Comedians Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears are being sued for allegedly grooming two children. A lawsuit filed against the two from a 22-year-old woman, Jane Doe claims they groomed the two siblings.
The filing alleges child sexual abuse when the 14-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy, were convinced into performing sexual acts for comedy skits that were video taped.
The John Doe in the suit also claims Spears and Haddish molested him while filming a “Funny or Die” video titled “Through a Pedophile’s Eyes.” In the sketch, Haddish allegedly played the boy’s mother and Spears portrayed a pedophile.
Haddish’s attorney says the lawsuit is nothing more than an extortion attempt, and that the plaintiffs have been trying to assert the claims for years.
According to the New York Post, the attorney for Spears, said the comedian “isn’t going to fall for any shakedown.”
Funny or Die said it immediately removed the video after it became aware of it. “We were not involved with the conceptualization, development, funding, or production of this video. The platform said they viewed the video “absolutely disgusting and would never produce such content,” according to TMZ.
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You know, this may be an intense spooky season. A.A. Milne’s iconic character Winnie the Pooh became public and is now in a slasher film. This edition of the bear is to not be confused with the loveable honey-guzzling bear of Disney.
On Wednesday (Aug. 31), the trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey were released, reimagining the children’s comic into a horror film where Pooh is strangling, slashing, and smashing a group of teens.
The film is about Pooh and Piglet on a rampage after being abandoned by Christopher Robin. Film director Rhys Waterfield told Variety said the two stars are going back to their animal roots after they have to fend for themselves after Robin goes to college.
Regina Hall has been quite active since we saw her co-hosting the 2022 Oscars. Her latest project is the comedy/satire Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul, (Sept. 2 on Peacock), which premieres in theaters this weekend. The 51-year-old comedian, plays Trinitie Childs, the first lady of a megachurch, who’s husband is Sterling K. Brown, who plays pastor Lee-Curtis Childs. Hall’s character supports her husband and the church as they rebrand after being involved in a scandal that upsets their congregation.
The famed actor and director who is known for her roles in Black Monday, Girls Trip, the Best Man and cult classic Scary Movie franchise recently partnered with CÎROC for #CIROCStands for Black Businesses at the 20th annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival. A mission that highlights effort and ongoing commitment to celebrate the powerful voices and people within the Black community that are depicting excellence and igniting change.
The DC native and Me Time (Aug. 26 on Netflix), cast member who also stars in the limited series, The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Dec. 22 on Peacock), spoke with Kim SoMajor of The Source and dished on her new partnership with #CIROCStands, having ownership in Hollywood, starting her production company Rh Negative and more.
What sparked you to take on your latest film project, “Honk for Jesus. Save YourSoul.”
I really enjoyed the script when I read it and then I met with Adamma and Adanne and although they were young, I had seen their short film and knew they had a vision for what they had in mind. I hadn’t worked with Sterling before so when he joined, I was excited to work with him and couldn’t imagine creating these characters with anyone else.
What’s your role and intention set to accomplish with your partnership with CÎROC?
As a Black woman, I of course support female, Black owned businesses which is part of why I appreciate what #CIROCStands is accomplishing for the community. It’s that shared mission that drew me to them. Being at Martha’s Vineyard and being on a panel with such amazing women was truly inspiring. There’s such a rich history and roots in the culture there and I loved celebrating that!
How does the association align with everything that you’re doing as a businesswoman?
Like #CIROCStands, I believe it’s important to highlight people of different backgrounds. There are smart, talented people from varied pasts and to find them and give them a space to create and tell really good stories is part of why I was inspired to start producing.
As a business owner, starting Rh Negative production company- What has been adefinitive moment for you that reaffirmed that you made the right move in launching?
Producing is a process that involves many people and I love the sense of collaboration involved in developing a project from beginning to end. It brings me joy every time I’m able to facilitate the success of a project and enable other people’s dreams coming true.
With your production company, you are providing an opportunity for many creatives.How important is it for black women to have ownership in Hollywood or entertainment ingeneral?
We live in a diverse world and it’s important that diversity be seen on screen, which means it must exist behind the scenes. Everyone has different life experiences, and that varied history creates well-informed decisions that positively influence each project and inherently the industry as a whole.
How did you know that was the next move for you?
I’ve wanted to produce for several years. I felt like I had worked and gotten to a place where I had enough knowledge to be able to produce. It wasn’t an overnight thing, despite what people think, it took years, hard work, and a will for it to happen.
Can you share 5 tips on balancing asuccessful entrepreneurial lifestyle and home life of wellness?
More of a balance is always the goal, although it’s not always easy. I would say what helps me is good friends, an incredible team, fun, rest, and a quiet place where my imagination can roam.
What’s in store for you in the last quarter of 2022?
We’re of course excited for Honk for Jesus to be released and then we have TheBest Man coming out just in time for the holidays! Then a few other things that are soon to be announced. I work with two organizations called Scleroderma Research Foundation and Solutions Project and hope to partner with them on a few things too.
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Jordan Peele is teasing a sequel of his sci-fi film Nope.
According to IMDb, Michael Busch plays the uncredited character “Nobody” in the Jordan Peele summer blockbuster. Fans took notice that “Nobody” was shown in the movie’s first official trailer but did not make the final cut.
The writer-director was clearing up theories with the New York Times, and Peele said he’s not over telling “all of these stories” and fans are doing a lot of “interesting detective work” from things he’s read online.
He added, “The story of that character has yet to be told, I can tell you that. Which is another frustrating way of saying, I’m glad people are paying attention.”
Bassett Vance Productions, owned by Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance, and MTV Entertainment Studios announced a renewal of their overall deal. This collaboration is the outcome of Paramount’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative, a global initiative to enhance content development for a new generation of BIPOC and female leaders in front of and behind the camera.
“Angela and Courtney have masterfully brought to the forefront events from our history in order to tell exhilarating and dramatic stories that resonate with global audiences,” said Nina L. Diaz, President of Content and Chief Creative Officer, Paramount Media Networks & MTV Entertainment Studios. “It’s a privilege to continue our fruitful creative relationship and shared commitment to amplify diverse creators and new voices.”
Bassett Vance Productions is currently filming Heist 88, the first feature from the overall agreement. One Thousand Years of Slavery on the Smithsonian Channel and a limited series on the Tulsa Race Massacre, both expected for release in 2023, are previously announced projects from the collaboration between MTV Entertainment Studios and Bassett Vance Productions.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with MTV Entertainment Studios,” said Bassett Vance Productions Head of Development, Lynnette Ramirez. “We are looking forward to developing more films together beyond our current active slate, which includes the drama Heist 88 and the shared vision for our upcoming four-part event series based on The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.”
Heist 88, which is currently filming in Chicago, reunites two-time Emmy® Award-winning actor Vance with Bentley Green and Keesha Sharp, who most recently appeared with Vance in AMC’s 61st Street. Keesha Sharp played “Dale Cochran” in the acclaimed limited series The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Heist 88 is an amazing account of one of the biggest bank robberies to take place in the history of the United States, inspired by actual events.
In the film, criminal mastermind Jeremy Horne (Vance), who has a natural capacity to persuade people to do nearly anything, intends to complete one final operation before being sent to prison. In an audacious and daring attack on the US banking system, he enlists four young bank employees to steal about $80 million. The events of Heist 88 occurred before widespread computerization and the sophisticated cybersecurity of the present.
“I have always been drawn to characters that are multi-layered, regardless of whether they’re a savior or a villain. This character is inspired by a man who was able to convince a small group of young people who were at the lowest rungs of their bank to join him in committing one of the biggest crimes against the US banking system in this country’s history,” says Vance. “At its core, it’s an unapologetically compelling story, which will be told through the lens of a powerful cast, that when the American Dream is not accessible to everyone, decisions are often made based on those inequities. I anticipate that Heist 88 will be a must-watch, particularly in light of the fascination with and popularity of true crime stories on today’s streaming and network TV landscape.”
Heist 88 will also star Keith David, Xavier Clyde, Nican Robinson, and Precious Way.
After 45 years, the most lauded, respected horror franchise in cinematic history comes to a harrowing, epic climax as Laurie Strode battles Michael Myers, the personification of evil, one last time in an intense showdown never before seen on film. One of them will make it.
Icon For the last time, Jamie Lee Curtis will reprise her role as Laurie Strode, the first “final girl” of horror and the one that made her famous. Laurie has been portrayed by Curtis for more than 40 years, making them one of the most enduring actor-character combinations in movie history. Halloween broke box office records when the franchise was rebooted in 2018, becoming the series’ highest-grossing installment and setting a new mark for the largest opening weekend for a horror movie starring a woman.
The film’s logline reads:
Four years after the events of last year’s Halloween Kills, Laurie is living with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and is finishing writing her memoir. Michael Myers hasn’t been seen since. Laurie, after allowing the specter of Michael to determine and drive her reality for decades, has decided to liberate herself from fear and rage and embrace life. But when a young man, Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell; The Hardy Boys, Virgin River), is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she can’t control, once and for all.
Halloween Ends co-stars returning cast Will Patton as Officer Frank Hawkins, Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace and James Jude Courtney as The Shape.
Actor and entertainer Jamie Foxx is speaking out on an 6-year-old unreleased comedy flick that is now scrapped. Foxx says it’ll be hard to release his shelved comedy film that stars Robert Downey Jr. as a Mexican man.
According to CinemaBlend, Foxx said his directorial effort All-Star Weekend would be a tough sell due to the current state of comedy. “Man, it’s been tough, with the lay of the land when it comes to comedy, man. We’re trying to break open those sensitive corners where people go back to laughing again.”
The film stars Foxx and Jeremy Piven as two best friends who win tickets to the NBA All-Star Game and follows the characters as they road trip to Los Angeles to attend the game.
Robert Downey Jr. plays a Mexican man, which Foxx fears wouldn’t go over well with audiences. The unreleased movie also stars Benicio del Toro, Gerard Butler and Eva Longoria.
Anne Heche’s Los Angeles car crash is no longer being investigated by police. The late actress was severely injured after crashing her car into a home before it burst into flames. She was in a coma for several days before being declared legally brain dead in the state of California as doctors harvested her organs, before eventually passing away on August 14.
Police reportedly found traces of cocaine and fentanyl in her blood but have announced they’re suspending the investigation due to the turn of events. Heche’s death was ruled accidental from smoke inhalation and thermal injuries, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.
Heche got her start on the NBC soap opera Another World and she went on to star in films like Psycho and I Know What You Did Last Summer. She was also known as Ellen DeGeneres‘ girlfriend of 3 years in the late 1990’s. Their public relationship inspired the LGBTQ community but was subject to a lot of public scrutiny.
Heche’s family and representatives celebrated her life, remembering her as a mother and friend.
Apple Original Films has released the original trailer for Sidney, a documentary highlighting iconic actor, director, and diplomat Sidney Poitier. The documentary is produced by Oprah Winfrey.
The documentary, which was directed by Oscar-nominated director Reginald Hudlin, premieres on September 23 in theaters and on Apple TV+. The film is in honor of Poitier’s “legacy as an iconic actor, filmmaker, and activist at the center of Hollywood and the Civil Rights Movement.”
Oprah will appear in the documentary, along with some of the most iconic figures in Hollywood history, including Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Barbra Streisand, and Halle Berry.
Poitier died this past January at the age of 94. During his historic career, he starred in The Blackboard Jungle (1955), The Defiant Ones (1958), A Raisin in the Sun (1961), Lilies of the Field (1963), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), and more.
The gun actor Alec Baldwin was holding in the fatal shooting on the Rust movie set could not have been fired without pulling the trigger.
According to an FBI forensic analysis obtained by ABC News, testing of the gun, a .45 Colt revolver, shows it couldn’t have fired without the trigger being pulled.
Baldwin has said he didn’t pull the trigger on the New Mexico set of Rust when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in October. Director Joel Souza was also wounded.
Baldwin thought he was holding a “cold gun,” which is, one without live ammunition.
The New Mexico Medical Investigator’s Office has ruled that Baldwin’s fatal shooting of the cinematographer last year was an accident.
In its report released Monday, the medical investigator’s office said the shooting was accidental because there was no “obvious intent to cause harm or death.”
