Composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, has been revered as one of the most prolific black composers of all time, and now audiences all around the world can tune in to discover his story, as Disney’s Chevalier officially hits digital platforms.
On Thursday, June 15th, The Source had the pleasure of attending an exclusive, intimate film screening taking place at the Walt Disney Studios Lot in Los Angeles. The evening kicked off with a breathtaking performance by Drew (@thatviolakid), who showcased his violin skills while simultaneously setting the stage for the movie we were about to watch.
The story goes Joseph was an incredible fencer and violinist, born to a French plantation owner and an African slave. Growing up as a black man within the constructs of French society is no easy feat, and Chevalier does an incredible job of highlighting the reality of these hardships as he struggles with self-identity and abandonment — all thanks to the color of his skin.
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After receiving news of his father’s passing, Joseph finally reunited with his mother, who was freed as a slave when he was born. This was a common occurrence back then in the 17th and 18th centuries, where women of color hardly had any say when it came to interracial intercourse, oftentimes losing their newborns immediately upon birth.
Things take a left turn as Joseph eventually falls head over heels for Marie Antoinette, whose husband is a well-known tyrant. The love affair eventually leads to his downfall, as Joseph has to learn how to deal with the cards he’s dealt.
Attendees could view the 15-minute bonus feature, which showcased interviews with all the key players behind-the-scenes. Director Stephen Williams worked hand in hand with the actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. as they could tap into their own personal experiences to truly bring out the best in their respective roles.
All in all, the movie centers around the theme of escapism. For Joseph, that meant surviving in a society that wasn’t built for him, and discovering the importance of self-acceptance in this journey called life.
The bonus feature is called “Chevalier: Note By Note,” where viewers hear from filmmakers, cast, and crew about how they were able to bring the story of this hidden historical figure to life. View the first minute above and be sure to check out Chevalier on Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and all digital retailers.
The Little Mermaid, Disney’s Halle Bailey-led live-action remake of the 1989 animated classic, has been a huge success. At the time of writing, the film has made just under $418 million worldwide since its May 24 release. Despite underwhelming performances in East Asian markets, Disney has yet another smash hit on their hands. By comparison, the original film made $211 million. Currently, The Little Mermaid is the 76th highest grossing Disney film of all time. However, the poor Asian perfomance may prevent the film from crossing the billion-dollar mark. All of Disney’s other live action remakes, The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast, all made at least $1 Billion at the box office.
One response to this is rumors of more live-action remakes. Most recently, film outlets are reporting that Disney is moving forward with a live-action remake of Bambi. However, it appears that Disney is also eager to capitalize on the newfound appeal of its Little Mermaid IP. This means that fans are about to get a lot more of the reimagined character.
Little Mermaid Prequel Greenlit on Disney Junior
A new animated ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ spin-off series for preschoolers titled ‘ARIEL’ is coming to Disney Junior.
The series follows a young Ariel and features fan-favorite characters, including King Triton, Ursula, Sebastian and Flounder, as well as exciting new additions. pic.twitter.com/7tlGykr3s3
Multiple outlets have reported that Disney has greenlit Ariel, a new animated series that will serve as a prequel to The Little Mermaid. Aimed at a preschool audience and premiering on Disney Junior, Ariel will follow the eponymous mermaid princess during her early years. The show will reportedly include appearances from the likes of King Triton, Ursula, Flounder, and other fan-favorite characters.
The show is in the earliest stages of development and will be impacted by the ongoing WGA strike. Therefore, very few details are known about the project. However, due to the jump back in time, it’s unlikely that Halle Bailey will be returning to the project. It’s one of several projects that Disney has commissioned in line with the release of The Little Mermaid. A number of books depicting a Black Ariel have also been released. No release window for the show has been announced. Furthermore, as mentioned, unless work was already completed, the WGA strike will hold up development on this project. Follow all the latest entertainment news here at HotNewHipHop.
Politicians getting in on the success of sports teams within their state is nothing new. It’s free, easy, and positive press to ride the success of a hometown team, just as long as you can sell to fans that you actually care. This has led to some interesting situations in the past, when the trash talk has backfired. The Governor of Connecticut had to apologize to the Mayor of Houston after the former made comments about Houston during the Men’s Final Four.
The NBA Finals kick off on June 1, with the Western one-seed Denver Nuggets taking on the Eastern eight-seed Miami Heat. In terms of the political arena, that pits the increasingly progressive Colorado against the increasingly authoritarian Florida. One of the lynchpins of Florida’s “War on Woke” has been Governor Ron DeSantis’ ever-embarrassing war with Disney. Furthermore, it was the billion-dollar corporation that was central to the Governor of Colorado’s proposed Finals wager.
Polis Wants Disney
Calling @GovRonDeSantis and @Disney on a friendly wager. If the @nuggets win the finals against the @MiamiHEAT, Disney World will move to Colorado, the ACTUAL happiest place on earth to do business, have fun, and be free! #ColoradoForAll
In a tweet on May 30, Jared Polis, the Democrat Governor of Colorado, laid out his side of a wager with his Florida counterpart. “Calling @GovRonDeSantis and @Disney on a friendly wager. If the @nuggets win the finals against the @MiamiHEAT, Disney World will move to Colorado, the ACTUAL happiest place on earth to do business, have fun, and be free! #ColoradoForAll.” Governor DeSantis has not publicly responded to the tweet. In lieu of an official response, a lot of people on Twitter appear to think that this is a genuine and somehow legally binding offer, as opposed to a slightly cringy joke.
The Nuggets are currently the heavy favorites to win the NBA Finals. FanDuel reports odds of -460 (win $1 for every $4.60 bet) for the Nuggets and +350 (win $3.50 for every $1 bet) for the Heat. Typically, state-level politicians force their opposite number to send a state dish and a picture of them in the other team’s jersey. However, DeSantis’ hatred for Disney is almost unprecedented so maybe this silly wager isn’t so jokey after all. Despite this, as mentioned, DeSantis has not publicly responded to Polis’ tweet. The NBA Finals start June 1 in Denver. Furthermore, follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.
The Little Mermaid is certainly not a flop for Disney. The opening weekend of the film was anticipated to generate a domestic box office revenue ranging from $120 million to $130 million. The movie premiered in the United States last week and features Halle Bailey as the titular character. It was expected to achieve Disney’s fourth highest-grossing opening weekend. That would have left it trailing behind Top Gun: Maverick, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In the end, The Little Mermaid film pulled in around $117 million domestically. That makes it one of the most successful Memorial Day weekend releases of all time.
Back in 2019, Disney made an initial announcement regarding the selection of Halle Bailey for the lead role in their live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Unfortunately, the decision to cast a black woman sparked a wave of controversy. Halle’s community understandably celebrated the success of the talented 23-year-old actress. However, racists seized the opportunity to express their objections on social media, opposing the call for diversity. Yara Shadidi also faced a similar backlash when she secured the role of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan & Wendy. Nonetheless, both young actresses have admirably silenced their critics through their exceptional performances, showcasing their skills and talent.
Users Say “The Little Mermaid” Screening Video Only Hurts The Cause
In the video above, someone who attended a screening of The Little Mermaid had their viewing experience interrupted. A fight broke out in the middle of the film. It’s unclear what the altercation was about. One woman can be heard yelling at another saying that she asked her to politely stop doing something. What the other viewer was doing was not revealed in the video. Many took to the comments on the post by The Shade Room. According to them, the outlet should not have posted the video. In their eyes, it takes away from the triumph of the film.
In a recent interview with Glamour, Halle opened up about seeing videos of young black girls reacting to her as Ariel. “When I saw those for the first time, I just cried,” she told the magazine. “I was sobbing uncontrollably. The fact that these babies are looking at me and feeling the emotions that they’re feeling is a really humbling, beautiful thing.” The actress will no doubt continue to inspire more children for generations to come. Hopefully, situations like the one in the video above will not mar the success of the adaptation. What do you think of the video? Sound off in the comments below!
If the Muppets are the Beatles, then Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem are Wings. Don’t think about this too hard. Just accept it, because vocalist Dr. Teeth, drummer Animal, guitarist Janice, bassist Floyd Pepper, guitarist Janice, trumpeter Lips, and saxophonist Zoot have made it to the Billboard charts. And it only took nearly 50 years!
The Muppets Mayhem: Music From the Disney+ Original Series, a companion album to Disney+’s Muppets Mayhem, debuted at #13 on the Kid Albums chart. “The 22-track set includes 17 songs credited to Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, plus five scores by Mick Giacchino,” according to Billboard. “While some songs are original compositions for the series, others are covers of classics by The Beach Boys, Cyndi Lauper, Simon & Garfunkel, and more.”
Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem isn’t the first Muppets-related project to reach the charts — “Rubber Duckie” peaked at #16 on the Hot 100, while “Rainbow Connection” reached a high of #25 — but I’ll take Animal drumming to Kiss over Ernie singing about his dang bath toy any day of the week. Put down the duckie, indeed.
Other albums currently in the Kids Albums top 20 include Bluey: Dance Mode!; the soundtracks for Encanto, The Lion King, and Moana; and A Charlie Brown Christmas, despite it being, y’know, May.
The Disney channel run in the 2000s produced some of the most renowned series beloved by young audiences. From Hannah Montana to Lizzie McGuire and Phil Of The Future, these iconic TV shows have withstood the test of time. However, That’s So Raven starring Raven-Symoné remains a stand-out from Disney’s golden era. Joined by Anneliese Louise van der Pol and Orlando Brown as her two best friends Chelsea and Eddie, That’s So Raven followed the story of a psychic teenager trying to keep her supernatural powers a secret with the help of her pals.
In 2007, Orlando Brown severed ties with Disney to focus on a music career. Fans already caught a glimpse of his skills on the mic during the series. The prospects for the talented performer were unfathomably promising. His tracks even made an appearance in the 2003 teen drama Thirteen starring Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed. Unfortunately, news of Orlando’s questionable activities have recently been plaguing headlines. This begs the question, what happened to Orlando Brown?
Orlando Brown’s First Publicized Arrest
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Despite his bright future in the entertainment industry, the public’s attention was soon diverted to Brown’s multiple legal issues. In 2016, he was arrested for domestic violence, obstruction of justice and drug possession with intent to sell. According to police, Brown got into a heater confrontation with his ex-girlfriend in a parking lot that resulted in a physical altercation. Once they arrived on the scene, police discovered that he was in possession of methamphetamine. This was followed by another incident of alleged domestic disturbance between Brown, his ex, and her mother. Although charges were made, he failed to appear in court both times.
Eventually, Brown was taken into custody and released but again, failed to show up at court for his hearing. As he evaded law enforcement, bounty hunters relentlessly sought his capture until they found him hiding in a closet at a Las Vegas residence in March. Finally brought before the court, it was clear that this was not the turn Brown’s promising career path had taken.
Orlando Brown’s Further Altercation With The Law
(Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for The Zeus Network)
In June 2016, authorities apprehended Brown after they observed him emerging from a hotel known for prostitution and drug trafficking. After stopping his cab, he was found with methamphetamine and paraphernalia. Law enforcement authorities in Las Vegas took Brown into custody as a result of an outstanding warrant. He was charged with drug possession.
Other episodes of misconduct followed including an alleged attempt to burglarize a friend’s restaurant, while his tattoo of Symoné’s face on his neck raised eyebrows. Throughout this period, Brown sought treatment on two occasions, though both times he soon left rehab centers.
Orlando Brown’s Appearance on Dr. Phil
In 2018, Orlando Brown appeared on the Dr. Phil Show to face concerned family and friends who challenged his erratic behavior. He declared himself to be the son of Michael Jackson. Additionally, Brown insisted he had four children with the eldest being 16-18 years old. That would’ve meant that he was 13-15 when they were born. On top of that, he revealed he couldn’t even name two of the kids. These alarming admissions prompted the TV host to suggest the actor enter a specialized facility.
Road To Recovery
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
In 2020, Orlando Brown was resolute in his mission to stay on the straight and narrow. He entered a committed relationship with Danielle Brown, with whom he has a son named Frankie. “My name is Orlando Brown from That’s So Raven fame,” he shared. “I had had some struggles in the past… involving substances like crystal meth and marijuana, not to mention an unhealthy attachment to the internet.”
“I owe much of my success to Danielle for introducing me to such an encouraging place,” he continued. “The atmosphere here is one of genuine acceptance, camaraderie, important lessons, and spirituality. Everybody here is incredibly knowledgeable and devoted to their faith, truly astounding.”
Enrolling In A Residential Program
(Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)
After seeking the counsel of his fiancée, Danielle Brown, he enrolled in a free six-month residential program in Texas. Designed to help men battle addiction, homelessness, and other life-impacting issues, the initiative has already made a great impact on Orlando’s life. Uplifting images of a better future began surfacing online soon after his enrollment, including one that showed him testifying about his profound transformation.
Orlando Brown’s Recent Incarceration
(Photo by Arnold Turner/Getty Images for The Zeus Network)
On December 22nd, 2022, Brown was again arrested in Ohio. Brown was accused of engaging in a domestic violence altercation at the residence of Matthew Sanders. Brown allegedly threatened Sanders with a hammer and a broken-off knife blade prior to his arrest.
Per reports, Brown had been shouting accusations of sexual assault against Sanders’ wife. Previously, Brown and Sanders identified themselves as “blood brothers” and business partners. Sanders intends to take legal action against Brown, in order to facilitate positive change in the actor’s life.
Numerous arrests and legal troubles have plagued the life of the Disney child star over the years. Since 2016, Brown’s struggle with mental health, homelessness, and addiction has led to a substantial amount of legal issues. However, after a brief hiatus from the limelight, the renowned child star rejoined the small screen with Zeus Networks’ Bad Boys Texas. The series debuted on April 2023 and documented his emotional homecoming since his release from Allen County Jail.
Since the news of his arrest, Majors has seen multiple ties to Hollywood cut. First, he was dropped by his management agency and PR firm. Then, he was removed from consideration for several projects in pre-production. However, the one major link he had left was with Disney. Majors recently premiered as Kang, who is set to be a major villain in the MCU in the coming years. However, it appears that might not be the case for much longer.
So far, Majors has appeared in two MCU properties. He first appeared as He Who Remains in the Disney+ series Loki. He then transitioned into He Who Remains’ better-known alias, Kang, for Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. Furthermore, Majors is set to reprise the role in Loki Season 2, due out later this year. While Kang is not set to be a major presence in Phase Five of the MCU, he will be a central figure in Phase Six, which begins in 2024. However, Phase Five is serving as an introduction to the character.
However, Loki might be the last time that we see Majors in the role. According to alleged reports, Disney is preparing to re-cast the role ahead of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and other MCU projects that would require the character in some form. These rumors are largely unconfirmed and appear to point to a “worst-case scenario” for Disney. As we’ve seen, major studios have been unwilling to scrap or re-cast roles for an actor’s legal troubles. Marvel’s major rival DC is currently heavily promoting The Flash, despite reports that lead Ezra Miller was filming reshoots while actively on the run from the police. Any updates in Majors’ future in the MCU will be right here on HotNewHipHop.
When it was first announced that Disney had cast a Black woman, Halle Bailey, as the lead in their live-action The Little Mermaid remake, all hell broke loose. Of course, her community was happy to see the 23-year-old thriving. Unfortunately, racists couldn’t help but run their mouths on social media regarding the push for diversity. Yara Shadidi was met with a similar response when she earned the role of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan & Wendy. Nevertheless, both young actresses have since been shutting down critics with their work.
After months of waiting, Bailey’s first-ever film made its world premiere in Hollywood on Monday (May 8). It won’t be available to the general public until later this month, though a select group of celebrity friends such as Offset, Chlöe Bailey, and Kelly Rowland were all invited to the early screening. Other industry figures were in attendance as well, many of whom have already been sharing their thoughts regarding The Little Mermaid on Twitter.
Halle Bailey attends the world premiere of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” on May 08, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
“#TheLittleMermaid makes it pretty close to being the best live-action Disney movie,” one lucky earlier viewer shared with social media followers. “However, it still struggles in the villain department,” they admitted. “Halle Bailey IS Ariel and I had literal chills throughout her performance. This is a little mermaid retelling like you’ve never seen before.”
Elsewhere, Kelly Rowland also sang her young friend’s praises, writing, “‘The Little Mermaid’ is truly AN EPIC WATCH!!! The music in this movie!! FREAKINGGGGGGGWOWWWWW!! You laugh, you cry, you sing along!!” along with photos of her colourful outfit from the premiere. “I know I’m gonna be singing these songs for weeks to come!!!!!!” the Destiny’s Child alum declared.
Twitter Reacts to Disney’s Latest Live-Action Movie
Following the event, Halle Bailey shared beautiful photos of her designer dress, as well as some thoughts about her experience preparing for the premiere. “You guys, I’m so overwhelmed and overjoyed that this movie is almost here for you all to see,” she wrote on Monday afternoon. “This was the first premiere of the press run and I have been in tears and feeling oh so grateful,” the rising starlet further gushed. Keep scrolling to see more Twitter reactions, and let us know if you’ll be at the theatres on May 26th to catch the public debut of The Little Mermaid in the comments.
the little mermaid LA premiere.. we made it you guys, i’m so overwhelmed and overjoyed that this movie is almost here for you all to see. this was the first premiere of the press run and i have been in tears and feeling oh so grateful.. this is just a little peak of some… pic.twitter.com/QccFrJ9TyB
critics are saying the little mermaid is the best live action remake to date and halle is the heart of the film FUCK ALL OF Y’ALL THAT TRIED PRAYING ON MY SISTER’S DOWNFALL as expected every tongue that rises up against her shall fall#TheLittleMermaidpic.twitter.com/pfQc4Y5eat
#TheLittleMermaid makes it pretty close to being the best live action Disney movie, however it still struggles in the villain department. Halle Bailey IS Ariel and I had literal chills throughout her performance. This is a little mermaid retelling like you’ve never seen before. pic.twitter.com/JjtLOR61vL
the little mermaid (2023) getting nothing but mostly positive reviews from the critics. halle shutting down all those racists and proving them wrong. my sister is here to stay! that’s OUR ariel right there! pic.twitter.com/r9D45OnCsl
— khalia. | queen charlotte era (@VERONASFILMS) May 9, 2023
The battle between Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida and entertainment behemoth Disney is one of the stranger political stories of the year. DeSantis, a vocal anti-LGBTQ advocate, has taken offense in recent months to the perceived “liberal indoctrination” of children at the hands of Disney. This is a common right-wing talking point that claims Disney is “grooming” children by being accepting of LGBTQ individuals.
DeSantis first took aim at Disney by creating a governor-appointed board that would control the specially exempt land Disney’s Florida theme park sits on. Disney responded by nullifying that board’s power in an 11th-hour agreement with the outgoing board. DeSantis responded by introducing legislation that would stymie Disney, while also making comments he might build a prison next door. Well, now Disney is hitting back once again
Disney Sues DeSantis On First Amendment Grounds
BREAKING: Walt Disney World is suing DeSantis.
Lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. pic.twitter.com/1E16RgWl7k
Disney’s latest move is to straight-up sue DeSantis in federal court. In a filing to the District Court of the Northern District of Florida, Disney is suing the governor for a “targeted campaign of government retaliation—orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech.” Furthermore, Disney claims that they have been “forced to defend itself against a State weaponizing its power to inflict political punishment.” Disney’s suit also stated that it was suing because it had the resources to. “a stand smaller businesses and individuals might not be able to take when the State comes after them for expressing their own views. In America, the government cannot punish you for speaking your mind.”
So what does this all mean? In short, Disney is suing DeSantis over the First Amendment. The claim is that Disney is allowed to say what they want without fear of retribution from the government. That’s because “the government can’t punish me for criticizing the government” is literally the First Amendment. Since DeSantis is actively targeting Disney for its views, he is violating the First Amendment. The move is not great for DeSantis, who at one time looked like a 2024 Presidential frontrunner. But now he’s watching his hypothetical polling numbers crater while being labeled as the guy fighting Disney. DeSantis, who is currently in Japan, is yet to respond to the lawsuit.
Orlando Brown has said and done quite a few strange things in recent years. Many were concerned about his behavior and have been for years now. Then, late last year, he was arrested for “aggravated menacing.” He was said to be going through a mental evaluation after the arrest. This was not the first time Brown was arrested for reasons relating to violence. Back in 2018, the actor did an interview with Dr. Phil, where he admitted to substance abuse struggled. “A lot of drinking is what happened,” Brown said at the time. “I was drinking a lot. I just found myself in a dark place because I couldn’t really find everybody… From there, now I’m good.” Whether or not he really is good is anybody’s guess.
Orlando Brown is an actor, rapper, and singer that is most recognizable for his acting roles on kid-friendly sitcoms. Brown began his acting career in the late 1990s, with roles in television shows such as Family Matters and Moesha. However, he is perhaps best known for his role as Eddie Thomas on the Disney Channel sitcom That’s So Raven. Brown also pursued a career in music, releasing an album in 2006 titled Trade It All. In recent years, Brown has gained attention for his personal struggles, including legal issues and mental health challenges. Despite these challenges, he has continued to pursue his career, appearing in various projects, including the 2021 film Trafficked: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare.
Orlando Brown has made more concerning comments in a new red carpet interview. The actor was walking the carpet for the premiere of the Zeus Network show Bad Boys Texas. In a previously-released clip from the show, Brown made some claims about making noodles in the same toilet he peed in. That was disturbing enough, but the actor’s interview on the red carpet premiere of the show has also raised some red flags with many. It is worth noting that his publicist was standing very close behind him the entire time, looking a little more worried than any publicist ever should.
In the interview, Brown is asked about Disney reboots. He tells the interviewer he doesn’t care about the shows. Then, directly referencing the show he became famous for, That’s So Raven, Brown makes it clear that he and the titular star are on two separate paths. “Raven’s doing her sh*t. I love that sh*t,” he said. “I’m doing my sh*t. She loves that sh*t. We all loving our sh*t.” The interviewer then asks what Brown’s relationship with Jesus Christ was. He quickly replies, “I am Christ.” With that, the interview was over. What do you think of Orlando Brown’s new comments? Let us know in the comments!
you guys, i’m so overwhelmed and overjoyed that this movie is almost here for you all to see. this was the first premiere of the press run and i have been in tears and feeling oh so grateful.. this is just a little peak of some… 
(@MANJIROSHIRO) 
(@VERONASFILMS)