Chlöe and Halle Bailey are having a big year — both as a group and as individuals. We are just over a week away from Chlöe’s solo debut album, In Pieces, and in May, we will see Halle take the big screen in Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
While we are excited to see what the sisters bring to us individually, fans wonder what their future as a duo entails.
While promoting her new campaign with Zyrtec (per PopSugar), Halle revealed that she and Chlöe are excited about this new era in each of their lives. But she also made it known that fans haven’t seen the last of them as Chloe x Halle.
“This journey has been a really beautiful one,” said Halle. “My sister and I are so close, she’s like my arm. […] And she’s my biggest supporter. I’m her biggest supporter. We’re just really excited to be able to be doing all of this together and for this all to be happening. I’m so proud of her. And her album comes out March 31, In Pieces, and everyone should be so hyped for it. But people should definitely know that we are not finished making music together.”
In Pieces is out 3/24 via Columbia and Parkwood. Find more information here.
Could Ari Lennox move from Dreamville’s First Lady to a Disney princess? She’s hoping so, and Lennox is publicly auditioning, kind of, for a crown. The R&B maven is both beloved as a songbird and a pop culture personality, and recently, she used social media to gain the attention of Disney’s head honchos. Ari shared a video to Instagram of her in the studio delivering her rendition of Anika Noni Rose’s “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog. The film marked Disney’s first Black princess in history, and there have also been conversations about a potential live-action remake.
“Hi @Disney I’m Ari Lennox,” the singer also wrote in the caption of her clip. “And I would love an opportunity to audition for Princess and The Frog in person. Here’s #AlmostThere By Anika Noni Rose.” It wasn’t only the Shea Butter Baby‘s fans who jumped in her comment section with praise and applause. Jessie Reyez, Taraji P. Henson, JoJo, Anthony Hamilton, Mack Wilds, and more also encouraged Disney to hire Ari ASAP. A live adaptation of The Princess and the Frog isn’t so far-fetched, as there have been rumors that it is developing.
Disney has tackled its longstanding feature catalog by revisiting its blockbusters for a new generation. The Lion King, Cinderella, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, and several of their other favorites have been revamped. Additionally, we’ll finally receive The Little Mermaid, starring hitmaking singer Halle Bailey in just a few months. This film has been years in the making, and Bailey is excited the world will see what she’s dedicated her life to.
The arrival of The Little Mermaid has been plagued with controversy from Disney purists. They weren’t happy to see a Black woman as the lead character of Ariel. he internet became a hateful place of bigoted rhetoric when the trailers were released. It’s negativity that Halle has taken in stride, as she told Edition by Modern Luxury in this week’s feature. “Seeing the world’s reaction to it was definitely a shock,” she told the publication. She also added, “But seeing all the babies’ reactions, all the brown and Black young girls, really tore me up emotionally.”
We’re unsure where Disney stands with their rumored remake of The Princess and the Frog. However, it’s clear that Ari Lennox fans want her to star. Do you think that’s a good choice? If not, who would you see portraying Tiana? Watch Ari Lennox belt out a Disney favorite above. Also, check out a trailer for The Little Mermaid.
Things are shaking up on the set of Jamie Foxx’s new film. There have been murmurs of discontent involving Back in Action, Foxx’s latest feature co-starring Cameron Diaz. Close attention is being paid to the movie, notably because it marks Diaz’s return to acting following an eight-year hiatus. This week, Daily Mail reported they spoke with “sources” who claimed Diaz was ready to leave Hollywood for good once again following Foxx having a meltdown on set. A follow-up report said that the fury stemmed from an alleged scammer lurking in production.
The Sun reported Back in Action is currently in London, facing delays due to bad weather. While the nature of the scam is unclear, it was said to have been “elaborate,” as an employee attempted to steal upwards of $40,000 from Foxx. “One staffer has been sacked, and there are investigations after someone tried to get access to £33,000 in cash from Jamie Foxx,” a source claimed. “It sounds as though they tried to offer up a Rolex watch as part of the deal, but now there’s an investigation into everything going on.”
Jamie Foxx Had Enough
Additionally, it’s speculated that the employee in question may have pulled off similar scams with other wealthy celebrities. Their involvement in the production is unknown, and the person’s name hasn’t been shared publicly. It is also unclear if formal charges have been filed or if Foxx or Netflix will take legal action. “This film has been a bit of a nightmare,” the source further shared. Despite the controversy, Foxx, Diaz, and Netflix have not issued formal statements.
Meanwhile, in September 2022, Diaz visited The Tonight Show and told Jimmy Fallon she was “nervous and excited.” It was reported that Foxx even recruited the help of Tom Brady to help drag Diaz out of retirement. “You know, it’s a little bit of muscle memory, you know what I mean?” the actress said. “Sort like, I did that for so long, it’s kind of like the process, I kind of just fell back into it. But, it kind of feels a bit different.” Watch Cameron Diaz discuss her return to Hollywood above.
We’re unsure if you’ve projected plans for Christmas season 2024, but Jordan Peele is mapping out a takeover. The comedy giant-turned-horror filmmaker’s movies have been one blockbuster after another. His career is a case study in successful crossover appeal, and fans worldwide have been amazed by his productions. According to Variety, Peele is readying a new film to bulk up his growing résumé of titillating thrillers.
It seems that Universal Pictures slyly released minimal information about Peele’s next hit. The director has a habit of being enigmatic when teasing his releases. While others opt to share information about the cast and production credits far out to gain buzz about a project, Peele does the complete opposite. He doesn’t tell much of anything about his films until their rollout press season, and he’s done just that with his Holiday 2024 feature. Universal Pictures helped release Peele’s Get Out, Us, and last year’s Nope, and they’ve added Untitled Fourth Film Directed by Jordan Peele. It’s slated to hit theaters on December 25.
Jordan Peele Box Office Battle
Christmas Day has been a coveted release date for the movie industry for generations. Massive Hollywood productions often fight it out to see who with reign, and it’s already shaping up to be a battle at the box office. On December 24, 2024, Variety reported that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and James Cameron’s Avatar 3 are both set to premiere. As if that wasn’t enough, Wicked was also set for release that weekend. However, the film adaptation of the famed musical will arrive on Thanksgiving next year.
Additionally, that may not be the only Peele-affiliate feature of 2024. His production company, Monkeypaw, has another film that’s said to hit theaters or streaming services on September 27, 2024. Like his other productions, nothing has been shared about the feature. Yet, fans believe Peele will stick to his horror-thriller-science fiction appeal and continue moving through those genres. He jumped into a new space in 2017 when he released his acclaimed Get Out, starring Daniel Kaluuya. The film placed him on the map of formidable filmmaking contenders, earning four nods from the Academy Awards. Us arrived two years later with Winston Duke and Lupita Nyong’o, and more recently, Nope with Kaluuya and Keke Palmer stormed the box office. Are you excited about Peele’s next film?
The studios hoped this would be another superhero win, but Shazam underperformed at the box office opening weekend. Shazam: Fury of the Gods was an anticipated release from Warner Bros. and DC Comics, and it was clear the film was slated for blockbuster appeal. The newest Shazam‘s budget was $110 million, with a reported additional $100 million spent on marketing. However, it only pulled in just over $30 million at the box office. Many critics are pointing the finger at Dwayne Johnson.
Johnson starred as Black Adam in his separate film, and following that release, the former wrestling star seemed uninterested in jumping back into the superhero arena. He refused to reprise Black Adam for Shazam, a move that left many fans irked. Additionally, Black Adam and Shazam share similarities that are hard to dismiss, and some believe that it would have been a good look. Shazam‘s director David F. Sandberg took to Twitter to share a few thoughts, and he, too, is washing his hands of the superhero circuit.
“Shazam” Director Is Stressed By Superhero Conversations
“On Rotten Tomatoes I just got my lowest critic score and my highest audience score on the same film ,” he wrote.” I wasn’t expecting a repeat of the first movie critically but I was still a little surprised because I think it’s a good film. Oh well. As I’ve been saying for a while now I’m very eager to go back to horror (as well as trying some new things). After six years of Shazam I’m definitely done with superheroes for now.”
“Just to be clear, I don’t regret even for a second making the Shazam movies,” he added. “I’ve learned so much and gotten to work with some truly amazing people. Will forever be grateful that I got to direct two of these! They’ve been very challenging but valuable experiences. One thing I’ve really been looking forward to is disconnecting from the superhero discourse online. A lot of that stresses me out so much and it will be nice not having to think about that anymore.”
Dwayne Johnson Gets Blamed
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 14: Lucy Liu and Zachary Levi attend the Los Angeles Premiere Of Warner Bros.’ “Shazam! Fury Of The Gods” held at Regency Village Theatre on March 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
Conversations regarding whether or not Shazam would have pulled in more significant numbers if Johnson was attached thrive. The film wasn’t without heavy hitters: Zachary Levi, Lucy Liu, Meagan Good, Adam Brody, Asher Angel, Rachel Zegler, and more starred in the flick. Some have called Johnson selfish for his decision, while others empathized due to the criticism over Black Adam.
However, others have noted that Shazam isn’t an intimate fixture in the universe. While the studios want to press forward with the character in future films, they must rope in the storyline to make sense to their core audience. Did you see Shazam: Fury of the Gods? Check out the trailer above.
Halle Bailey is undoubtedly about to make big waves in 2023! @HalleBailey will not only be starring in The Little Mermaid but will play young Nettie in the upcoming film version of The Color Purple
In the accompanying cover story, Bailey explained how 2023’s The Little Mermaid left behind the original version’s shades of sexism: “I’m really excited for my version of the film because we’ve definitely changed that perspective of just her wanting to leave the ocean for a boy. It’s way bigger than that. It’s about herself, her purpose, her freedom, her life, and what she wants.”
She continued, “As women, we are amazing, we are independent, we are modern, we are everything and above. And I’m glad that Disney is updating some of those themes.”
Bailey has transparently talked about the horrifically racist backlash she’s been subjected to since her casting in 2019. She did so again with Edition: “Seeing the world’s reaction to it was definitely a shock, but seeing all the babies’ reactions, all the brown and Black young girls, really tore me up emotionally. … It’s honestly been such a crazy ride, and I genuinely feel shocked and honored and grateful to be in this position. A lot of times, I have to pinch myself and be like, is this real life?”
And Bailey couldn’t talk about her involvement in The Color Purple without loving on her sister, Chlöe (who is at the tip of the internet’s tongue with the release of Swarmand her impending release of her debut solo album, In Pieces).
“My sister Chlöe, she’s my angel, she’s my world. She’s my hero, my big sister, she’s my inspiration,” she said. “So taking on this role, I was really excited to do it because I got to play the little sister and build off this relationship of two people loving each other.”
The Little Mermaidis out in theaters on May 26. Watch the official trailer below.
No one loves the Green Goblin more than Willem Dafoe. In an interview with Inverse, he went on record stating that he would be down to star as the beloved villain for a third time. The actor was mostly speaking with the outlet to promote the new thriller film he is starring in. Titled Inside, his newest project centers around an art thief who becomes trapped inside a penthouse. Of course, the topic eventually landed on his time on the Spider-Man set.
2002 is the first time that Dafoe brought the character to life for superhero movie lovers. Apart from showing his acting chops, the role sparked an ongoing meme trend that is still relevant (and hilarious) to this day. Almost 20 years later, the 67-year-old revised his role as the green menace in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Although less meme material was involved, fans were still thrilled to see their favorite bad guy back in action. Still, few were more thrilled than the performer himself.
Willem Dafoe Lives For The Complexity Of The Green Goblin
According to Dafoe, the Green Goblin – or Norman Osborne’s complexity is why he enjoys taking on the complicated character so much. There is a famous Jekyll-and-Hyde approach to the role that sparked the interest of fans and actors alike. When asked if he would be willing to reprise the role, the Wisconsin native answered, “If everything was right, sure. I mean that’s a great role. I like the fact that it’s a double role, both times.” While the possibility of a third on-screen appearance is unlikely, it’s not impossible. As fans know, the Marvel Universe leaves a lot of room for new stories and developments to brew.
Since his first rendition of the famous villain, Willem Dafoe has expanded his portfolio significantly. The films he’s starred in have varied in genre and tone, however, it’s apparent he has a knack for portraying evil and bizarre characters. Aside from the Green Goblin, one of his best-known performances takes place in The Lighthouse. His latest project, Inside, came out on March 17th, and audiences are already raving about his work. Stay tuned for more pop culture and movie news updates.
Michael B. Jordan has become well-known in the industry as both a director and actor, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still humble. The California native recently joined the R&B Money podcast to explain how life was during his time on The Wire. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn’t always the handsome movie star many know and love him as today. Jordan’s most prevalent memory of that time is how broke he was, despite starring in such an iconic show. People would recognize him in public, and yet his bank account was sitting at an unfortunate zero.
The 36-year-old states in his interview that he was booking multiple jobs in his early career. On several occasions, Jordan was told he was overqualified for the jobs he chose to apply to. “Me and Sterling applying to Jack in the Box. You know what I mean?” He bashfully expresses the embarrassment he felt from having to work in fast food despite his celebrity status. “And these n***as gonna know who I am. So it’s not like oh it’s just a random person. I was willing to take the L.”
Michael B. Jordan Applied To Several Fast Food Joints Before His Financial Success
Now, at 36 years old, Jordan leads a highly successful career. His rise to fame was as honest as could be, and an unfortunate reality for many stars. Although his role in The Wire was a pivotal moment in his career, he was unaware of the fact while searching desperately for his next gig. Still, the Marvel actor can look back on it and laugh as he has secured himself financially. Now, fast food workers are able to recognize him in some of the hottest films hitting theaters recently.
Black Panther, the Creed series, and Without Remorse are just a few of the titles that have landed the Hollywood heartthrob at his current level. Biting the bullet paid off for him in the long run, and his situation goes to show what can happen when an artist chooses humility over pride. Now his old coworkers get to tell everyone they know that they once worked with Michael B. Jordan. Stay tuned for any updates on his upcoming projects and your other favourite celebs.
Jamie Foxx was born Eric Marlon Bishop in December 1967. He is a comedian, actor, and singer. He started his entertainment career in 1989 as a standup comedian. His film debut came in 1992 with a supporting role in the comedy movie Toys. Jamie has appeared in both big-budget and independent films. Additionally, he occasionally appears as himself in television programs. Jamie’s ability to impeccably and successfully conquer comedy, movie, and music genres makes him one the most versatile entertainer in Hollywood. He has played many characters on the big screen, but there are some that have undoubtedly put him in the greatest-of-all-time status. These are his most memorable acting performances.
Ray Charles – Ray (2004)
Ray is a biographical drama film that highlights the life of the legendary musician Ray Charles. The movie premiered in October 2004 and went on to achieve critical acclaim and commercial success in its theatrical run. Ray reportedly grossed over $120 million from a $40 million budget. The success of the film was largely due to the outstanding performance by Jamie Foxx in his portrayal of the soul singer.
The film closely follows Ray Charles’ life starting from a young age, and the major moments that shaped his career. For example, we see that Ray Charles started playing the piano at a young age. He also had to deal with unscrupulous club owners who tried to exploit him and his fight with heroin addiction. Ray also highlight’s the musician’s private life by showcasing tension with his family and his infidelities.
Jamie Foxx’s outstanding performance as the lead role in the film earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics’ Choice, entering a prestige league of actors who have won all five major lead actor awards for the same performance.
Max Durocher – Collateral (2004)
Foxx portrays a taxi driver who is unknowingly caught up in a crime web in the thriller Collateral. Actor Tom Cruise plays the lead. The film might have been slightly overshadowed by the brilliant Ray movie that was also on its theatrical run that year but was still a box office juggernaut grossing over $220 million worldwide. The brilliance of the film was the chemistry between Foxx and Cruise. This was yet another incredible performance by Jamie Foxx in 2004. Collateral largely received positive reviews when it premiered. It has an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71/100 score on Metacritic. Jamie Foxx was nominated for best-supporting actor at the Academy Award and the British Academy Film Awards.
Django Freeman – Django Unchained (2012)
Foxx taking the lead role in the Quentin Tarantino-directed Western film is perhaps his most popular in his recent filmography. The movie grossed over $400 million at the worldwide box office making it the most successful project helmed by Tarantino. Django Unchained was heavily criticized for its graphic portrayal of slavery and the derogative use of the word ‘nigger’ despite the success.
Django Freeman (Jamie Foxx) is looking to reunite with his wife after they separated because he has sold off. A German bounty hunter buys the slave as the movie progresses. Django helps the bounty hunter in his conquests and in turn, he promises to help the slave get his wife back. Jamie’s portrayal of Django was sharp and witty. The supporting cast that included Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, and Kerry Washington provided the gravitas that pushed the plot forward. Christoph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards for his role. For his screenplay, Tarantino won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA for the movie.
Walter McMillan – Just Mercy (2009)
This is perhaps Jamie Foxx’s best performance since Ray, albeit in a supporting role. Just Mercy is a 2009 biographical drama starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. The movie is based on Bryan Stevenson’s (played by Michael B. Jordan) memoir where he explores his life’s work of being a defense lawyer for African American prisoners.
The film follows one of the cases involving Walter McMillian. Walter (played by Foxx) was wrongfully convicted of murder. The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. Foxx was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards. Michael and Foxx both won the NAACP Image Awards for their respective roles in the movie.
Stan Tookie Williams – Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story (2004)
This film was based on true events and follows the life of the founding Crip gang member, Stan Tookie Williams. Jamie Foxx had a conflicting schedule when production of the film began as he had also signed up to work on the movie, Collateral. He, however, finished making the film saying that his portrayal of Stan was an opportunity to inspire the black communities in the inner cities.
Jamie Foxx frequently visited Stan who was in prison during the shooting of the film. The movie follows Stan’s life as a gang leader in the streets of Los Angeles and his time behind bars. The film also highlights the work that Stan did in an effort to decrease gangs and gang violence in the streets of Los Angeles. Stan was executed in 2005 via lethal injection.
Willie ‘Steamin’ Beamen – Any Given Sunday (1999)
Yet another stellar supporting role performance by Foxx. Any Given Sunday is widely regarded as one of the best sports movies of all time. Jamie Foxx stars alongside Al Pacino, Dennis Quid, and Cameron Diaz. The film is loosely based on a 1984 novel of the same name by former NFL player Pat Toomay.
Foxx plays Willie, who believes that racism in the NFL affects his career. He is given a chance to prove himself and surprisingly becomes a successful quarterback. He, however, creates unnecessary tension within the team by disregarding the coach during plays. Willie is also heavily criticized by some of his teammates for not showing leadership skills on the pitch. The quarterback is eventually demoted to the bench, but we later see him being inspired to change his character as the movie progresses. As much as this is a supporting role, Jamie Foxx’s character plays an important role in the movie by constantly pushing the plot forward.
Voice of Joseph “Joe” Gardner – Soul (2020)
The Pixar animated film follows pianist Joe Gardner in New York City. He finds himself as a disembodied soul seemingly floating to the afterlife after he accidentally falls into a manhole. The movie features his initial pursuit of trying to escape the afterlife. He then meets Tina Fay’s character, 22 and their adventure finds them learning more about themselves.
The movie premiered in October 2020, but Soul was released in December on Disney+. Disney scrapped its North American theatrical release due to the COVID pandemic. The critical response to the movie was largely positive. The movie has an aggregated approval rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. It scored 83/100 on Metacritic.
James ‘Jamie’ Percy King – The Jamie Foxx Show (1996 -2001)
Jamie Foxx’s acting career is widely regarded to have taken off on the Sitcom. It lasted five seasons between 1996 and 2001. The show had relative success because it aired on the then-little-known WB channel. The plot sees Jamie King, an aspiring musician moving to Los Angeles to follow his entertainment dreams. King financially supports himself by working at his family’s hotel owned by his aunt and uncle (played by Ellia English and Garrett Morris).
The show also dives into King’s love life. Jamie King meets his love interest Francesca ‘Fancy’ Monroe (Garcelle Beauvais) while working at the family hotel. His romantic overtures toward Fancy are mostly unreciprocated until the final two seasons. The two eventually date and get married in the final episodes of the show. The wittiness and silliness of King’s character have defined how Jamie Foxx has approached his comedy career.
Dean “Motherfucker” Jones – Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)
Jamie’s appearance on the second installment of the off-beat crime comedy adds a fresh comic perspective to the film. His supporting role deliberately goes off-script from the conventional portrayal of black criminals. The first and second Horrible Bosses films have a common theme; a group of friends trying to seek revenge on their ‘horrible bosses’. Nick, Dale, and Kurt (played by Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis respectively) hire Dean to help them kidnap an investor who tried to swindle them out of their invention and leave them in debt. Foxx proved to be the right choice for the role as he delivers comedy gold in almost every scene he appears. The movie’s disappointing box office numbers did not take away from Foxx’s performance.
2019 was clearly a different world for many reasons, but also for the fact that Shazam! felt like such a free-wheeling revelation that it landed on our list of favorite comic-book movies from the past decade. Fast forward to the DC Universe being in a very different place with James Gunn taking over (in more ways than one) as the production house’s new chief. And so, Shazam! Fury of the Gods sits in an odd place where it’s good enough as a placeholder, but it’s not blowing over critics by any stretch of the imagination.
That reality probably makes red carpets awkward, too, but Rachel Zegler (who plays one of Atlas’ daughters, Anthea) doesn’t seem phased. In fact, she was super blunt with The Hollywood Reporter about why she took this gig: “I…. needed a job. I’m being so serious.” She wasn’t done yet after the conclusion of this soundbite.
“The reality is we’re in the middle of a pandemic,” Zegler continued. “[A]nd I was not working and I couldn’t get a job for the life of me, because West Side Story hadn’t come out yet. It was really hard to book work for me.”
That sound bite appeared within around a 2:00 minute interview that saw Zegler also discuss what it’s like to be a Taylor Swift fan. As everyone knows, Swift’s Eras tour kicks off this weekend, and Zegler would like the world to know, “I got screwed by Ticketmaster, too. Celebrities, they’re just like us.”
In other words, Ziegler’s got no dice and no tickets after the conglomerate went down during the crush of Swift ticket sales. She’s certainly not alone in her criticism of Ticketmaster, which came under fire this week from The Cure’s fans due to added fees that subsequently “sickened” lead singer Robert Smith. That’s led to Ticketmaster refunding some fees, but that’s probably not enough to quell the debate.
Nor is it enough to score Zegler any Taylor Swift tickets. However, she did clarify to The Hollywood Reporter that she is a Shazam! fan, too. “I loved the first movie, and the fact that they even wanted me to come in for a callback and then a camera read and then everything in between, I’m so lucky that I got this job,” she revealed. “I made some of my best friends on this job. I just absolutely adore this movie, too, so I’m excited.”
Here’s #AlmostThere By Anika Noni Rose.” It wasn’t only the 
,” he wrote.” I wasn’t expecting a repeat of the first movie critically but I was still a little surprised because I think it’s a good film. Oh well. As I’ve been saying for a while now I’m very eager to go back to horror (as well as trying some new things). After six years of Shazam I’m definitely done with superheroes for now.”
