The Piano Lesson, a big screen adaptation of August Wilson’s 1987 Pulitzer Prize-winning play — the fourth in the late playwright’s celebrated “Pittsburgh Cycle” about the Black experience in that city during the 20th century — had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on Saturday morning at the Herzog Theatre. Reactions on the ground were largely positive, but prospects with the Academy may be somewhat limited.

Produced by the team of Denzel Washington and Todd Black, who previously oversaw the transfer of two other Wilson plays into films — 2016’s Fences, which is set in the 1950s, and 2020’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which is set in the 1920s — The Piano Lesson, which is set in the 1930s, is a Washington family passion project. It was EP’d by Denzel’s daughter, Katia Washington. It was co-written (with Mudbound Oscar nominee Virgil Williams) and directed by one of Denzel’s sons,...

Exclusive: Filmmaker Malcolm Washington says that his screen adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Piano Lesson honors his family’s history, especially that of his mother Pauletta Pearson Washington.

Set in post-Depression era Pittsburgh, the haunting movie is about two siblings, Berniece and her younger, sharecropper brother Boy Willie, played respectively by Danielle Deadwyler and John David Washington. Both believe that they have a claim to a treasured family heirloom – an upright piano carved by their enslaved grandfather with faces of their west African ancestors sold into slavery.

The history of the Charles family and that instrument is one forged in blood and bullets.

The Piano Lesson will have its world premiere screening at the Telluride Film Festival over the Labor Day weekend and Netflix will release it into select cinemas in the United States and the United Kingdom on November 8. The streamer will launch it on...

Regarded as one of the greatest actors of this generation, Denzel Washington has contributed to a wide variety of roles. With numerous accolades and box office hits, he has proven to be a reputed star in the industry. But even after such fame and talent, the 2 times Oscar-winner has found himself amidst countless allegations of infidelity.

Denzel Washington in The Bone Collector | Credits: Columbia Pictures

Denzel Washington has been married to actress Pauletta Washington for over 40 years now. While the Equalizer actor’s cheating rumors have always haunted his marriage life, his wife’s statement on The Wendy Williams Show in 2011 suggested otherwise.

For his charismatic aura and personality, Washington has always been highly admired by his female fans and co-stars. During a visit to The Wendy Williams Show, when Pauletta Washington was asked about the immense female attention to her husband, she smartly replied that she feels secure with Denzel Washington.

With eldest son John David working with Oscar-winning directors like Spike Lee and Christopher Nolan, daughter Olivia starring in the Boots Riley series “I’m a Virgo” and the West End production of “Slave Play,” and youngest son Malcolm getting behind the camera to adapt August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “The Piano Lesson,” it’s fair to say Denzel Washington and wife Pauletta Washington may be shaping the next great entertainment dynasty, up there with the Hustons and the Fondas. Producing his son Malcolm’s directorial debut, which stars both his other son John David and one of his best friends, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel helps to hone in on one of the key themes of “The Piano Lesson”: Family legacy.

The official synopsis reads: “A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a...

Denzel Washington’s legendary career began with his feature film role in Carbon Copy in 1981. However, his breakout role came in six seasons of the medical drama series, St. Elsewhere. He got some interesting roles following his series role. He once revealed that he rejected a comedy film, which could’ve altered the course of his career.

Denzel Washington in a still from St. Elsewhere | NBC

Washington went on to film critically acclaimed roles in Cry Freedom and Glory, which would land him Oscar nominations and an Oscar win for the latter. The Equalizer actor’s latest project in development is the sequel to Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning film, Gladiator.

Denzel Washington Rejected A Comedy Film Which Could’ve Changed His Career Path Denzel Washington in a still from Cry Freedom | Universal Pictures

Denzel Washington was determined not to get hung up on television roles before St. Elsewhere came his way.

Hollywood star Denzel Washington has been one of the most beloved actors of his generation, often seen as the epitome of a true movie star. Despite his immense success, Washington has always been open about his humble beginnings before rising to fame.

Denzel Washington in Fences | Credit: Paramount Pictures

One such story is about his very first date with his wife Pauletta Pearson, to whom he has been married for 40 years. In an interview, the actor recalled his first-ever date with his wife, revealing that he did not have enough money to pay for the cab, prompting Pearson to cover for the ride.

Denzel Washington Recalled His First-Ever Date With His Wife

In an amusing and heartwarming revelation, renowned actor Denzel Washington, whose net worth now stands at an impressive $300 million, shared an unforgettable memory from his first date with his wife, Pauletta Pearson.

Denzel Washington and Pauletta Pearson | Credit:...

Denzel Washington has hinted he'll be stepping away from acting in the next few years.The double Oscar winner made the revelation during an appearance at the American Black Film Festival in Miami Beach, Florida over the weekend (15-16.06.24) during which he opened up about his future plans and insisted he will be spending less time on screen.He explained: "The things that are going on for me professionally behind the camera are as important to me now as in front of the camera. I think there’s less and less time I’ll be spending in front of the camera."During the talk, Denzel also opened up about working with his children on a Netflix adaptation of August Wilson’s 'The Piano Lesson', which was co-written and directed by his son Malcolm Washington, stars his other son John David Washington and was produced by his daughter Katia Washington.

Denzel Washington is one of the most prolific Black actors of all time. But the two-time Oscar-winning actor, director, producer and humanitarian is also a proud husband and father — a point that was well made during his career retrospective conversation at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) on June 15.

Denzel Washington’s latest producorial effort, the Netflix film adaptation of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” sees him working with members of his family, including his sons Malcolm Washington, who co-wrote and directed the film, and John David Washington, who stars.

“After about two weeks [on set], I went home. I was like, there’s really nothing for me to do here, I’m just in the way,” Denzel Washington said of watching his son Malcolm Washington work. “I’m not saying this because he’s my son, but he’s very talented. He went to the American Film Institute. He graduated number one in his class.

Denzel Washington was recently spotted filming a highly anticipated Spike Lee film. The beloved actor‘s appearance alongside his co-star in Brooklyn reminded us that he is looking mighty fine at nearly 70 years old! Washington will turn the big 7-0 later in 2024. In the meantime, he’s barely slowed his acting career. See pics of the Oscar winner and get more details about High and Low here:

Denzel Washington and Ilfenesh Hadera on the set of ‘High and Low’ on April 19, 2024 | Metropolis/Bauer-Griffin/Gc Images

On April 19, cameras spotted Denzel Washington and Ilfenesh Hadera filming a scene for High and Low in the Dumbo area of Brooklyn. Wearing a black pinstriped suit, white pocket square, and corresponding white tie, Washington strolled an NYC street alongside Hadera. A regular collaborator with Spike Lee, Hadera has appeared in The Punisher, Da Brick, The Blacklist, and Chicago Fire, among others.

Denzel Washington films...

Lenny Kravitz received his Walk of Fame star yesterday in front of Capitol Records in Hollywood. This makes for 2,774th stars total on the Walk of Fame. Several special guests attended the “American Woman” singer’s March 12 ceremony, including longtime friend Denzel Washington, daughter Zoë Kravitz, and her fiancé Channing Tatum.

Channing Tatum, Zoë Kravitz, and Denzel Washington at the Walk of Fame ceremony | Valerie MacOn/Afp via Getty Images; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Lenny was flanked by couples at the ceremony. Denzel Washington and his wife of over 40 years, Pauletta Washington, sat to his left; Zoë and Tatum to his right. Lenny’s ex-wife and Zoë’s mom, Cosby Show star Lisa Bonet, did not attend.

Channing Tatum, Zoë Kravitz, and Lenny Kravitz at the Walk of Fame Star Ceremony | Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

A couple for over two years now, Tatum and Zoë held hands and laughed as Washington and Lenny spoke.

When Cicely Tyson started crafting her 2021 memoir Just As I Am, her longtime friend and fashion designer, B Michael, began to conceptualize an idea for a book of his own, cataloging their working relationship together from the day the barrier-breaking actress first stepped foot in his atelier in 2005.

“She loved it and said that would be great and amazing, but [told the designer] ‘Help me finish my book first,’” B Michael recalls, laughing.

When Tyson passed away on Jan. 28, 2021, just two days after her memoir was published, B Michael put his book idea on the back burner.

Now three years later, Muse Cicely Tyson and Me: A Relationship Forged in Fashion, has come to fruition from publisher Harper Collins. In it, B Michael pairs the looks he created for Tyson over the last 16 years of her life with both the historical context and personal emotion tied to each event. Those moments include Tyson...

Jake Gyllenhaal is making a rare public appearance with his longtime girlfriend!

The 43-year-old actor and girlfriend Jeanne Cadieu stepped out for the Prada Fashion Show held during Milan Fashion Week on Sunday afternoon (January 14) in Milan, Italy.

Photos: Check out the latest pics of Jake Gyllenhaal

Other stars in attendance include James McAvoy, Lakeith Stanfield and wife Kasmere Trice, Brooklyn Beckham, John David Washington and mom Pauletta Washington, Mean Girls actor Christopher Briney, Swarm actor Damson Idris, Troye Sivan, Elite actor Manu Rios, Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino, The Crown actor Luther Ford, and Outer Banks actor Drew Starkey.

Jake recently showed off his ripped physique in the first look at his upcoming movie Road House!

Click through the gallery inside for 55+ pictures of the stars at the fashion show…...

Vulture Watch

Is this legend getting the r-e-s-p-e-c-t that she deserves? Has the Genius TV show been cancelled or renewed for a fourth season on National Geographic Channel? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Genius, season four. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?

What's This TV Show About?

Airing on the National Geographic Channel, Genius dramatizes the stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators, their extraordinary achievements and their sometimes volatile, passionate, and complex personal relationships. Season three tells the story of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, and stars Cynthia Erivo, Courtney B. Vance, Malcolm Barrett, David Cross, Patrice Covington, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Steven Norfleet, Pauletta Washington, Omar J. Dorsey, Marque...

Denzel Washington and his wife, Pauletta Washington, have built a beautiful family together over the years. The couple first met on the set of 1977's "Wilma," but it wasn't until a few months later that sparks flew at a mutual friend's party, per People. The stars officially tied the knot in 1983, then welcomed their first child - son John David Washington - in 1984. Two years later, their daughter Katia Washington was born, and in 1991, Denzel and Pauletta became parents of four with the arrival of their twins Malcolm and Olivia Washington.

Once the couple began expanding their family, Pauletta stepped back from acting in order to raise their four children, and the "Malcolm X" star is grateful for everything his wife has done for their family. While accepting the American Film Institute's lifetime achievement award in 2019, Denzel used his speech to thank Pauletta for being their children's primary caretaker. "My...

Actress Kate Beckinsale is the latest actor to offer up evidence that Keanu Reeves is the nicest actor in Hollywood.

The ‘Underworld’ star returned to the Cannes Film Festival this year, where she attended the annual amfAR charity gala among other events, which must’ve had her thinking about her first time at Cannes in 1993 for the premiere of Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptation ‘Much Ado About Nothing’, reports ‘Variety’.

Following this year’s festival, Beckinsale discovered a photo of herself on the 1993 Cannes red carpet and revealed that her co-star Keanu Reeves jumped in to help prevent what could’ve been a huge wardrobe malfunction on her first Cannes carpet.

“I had bought the bodysuit in the Sock Shop at the airport and when I got in the car to drive to the premiere with Denzel and Pauletta Washington, all the poppers in the crotch popped themselves open and...

Kate Beckinsale is the latest actor to offer up evidence that Keanu Reeves is the nicest actor in Hollywood.

The “Underworld” star returned to the Cannes Film Festival this year, where she attended the annual amfAR charity gala among other events, which must’ve had her thinking about her first time at Cannes in 1993 for the premiere of Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptation “Much Ado About Nothing.” Following this year’s festival, Beckinsale discovered a photo of herself on the 1993 Cannes red carpet and revealed that her co-star Keanu Reeves jumped in to help prevent what could’ve been a huge wardrobe malfunction on her first Cannes carpet.

“I had bought the bodysuit in the Sock Shop at the airport and when I got in the car to drive to the premiere with Denzel and Pauletta Washington, all the poppers in the crotch popped themselves open and it flipped up like a roller blind,...

Kate Beckinsale is throwing it back to the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.

The actress, 49, took to Instagram on Monday to reveal how Keanu Reeves came to her rescue after a bodysuit could’ve led to a pretty awkward wardrobe malfunction at the “Much Ado About Nothing” premiere.

Sharing a snap of the pair posing with Denzel Washington and Robert Sean Leonard, Beckinsale wrote: “So my mum Did find one of the original Cannes pictures but unfortunately it’s not full length so you can’t see the Dr Martens.

“Fun fact though: I had bought the bodysuit in the Sock Shop at the airport and when I got in the car to drive to the premiere with Denzel and Pauletta Washington, all the poppers in the crotch popped themselves open and it flipped up like a roller blind.

“I didn’t feel it was appropriate to go delving around in my...

Actor Denzel Washington has starred in a variety of film projects over the years – from Malcolm X to Remember the Titans. But there was one character he played that he shared his wife wasn’t particularly happy with.

Denzel Washington proposed to his wife Pauletta Pearson 3 times before she agreed to marry him Denzel Washington | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Washington and his wife Pauletta Pearson have enjoyed decades’ worth of marriage. The two first met on the 1977 television series Wilma as acquaintances. But the beginning of their relationship started when they ran into each other again a year later as Washington was doing a play.

“I had talked at that party about going to see a play. I went to see the play, and at intermission the lights came up and she was sitting [there]. She said she just happened to go see the play… I’m getting in trouble as I speak,...

On my way down to Tribeca to meet actor John David Washington for lunch, I had a lot of questions swirling in my head that made me nervous about our encounter. I am meeting a man who comes from a Hollywood dynasty of sorts. Washington has had so many experiences, what questions could I possibly ask that would make our conversation relatable and engaging. John David is the oldest of four children and his parents are two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington and actress/singer Pauletta Washington.

At the age of seven, he appeared as a student in a Harlem classroom in Spike Lee’s 1992 feature film Malcolm X, which starred his father in the titular role. As he grew older, his interest shifted to something a bit more physical. He started his professional football career at Morehouse College in Atlanta, and then signed on with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent.

John David Washington has revealed the best piece of acting advice he has received from his father Denzel Washington.

The Tenet star and former professional American football player is the son of Oscar-winner Denzel and musician Pauletta Washington.

Washington, 38, has starred in films including Spike Lee’s 2018 film BlacKkKlansman, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination, and Christopher Nolan’s 2020 action-thriller Tenet.

He also appeared in HBO’s comedy series Ballers, and acted opposite Zendaya in Sam Levinson’s Netflix film Malcolm & Marie (2021).

Washington appeared on Monday night’s episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (6 December) to speak about his lead role opposite Samuel L Jackson and Danielle Brooks in the current Broadway production of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.

Asked whether his parents gave him any advice before he made his Broadway debut, the actor said that his mum still had notes for him...

Diane Warren’s songwriting job for Tell It Like a Woman was simple: create a hymn for female empowerment.

“We tend to beat ourselves up a lot,” the veteran tune scribe said during a panel at Deadline’s Sound & Screen event. “Every now and then you have to just give yourself some f*cking applause, give yourself some love, give yourself some respect. Give it to yourself before you give it to someone else.”

Tell It Like a Woman is comprised of seven segments directed by female directors from different parts of the world. Genres include drama, comedy, docudrama and animation. “They are pretty powerful stories,” said Warren. “I wanted to write a song that could fit in all these various movies, which is basically just about empowerment. These are stories about strong women. I wanted the song to reflect that.”

Related: Deadline’s Sound & Screen: Full Coverage

It took...

Emayatzy Corinealdi, who plays Jax Stewart in Hulu’s “Reasonable Doubt,” is confronting her past with eyes wide open in a new clip from the season finale, shared exclusively with Variety.

Following the penultimate episode, the high power criminal attorney is left reckoning with the history of sexual assault she faced in her home as a teen and is forced to share the truth of her relationship with her stepfather Paul (Chris Doubek) with her close family members.

View the clip below.

While the jury deliberates on the case of Kaleesha’s murder, Stewart takes her first major step forward on her healing journey by divulging her dark secret of Paul grooming her as a teenager with Mama Lu (Pauletta Washington).

“This conversation with Jax and her mother was a difficult one, but it was very necessary. For both of them,” said showrunner Raamla Mohamed in a statement. “While Jax...

When Tyler Perry wrote the screenplay for “A Jazzman’s Blues” in 1995, he imagined Diana Ross in the role of Hattie Mae, mother to a young man named Bayou (Joshua Boone) and an entrepreneurial woman who opens a juke joint in the 1940s South. When Perry finally made the movie — a passion project he held onto for 27 years, which is now streaming on Netflix — he turned to Amirah Vann to play the role.

Best known for powerhouse performances opposite Emmy-winner Viola Davis in “How to Get Away With Murder,” as well as major roles in “Queen Sugar” and “Underground”, Vann was “honored” to get the call from Perry — and even more so that he believed she possessed acting and singing chops comparable to Ross.

“The first time I remember him saying it, I was like, ‘Wait a minute?’” Vann tells Variety over the phone. “It just made me feel so honored.

Taraji P. Henson, Jennifer Hudson, Lucia Puenzo, Eva Longoria, Catherine Hardwicke involved in anthology.

Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment (Ilbe) has struck key territory deals at AFM on Tell It Like A Woman, a female-led anthology featuring Taraji P. Henson, Jennifer Hudson, Lucia Puenzo, Eva Longoria, Catherine Hardwicke, among others.

Deals have closed in Germany (Tiberius Film), France (Program Store), the UK (The Movie Partnership), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Australia and New Zealand (Signature), and worldwide airlines and ships (Gate 23 Entertainment).

Offers are in for Spain, Scandinavia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Latin America, South Korea, India, China and Cis. Julie Sultan,...

Get ready to make Hulu's "Reasonable Doubt" your new favorite legal drama. The courtroom series - created, written, and executive produced by "Scandal" alum Raamla Mohamed - has introduced the newest high-powered attorney on the TV block, and her name is Jacqueline "Jax" Stewart (portrayed by Emayatzy Corinealdi). "Reasonable Doubt" comes with an all-star cast that features Michael Ealy, McKinley Freeman, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Pauletta Washington and a stacked production team with executive producers like Kerry Washington and Larry Wilmore.

"The biggest piece of advice that Kerry gave me was to make sure I took my vitamins at the start of the show."

It's been a while since we've seen a Black woman protagonist lead a mainstream legal drama. Most memorably, Viola Davis's Annalise Keating in "How to Get Away With Murder" helped pave the way for others like her. But others like Washington's Olivia Pope from...

As the first series hailing from Onyx Collective, Raamla Mohamed’s “Reasonable Doubt” is helping the new production label define itself as a home for unapologetically Black storytelling.

Currently streaming on Hulu, “Reasonable Doubt” stars Emayatzy Corinealdi as L.A. criminal defense attorney Jax Stewart, who seeming has it all –– a devoted husband, two growing children, a well-paying job, and a group of friends that support her through her highs and lows. But what bubbles beneath the surface of her impressively primped exterior (completed with a variety of hairstyles ranging from sleek to coiled) is a messy underbelly of questionable ethics in and outside of the courtroom as well as a pension for shade-throwing.

Corinealdi says the nuance of her character is what drew her to the project. “We all have these different layers,” she said. “And we don’t always get to see those played out on TV, especially with black women…...

“Black Love,” created by African American filmmakers Codie Elaine Oliver and Tommy Oliver with Confluential Films, features true stories about love and life. Currently, for past episodes, you can watch now on Oprah Winfrey Network or watch new episodes live on OWN Saturdays at 10:00 pm Est.

If you’re looking to learn more about the background, hosts, episodes, or popular couples on “Black Love,” keep reading.

What Is “Black Love” About?

The show originally aired on August 29, 2017, and has since become the most-viewed “unscripted telecast” in Oprah Winfrey Networks History. The show was started by Codie and Tommy Oliver, best known for their film “The Perfect Guy.” As newlyweds themselves, the Oliver’s wanted to explore the common experience of Black love stories and how they varied between couples.

The show interviews Black couples on all things love, marriage, and children while also sharing the less-delightful parts of life.

Exclusive: Samuel Goldwyn Films has closed a deal with Italian outfit Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment to acquire U.S. distribution rights to star-studded female-powered feature Tell It Like A Woman, whose filmmakers and actors include Taraji P. Henson, Jennifer Hudson, Pauletta Washington, Cara Delevingne, Catherine Hardwicke, Margherita Buy, Marcia Gay Harden, Eva Longoria, Leonor Varela, Jacqueline Fernandez, Anne Watanabe and Mipo O.

For the film, superstar songwriter and 13-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren (who is getting an honorary Academy Award in November) has written original song Applause which was performed by Sofia Carson and is being released later this year as a single through Disney Music Group label Hollywood Records. An accompanying music video was directed by Catherine Hardwicke, starring singer and actress Carson.

Warren’s song is described as “the defining sound of the film and intended to serve as a hymn for female empowerment”. The filmmakers say they...

“Bel Air” star Cassandra Freeman is the niece of one of the biggest African American art collectors in the United States. Growing up, the actress was always impressed with her aunt and uncle’s ability to stay grounded, despite their elevated status and wealth. This was a quality the actress was eager to bring to her character ‘Vivian Banks’ in the reimagination of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” for Peacock.

“I wanted [Aunt Viv] to feel like she’s just one foot out of Philadelphia and she just happens to be surrounded by abundance,” Freeman told WrapWomen during a recent Zoom interview.

Much like the original series, “Bel Air” follows Will (Jabari Banks) on his complicated journey from the streets of Philadelphia to the gated mansions of “Bel Air,” where he lives with his Aunt Viv, Uncle Phil (Adrian Holmes) and their three children: Hilary (Coco Jones), Carlton (Olly Sholotan) and...

“The Harder They Fall,” “Insecure” and H.E.R. lead the pack of film, TV and music nominees for the 53rd NAACP Image Awards, while Jennifer Hudson, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Regina King and Tiffany Haddish will face off for the 2022 Entertainer of the Year prize.

Nominees for the annual award show were announced during a special virtual event hosted by actor and musician Kyla Pratt, “Black-ish” actor Marcus Scribner and singer-songwriter Tinashe on the NAACP’s Instagram account.

“We are thrilled to recognize this year’s nominees, who have all brought dynamic, entertaining, and thought provoking content to our attention through their incredible work in film, television, music and more,” said Karen Boykin-Towns, Image Awards Committee chairman.

Winners will be revealed during the annual ceremony, hosted by seven-time Image Award winner Anthony Anderson, on Feb. 26. The two-hour live TV special begins at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt on BET.

The Second City, the world’s premier brand in improvisation and sketch-based comedy entertainment and education, Made to Save, a national grassroots effort to ensure communities hardest hit by the pandemic have access to the Covid-19 vaccines and accurate, timely information and YourMomCares, a kids’ mental health and wellbeing nonprofit, released a new public service announcement featuring former First Lady Michelle Obama and celebrity moms that encourages parents and their children ages five through adulthood to get vaccinated now, particularly as omicron cases are on the rise.

Watch the PSA here.

The PSA was produced and created by The Second City and sponsored by Made to Save, in partnership with YourMomCares and the #WeCanDoThis Covid-19 vaccine public education campaign. The video features the talents of some of America’s most beloved mothers, who urge eligible Americans everywhere to get vaccinated and boosted this holiday season:

Michelle Obama, Former First Lady...

Michael Ealy (Stumptown), Thadeus J. Mixson (Safety) and newcomer Aderinsola Olabode are set as series regulars and Pauletta Washington (Genius: Aretha) and Sean Patrick Thomas (The Tragedy Of Macbeth) have been tapped for key recurring roles opposite Emayatzy Corinealdi in Disney’s Onyx Collective series Reasonable Doubt to stream on Hulu. The legal drama hails from writer/executive producer Raamla Mohamed (Scandal); executive producer Kerry Washington, who will direct the first episode; and ABC Signature.

In Reasonable Doubt, you’ll judge Jax Stewart (Corinealdi) for her questionable ethics and wild interpretations of the law… until you’re the one in trouble. Then you’ll see her for what she is: the most brilliant and fearless defense attorney in Los Angeles who bucks the justice system at every chance she gets.

Ealy will play Damon. Giving Og prison bae vibes, Damon isn’t someone you should look at too long unless...

Legal drama “Reasonable Doubt” at Onyx Collective on Hulu has made five additions to its cast, Variety has learned.

Michael Ealy, Thadeus J. Mixson and Aderinsola Olabode will all appear in series regular roles, while Pauletta Washington and Sean Patrick Thomas will appear in recurring guest star roles.

In the series, viewers will judge Jax Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi) for her questionable ethics and wild interpretations of the law until they’re the one in trouble. Then they’ll see her for what she is: the most brilliant and fearless defense attorney in Los Angeles who bucks the justice system at every chance she gets. The cast also includes Tim Jo, McKinley Freeman, and Angela Grovey.

Ealy will play Damon. Described as giving Og prison bae vibes, Damon isn’t someone you should look at too long unless you are trying to get into trouble. Complex, smart, troubled, Damon is a...

Taraji P. Henson, Jennifer Hudson, and Pauletta Washington have joined Iervolino Entertainment’s anthology film Tell It Like a Woman. The star-studded project is packed with powerful female performers that are also calling the shots behind the camera as well. Star of Hidden Figures and Proud Mary, Taraji P. Henson is on board to direct Pepcy & […]

The post ‘Tell It Like a Woman’: Taraji P Henson to Direct Jennifer Hudson in Female-Led Anthology Film Starring Cara Delevingne and More appeared first on /Film.

Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and Pauletta Washington have joined Iervolino Entertainment’s star-studded anthology project “Tell It Like a Woman.”

The trio will take on “Pepcy & Kim,” one of the anthology’s seven segments. Henson has signed on to direct the piece, which is inspired by the true story of Kim Carter, a former addict who has used her story and her nonprofit, the Time for Change Foundation, to help homeless women and children break the cycle and reclaim their lives.

Hudson is set to star in the segment, playing both Pepcy and Kim, opposite Washington. The segment is written by Catherine Hardwicke.

“Pepcy & Kim” completes the puzzle for the “Tell It Like a Woman” project, a film made by and about women, comprised of seven segments that make one intertwining feature film. Hardwicke, Cara Delevingne, Margherita Buy, Marcia Gay Harden, Eva Longoria, Leonor Varela,...

The Genius TV series has already been renewed for a fourth season so we don't have to wonder if it will be cancelled this time around. However, the series is moving to Disney+ and it's unknown if season four will eventually air on National Geographic. Could the third season ratings make a difference? Stay tuned.

An anthology series, Genius dramatizes the stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators, their extraordinary achievements and their sometimes volatile, passionate, and complex personal relationships. Season three tells the story of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, and stars Cynthia Erivo, Courtney B. Vance, Malcolm Barrett, David Cross, Patrice Covington, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Steven Norfleet, Pauletta Washington, Omar J. Dorsey, Marque Richardson, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, and Shaian Jordan. The season follows the musical genius and her incomparable career, as well as the impact and lasting influence she has...