Tag: Blair Underwood

Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker

Release Date:  3/20/20; Netflix – Limited Series
Genre:   Drama/Biography
Rating:  NR
Director(s):  Kasi Lemmons and DeMane Davis
Studio(s):  Netflix, SpringHill Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television

Story:  The four-part limited series Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker will debut on Netflix on March 20.  In the series, Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer stars as Sarah Breedlove, known as Madam C.J. Walker, the black hair care pioneer and mogul who overcame hostile turn-of-the-century America, epic rivalries, tumultuous marriages and family challenges to become America’s first black, female self-made millionaire.  The series is inspired by the book, On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker by Walker’s great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles. Walker overcame post-slavery racial and gender biases, personal betrayals, and business rivalries to build a ground-breaking brand that revolutionized black hair care, as she simultaneously fought for social change.

Self Made also stars Blair Underwood as her husband C.J. Walker, Tiffany Haddish as her daughter Lelia, Carmen Ejogo as Walker’s business rival Addie Munroe, Garrett Morris as Walker’s father-in-law, Kevin Carroll as her longtime lawyer Freeman Ransom and Bill Bellamy as Ransom’s cousin, Sweetness.  Source(s):  Deadline; Elle.com.

Trailer:

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Bad Hair

 

Release Date:   10/23/20; Hulu (Original Release: 1/23/20 – Sundance Film Festival)
Genre:   Comedy/Horror
Rating:  NR
Director:   Justin Simien
Studio(s):   Sight Unseen Pictures
Running Time:  115 mins.

Cast:  Elle Lorraine, Vanessa Williams, Jay Pharoah, Lena Waithe, Blair Underwood, Laverne Cox

Story:   Los Angeles, 1989. Anna Bludso (Elle Lorraine) is a scarred survivor of a scalp burn from a mild relaxer perm. She also has the smarts and ambition to be the next on-air star at Culture, a music video TV show. After years of struggling to be seen for her ideas and hard work, Anna fears the worst when her dreadlocked boss is replaced by Zora (Vanessa Williams), an ex-supermodel with a silver tongue.  Zora warns Anna that her nappy look has got to go, so Anna bites the bullet and gets a weave. Turns out, her flowing new hair is the key to success—but it arrived with a mind of its own, and it bites back!  Source:  Sundance.org.

Trailer:

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Juanita

Release Date:  3/8/19; Netflix
Genre:  Drama/Romance
Rating:  TV-MA
Director:  Clark Johnson
Studio(s):   Homegrown Pictures, Netflix.
Running Time:  Unknown
Cast:  Alfre Woodard (Juanita), Adam Beach, Ashlie Atkinson (Peaches), Blair Underwood, Lindsley Register (Candice), LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Gil Birmingham.

Story:   At forty-one, Juanita Lewis is running away from home, courtesy of a one-way ticket to Montana, a place that seems about as far away from the violence and poverty of the Columbus, Ohio, projects as the moon.  She wants adventure and excitement–if such things exist for a pre-menopausal African-American woman with three grown, deadbeat children.

Juanita’s new life in Paper Moon, Montana, begins at a local diner where a culinary face-off with chef and owner Jess Gardiner finds Juanita in front of Jess’s stove serving up home cookin’ that lures the townsfolk like a magic spell. And suddenly Juanita, who was just passin’ through, now has a job by popular demand.

Out here in this wide-open space, Juanita’s heart can no longer hide, especially when she sees herself through the eyes of the wonderful and eccentric people of this down-to-earth town.  She’s happy in Paper Moon; she’s found a home, but can she stay?  And then there’s Jess.  She has always dreamed of romance, but she never planned on falling in love.  The film is based on Sheila Williams’ book Dancing on the Edge of the Roof.  Source:  Eurweb.com.

Trailer:

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Nat Turner: Story of A Prophet

Prophet-The Story of Nat Turner booka/k/a The Nat Turner Story

Status:  Pre-Production
Release Date:  TBA
Genre:  Biography/Historical/Drama
Rating:  Unknown
Studio(s):  TMG Entertainment
Running Time: 120 mins.
Director:  Bill Duke

Cast:  Blair Underwood (Nat Turner), Keith David (Nathanial), Eric Roberts (Captain Hunt), Mindy Robinson (Mary Barrows), Mike Epps (Nelson), Kym Whitley (Momma Bridgette), Lester Speight (Hark), Todd Bridges (Jack Waller), LisaRaye McCoy (Esther), Kendrick Lamar (Young Nat Turner).

Details:  On 3/6/15, the Daily Film Forum reported Blair Underwood to star as Nat Turner.  Robinson Squared announces Nat Turner | Story of a Prophet, set to star Blair Underwood as Nat Turner, Lester Speight as Hark, Keith David as Nathanial Turner and Kendrick Lamar as the young Nat Turner.  Bridging generational gaps and historical divides to tell the true story of this man of God that has been perceived by many as a diabolical religious fanatic is written and produced by the award-winning filmmaker Kenya Cagle.

Cagle with his passion for filmmaking and creative literary mind has aligned forces with Bruce L. Turner, one of the descendants of the Nat Turner family to bring the amazing talents of Blair Underwood, Lester Speight, Keith David, Kendrick Lamar and a host of other Black Hollywood stars to feature in the new motion picture Nat Turner | Story of a Prophet based on the best-selling, top-rated screenplay novel written by award-winning filmmaker to highlight the facts that the textbooks seem to omit. This film is about the greatest slave insurrection in United States history and will be directed by Hollywood veteran director Bill Duke.

Nat Turner led an insurrection that changed the course of American History and African American pride. This is not only a story from historical court records and books on the subject matter, but actually features elements from oral family history that Cagle received while interviewing Turner’s descendants.  Source(s):  Daily Film Forum; IMDB.  Book Cover:  Official Facebook Page

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The Trip to Bountiful

The Trip to BountifulRelease Date:  March 8, 2014 (Made-for-TV; Lifetime Network)
Genre:  Drama
Rating:  Not Available
Studio:  Ostar Productions/Lifetime Television
Director:  Michael Wilson
Cast:  Cicely Tyson (Mrs. Watts), Vanessa Williams (Jessie Mae Watts), Blair Underwood (Ludie Watts), Clancy Brown (Sheriff) Keke Palmer (Thelma).

Story:  As reported on January 6, 2014 by Broadway World, The Trip to Bountiful is a television adaptation of American playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote’s Tony nominated play. Set during the final years of the Jim Crow South, the film follows one woman’s quest to reconnect with her past in order to ensure her family’s future.

In The Trip to Bountiful, Carrie Watts (Tyson, who was awarded with a Tony for her role in the Broadway revival), begrudgingly lives with her busy, overprotective son, Ludie (Underwood) and pretentious daughter-in-law, Jessie Mae (Williams). No longer able to drive and forbidden to travel alone, she wishes for freedom from the confines of the house and begs her son to take her on a visit to her hometown of Bountiful. When he refuses, Mrs. Watts is undeterred and makes an escape to the local bus station, where she befriends Thelma (Palmer), a young woman traveling home. When Ludie and Jessie Mae discover she is gone, they call in law enforcement to help, but Mrs. Watts is one step ahead of them and convinces the local sheriff to help her on her journey home to Bountiful.  (Source(s):  Broadway World).

Trailer:

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