Tessa Thompson for Marie Claire July 2019
She Talks 'Sexist and Racist' Industry -- How She Negotiated 'MIB' Contract Celebrity
"When we talk about issues of pay equity, that means something different to Natalie Portman than it does to me," she says.
Tessa Thompson says the movie industry is inherently "sexist and racist".
In a wide-ranging interview with Marie Claire for their July cover story, the actress discussed how she negotiated her contract for the upcoming film "Men in Black: International," which reunites her with Chris Hemsworth for the third time.
"The truth is, the system where you assess international value is inherently sexist and racist because we haven't had those opportunities," Thompson said. "The only way to disrupt that is to create new models."
"When we were having the conversation around how we structure our deals, I said, 'I understand who Chris Hemsworth is and who I am not relative to him, globally and otherwise. But in the success of the film, that changes. In success, I want equity. Because then you can’t make the same argument.'"
When asked if she received the pay she desired, Thompson replied, "Let's just say we're all happy."
The "Thor: Ragnorak" star credited the dialogue sparked by the Time's Up movement in helping her start the conversation.
"[It] allowed me to say things I'm not sure I would have said a year ago," she said.
Not only is Thompson an active member of Time's Up, but she's also one of the proponents of the 4% challenge, which urges members of the film community to work with female directors.
The "Creed" star is also very vocal about the specific challenges women of color face.
"When we talk about issues of pay equity, that means something different to Natalie Portman than it does to me," she said. "Women who are not of color are talking about pay equity with men. [We] are so far away from that."
"I look at actresses who are not of color and at the opportunities that they're presented in terms of directors wanting to make work for them," she later added. "When I look at my contemporaries of color, it's only other artists of color who are doing that in a real, robust way."
Thompson also took a pop quiz with the publication. You can get more HERE
"Men In Black: International" hits theaters June 14.
#RHOA: Kandi Burruss Offers Her Thanks to all The People Worldwide Who Voted For Her At Reality TV Awards
Kandi Burruss is a winner and she just wanted to offer her gratitude to all the people from all over the world who voted for her at the RHOA category – Reality TV Awards. Check out her message and her award as well.
‘Thank you to everyone who voted for me! I really appreciate the love 😘❤️❤️❤️ & thank you @realityawardstv for the award,’ Kandi captioned her post.
Fans cannot praise her enough and a lot of people told her that she’s been their favorite from the very first day of the show.
Tiny Harris is here for this and supports Kandi: ‘Ok now sis… u did that!!! Congrats 🙌🏽🖤’
Someone else wrote, ‘Should it surprise you that you won this award?!? -Of ALL the bravo-ladies, you are by far the REALIST, cutest, most honest and loyal. -Talented, generous, devoted & caring. -Smartest, most lovable and charming of all!!!’
A fan said, ‘Congratulations, you always keep it real and most importantly I am in awe of your achievements as an artist and a businesswoman. Well deserved recognition ❤️’
One commenter posted: ‘Congrats Kandi! You deserve it. A few of the other housewives are cool but you keep it really real and you are the most open and honest.💜💜💜’
Someone gushed over Kandi and said, ‘We love you because your REAL and you work hard. Also, your negativity and turn it into money. Congratulations and keep doing big and better things in the 🌎.’
A person praised her like there’s no tomorrow and said: ‘Of course Kandi, I’m so not surprised; for you are ‘THE’ most Classiest, Professional, Inspiring, Talented, Spontaneous, Outgoing, Driven and Most Beautiful Female Role Model Housewife Ever!!! Keep Shining cause you stand out🔥🔥🔥’
#Empire: Guess who’s back on Instagram? It’s JUSSIE SMOLLETT!
Jussie Smollett has returned to Instagram for the first time since he was allegedly attacked in Chicago in January.
On Monday, the actor posted a video of Tarell Alvin McCraney's speech from the 2019 Tony Awards in which the "Choir Boy" star spoke of "black queerness."
Jussie had not used social media since Jan. 28, one day before he claims he was brutally attacked by two men. Since that day, a lot has transpired in Jussie's life and a cloud of suspicion has hovered over his story. While maintaining that he was a victim, police had their doubts, and on Feb. 21 he was arrested after local authorities alleged that he staged the attack with the help of two men.
He was later charged with 16 felonies, to which he pleaded not guilty. Then, on March 26, the criminal case against him -- for allegedly lying to police about an alleged racial and homophobic attack -- was dropped.
#NewMusic from The Hamiltones Release Long-Awaited Debut EP ‘Watch The Ton3s’
We know it's June and summer is around the corner, but GRAMMY nominees The Hamiltones have us feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. After years of providing background vocals for Anthony Hamilton and hooking us with musical bait, J. Vito, Tony Lelo and 2E have finally rewarded us with their official debut project, the EP Watch The Ton3s.When you consider their collaborations with artists like PJ Morton, Jonathan McReynolds and Tori Kelly, plus their unique, viral covers of everyone from Drake to Lil Nas X, these sangin' brothas have proved that there isn't a genre that they can't handle. However, this particular project is the very reason we know #RnBLives.
As 2E says, “We can switch up every now and then, but this is a soul/R&B EP -- feel-good music.” And he's not wrong.Although we've already heard (and memorized) half of the 6-track EP, it doesn't diminish our excitement for Watch The Ton3s in any way. In fact, hearing previous singles – "MCBYL (Money Can't Buy You Love)" featuring Ricco Barrino, "PIECES" and the "MCBYL (Remix)" with fire verses from our boy Phonte – packaged with three brand new tracks, creates a compelling, love-themed narrative and allows us to appreciate them with fresh perspective."ALONE" is a contemplative ballad about self-love, acceptance and growth.
Meanwhile, organ-heavy "Best Friend" is a sultry, slow-burning groove steeped in retro soul and blues. Uptempo "Gotta Be Lovin' Me," previously leaked as an acoustic tune, is a sunny jam perfect for any summertime playlist. Loaded with heavenly harmonies, carefully crafted lyrics and live instrumentation that hark back to a time when you didn’t just listen to music, you felt it.
LISTEN HERE
Watch The Ton3s is a fitting premiere for this talented trio.
#HipHopNews: Nas Reveals "The Lost Tapes 2" Promo
Diehard Nas fans have been put on high alert. The Hip Hop icon and business mogul gave a warning signal via his Instagram account on Tuesday (June 11) that the long-awaited second edition of his beloved The Lost Tapes is on deck.
The revelation is in a short video clip of the camera zoomed in on a damaged, marble white prototype being held by Nas wearing white gloves and a matching science lab coat.
There has been no release date announced for The Lost Tapes 2 at press time.
The first Lost Tapes was a compilation of unreleased tracks and debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart when it dropped in 2002.
Several of Nas’s fan-favorite tracks and his concert performance staples from The Lost Tapes include “No Idea’s Original,” “Purple,” “Doo Rags,” and “Blaze a 50.”
Nas celebrated the 25th anniversary of his classic debut Illmatic in April and his latest LP Nasir was released one year ago this week on June 15.
Additionally, Nas will be embarking on the 22-city co-headlining tour with Mary J. Blige beginning in July.
Linda Fairstein Pens Nasty Op-Ed Against 'When They See Us': "Ms. DuVernay Does Not Define Me"
The former Central Park 5 prosecutor was recently dropped by her book publisher.
Linda Fairstein, the former Central Park 5 prosecutor who has come under fire following the release of Ava DuVernay‘s Netflix series When They See Us, continues to double down on her criticisms against the series and her portrayal in it.
In the show, Fairstein is portrayed by Felicity Huffman as the main mover of the investigation and persecution of the five teens. Initially, Fairstein said that the series presents “a totally and completely untrue picture of events and my participation,” and puts “words in my mouth that I never said in Oliver Stone fashion.”
Fairstein also called it a “basket of lies” and accused DuVernay of orchestrating a public campaign against her.
“She’s behind it,” Fairstein said. “Her lies are behind it all.”
Now, in a new op-ed for the The Wall Street Journal, Fairstein called the show an “outright fabrication” and argued that even though the Central Park 5 didn’t beat and rape the jogger, they still could’ve taken part in or assaulted other people in the park.
“…the larger picture of that terrible night: a riot in the dark that resulted in the apprehension of more than 15 teenagers who set upon multiple victims,” Fairstein wrote in the op-ed. “…eight others were attacked, including two men who were beaten so savagely that they required hospitalization for head injuries.”
Fairstein claimed that there is evidence proving that the five were involved in a riot.
“Mr. Reyes’ confession, DNA match and claim that he acted alone required that the rape charges against the five be vacated. I agreed with that decision, and still do. But the other charges, for crimes against other victims, should not have been vacated,” she wrote. “Ms. DuVernay does not define me, and her film does not speak the truth.”
Since the series’ release, Fairstein has been dropped by her book publisher, and has stepped down from the boards of several nonprofits including Safe Horizon victims services agency, God’s Love We Deliver, Joyful Heart Foundation, and Vassar College.
Chris Pratt & Katherine Schwarzenegger Share More Wedding Photos also see Her Second Dress!
Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger are giving fans an inside look at their wedding with more photos from the special day!
The newlyweds both looked stunning in designs by Giorgio Armani and the legendary fashion designer is speaking out about creating looks for the big day.
“Katherine and Chris are truly the ultimate beautiful bride and handsome groom. I am proud to have played a role in this couple’s wedding. For them and for the bridal party, I designed elegant and sophisticated outfits, that would highlight their radiant personalities,” Mr. Armani said in a statement.
Chris added, “I’m grateful to Mr. Armani, who created a once in a lifetime dress for Katherine to wear, and for me, the perfect suit. We feel nothing but blessed.”
For the intimate ceremony, Katherine wore a custom Armani Privé white crinoline lace bustier column gown elevated by a full skirt that extends into a lace train. She also selected a custom-created lace embroidered short veil, paired with the tulle veil once worn by the Mother of the Bride, Maria Shriver, on her wedding day. Katherine completed her look with her grandmother’s earrings and Armani Privé white satin heels.
For the reception following the ceremony and for the wedding dinner, Katherine appeared in a custom Armani Privé ivory silk satin gown with delicately draped sleeves and covered-button detailing along the back of the plunging back gown. The dress was complemented by Armani Privé ivory satin heels.
Christina Schwarzenegger, the maid of honor, wore a custom Armani Privé dress while the six bridesmaids wore custom Giorgio Armani dresses.
Chris wore a Giorgio Armani Made to Measure midnight blue two-button peak lapel tropical weight wool suit with a matching vest. He accessorized his attire with a white shirt, a silver neck tie and matching pochette, and Giorgio Armani cufflinks. His son Jack Pratt wore an Armani Junior suit and the nine groomsmen all wore Giorgio Armani suits.
Ciara Stuns In New Pixie Cut
Singer Ciara has been known to keep fans on their toes with her ever-changing style in every era of her career. Even in the past year, she has switched up her style several times!
This time she choswe a pixie cut. As you can see. How do you like the look?
Former NFL Player Kellen Winslow Jr. Found Guilty of Rape, Lewd Conduct, and Indecent Exposure
Former NFL player Kellen Winslow Jr. has been found guilty on a series of charges, including: lewd conduct, indecent exposure, and the forcible rape of a 58-year-old woman
via TMZ: A jury deliberated in a San Diego courthouse for the past week before reaching a verdict Monday on 4 of the 12 counts he’s facing … finding Winslow guilty on 3 of the 4, including the forcible rape of 58-year-old Jane Doe #2.
He was also found guilty of indecent exposure to Jane Doe #3 and guilty of lewd conduct regarding Jane Doe #5.
He was found NOT GUILTY on a second lewd conduct charge regarding Jane Doe #5.
35-year-old Winslow was initially arrested back in June 2018. Officials say he kidnapped and raped 2 transient women in 2 separate incidents — one in March and another in May.
A 3rd woman later stepped forward and also claimed Winslow raped her 15 years ago while she was unconscious. Kellen was also accused of exposing himself to two other women in separate incidents over the past year as well.
All of Winslow’s accusers testified during his trial — which began on May 20.
He’s facing life in prison.
A Drug Lord May Have Hired Hit on Red Sox Legend David Ortiz Over Alleged Affair With His Wife?
Baseball legend David Ortiz was shot over the weekend in the Dominican Republic, but now authorities believe he was shot by two police officers hired by a drug lord who thought the former athlete was having an affair with his wife.
via NYP: Three law enforcement sources have confirmed the motive to the Daily Mail. The local drug lord has not been identified.
Police have so far arrested Eddy Feliz Garcia but the probe is ongoing, the news outlet reported.
Ortiz, who is recovering from surgery — in which parts of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder, were removed — is married to Tiffany Ortiz and has three children.
It was unclear if his family was with him in the capital, Santo Domingo, where he was ambushed Sunday at the Dial Bar and Lounge, according to the Daily Mail.
Ortiz, who also suffered liver damage, will be flown from the Dominican Republic to a hospital in Boston as soon as possible aboard a Red Sox jet, according to ESPN.
Baseball legend or not, you can’t be out here having affairs with the wife of a known drug lord and not expect any repercussions.
DJ Khaled Threatens Legal Action Against Billboard Over Album Sales!
Well, this is a side of DJ Khaled we don't see too often. The Miami producer's Father of Asahd album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Charts, and Khaled was pissed, to say the least. Tyler, The Creator's Igor album landed in the No. 1 spot, and apparently it had everything to do with Khaled's bundle deal with an energy drink for the album.
It was reported Khaled stormed into Epic Records and had a serious, kind of heated conversation about his album sales. It was originally reported he had a whole tantrum in the offices, but then it was said he “passionately spoke" to the record executives.
Apparently, Billboard disqualified his promotion because it hadn't been approved, even though Khaled's camp claims they had received approval prior to the bundle deal's release.
Well, now he's taking his frustrations to court and he's reportedly gearing up for a "monster lawsuit" against Billboard Chart, alleging the organization unfairly disqualified more than 100,000 sales of Father of Asahd, robbing him of the No. 1 spot.
According to Page Six, the DJ's lawyers have fired off a letter to Silvio Pietroluongo, SVP of charts and data development at Billboard. He means business.
A source from Khaled's camp tells the site: “When Khaled’s team tried to appeal, Billboard refused to budge.” The source said the situation was all the more unjust because Tyler, the Creator’s bundle deal figures were included in his total sales. On May 30, Billboard announced Tyler debuted at No. 1 with 165,000 albums sold, with Khaled at No. 2 at 137,000. Not fair, argues Khaled’s team.
“Khaled was frustrated his label didn’t fight harder for his bundle sales to be included.”
A Billboard source disputed that 100,000 DJ Khaled sales were disqualified but admitted an undisclosed number of his sales were ruled out because “there were strange anomalies in the data,” adding that the decision was based on chart rules following talks with Khaled’s management, Sony Records and Nielsen. Billboard announced it has reviewed its rules allowing artists to bundle albums with merch and will outline a new policy for 2020.
Looks like Khaled isn't trying to wait until 2020. He wants action NOW.
Activists Demand Justice for Layleen Polanco, the 27-Year-Old Transgender Woman Who Died in Solitary Confinement
On Monday night, hundreds gathered in Foley Square in New York City on behalf of Layleen Polanco, the 27-year-old transgender woman of color who recently died in solitary confinement at Rikers Island. Here, what you need to know about Polanco and the outcry for information surrounding her death.
On June 7th, Polanco was found unresponsive in her cell, though it is still unclear how exactly she died. She was being held at the Rose M. Singer Center on Rikers Island, a woman's facility, and is reported to have been in solitary confinement following an alleged fight. According to the Washington Post, the New York City Department of Correction reported that a custodial staff member tried to revive her using CPR and then a defibrillator before a member of the medical staff arrived. She was pronounced dead by 3:45 P.M.
The DOC tweeted on June 8th that it is investigating her tragic death, writing, "We take this matter extremely seriously. We have so far determined the death was not the result of violence or foul play. We will share more information as we determine the cause."
The Post reported that Polanco was arrested on April 13th and detained since April 16th on misdemeanor charges of assault and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
The Response: The Legal Aid Society, which represented Polanco, released a statement following the news of her death, saying, "Ms. Polanco’s passing is a tragic reminder of the heightened risk and physical and emotional torture that transgender people - especially those from communities of color - face in the criminal legal system, particularly while in custody. Her heartbreaking and untimely death warrants a swift, complete, independent, and transparent investigation from the City. We join New Yorkers in demanding justice for Ms. Polanco, her family, and for her community."
Polanco's family also released a statement through their lawyers, saying, "We are heartbroken over the death of our beloved Layleen, whose bright light was an inspiration to all who knew her. as we gather to mourn this tremendous loss, we are left shocked and outraged by the stony silence from the Department of Correction, Mayor’s Office, NYPD, and City government. The family demands answers, and we are entitled to them."
How to Help: Polanco's sister has set up a GoFundMe page for funeral costs. There, she writes, "We will make sure her story is heard after we find out what happened. Please helps us lay her to rest. This was a very unexpected death and a big loss to her family and friends." The funeral is set to take place on Saturday, and the family has asked attendees to wear colorful clothing to the service.
Toronto fans blasted for cheering after Kevin Durant’s brutal Game 5 injury
That display brought a quick rebuke both online and from some Raptors players, who encouraged their home crowd to cheer for the injured player rather than for his painful circumstance. Fans complied, giving the Golden State Warriors star a hand and chanting “KD! KD!” as he left the court.
Ibaka and other players from Raptors holding their arms out to try to get crowd to calm down. PA announcer literally comes on mic to say "Shhhhhhh." Eventually fans start clapping for him as he exits, and start to chant "KD"
With the Warriors down 3-1 in the Finals and facing a do-or-die scenario, Durant took the risk of worsening his injury by playing. The reigning two-time Finals MVP was reported during the ABC telecast as dealing with “raw emotions” after he got to the Golden State locker room.
ABC’s Doris Burke reported during the third quarter Monday that Durant would not return to the game and he would get an MRI exam on Tuesday.
After the game, which the Warriors managed to win despite the loss of Durant, Golden State Coach Steve Kerr said of the forward’s injury to reporters, “Some of the fans were cheering when it happened. The Raptors players understood how serious it was. There was a couple of minutes there where it all seemed so eerie and strange.”
Warriors General Manager Bob Myers followed Kerr at the postgame news conference, and he grew emotional while announcing that Durant had suffered an injury to his Achilles'. Depending on the severity, that could put Durant’s 2019-20 season in jeopardy, after a summer in which he was expected to become a coveted free agent.
“He was cleared to play tonight. That was a collaborative decision," Myers said of Durant. "I don’t believe there’s anybody to blame. I understand this world, if you have to, you can blame me. I run our basketball operations department.”
When it was Golden State star Stephen Curry’s turn to address the media, he referred to the fact that he briefly lived in Toronto as a youngster while his father, Dell Curry, finished his NBA career with the Raptors.
Calling Raptors fans “nice people” with “passion and excitement for the game,” Curry said he was “very confused about that reaction,” because it was “not my experience with people of this city.” He commended Toronto’s Kyle Lowry and Danny Green for “kind of signaling to the crowd, like, let’s check ourselves a little bit.”
“This is about an individual, a human being, and not, ‘Oh, shoot he’s hurt, we won the championship,’ ” Curry added. "That was probably the initial thought, and you hate to see that when a guy’s going through pain like that.
“So again, that’s not my experience with this city, and I just hope that ugliness doesn’t show itself again, as we go forward in this series.”
The Finals move back to Oakland for Thursday’s Game 6, and if the Warriors win, Game 7 will be played Sunday in Toronto. Durant will be a spectator again, as he had been for more than a month, but this time with likely a much longer timetable for recovery.
Kevin Hart Sued After Woman Claims His Security Shoved Her; Woman Says Incident Left Her With Broken Face
Kevin Hart has found himself in the middle of a legal battle involving his security team and an alleged innocent bystander. A lawsuit has been filed stating a woman was pushed to the ground by Hart’s bodyguards while they were trying to escort Hart out of an event. The woman, Carmen Marrero, alleges that the incident left her with a completely broken face.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Marrero says that she was walking on a sidewalk near 54th street and Eighth Avenue in the heart of midtown Manhattan in January when she noticed a small crowd of people gathered outside of a SAG-AFTRA event. She claims Hart’s security team suddenly came aggressively storming out the front doors and one security guard, in particular, shoved people out of the way. Marrero says she was knocked to the ground, and left with a fractured face.
Marrero’s attorney, Richard Russo, says they are suing Hart, his production company and SAG-AFTRA for assault and battery and are, of course, requesting a hefty pay-out for damages. Marrero says Hart was “negligent” for failing to properly train his team of security guards.
Coincidently, Hart’s voiceover feature in “The Secret Life of Pets 2” is going to earn him a nice paycheck as it is currently the number one movie in America, grossing $47.1 million in tickets this weekend. Hart has yet to comment on the accusations or the lawsuit.
What do you think? Should celebs be sued for the actions of their security team(s)? Should bodyguards get sued for doing their jobs?
Nicki Minaj Drops Out of Chris Brown Tour
Back in April Chris Brown announced that Nicki Minaj would be co-headlining his upcoming tour
Not anymore...
Yesterday Chris Brown announced the line-up for the tour and Nicki's name was nowhere to be seen.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES?
‘PATCH ADAMS’
You’ve heard of FUBU, now let me introduce you to HOBO jeans.
#EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Shawn!
Meet Shawn! To see more of him you can GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSWF!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
ENJOY!
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
