Black in Period Films

The Long Song originally premiered on BBC One on December 18, 2018. This left many Americans without access to BBC One, unable to to watch the adaption. Americans will finally get the chance on January 31, 2021 when the three-part series will premiere on PBS Masterpiece! 'The Long Song' is set in early 19th century colonial Jamaica, focusing on the final years of slavery on the island, and the transition to freedom that took place after its abolition in 1833. It follows the life of July (Tamara Lawrance), a slave on a sugarcane plantation. July (Tamara Lawrance) with Caroline Mortimer (Hayley Atwell) The novel the series is based on was written by Andrea Levy (who was born in London to Jamaican parents) and adds another layer to the way the lives of enslaved people are represented in media.  If you've read the book or seen the series already what did you think of it? 

Good news 'The Wonder Years' fans! Or bad news based on your opinion of reboots. There is a "The Wonder Years" reboots in the works at ABC.  "The Wonder Years" ran from 1988 to 1993 and followed the coming of age story of Kevin Arnold. It tracks Kevin's growth from the explosive late 1960s on through the early 1970s. The series is narrated by Kevin as an adult.  The reboot will focus on a Black family in 1960s Montgomery, Alabama.  Lee Daniels will executive produce the series. Its going to be a comedy with Saladin Patterson ('The Bernie Mac Show', 'Big Bang Theory') as writer. The original Kevin Arnold, Fred Savage is set to direct the pilot episode and original 'The Wonder Years' co-creator Neal Marlens, will be a consultant. The goal is for the show to be developed for the 2012-22 television season. Who do you see as Kevin Arnold? 

The Social Season is upon us.  The Netflix series is an adaption of the Bridgerton novels by best-selling historical romance author Julia Quinn. The popular series has tons of material to work with. Quinn originally meant for the series to be a trilogy, but it eventually ended up being 8 novels! Due to reader questions she wrote a collection of epilogues for the characters and a separate novella about the character Violet.  We posted about the cast here .  If you had the privilege of reading the series what do you think of the trailer?  Bridgerton, from Shondaland, premieres December 25, only on Netflix. 

Tensions rise when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago in 1927.

Checkout this photos from the upcoming adaption of August Wilson's 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'.  Chicago, 1927. A recording session. Tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player and the white management determined to control the uncontrollable "Mother of the Blues". The film features Viola Davis as Ma Rainey and Chadwick Boseman as Levee in his final film. Viola Davis front and center as Ma Rainey. (Credit David Lee/Netflix) Boseman with Michael Potts (Slow Drag) and Colman Domingo (as Cutler). (Credit David Lee/Netflix) The film is directed by George C. Wolfe who also did amazing work with period films 'Lackawanna Blues' (2005) and 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' (2017). I am loving how different Viola Davis is looking here. She looks like Ma Rainey here. (Credit David Lee/Netflix) Boseman with Glynn Turman (Toledo), Michael Potts (Slow Drag), and Colman Domingo (as Cutler). (Credit David Lee/Netflix) 'Ma Rainey's B

  Jackie Ormes is known as the first Black American woman cartoonist. Jackie Ormes was born Zelda Mavin Jackson on August 1, 1911, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was born to  William Winfield Jackson,  the owner of a printing company and movie theater proprietor and Mary Brown Jackson.  Ormes's first comic strip, Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem, first appeared in the Pittsburgh Courier on May 1, 1937. Although it was not syndicated in the traditional sense, it was read from coast to coast. Her Patty-Jo 'n' Ginger, a single-panel cartoon would run for 11 years and lead to the creation of the Torchy Togs paper doll and the Patty-Jo doll. Both dolls were represented black girls and women as well dressed and in a positive modern light.  Jackie Ormes is a trailblazer and I am happy Google honored her in this way.  I've talked about Ormes before. Take a look!

This morning Leslie Jones presented the nominations o the 2020 Emmy Awards. There are a few nominations that are very exciting to me as they feature talent from period series! Drama Series  “The Crown” (Netflix) “Stranger Things” (Netflix) Comedy Series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon Prime Video) Limited Series “Mrs. America” (Hulu) “Watchmen” (HBO) Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Don Cheadle (“Black Monday”) Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Regina King (“Watchmen”) (Included becasue its Regina (duh!) and because of their flashbacks) Octavia Spencer (“Self Made”) Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Jeffrey Wright (“Westworld”) Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Thandie Newton (“Westworld”) Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Sterling K. Brown (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”) Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Watchmen”) Jovan Adepo (“Watchmen”) Louis Gossett Jr. (“Watchm

The trailer for the cultural phenom Hamilton is here! The proshot is coming to the Disney+ streaming service this July 3!! Fans of the history making musical play will get a chance to see the beloved original cast. I firmly believe in Broadway productions becoming more accessible to fans of the medium, so proshots that can reach everyone are a step in the direction.  I am in love with the soundtrack and can not wait to see the OBS in action!! Hamilton OBS Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler Chris Jackson as George Washington Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette / Thomas Jefferson Okieriete Onaodowan as Hercules Mulligan / James Madison Anthony Ramos as John Laurens / Philip Hamilton Jasmine Cephas Jones as Peggy Schuyler / Maria Reynolds Jonathan Groff as King George III  Jon Rua as Charles Lee / Ensemble Ephraim Sykes as George Eacker / Ense

Martha and Pinkie Yates in a buggy decorated for Juneteenth, Houston Library “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

I've been listening to this rendition of "Til We Reach That Day' lately. I am in love with the way this casts' voices blend together and how they bring such emotion to the song.  The Soloists : Piper Jones ('12) as Sarah's Friend Deonte Warren ('10) as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. Jessica Blair ('09) as Emma Goldman James Lombardino ('09) as Tateh Kara Farmer ('09) as Mother Belmont University Musical Theatre Department - RAGTIME - Fall 2008 Till We Reach That Day  Music by Stephen Flaherty  Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens Book by Terrence McNally COALHOUSE (spoken) : No! SARAH'S FRIEND : There's a day of hope May I live to see When our hearts are happy And our souls are free Let the new day dawn Oh, Lord, I pray We'll never get to heaven Till we reach that day MOURNERS : It's a day of peace A day of pride A day of justice We have been denied When a man can live And a chi

Based on the 2013 James McBride novel, The Good Lord Bird follows a young enslaved boy as he joins John Brown in Brown's abolitionist mission during Bleeding Kansas. Newcomer Joshua Caleb Johnson plays Onion (who is a fictional character) and can be heard narrating the trailer. Just like in the award winning novel, the series will be told from the point of view of Onion (Joshua Caleb Johnson). You will also spot Daveed Diggs (of Hamilton fame) as abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass. The seven part miniseries will premier August 9th on Showtime. 

Four African American Vietnam veterans return to Vietnam. They are in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader and the promise of buried treasure. Cast Chadwick Boseman Delroy Lindo  Clarke Peters   Jonathan Majors Isiah Whitlock Jr. Norm Lewis  Giancarlo Esposito Crew Director: Spike Lee Music composed by: Terence Blanchard Screenplay: Spike Lee, Kevin Willmott, Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo Producers: Spike Lee, Lloyd Levin Netflix will release the film globally on Friday June 12th.

Here is the newest teaser trailer for the upcoming HBO series. Lovecraft Country. "HBO’s new drama series, based on the 2016 novel by Matt Ruff of the same name, debuts this August. The series follows Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) as he joins up with his friend Letitia (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and his Uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father (Michael Kenneth Williams). This begins a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback."  Lovecraft Country is executive produced by Misha Green (of Underground fame), J.J Abrams, Jordan Peele, Bill Carraro, Yann Demange, Daniel Sackheim and David Knoller. The first three names of the behind the camera creative team are enough to have me tuning in. The actors and actresses cast were equally compelling. Although horror isn't always my t

Today, we have unfortunately learned that celebrity hairstylist Charles Gregory Ross has passed away of Coronavirus. Hollywood heavy hitters like Tyler Perry, Viola Davis, Ava DuVernay and Lee Daniels wrote heartfelt messages to their friend and colleague.  View this post on Instagram I was fortunate to finally work with @charlesgregorytherenowned. He was a BRILLIANT hairstylist and did his MAGIC on @usvsbillieholiday ..Whenever l complained about anyone’s hair he’d say “lemme just slap some grease on it.. it’ll be ok”! 😂.. and it was!!! .. the virus took him today. Please say a prayer for this wonderful man and his family. 💔💔💔 A post shared by Lee Daniels (@leedaniels) on Apr 8, 2020 at 4:27pm PDT Charles Gregory Ross showed his amazing artistry on numerous films. So often the people behind the screen don't get the praise they deserve. They work that Ross did was crucial to the viewing experience. This is

A group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood try to make it big - no matter the cost. The series features Broadway darling Jeremy Pope, in his first television role. As well as BlacKkKlansman's Laura Harrier.  Laura Harrier as Camille Washington with Michelle Krusiec as Anna May Wong. Laura Harrier as Camille Washington with Darren Criss as Raymond Ansley. Jeremy Pope as Archie Coleman with Darren Criss as Raymond Ansley, David Corenswet as Jack Castello, and Jake Picking as Rock Hudson. Laura Harrier as Camille Washington with Samara Weaving as Claire Wood. Jeremy Pope as Archie Coleman with Darren Criss as Raymond Ansley. Laura Harrier as Camille Washington. Executive Producer, Writer and Director Janet Mock : “With the present so fraught and the future uncertain, we turned to the past for direction, uncovering buried history to spin an aspirational tale of what ifs. What if a band of outsiders were given a chance to tell t