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Following up on her 2023 Lifetime movies “Real Love” and “Strength of a Woman,” Mary J. Blige has signed on to executive produce multiple new projects for the cabler, beginning with “Family Affair” (working title). Inspired by Blige’s 2001 song of the same name, the movie will debut in 2025 as part of the network’s Voices of a Lifetime slate.

“Mary J. Blige’s Family Affair” will star Ajiona Alexus and Da’Vinchi, who reprise their roles from “Real Love” (and “Strength of a Woman.” Per the official logline, “Kendra and Ben move out of the city in hopes of finally building a life together. With all their family around and inserted in their lives, tensions rise as they struggle with fertility issues and Kendra tries to find her footing with Ben’s son Miles. Their relationship reaches a boiling point when Ben secretly helps his brother, and Kendra returns to the...

Renée Elise Goldsberry and Lynn Whitfield are forced to put their differences aside during a pivotal road trip in the trailer for the drama feature Albany Road.

The film from writer-director Christine Swanson is set to hit select AMC Theatres and Malco Theatres locations on Nov. 15, with those cinema chains handling the distribution. Albany Road centers on Celeste (Goldsberry), who is preparing for an important work trip and is dismayed that she has to share a car with her ex-fiancé’s mother, Paula (Whitfield). Celeste soon learns that Paula is keeping a big secret from her, with the movie exploring challenging family dynamics and the power of personal growth.

“We come face-to-face with what we fear the most or what we want the most, and sometimes you win — and sometimes you lose,” Whitfield says in the trailer.

Later, while seated in the car next to Whitfield, Goldsberry exclaims, “I hate being powerless!

Exclusive: Dr. Holly Carter (The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel) today announced the launch of her family, faith and lifestyle network MergeTV on James DuBose’s In The Black Network, a streaming service that highlights Black voices and original stories.

Carter also announced MergeTV’s slate of original programming dropping on April 2, which includes its flagship show Food for Thought with DeVon Franklin, hosted by the bestselling author, producer and preacher. Franklin will be joined by some of his famous friends “to bake up delicious desserts and share deep conversation,” according to the series description, with guests ranging from Smokey Robinson to Cedric the Entertainer.

MergeTV’s slate also includes talk show Chatter, dating show Finding My Romeo, hosted by musician and actor Romeo Miller; Preachers Reunion and Preachers Wedding Edition, and cooking show Katching Kierra, hosted by Gospel standout Kierra Sheard-Kelly. Complete descriptions follow below.

“We are thrilled...

Impact Network is rebranding from a faith and gospel-focused multiplatform channel to a family-friendly lifestyle entertainment channel focused on Black audiences.

Founded in 2010 by Bishop Wayne T. Jackson and wife Beverly Jackson, the 100% Black-owned independent network began as a channel airing sermons and religious talk shows. In 2022, with the appointment of Wayne and Beverly’s son Royal Jackson to chief creative officer, Impact Network moved into entertainment programming, including both scripted and unscripted titles with a strategic focus on religious content.

Now, Impact is shifting its lineup once more to encompass “family-friendly lifestyle entertainment, premium scripted and engaging non-scripted series in addition to programming initiatives around health/wellness/financial/cultural areas affecting Black communities.”

Among Impact’s new offerings are unscripted syndicated series licensed from Fox First Run, including “You Bet Your Life” with Jay Leno and Kevin Eubanks, “25 Words or Less” with Meredith Louise Vieira and “Divorce Court,...

Avant-garde composer-performer Laurie Anderson, R&b icon Gladys Knight, groundbreaking rap group N.W.A, disco queen Donna Summer and country legend Tammy Wynette are among this year’s Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award honorees, the academy announced today.

Also included on the list: gospel vocal group The Clark Sisters and, in the non-performing categories, Peter Asher, the longtime, prolific producer of such artists as Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor; hip hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc; and entertainment attorney Joel Katz. Those three will receive Trustee Awards.

Technical Grammy Award honorees are Tom Kobayashi and Tom Scott, while “Refugee,” written by K’naan, Steve McEwan, and Gerald Eaton (a.k.a. Jarvis Church), is being honored with the Best Song For Social Change Award.

“The Academy is honored to pay tribute to this year’s Special Merit Award recipients — a remarkable group of creators and industry professionals whose impact resonates with generations worldwide,...

The 2023 Kennedy Center Honors special is airing this week and it marks the 46th celebration of the arts from the nation’s capital!

Billy Crystal, Queen Latifah, Renee Fleming, Dionne Warwick, and Barry Gibb are being honored at this year’s event, which was pre-taped earlier this month at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

CBS will be airing the special on Wednesday (December 27) at 9pm Et/Pt and we have the star-studded list of performers and presenters who will appear.

The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique contributions have shaped the way we see ourselves, each other and our world. Recipients have each had an impact on the rich tapestry of American life and culture through the performing arts. Whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures or television, each Kennedy Center Honoree has a unique place in the national consciousness and their influence has...

Exclusive: BET+ has renewed its popular music-driven drama series Kingdom Business for a second season. Production is underway in Atlanta on the series executive produced by DeVon Franklin (Miracles From Heaven), Holly Carter (The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel), multi-Grammy-award-winner Kirk Franklin and Michael Van Dyck.

Written by John Sakmar and Kerry Lenhart, Kingdom Business explores the gospel music industry through the lenses of family, faith, love and the redemptive power of music.

Yolanda Adams returns to lead the series as the reigning “Queen of Gospel” Denita Jordan and Serayah as Rbel, a talented up-and-coming gospel star with a troubled past who threatens Denita’s crown.

Yolanda Adams and Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Joining as recurring guest stars for Season 2 are Loretta Devine and Louis Gossett, Jr. as Denita Jordan’s parents, “Darlene” and “Jeremiah”. Musical guests this season include Grammy and Billboard Award winners Tasha Cobbs Leonard and...

[Editor’s note: This article was originally published in November 2021 and has been updated.]

Don’t let the title fool you: While Reinaldo Marcus Green’s crowd-pleasing biopic Best Picture contender “King Richard” gets its name from the tongue-in-cheek nickname of the father of the iconic Williams sisters, it’s Aunjanue Ellis’ Oscar-nominated turn as their mother Oracene Price that feels like the real revelation. Green’s film, produced by both Venus and Serena Williams (along with their sister Isha Price), tracks the rise of the tennis champs through the teachings of their mercurial, driven father. And while Will Smith turns in one of the best performances of his career as the eponymous Richard Williams, Ellis matches him at every turn.

For Ellis, bringing the full truth of Oracene Price — that’s “Ms. Oracene” to her — wasn’t just essential to the role; it became nothing less than a mission for the actress. But first, she had to counter her own misconceptions.

Ellis admits...

Mary J. Blige hit the headlines recently for her show-stopping performance at the Super Bowl halftime show.

Now, the Grammy® award winning and Academy® Award nominated artist, actress, and producer is joining forces with Lifetime.

Blige will serve as an executive producer on the original film through her own production banner, Blue Butterfly, alongside Ashaunna Ayars and Nicole Jackson.

The star recently executive produced her acclaimed documentary Mary J. Blige’s My Life to record-breaking success.

The new movie is based on her hit 1992 song Real Love.

As you will recall, the track was Blige’s first song to hit the top 10 and was certified gold two months after its release.

Real Love has remained one of her most beloved and enduring songs since then.

Additional music from Blige will be incorporated throughout the movie, a continuation of Blue Butterfly and Blige’s goal to bring more stories to life with music as the foundation.

Mary J. Blige’s iconic ’90s song “Real Love” is being turned into a Lifetime movie, with the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul executive producing the made-for-tv film.

One of her most beloved and memorable tracks, “Real Love” was Blige’s first song to hit the Top 10 and was certified gold two months after its release in 1992.

Per Lifetime, in the coming-of-age romantic drama “Real Love,” Kendra sets off on her own for the first time to a college in upstate New York, determined to focus on her studies. But when she meets her film class partner Ben, she tries her hardest to keep things professional. Despite disapproving parents, financial hardship, and competition for the top spot in class, Kendra and Ben find themselves falling hard for each other and ultimately learn the meaning of real love.

Additional music from Blige will be incorporated throughout the movie, as part of Blige...

Mary J. Blige has re-teamed with Lifetime to executive produce Real Love, a new original film inspired by her hit ’90s song of the same name. Blige will executive produce via her Blue Butterfly production banner, alongside Ashaunna Ayars and Nicole Jackson.

“Real Love” was Blige’s first song to hit the top 10 and was certified gold two months after its release in 1992. It has remained one of her signature songs. Additional music from Blige will be incorporated throughout the movie.

“Mary is one of those phenomenal talents that can do it all, and we are so thrilled to be able to partner with her again on this new opportunity to bring her music to life in the form of a movie that we know audiences will love,” said Tanya Lopez, EVP Scripted Content, Lifetime and Lmn.

Written by Sonja Warfield and Rachel Ingram, the coming-of-age romantic drama centers around Kendra,...

Exclusive: Yolanda Adams and Serayah have been tapped to star in Kingdom Business, a music-driven drama executive produced by DeVon Franklin (Miracles From Heaven), Holly Carter (The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel), multi-Grammy-award-winner Kirk Franklin and Michael Van Dyck.

Written by John Sakmar and Kerry Lenhart, co-creators of Mr. & Mrs. Smith the series, the eight-episode Kingdom Business explores the gospel music industry through the lenses of family, faith, love and the redemptive power of music.

The series will be led by Adams as the reigning “Queen of Gospel” Denita Jordan and Serayah as Rbel, a talented up-and-coming gospel star with a troubled past who threatens Denita’s crown. In addition to their leading roles, both Adams and Serayah will be featured in musical performances.

Michael Jai White also stars as Julius “Caesar” Jones, a powerful producer and Denita’s former collaborator turned rival; Michael Beach as Calvin Jordan,...

Exclusive: BET+ has given a series order to Kingdom Business, a music-driven drama executive produced by DeVon Franklin (Miracles From Heaven), Holly Carter (The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel), multi-Grammy-award-winner Kirk Franklin and Michael Van Dyck. The eight-episode series explores the gospel music industry through the lenses of family, faith, love and the redemptive power of music.

Written by John Sakmar and Kerry Lenhart, co-creators of Mr. & Mrs. Smith the series, Kingdom Business is centered around the reigning Queen of Gospel Denita Jordan, and her ex-producer/songwriter/lover, Caesar, who created her sound and launched her career. Denita, who also runs an in-house record label and megachurch, is determined to guard her family and its many secrets at all costs to retain her place on the throne. Things seem to be unfolding in Denita’s favor until an unsuspecting young woman on the rise with a checkered past enters the scene.

Exclusive: Being Mary Jane alumna Raven Goodwin and Nicole Chanel Williams (Boomerang) are set for recurring roles opposite Yaya DaCosta, Morris Chestnut and Joe Morton in the Fox drama series Our Kind of People, from writer/executive producer Karin Gist and executive producer Lee Daniels.

Inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham’s book Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class, the series written by Gist takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite have come to play for more than 50 years. Our Kind of People follows strong-willed single mom Angela Vaughn (DaCosta) as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of Black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her mother’s past that...

Exclusive: Lifetime has upped Tia Maggini to SVP, Scripted Programming for the network, from her VP role.

Based in Los Angeles, Maggini oversees the development and production of original scripted content for Lifetime.

“Tia’s commitment to her work is only surpassed by her passion to make films the very best they can be,” said Tanya Lopez, Executive Vice President, Scripted Programming, Lifetime & Lmn to whom Maggini reports. “I value her skills and her partnership every day.”

Maggini joined the networks in 2014 as Vice President, responsible for developing and managing Lifetime movies, miniseries, limited series and back-door pilots. She has been charged with shepherding the network’s big budget, talent-driven feature films and additionally supervises creative development for a ten-person team.

During her more than six years with Lifetime, Maggini has been the programming executive for some of its highest rated movies, including the buzzy film, Wendy Williams: The Movie,...

Following the Dmx: Celebration of Life memorial Saturday Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, the rapper born Earl Simmons will be laid to rest Sunday at a private Homegoing Celebration at an undisclosed church in the New York area. While the funeral is for friends and family only, BET will livestream the Homegoing Celebration on their YouTube channel beginning at 2:30 pm Est.

At Saturday’s memorial, Nas, Swizz Beatz, Eve, members of the Ruff Ryders and family and friends each paid tribute to Dmx, while Kanye West’s Sunday Service performed...

On Saturday, April 24th, Dmx took his last ride through the streets of New York. Flanked by thousands of motorcycles, his blood red casket sat atop a monster truck with the words “Long Live Dmx” emblazoned on the side as it made its way from his hometown of Yonkers to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where friends and family were gathering to celebrate the life of the late rapper who died April 9th at the age of 50. It was a legendary sendoff for an artist who poured his soul — with all its conflicts,...

On Saturday, Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir paid tribute to Dmx with several musical performances at the late rapper’s memorial.

At Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, the acclaimed gospel group performed for an audience of 1900, opening the service with an arrangement of Soul II Soul’s “Keep On Movin’.”

Later on, they would perform “Excellent” (their version of gospel legend Richard Smallwood’s “Psalm 8”), as well as “You Brought the Sunshine” by the Clark Sisters and the hymn, “Jesus Loves Me.”

At Dmx’s “Celebration of Life,” other notable guests included rappers Nas and Swizz Beats. Also appearing were Eve, Jadakiss, Styles P and Drag-On—original members of the hip-hop collective Ruff Ryders, which launched Dmx toward stardom.

Earlier in the day, Dmx’s body was transported to Barclays Center from his birthplace of Yonkers, in a red casket sitting atop a black monster truck. Surrounded by hundreds of motorcyclists,...

Exclusive: Relevé Entertainment is partnering with Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary’s Revelations Entertainment to develop and produce the seven-part docuseries History in Color, which will explore the contributions of African American trailblazers, disruptors and unknown heroes who rejected the status quo and changed the course of modern history.

Each episode of History in Color is directed by a leading African American icon and is a personal exploration of the lives of often-unknown people who blazed the trail. Each episode will focus on a distinct discipline: Entertainment, Business, Science, Armed Forces, Education, Sports, and Faith. Oscar winner Freeman will direct the premier episode.

Dr. Holly Carter, Founder and CEO of Relevé Entertainment, said, “I’m really proud to bring this project to life. This pivotal time in history affords us a unique opportunity to give a platform to African American contributions that have long been overlooked.”

According to Revelations partners,...

The Critics Choice Association held its awards program tonight, and we have all of the winners in the TV categories below.

Did your favorite take home an award?

Read on to find out.

Best Drama Series

Better Call Saul (AMC)

The Crown (Netflix) - Winner

The Good Fight (CBS All Access)

Lovecraft Country (HBO)

The Mandalorian (Disney+)

Ozark (Netflix)

Perry Mason (HBO)

This Is Us (NBC)

Best Actor In A Drama Series

Jason Bateman – Ozark (Netflix)

Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Josh O’Connor – The Crown (Netflix) - Winner

Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (AMC)

Matthew Rhys – Perry Mason (HBO)

Best Actress In A Drama Series

Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (CBS All Access)

Olivia Colman – The Crown (Netflix)

Emma Corrin – The Crown (Netflix) - Winner

Claire Danes – Homeland (Showtime)

Laura Linney – Ozark (Netflix)

Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Best Supporting Actor In A...

When the 2021 Critics Choice TV Awards are handed out on Sunday, March 7, expect some of the major winners to be Pop’s comedy “Schitt’s Creek,” Netflix’s drama “The Crown” and Netflix’s limited series “The Queen’s Gambit.” Yes, those were the exact same programs that claimed Golden Globes last week, suggesting that the Broadcast Television Journalists Association might just rubber-stamp their picks. Scroll down to see Gold Derby’s predictions in 16 TV categories listed in order of their racetrack odds, with projected winners highlighted in gold.

Nominations for these 11th annual television awards were announced on Monday, January 18. Netflix led with 26 bids, followed closely by HBO at 22 (plus two for HBO Max). The top two shows were “Ozark” and “The Crown,” both of which received six noms. Landing five apiece were the drama “Lovecraft Country,” the limited series “Mrs. America,” and the comedies “Schitt’s Creek” and “What We Do in the Shadows.

Five years ago, I decided to become a 49-year-old student of Richard Lawson Studios in his Pdp 60 (Professional Development Program) class. I was the oldest student in his class at the time. While studying, I learned so many things about myself and my own points of view. I also learned that I am a storyteller and how storytelling has touched my life.

Raised in a mostly white neighborhood in Brooklyn, the same neighborhood that Chris Rock’s character was bussed to on the hit show “Everybody Hates Chris,” I learned the importance of having a Black voice and how to use the compelling truth of Black History in my work. Through asking questions and seeking knowledge of self, this became a burning passion.

First, I had to fall in love with myself. The little girl who was told in her third grade history class “You ask too many questions” and...

The masses showed up and asked “How you doin’?” for the Lifetime biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie and the documentary Wendy Williams: What a Mess! The double feature event, which aired on January 30, put the spotlight on the popular talk show host and became cable’s #1 movie and documentary, making Lifetime the top network for the night.

Wendy Williams: The Movie delivered staggering viewership numbers, besting all cable movies in the last nine months among adults 25-54 (1.2 million), women 25-54, adults 18-49 and women 18-49 in Live+3 ratings (according to Nielsen Media Research). The biopic drew 2.9 million total viewers in Live+3 and was the top telecast in prime time on January 30 with W25-54 and W18-49.

Immediately following the biopic was the docu Wendy Williams: What a Mess! which became Lifetime’s best non-fiction telecast in more than two years among total viewers (2.6 million) and women 25-54 in Live...

The nominees for the 52nd NAACP Image Awards are officially in, with Netflix taking the lead with 51 noms overall for titles across film and TV including Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Bridgerton and Da 5 Bloods.

Set to simulcast across all ViacomCBS Networks including BET, CBS and MTV on Saturday, March 27th at 8 p.m. Et, the 52nd NAACP Image Awards honors the accomplishments of Bipoc artists across TV, music, film and literature.

Additional titles receiving nominations Tuesday include ABC’s Black-ish, Miss Juneteenth, Soul, HBO’s I May Destroy You and Insecure.

Up for the ceremony’s entertainer of the year honor are D-Nice, Regina King, Viola Davis, Trevor Noah and Tyler Perry. Receiving a nomination for the new Social Impact honor are April Ryan, Debbie Allen, Lebron James, Stacey Abrams and Tamika Mallory.

Anika Noni-Rose, Chloe Bailey, Erika Alexander and Nicco Annan and Tc Carson presented the nominees this morning.

Bvlgari and Tribeca Studios have recruited Oscar-nominee Cynthia Erivo to host its Female Trailblazers Series focused on highlighting resilient and extraordinary women through short films.

On Monday, the singer-actress will host virtual panels for two films, Lot 448 and Ezinma. The series, which starts at 6 p.m. Et, will kick off with Bella Monticelli’s Lot 448. Monticelli’s short work follows an art activist as she attempts to stop a rare artifact from falling into corrupt hands.

Ezinma, from Alison Chernick, follows a violinist who is revolutionizing the world of classical music. The titular character takes her rigorous classical training and transforms it into a fresh, radical and intersectional genre of her own, gaining the recognition of notable artists including Beyoncé.

The two films are among the six titles produced across Bvlgari’s three-year partnership with Tribeca Studios and the final to premiere in association with Tribeca Film Festival. The complete...

The Critics Choice Association (Cca) announced today the series nominees for the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards.

The winners will be revealed live on The CW on Sunday, March 7, 2021, from 7-10 pm Et/Pt, with Taye Diggs returning to host for his third consecutive time.

The show will continue its combined Film and Television awards format, honoring the finest in both cinematic and televised/streaming achievement.

Film nominees will be revealed on February 8, and the format of this year’s event will be announced at a later date, as health and safety guidelines are taken into consideration.

Two Netflix hits lead the pack, with Ozark and“The Crown each up for six awards including Best Drama Series.

Several other series had especially strong showings with Lovecraft Country (HBO), Mrs. America (FX), Schitt’s Creek (Pop), and What We Do In The Shadows (FX) each earning five nominations, and Better Call Saul...

Nominations for the 11th annual Critics’ Choice TV Awards were announced on Monday, January 18. Netflix leads with 26 nominations, followed closely by HBO at 22 (plus a pair for HBO Max). FX has 14 and Hulu reaped a lucky seven bids. Two Netflix series, “Ozark” and “The Crown,” earned six citations each. Landing five apiece were the drama “Lovecraft Country,” the limited series “Mrs. America,” and the comedies “Schitt’s Creek” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”

In making the announcement, Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin said, “We are so thrilled to be celebrating the incredible work that was released during this extended season. In a year when the need for entertainment was undeniable, the industry rallied to deliver beautiful series that delighted us, educated us, challenged us, and most importantly, brought us all together.”

These kudos honor the best of television for the 2020 calendar year, as determined by TV critics, journalists and scribes.

The 26th annual Critics Choice Awards unveiled its series nominees on Monday with Netflix’s Ozark and The Crown leading the pack with six nominations each.

Film nominees and the ceremony’s format will be revealed on February 8. The winners will be announcedat 7 p.m. March 7 on the CW, with Taye Diggs is set to return as host for a third time.

Ozark and The Crown contribute to Netflix leading the nominations on the series side with 26 total noms. Both are up for Best Drama, while Ozark‘s Jason Bateman and Laura Linney received nominations for Best Actor and Actress in a Drama Series, respectively. Tom Pelphrey, Julia Garner and Janet McTeer are nominated for their supporting roles. The Crown’s Josh O’Connor is nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series, while Olivia Colman and Emma Corrin are both up for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Tobias Menzies...

Exclusive: Raven Goodwin has been tapped to play legendary actress Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to ever win an Oscar, in Behind the Smile. The indie film is being produced by Jami McCoy-Lankford of Hillionaire Productions and Global Genesis Group, which is also handling sales.

Gregory Blair penned the screenplay for the inspiring story of McDaniel, who famously played Mammy in 1939’s Gone With the Wind, a role that earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She wasn’t allowed to sit amongst her peers during the segregated ceremony.

McDaniel endured racism and racial segregation throughout her storied career. She also faced backlash from the Black community, including the NAACP, for taking on stereotypical maid or slave roles. She died in 1952 at age 57 of breast cancer. Despite the criticisms, McDaniel has no doubt left an indelible mark in Hollywood.

Most recently, Queen Latifah portrayed McDaniel in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix miniseries,...

ABC has given a big put pilot commitment to Family Affair, a single-camera family comedy with musical elements from husband-and-wife writer-producers Devon and Ranada Shepard, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Universal Music/Polygram Entertainment and ABC Signature.

Written by Devon and Ranada Shepard, Family Affair centers on A-ron, a faded R&b star and committed bachelor whose life is thrown into a tailspin when he’s saddled with raising his sister’s four kids. A-ron is overwhelmed and underwater until he discovers that musical talent runs in the family. These kids can sing! With their sights set on success, A-ron’s about to learn that managing a music group might be hard, but raising four kids is even harder.

The Shepards executive produce with Jackson via his G Unit Film & Television, Blige and Bruce Miller via her Blue Butterfly, David Blackman and Daniel Inkeles for Universal Music/Polygram Entertainment and Noah Rosenberg.

Mary J. Blige and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson are teaming up for a comedy series in development at ABC.

The project, titled “Family Affair,” is a single-camera comedy about a faded R&b star and committed bachelor named A-ron, whose life is thrown into a tailspin when he’s saddled with raising his sister’s four kids. A-ron is overwhelmed and underwater until he discovers that musical talent runs in the family.

Devon and Ranada Shepard are writers and executive producers on the project, alongside Jackson via his G-Unit banner. Also executive producing are Blige and Bruce Miller of Blue Butterfly Productions and David Blackman and Daniel Inkeles of Universal Music’s film and TV division, Polygram.

Noah Rosenberg is also an executive producer on the series, which hails from ABC Signature.

Jackson’s prolific G-Unit Film & Television production company is behind the ABC legal drama “For Life,” as...

Exclusive: Emmy winner Kim Delaney has been tapped to star in Lifetime original movie The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother’s Hunt for Justice, the network’s latest addition to its winter “Ripped from the Headlines” slate.

The movie is inspired by the emotional story of Mari Gilbert, played by Delaney, a mother whose daughter’s disappearance led to the discovery of 19 bodies, many of which are believed to have been murdered by an unidentified Long Island serial killer. The film follows her relentless pursuit for answers and the truth. Emmy-winning journalist Deborah Norville, who covered Gilbert’s story as anchor for Inside Edition, will executive produce. The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother’s Hunt for Justice is scheduled to premiere winter 2021 on Lifetime.

“Mari Gilbert singlehandedly brought closure to families who never knew what happened to their missing sisters and daughters,” said Norville. “To law enforcement, she was ‘just a mom,...

Exclusive: Holly Carter, a powerhouse producer of faith-based programming for mainstream audiences, is getting into business with OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Carter has signed a first-look deal with the network to create and produce unscripted series and specials via her Relevé Entertainment, an All3Media America company. The content will be targeted at the network’s audience of Black women viewers with programming that explores faith, love, sisterhood, relationships and unity.

Under the pact, OWN has ordered two holiday gospel music specials from Carter, the first ever music specials for the network. Additionally, OWN has picked up two unscripted series to development: Back to the Altar (working title), about divorced couples working to mend their broken relationships, and Love & Faith (working title), following the women behind some of the faith community’s best-known pastors. Series details follow below the story.

The first project under the deal is Our OWN Christmas,...

Exclusive: Quibi announced new series Thursday that seeks to shine a light on influential Black women who have impacted American style, beauty and culture. Black Equals Beauty is the video platform’s latest title and comes from producers Queen Latifah, Shakim Compere, Holly Carter and Cassian Elwes. The Same Difference helmer Nneka Onuorah is set to direct the four-part series.

A wide-reaching look at the shifts in American culture, Black Equals Beauty seeks to celebrate and honor the Black women have fought against oppressive archetypes.

“There has never been a more important time to explore and elevate Black women’s contributions to American culture,” said Carter, founder and CEO of Relevé Entertainment. “We are honored to work with Nneka Onuorah to spotlight how Black beauty has inspired our culture throughout history through the perspectives of celebrities, trendsetters and everyday people. I’m committed to telling stories that elevate our voice.

“What a difference a year makes, for Black people,” declared two-time Emmy-winning actor Sterling K. Brown, who was honored by the African American Film Critics Association (Aafca) Saturday for the second consecutive year for his performance on NBC’s “This Is Us.” “Last year we were having fun,” Brown pointed out in his poignant acceptance speech, adding that “we were all together under one roof, celebrating one another in person, hugs, handshakes, etc. and now we’re a bit more separate. But our lives matter.”

In a prelude to what we can expect at the Emmys next month, Aafca live streamed its 2nd Annual Aafca TV Honors as a responsible socially-distanced virtual ceremony today that was high on emotion and star power. The show was a slick and often very moving affair, celebrating the best of the year in television and streaming, hosted by comedian and actor Aida Rodriguez. Watch the video above.

Stacey Abrams, Kenya Barris, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Gabrielle Union, Jemele Hill, Angela Rye, and Lena Waithe have been added to the lineup for the virtual edition of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), which will run from Aug 21-30. The fest, now in its 24th year also includes panels ranging from the business of Hollywood to spotlights on new films and television.

Evening programming will include Comics on Comedy hosted by newly-minted Emmy nominee Yvonne Orji (Insecure) with Lil Rel Howery (Get Out), a first look at Universal’s Candyman with director/co-writer Nia DaCosta, and a panel on the new animated series Woke from Sony.

Directors Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard), Christine Swanson (The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel) and Jacqueline Olive (Always in Season) will also be present for conversations. Amazon Studios is hosting a panel featuring Jenkins, Waithe and Tracy Oliver, Starz has a...

On August 5, the African American Film Critics Association announced the recipients for its 2nd Annual Aafca TV Honors, which will take place on Saturday, August 22, and celebrate the best achievements by Black artists in television and streaming programs. Scroll down for the complete list of winners including Viola Davis (Best Actress for “How to Get Away with Murder“), Sterling K. Brown (Best Actor for “This is Us“) and Kenya Barris (TV Icon).

See‘How to Get Away with Murder’s’ Cicely Tyson now holds the record for the most Emmy nominations as drama guest actress

Aafca president Gil Robertson said in a statement, “In a time of such uncertainty, we have witnessed how powerful the medium of television and streaming is. We couldn’t be more proud to honor shows and performances that uplift and inspire at a time when we all need entertainment the most. We are especially grateful...

The African American Film Critics Association (Aafca) has set a virtual edition for their 2nd Annual Aafca TV Honors. The private celebration will take place on August 22.

Hosted by comedian and actress Aida Rodriguez, Aafca will to honor a number of outstanding shows, creators and performers in TV including Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s For Life for Best Drama and HBO’s Insecure for Best Comedy.

Viola Davis (How To Get Away with Murder) and Sterling K. Brown (This is Us) will be honored as Best Actress and Best Actor respectively while Hollywood‘s Jeremy Pope and Laura Harrier will be honored as Breakout Performers.

In addition, Rashida Jones will present Black-ish and #blackAF creator Kenya Barris with the Icon Award for his groundbreaking contributions to television.

A full list of honorees can be read below:

TV Icon – Kenya Barris

Inclusion Award – MacRo Television Studios

Best Actress – Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder...

Viola Davis, Sterling K. Brown and the TV series “Insecure” and “For Life” are among the winners at the African American Film Critics Association’s second annual Aafca TV Honors, the organization of critics announced on Wednesday.

The awards will be presented at a virtual ceremony at 11 a.m. Pdt on Saturday, Aug. 22. The ceremony will stream by invitation only, with a catered lunch and cocktails delivered to the homes of all guests on the morning of the show.

Davis and Brown will receive the awards for Best Actress and Best Actor for “How to Get Away With Murder” and “This Is Us,” respectively. The win makes Brown the awards’ first two-time winner; he also won last year in the same category for “This Is Us.”

“For Life” was named Best Drama and “Insecure” Best Comedy.

Also Read: Emmy Diversity: Nonwhite Performers Score a Record 41% of Acting Nominations This Year...

Lifetime has extended its partnership with journalist Robin Roberts for four new movies and they are about to fuel the soul with Robin Roberts Presents: The Mahalia Jackson Story. The movie will star Tony Award nominee, SAG and Grammy Award-winning actress Danielle Brooks as the iconic gospel legend and civil rights activist while Tony winner Kenny Leon will direct. The pic comes from Rock’n Robin Productions and Lincoln Square Productions. Roberts will executive produce alongside Linda Berman.

Born in New Orleans, Mahalia began singing at an early age and went on to become one of the most revered gospel figures in U.S. history, melding her music with the civil rights movement. Her recording of the song “Move on Up a Little Higher” sold millions of copies, skyrocketing...

Orange Is the New Black alum Danielle Brooks has some big lungs to fill, playing the titular gospel legend and civil rights activist in Lifetime’s Robin Roberts Presents: The Mahalia Jackson Story.

The biopic will tell the story of the New Orleans-born Jackson, who went on to become one of the most revered gospel figures in U.S. history. Her recording of the song “Move on Up a Little Higher” sold millions of copies, skyrocketing her to international fame as she performed in front of racially integrated audiences at Carnegie Hall and John F. Kennedy’s inaugural ball. Jackson...

"When I was toiling in the wilderness, this was what was supposed to happen, why my steps were being ordered," says the actress Aunjanue Ellis as we remotely record an episode of The Hollywood Reporter's 'Awards Chatter' podcast. The 51-year-old has been acting professionally for 25 years, many of which were "disheartening" and "very, very lean" — but the last 15 months have been a different story. Last May, she was seen in Ava DuVernay's acclaimed limited series When They See Us, playing the mother of one of the Central Park Five, and her performance ...

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how the major Emmy categories should consider expanding their nominations to 10, given the sheer number of viable contenders in this age of peak TV. Indeed, that’s true for the comedy, drama, limited series and competition races, in which there will absolutely be a ton of snubs when the noms are announced on July 28. And then there’s the TV movie category.

This is a field with surprisingly few major contenders — and many of the frontrunners are actually extensions of long-running TV shows: Netflix’s “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie,” Amazon Prime Video’s “Transparent Musicale Finale” and Netflix’s “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend.”

The TV movie race also underwent a shakeup this year after the Television Academy first agreed to waive a rule requiring entrants to be at least 75 minutes long, in order to allow “Black Mirror: Smithereens” to compete.

This story about Aunjanue Ellis and “The Clark Sisters” first appeared in the Limited Series & Movies issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.

Aunjanue Ellis really wanted to get the voice right, but she just couldn’t do it. In the Lifetime movie “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel,” she was playing Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, a gifted choral director and gospel musician who led her five daughters to Grammy-winning success. But try as she might, Ellis was never happy in her attempts to capture Clark’s distinctive raspy voice.

“I wanted to re-create that sound,” she said. “I would scream into a pillow, or go in the closet and scream in the closet before the director called action. I tried to injure my voice, and there are times in the movie where I do sound like her — but not as much as I wanted to.”

But Ellis, who was...

Mary J. Blige and Nat Wolff star in the intense action thriller Body Cam, available to purchase on Digital May 19, 2020 and for rent On Demand June 2 from Paramount Home Entertainment. The film will arrive on DVD July 14.

When a routine traffic stop results in the unexplained, grisly death of her colleague, a cop (Mary J. Blige) realizes footage of the incident will play for her eyes only. As the attacks mount, she races to understand the supernatural force behind them.

Blige starred as Florence Jackson in the 2017 Netflix breakout film Mudbound, for which she received critical acclaim including two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song. She starred in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy, which premiered on the platform in February 2019. On the producing side, Blige launched her own production company, Blue Butterfly, and signed a first-look TV deal with Lionsgate.

Most recently, Blige voiced...

In a Gold Derby exclusive, we have learned the category placements of the key Emmy Awards contenders for A&e, History and Lifetime. For this season, the network group has such scripted series as “Project Blue Book” and “Vikings.” TV Movie stars include Niecy Nash, Aunjanue Ellis, Megan Hilty and Jessie Mueller as part of their 2020 campaign.

Below, their list of submissions for all scripted and unscripted programs. More names might be added by the networks on the final Emmy ballot. Also note that performers not included on this list may well be submitted by their personal reps.

Scripted —

Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story (Lifetime)

Movie/Limited Actress – Alyson Hannigan

The Clark Sisters: First Ladies Of Gospel (Lifetime)

TV Movie

Movie/Limited Actress – Aunjanue Ellis

Movie/Limited Supporting Actress – Christina Bell, Angela Birchett, Shelea Frazier, Raven Goodwin, Kierra Sheard

The College Admissions Scandal (Lifetime)

Movie/Limited Actress – Penelope Ann Miller

I...

The Lifetime original movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel sang loud and proud on Saturday night, hitting a high note in viewership, netting a staggering 2.7 million total viewers in L+Sd, according to Nielsen. This marks the highest-rated original movie for Lifetime since 2016.

The TV movie, which included lauded performances by Aunjanue Ellis, Angela Birchett, Sheléa Frazier, Kierra Sheard and Raven Goodwin, was the strongest original movie for all television for 2020 across key demos including both broadcast and cable. To add to their winning night, The Clark Sisters was the best ad-supported cable original movie since 2018 in key demos. With the biopic, Lifetime has the boasting rights of having the top three original movies on ad-supported cable in 2020 in key demos, alongside with Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story and Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer.

More from Deadline'American Idol' Tops Ratings On Quiet Easter...

The Lifetime network has long had a reputation for mediocre films and dramas with a campy aesthetic.In recent years, it has made an effort to distance itself from that renown, investing in the kind of content that draws a larger, more mainstream audience — and hopefully awards — as well as overall industry esteem. One such project just might be the biopic, “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel,” which premiered on April 11 to much fanfare, especially resonating most with one specific demo: black women. As a man who watched the film, and didn’t quite understand its appeal, instead of writing a critique of it, I asked black women viewers to share their thoughts on why it resounded so much.

To be sure, Lifetime hasn’t completely abandoned the kind of tabloidy women-in-peril stories that they once thrived on, but it has bolstered its efforts recently with Emmy-nominated films, from...

At today’s TCA panel on Lifetime’s TV movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, based on the true-life story of the real singing siblings, one question was gotten out of the way early: Was estranged sister Denise Clark-Bradford consulted in the making of the movie?

“Yes, she was absolutely given the opportunity to participate in her story,” said Executive Producer Holly Carter, who was joined on the panel by Executive Producer Queen Latifah (Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott are also Ep’s) and cast members Christina Bell, Kierra Sheard, Sheléa Frazier, Raven Goodwin and Angela Birchett.

Carter did not elaborate on whether Clark-Bradford took producers up on the “opportunity” and what that contribution may have been.

Producers and performers were asked about the role of faith in the story and the challenges of making such a story fit with Lifetime’s movie franchise, as well as...

Exclusive: Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton (Godfather of Harlem) have been cast as young Venus and Serena Williams, respectively, in the Will Smith-led Warner Bros biopic, King Richard. In addition, Emmy-nominated When They See Us star Aunjanue Ellis has also joined the film in the role of matriarch Brandi Williams.

Reinaldo Marcus Green is at the helm, directing from a script by Zach Baylin. It’s a true story of the hardscrabble but iron-willed father of Venus and Serena Williams who had a plan to make his daughters the greatest tennis players in the world. This is how he pulled it off.

The Williams sisters have remained dominating figures on the tennis court over the years and have collectively won a total of 30 Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals.

The film, a Westbrook Studios and Star Thrower co-production, is being produced by Tim White,...