Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN NASA’s “Hidden Figures Receiving Congressional Gold Medals The exceptional history-making black women who were highlighted in the film “Hidden Figures” are getting their just due. Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson will be honored with Congressional Gold medals. Vaughan and Jackson will receive their honor posthumously while Johnson, 101, could possibly accept in person. The news comes from ABC who reports that Trump signed into law H.R. 1396, the “Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act” for the women who made history at NASA and were vital in preparing astronaut John Glenn’s orbital mission. Johnson, a mathematician, was previously awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom and NASA honored her with The Katherine Jonson Computational Research Facility in Hampton, Virginia. A limited-edition Barbie Doll was also recently created in Katherine Johnson’s honor. Congratulations to these forever trailblazers!
Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN Actor Jason Mitchell is speaking out against sexual assault allegations that were made against him earlier this year. On Monday (Nov. 4) during his interview with New York’s Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club , Jason Mitchell took time to address both claims, denying any wrongdoing and claims that both in part are misunderstandings. In regards to his departure from Netflix’s “Desperados” in April due to an incident involving an intoxicated female co-worker at a pre-production event in Mexico, Jason states that he was simply looking out for a coworker. “Being the person that I am, I felt responsible to make sure she got home,” Jason Mitchell said. “Because they’re already telling us, like, ‘Don’t take the Ubers, don’t trust these people, don’t jump in a cab, don’t do any of that.’ We’re in Mexico City and we’re in a foreign land and we should stick together. This isn’t where I leave her. So I make sure she got home and the next day, it kind of all slapped me in the face; I’m not sure if her and her significant other had a situation, I made sure she got home but other than that, nothing really happened.” Jason claims that although he did nothing wrong, he was dismissed from the film with pay but without an explanation as to why he was let go, before apologizing for offending anyone. “For anybody who’s been around me, they know I’m one of the most loving, sweet people in the world, but if I did do anything, say anything, make anybody feel any kind of way, you have my deepest apologies,” Mitchell continued. “Like, honestly, my deepest apologies. Because that was never my intention of making anybody feel any sort of way.” Mitchell also denied any wrong doing with former The Chi co-star Tiffany Boone , who publicly admitted that she felt “unsafe” around the actor. Mitchell claims that the story was pushed by the hit show’s showrunner Ayanna Floyd Davis. “There was actually no situation with Tiffany Boone,” Jason Mitchell said. “She was put in this position because this lady, Ayanna Floyd Davis, she did come out and go to Deadline and made a statement for Tiffany Boone. I was a little taken back by the whole situation that happened, but the actual reason I got let go was because Disney saw what was going on with ‘Desperados’ and they just bought Showtime,” Mitchell explained. “So they decided not to pick up my option. And of course, I’ve been on the show for what was about to be three seasons, I was nominated for an award, so I was asking for more money and all these sorts of things and they just weren’t down to do it.” Mitchell went onto say that while he is an avid supporter of the “Me Too” movement, it’s situations like his that make it hard to stand in solidarity when someone makes a malicious claim. “I really hate to say this, because I’m all for the Me Too movement,” Mitchell continued. “I have two beautiful daughters who I would like to be in the business, so I’m all for the Me Too movement. But I think in this situation, Aryanna tried to use it as a really, really ugly weapon.” Check out the full interview below.
Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN Actor Jason Mitchell is speaking out against sexual assault allegations that were made against him earlier this year. On Monday (Nov. 4) during his interview with New York’s Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club , Jason Mitchell took time to address both claims, denying any wrongdoing and claims that both in part are misunderstandings. In regards to his departure from Netflix’s “Desperados” in April due to an incident involving an intoxicated female co-worker at a pre-production event in Mexico, Jason states that he was simply looking out for a coworker. “Being the person that I am, I felt responsible to make sure she got home,” Jason Mitchell said. “Because they’re already telling us, like, ‘Don’t take the Ubers, don’t trust these people, don’t jump in a cab, don’t do any of that.’ We’re in Mexico City and we’re in a foreign land and we should stick together. This isn’t where I leave her. So I make sure she got home and the next day, it kind of all slapped me in the face; I’m not sure if her and her significant other had a situation, I made sure she got home but other than that, nothing really happened.” Jason claims that although he did nothing wrong, he was dismissed from the film with pay but without an explanation as to why he was let go, before apologizing for offending anyone. “For anybody who’s been around me, they know I’m one of the most loving, sweet people in the world, but if I did do anything, say anything, make anybody feel any kind of way, you have my deepest apologies,” Mitchell continued. “Like, honestly, my deepest apologies. Because that was never my intention of making anybody feel any sort of way.” Mitchell also denied any wrong doing with former The Chi co-star Tiffany Boone , who publicly admitted that she felt “unsafe” around the actor. Mitchell claims that the story was pushed by the hit show’s showrunner Ayanna Floyd Davis. “There was actually no situation with Tiffany Boone,” Jason Mitchell said. “She was put in this position because this lady, Ayanna Floyd Davis, she did come out and go to Deadline and made a statement for Tiffany Boone. I was a little taken back by the whole situation that happened, but the actual reason I got let go was because Disney saw what was going on with ‘Desperados’ and they just bought Showtime,” Mitchell explained. “So they decided not to pick up my option. And of course, I’ve been on the show for what was about to be three seasons, I was nominated for an award, so I was asking for more money and all these sorts of things and they just weren’t down to do it.” Mitchell went onto say that while he is an avid supporter of the “Me Too” movement, it’s situations like his that make it hard to stand in solidarity when someone makes a malicious claim. “I really hate to say this, because I’m all for the Me Too movement,” Mitchell continued. “I have two beautiful daughters who I would like to be in the business, so I’m all for the Me Too movement. But I think in this situation, Aryanna tried to use it as a really, really ugly weapon.” Check out the full interview below.
Source: Tony Clark / Splash News It isn’t a secret that Jay-Z is the world’s richest rapper and he’s quietly shown ways to illustrate that truth. The latest high-roller feat from Hov occurred when he sent VIP invitations to Meek Mill and Swizz Beatz to an upcoming gala, which came equipped with Rolex watches. The invitations were for the upcoming Shawn Carter Foundation gala and fundraising event for the foundation set to take place on November 15. Both Meek and Swizz took to Instagram to show off the invites, with the producer mentioning in his post that Jay-Z also threw in a bottle of Ace of Spades. According to Rolex’s website, the rose gold-plated Rolex Cosmograph Daytona sells for $37,450. Check out Swizz’s post below courtesy of The Shade Room. View this post on Instagram #TSRCoinz–Imagine having friends like #JayZ who send whole Rolexes as VIP passes A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) on Nov 5, 2019 at 4:28pm PST — Photo: Splash News
Source: James Devaney / Getty You’d think one of the first things Jay-Z would do when TIDAL came about was add his cult classic concert documentary Fade To Black to the visual library, but you’d be wrong. Luckily he’s finally decided to let his OG fans re-experience the 15-year-old film while letting new millennial fans get a better understanding on why he’s the G.O.A.T to so many of us. According to Hypebeast , Jay-Z’s “farewell” concert documentary will finally be available for streaming for TIDAL subscribers four years after Jay-Z’s Project Panther Bidco Ltd acquired the streaming service. Originally released in 2004, Fade To Black was a behind the scenes concert documentary that followed Jay-Z throughout his creative process during what was supposed to be his swan song LP, The Black Album , and his farewell concert at Madison Square Garden. Featuring appearances from timeless artists like Missy Elliott, P. Diddy and of course, Beyoncé, the film was everything Jay-Z fans could’ve asked for at the time it dropped. Naturally, we all know that Jay-Z didn’t retire like planned after the release of the album and the documentary, and for that we’re grateful. Still, it was a great piece of work from directors Patrick Paulson Michael and John Warren and will forever be a piece of music history. Are you excited about watching Fade To Black on TIDAL? Let us know.
Source: Disney / Disney Disney has been showing off all 2019 and bringing magic to real life with their live action flicks like The Lion King and Aladdin . And in about two weeks, you can add Lady and the Tramp to the list of live action Disney remakes that made you experience the bliss of your childhood imagination IRL. We got a chance to visit the Savannah, Georgia set of the Charlie Bean directed film last year, and hung out with the phenomenal and eclectic cast and crew — including three of the stars of the movie, Kiersey Clemons , Thomas Mann and Yvette Nicole Brown . The live action version of the classic film tells a similar story to the original Disney version: An upper-middle-class American cocker spaniel named Lady who meets a streetsmart, downtown stray Schnauzer called the Tramp, and the two embark on many romantic adventures including that iconic spaghetti smooch scene.” However, this time around, the cast is much more diverse in race and age. Thomas and Kiersey play a young couple with a little baby living a super adult life. Thomas told us about landing the role: I was super excited because I never been apart of a Disney before and I was huge fan of Lady and the Tramp as a kid. So obviously it was a no brainer. But I was like ‘Ugh, there’s probably gonna be a lot of guys trying out for this.’ And I also thought I was too young. But obviously that wasn’t the case. I only had to audition one time, then I got it after that. And Kiersey was cast just before me so it was amazing that they put us together. We’re both so young, living this adult life. He even had to grow a mustache for the role. As for Kiersey, she fell in love with the real stars of the film as soon as she began filming. I love the dogs! We cuddle a lot. I would love to take Tramp home, but all the dogs have homes I think Rose (the pup that plays Lady) and I bonded. She runs this set. I can tell when she’s not into it that day. She knows this is her movie. I have lots of respect for Rose. She also dished on how she made her character Darling Dear a little different from the 1955 version: I made her a little assertive. I’m using my imagination alot with like the times, and this fantasy world of it being Disney. And her being this young woman of color. She wears the pants in the relationship and it’s been fun. Fun Facts: It took about sixteen weeks to train the pups for their roles. All the pups were rescues before being adopted after filming wrapped. The city of Savannah was another major star of the movie, according to Yvette Nicole Brown: “There’s a certain magic to this city. I think Atlanta would’ve been too big for this movie. The production design looks exactly like 1910. It was very cool to go back in time for a few days.” Just in time for the holidays, Disney is giving us that little spark of joy, magic and wonder that we all need at this time. Catch Lady and the Tramp in theaters on November 12. Tell them we sent you!
Source: Earl Gibson III / Getty Cash Money Films “She Ball” Trailer With Birdman & Nick Cannon While Birdman leaves Cash Money Records’ current day success in the hands of Blueface, it seems like he is focused on expanding his range as a CEO to every realm outside of music. Cash Money has a both a book publishing division and film division, which hasn’t been active in years–but all that is about to change. This week, a new film called She Ball was announced along with a star studded cast and the movie is said to be the brain child of Birdman and Nick Cannon , who will both be featured in the film. The project deals with multiple topics that people face everyday regarding subjects like race, gentrification, criminal justice, and women empowerment. The upcoming film is written, directed, and produced by Nick Cannon, who explained the plot as follows: “ She Ball is about community, and the inclusive nature of controlling your own background. It’s a story that doesn’t have any boundaries. It’s a sports movie, it’s a love story, and it’s a comedy.” In addition to Birdman and Nick Cannon, the film is also set to feature a slew of star-studded talent. The supporting cast for the movie includes the likes of Cedric The Entertainer, DC Young Fly, Evan Ross, Faizon Love, and will be told through the eyes of Melody Rae Kandil. The film’s second trailer is going to arrive later this week, while the film itself is set to hit theaters in February of 2020. This is the first of several projects expected to come from the imaginations of Birdman and Nick Cannon. One thing you can bet on is that the soundtrack will be massive and just as start-studded as the movie itself, with several hits to accompany the film. Check out the first trailer for the film down below:
Source: WENN/Avalon / WENN When Ava DuVernay released the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series “ When They See Us ,” she likely knew that she would ruffle a few feathers. The truth can be a hard pill to swallow, so it’s not surprising that law enforcement figures who played a role in robbing the Exonerated Five of their childhoods are trying to rewrite history and misplace blame. Want Exclusives First? Click Here To Sign Up For Our Newsletter! However, the most recent legal complaint against the film is coming from an unlikely source. According to TMZ , the latest jab comes from former Chicago police officer John Reid. While Reid does not appear in the film, he’s arguing in a defamation lawsuit that the series misrepresents and demonizes his work. Reid is credited with a police interrogation tactic known as The Reid Technique, which some police training firms have done away with because they suspect that it has a tendency to produce false confessions. In the series, the technique is referenced as “universally rejected” when a prosecutor and detective are discussing the manner in which the detective coerced confessions out of the boys. SEE ALSO: Jharrel Jerome Takes Home Lead Actor Win At 2019 Emmys For ‘When They See Us’ [VIDEO] “You squeezed statements out of them after 42 hours of questioning and coercing, without food, bathroom breaks, withholding parental supervision,” the prosecutor said. “The Reid Technique has been universally rejected. That’s truth to you.” According to the lawsuit, the Reid technique does not teach officers to withhold parental supervision or deny interrogation subjects of their rights. He adds that his technique teaches officers to take caution when interviewing minors. In summary, he claims the Reid Technique rejects the practices depicted by officers in the film. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). He argues that Ava “fabricated a scene designed to broadcast to the audience a conversation they made up that included false statements as to the Reid Technique.” In July, Reid says that he demanded a retraction of comments made about the interrogation technique; however, Netflix refused. [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”2005853″ overlay=”true”] This story was originally published on MadameNoire.com . ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Amber Rose Welcomes Her Second Baby Boy [PHOTOS] Keshia Knight-Pulliam Confirms She’s Dating Actor Brad James [PHOTO] Kanye West & Kim K Have Sunday Service At Howard University [VIDEO] Follow @TheRSMS
Source: Jennifer Johnson / Universal Kelly Rowland, Miguel & More Come Out For “Queen & Slim” Special Screenings Source: Jennifer Johnson / Universal QUEEN & SLIM filmmakers Lena Waithe and Melina Matsoukas took their first feature film coast-to-coast this week and the first stop was The Creative Collective’s CultureCon in Brooklyn where The Read’s Kid Fury and Crissle hosted a screening and post screening Q&A on Thursday, October 10th at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s (BAM) Rose Cinemas. Source: T.K. Atakora / Universal On Friday, they took the film west to The Underground Museum, a cultural gem in Los Angeles for a star studded screening with Black Hollywood. The screening was hosted by Solange and ended with a Q&A with The Treatment’s Evis Mitchell.Peep more on the flip.
Will Smith is set to attempt to knock Joker out of the number 1 spot at the box office this weekend when he releases his new movie GEMINI MAN. A movie about an elite assassin named Henry Brogan who becomes the target of a mysterious operative who can seemingly predict his every move. To his horror, he soon learns that the man who’s trying to kill him is a younger, faster, cloned version of himself. The technology on this film is out of this world, and seeing a younger version of Will Smith perform these stunts as a completely computerized character is mind-blowing. The Special effect teams said they didn’t have much footage of a young Will doing dramatic roles, but Will revealed the movies they used to craft the cloned version of himself. Will said, “That was one of the scenes that Ang Lee used for Gemini Man. He used Six Degrees of Separation, that scene from Fresh Prince and a couple of other scenes, he used Bad Boys, Independence Day and Men In Black. Then he put together a picture of my level of performance from that time and that was the language that we used to be able to create this new digital version of myself.” He also goes on to reveal that Lebron James was so touched by the iconic episode of Fresh Prince when Will dad walks out on him that he brings it up each time he sees him in person. During this episode of Extra Butter with Xilla Valentine you also get exclusive interviews with Ang Lee and Jerry Bruckheimer. Super producer Jerry also gives us an update on Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop 4 as well as Bad Boys For Life.
