City Harlem Showbiz Latest News and Updates

K.J. Yossman “Paris in Harlem” director Christina Kallas is set to direct limited series ‘The Second Attack’ for ARD Mediathek, Variety can exclusively reveal.The six-part political thriller envisions what would happen if an “unthinkable war” were to take place on the world stage.Oliver Bottini (“Algiers Confidential”) has written the screenplay alongside Abdel Raouf Dafri (“A Prophet”) and Frédéric Jardin (“Braquo”).“Inspired by true events, ‘The Second Attack’ follows Alex, a young German who tries to uncover the truth about the murder of his father in 2003, a sniper for the Bundeswehr,” reads the official logline.

Tracy Oliver created Harlem, based on her own life experiences, because she wanted more stories of Black friendship out there. After an initial delay due to Covid, the Amazon Prime Video series premiered in December 2021 and has been renewed for a second season.

Emanuel Okusanya From traditional West African highlife music to modern-day Afrobeat R&B, Adekunle Gold has become one of the top exports during the genre’s globalization. Initially garnering attention for his 2014 One Direction “Story of My Life” cover (later retitled “Sade”), Gold used that momentum to launch his career and release four studio albums.

Ray Liotta got a call out of the blue: It was the man he portrayed in the film, mobster-turned-informant Henry Hill.Hill told the actor he would “love to sit down and talk with ya,” and the two agreed to meet at Jerry’s Deli in the Valley at the bowling alley, Liotta told The Post in 2020.“And the first thing he said was, ‘Thanks for not making me look like a scumbag!’ And I said, ‘Serious? Did you see the movie? You cheated on your wife, you were dealing drugs when your crew told you not to.’ I wondered what made him think that he wasn’t.“It was an interesting perspective that people have of themselves.”The actor, who died Thursday at the age of 67, explained how he prepared for his most famous role. First, he read the non-fiction book the film was based on, 1985’s “Wiseguy,” by Nicholas Pileggi, which focuses on Hill.

Jussie Smollett, is making his directorial debut next month. Per , the Smollett-directed , has been picked up by BET+ and will hit the streamer June 9, as part of BET+'s Pride Month programming.In addition to directing and writing the project, Smollett is also a producer on , alongside  Mona Scott-Young and her Monami Entertainment, who the outlet said was instrumental in getting the deal done with BET+.Starring, Timothy Richardson, Ledisi, Brandee Evans, Heather B, Marquise Vilson, Jabari Redd, Broderick Hunter and Thomas Mackie, is the film adaptation of James Earl Hardy’s novel by the same name.Described as «a clash of class and culture when Mitchell Crawford, a college educated journalist from Brooklyn and Raheim Rivers, a bike messenger from Harlem, fall in love,» the indie film made its award-winning debut last year at the 2021 American Black Film Festival, taking home the Narrative Feature Fan Favorite Award. Smollett's directorial debut comes after he was sentenced to 150 days behind bars in March and given 30 months of felony probation -- three months after he was found guilty on five of the six counts of disorderly conduct for which he was charged.

OMG! Rihanna has officially given birth to her first child with A$AP Rocky! No, this is not a drill!!

EXCLUSIVE: Following festival favourite and Oscar shortlisted drama Night Of The Kings, Ivory Coast director Philippe Lacôte is developing his new feature film 7 Golden Thieves (Les 7 Voleurs D’Or) with his producing and co-writing partner Delphine Jacquet and Memento’s relaunched Paradise City banner.

Forest Whitaker is set to receive this year’s honorary Palme d’Or from the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes announced on Thursday. Whitaker will be the honorary guest at the opening ceremony for the 75th Cannes, and a film he produced, “For the Sake of Peace,” will also get a special screening on Wednesday, May 18.

Manori Ravindran International EditorA John Krasinski-produced movie about a fugitive billionaire has found its director in Peter Landesman.Sources tell Variety that the “Concussion” writer-helmer is on board to direct the long-gestating movie, which is based on Daniel Ammann’s biography “The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich.” The film tells the story of the international commodities trader and founder of Glencore, who was indicted in the U.S. on 65 criminal counts that included tax evasion, wire fraud, racketeering and striking deals for oil with Iran during the Iran hostage crisis.Rich had already fled the U.S.

Andre Leon Talley’s funeral was attended by Anna Wintour, Naomi Campbell, Kimora Lee Simmons, Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, and more.Friends and family gathered at the the late fashion icon’s longtime house of worship, The Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem.Talley was fashion icon and former longtime creative director for Vogue. He died at the age of 73, after battling an unknown illness. His legacy will live forever.

Some of the most powerful figures in the fashion world convened under one roof to mark the celebration of life for the late fashion icon André Leon Talley.

André Leon Talley.Naomi Campbell, Anna Wintour, Karlie Kloss and Marc Jacobs were just some of the many stars who paid their final respects at Friday's ceremony in Harlem. The service, attended by some 1,100 guests, included musical and individual tributes.

Peacock‘s The Best Man: The Final Chapters announce Nicole Ari Parker (And Just Like That, Chicago P.D.), Ron Canada (The Good Fight, The Orville), and Tony winner Brandon Victor Dixon (Power, Jesus Christ Superstar Live!) is among its recurring guest stars. They join previously announce franchise stars Morris Chesnut, Melissa De Sousa, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrance Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, and Harold Perrineau.

Naman Ramachandran White Horse Pictures, the production company behind recent documentaries about the Beatles, Lucille Ball and the Bee Gees, is producing another look at a legendary entertainer: Gene Wilder. Library Films’ Chris Smith, the filmmaker behind projects such as “Bad Vegan” and “100 Foot Wave,” is directing the documentary about the star of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” and “Young Frankenstein,” which will be told through the perspective of Jordan Walker-Pearlman, the late actor’s nephew and a filmmaker in his own right.The documentary is produced in association with Sobey Road Entertainment and Harlem Hollywood.

Starz is expanding the cast of its comedy series “Run the World.”Tika Sumpter, Comedian CP and Isha Blaaker are all joining the cast in recurring roles for Season 2. Additionally,  Cree Summer and Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins will guest star in the upcoming season, the network announced on Wednesday.“Run the World” follows a group of smart, funny and vibrant thirtysomething Black women — played by Corbin Reid, Bresha Webb and Amber Stevens West — who live, work and play in Harlem.

Selome Hailu Tika Sumpter, Chris “Comedian CP” Powell and Ishaa Blaaker have been cast in recurring roles in Season 2 of Starz’s “Run the World” while Cree Summer and Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins will guest star, Variety has learned exclusively.The series follows a group of smart, funny and vibrant 30-something Black women who live, work and play in Harlem.Sumpter plays Naomi, the biological mother of Amari (Ellie Reine) who has returned home from the Navy. With the assertiveness of a military officer, she immediately reclaims her position in Amari’s life, leaving Sondi (Corbin Reid) to question her place in this new family dynamic.Comedian CP plays Preston Thurgood, the multi-millionaire creator of Prestify, who has no need to put on airs. His hilarious, down-to-earth personality is plenty to get Renee’s (Bresha Webb) attention; however, his lavish lifestyle certainly won’t hurt his case.

EXCLUSIVE: Range Media Partners has signed award-winning visionary filmmaker Matt Ogens. Ogens new Netflix Original Audible was nominated for Best Documentary Short at the 94 Academy Awards. The documentary is an immersive coming-of-age story told from the perspective of Deaf high school students and communicated through sign language. He is currently in production on his follow up documentary film based on the viral Nigerian Ballet dancer internet sensation.

EXCLUSIVE: Producer Trevite Willis (Forty Year Old Version) and her production company Southern Fried Filmworks has optioned interior designer Sheila Bridges’ acclaimed book The Bald Mermaid: A Memoir in order to adapt Bridges’ remarkable personal story into a series.

EXCLUSIVE: Academy Award and Emmy nominated director Lisa Cortés has signed a new first look deal with Blue Ants Studios.

Pioneering hip hop artist Keith Grayson, who performed as DJ Kay Slay and worked with top stars, has died of complications from COVID-19. Grayson's death at age 55 on Sunday was confirmed by his family in a statement released through New York radio station HOT 97, where he hosted "The Drama Hour" for more than two decades.

NEW YORK -- Pioneering hip hop artist Keith Grayson, who performed as DJ Kay Slay and worked with top stars, has died of complications from COVID-19.Grayson's death at age 55 on Sunday was confirmed by his family in a statement released through New York radio station HOT 97, where he hosted “The Drama Hour” for more than two decades.“A dominant figure in hip hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and excellence with a legacy that will transcend generations,” the family statement said.Grayson grew up in Harlem, immersed in New York City's early hip hop scene. He got his start as a teenage graffiti artist and was featured in the 1983 hip hop documentary “Style Wars."He began selling bootleg mixtapes on street corners in the early '90s and released his first studio album, “The Streetsweeper, Vol.

Keith Grayson, the influential hip hop mixtape artist, graffiti icon and New York radio host known professionally as DJ Kay Slay, died on Sunday. He was 55. Grayson’s family confirmed the news Monday after he had been battling Covid-19.

Summer Of Soul (… Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), the Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson-directed film that won the Oscar and the Grammy for documenting 1969’s now-famed Harlem Cultural Festival, has inspired a reboot of the landmark music event.

Thania Garcia On the heels of winning an Oscar for best documentary feature and a Grammy for best music film, Questlove’s “Summer of Soul (… Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” continues to make an impact — this time with festival organizers.Harlem Festival of Culture, a reimagined version of the weeks-long festival at the center of the film, will take place in the summer of 2023 at Marcus Garvey Park, the site of the concerts in the film (it was called Mount Morris Park at the time of the original 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival). Like the original, the festival will be a multi-day outdoor event.According to Billboard, Ambassador Digital Magazine editor-in-chief Musa Jackson (who attended the original 1969 fest and is also featured in the doc), Nikoa Evans, and Yvonne McNair are the festival’s co-founders.

Amazon Prime Video kicked off the second day of Deadline’s Contenders TV event with a panel for Harlem, featuring Tracy Oliver, Meagan Good, Jerrie Johnson, Shoniqua Shandai, and Grace Byers.

Back up! One week after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, Questlove poked fun at the incident as he presented a Grammy Award.

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson went from spinning records at last year’s Oscar ceremony to winning a statuette of his own tonight, for directing Best Documentary Feature champ Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not be Televised).

“I believe that a big reason why this ambitious idea of throwing a music festival in Harlem in which somewhere between 70,000 to 90,000 people every weekend would see performances was so that there was something joyous and hopeful for people at that point were kind of at the end of their rope,” Summer of Soul (Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson says about the importance the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival had to a Black America ravaged by violence and assassination.

Johnny Brown, best known for his role as the housing project superintendent Nathan Bookman on the TV show "Good Times," has died. He was 84 and no cause of death was given by his family, who announced his death on Instagram. Daughter and actress Sharon Catherine Brown wrote on Instagram.

Johnny Brown, best known for his role as the housing project superintendent Nathan Bookman on the TV show Good Times, has died. He was 84 and no cause of death was given by his family, who announced his death on Instagram.