Ruth Negga Looks Lovely For Vogue Magazine
Ruth Negga covers the January 2017 issue of Vogue magazine photographed by Mario Testino and styled by fashion editor Tonne Goodman.
On fleeing to Ireland with her mother and waiting for her father to join them: “We were going to go to America but my dad didn’t get out in time.” [Three years later, her father died in a car accident.] “We found out in a letter and a phone call. This was 1988. There wasn’t any grief counseling for kids.”
On Hollywood’s lack of diversity: “[It’s been] unacceptable for a long time, and it’s becoming clearly an embarrassment.”
On “Loving”: “The film is reminding us that there’s a conversation that we need to be having still…It does annoy Joel and me when people say it’s a quiet film. Because it doesn’t feel very quiet to us. It feels really loud.”
Loving is in Theaters now.
#RhoA: Phaedra Parks ‘Happy’ To Be with Shemar Moore?
If you tuned in for Watch What Happens Live the other night, then you were witness to the Phaedra Parks smoochfest with actor Shemar Moore. While she was in NYC doing press for Real Housewives of Atlanta, she addressed the WWHL kisses and so much more, including her take on Mama Joyce‘s behavior and reconciling with Kenya Moore!
On her steamy encounter with Shemar, “Oh my gosh! I kissed him more than…hmmm. Yeah, it was quite a lot of kissing…. My lips haven’t…. I felt like I had been violated, but I was happy for the violation! Girl, he gave me life… this man kissed me on the lips!”
Phaedra explained to NBC’s New York Live that the bomb threat was a miscommunication. “I wasn’t there, I was at the DNC, I was speaking. I was a surrogate for the Democratic party this year, so I wasn’t in town, thank god. But, it really wasn’t… the word bomb was used, which pretty much put the whole bomb scare in place. You know, with the current situation with bombs, any time you say bomb, it turns into something else. That wasn’t the case…. A misunderstanding, miscommunication.”
On Kandi and Mama Joyce’s meddling in her business she says they are obsessed, “Oh, they’re obsessed with me! Of course [Kandi is behind Mama Joyce’s meddling]… does your mom hang out with your friends and meddle in everyone’s business? I think not…. I think [the relationship with Kandi] is over. Obviously things have happened and you know, it’s gotten really bad, and it’s went way too far. When you’re a friend of mine, if the friendship ends, that’s when I end all talking and conversation about you. However, you know she’s basically been on a smear campaign against me… it’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.”
Phaedra credits the man upstairs for her new friendship with Kenya: “Jesus fixed it! We took a trip together to her home state of Michigan, where I was doing a camp for my foundation for the children affected by the Flint water crisis and so I did this two week the spend the night camp for children there. And it was awesome and she came for a few days to help me out and it allowed us the opportunity to be away from the petty girls in Atlanta and from the nonsense and so we made a truce that we would try to find peace and you know, just get along. And so, we… so far so good!”
#EMPIRE: Breakout ‘Empire’ Sierra McClain star heats up fall finale!
Sierra McClain is the latest breakout star to appear on “Empire.”
And McClain says we’re in for some surprises in the show’s fall finale, airing Wednesday night.
“The thing about ‘Empire’ is you just don’t know. They hit you upside the head with something completely different,” says McClain, 22, who plays Nessa, Shine’s (Xzibit) niece/protege and Andre’s (Trai Byers) love interest. “I think there’s a dangerous, mysterious side of Nessa that is coming out,” says McClain, “and I want the audience to watch so they can see how she progresses.”
With Nessa and Andre becoming partners in crime — and a potential love triangle between feuding brothers Andre and Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) over Nessa — things are coming to a boiling point on the hit Fox series.
“In the beginning, Nessa saw in Hakeem that love and passion [he has] for music,” McClain says. “I think that, subconsciously, she saw a little bit of her uncle Shyne in Andre. Shyne is a street gangster; Andre is a corporate gangster.”
McClain, the oldest of three siblings, caught the acting bug from her baby sister, China. “I have been singing with my sisters [in the group McClain] forever, but my youngest sister, China, was the first to act,” she says. “And then, at one point, my sister Lauryn and I were like, ‘You know what? We want to [act], too.’ And the rest is history.”
Born in Atlanta, McClain’s first speaking role was in the 2007 Tyler Perry movie “Daddy’s Little Girls” along with her sisters. Her little brother Gabriel, who was 6 at the time, even landed the movie’s most memorable line: “Get away from my daddy, tramp!”
“Naturally the audience makes comparisons between my sisters and I but with the three of us it’s always a healthy and positive competition,” McClain says. “But sometimes I do look at them and say to myself, ‘I need to learn how to do that.’ ”
She says her audition for the role of Nessa in “Empire” was not what she expected. “At first I was a little nervous, because the other girls had their tight outfits on and they looked popping,” she says. “I had on flannel and a sports bra which was a blessing in disguise — because that’s my character’s style on the show.”
McClain, however, lacked any personal or professional experience when it came to the steamy sex scenes with Andre, her on-camera love interest. “My mother was there when I taped my very first sex scene. I never did anything like this before,” she says. “Not only that, but I am very inexperienced in my own personal life. So when it was time to do the scene, I didn’t know what to do with my legs.
“I only met Trai [Byers] in passing at a table read, then I spoke to his wife [‘Empire’ co-star Grace Gealey, who plays Anika Calhoun] and she gave me advice. But for the life of me, I could not get out of my head that this man is married. In the beginning, I was shaking.”
With her new fame comes big money — but McClain has only one thing in mind when it comes to spending her “Empire” checks.
“I can blow $150 on a nice steak dinner and feel good about it,” she says. “I will also break the bank at Barnes & Noble. I love walking into a room and seeing a mini library.”
“Empire” comes on 8 p.m. Wednesday on Fox
New Music Video: Bj The Chicago Kid Feat. Marvin Gaye – Uncle Marvin
3x Grammy nominee, BJ The Chicago Kid has premiered a dark and moody video for his new song, “Uncle Marvin.” The video, directed by Chris Scholar, features the soulful crooner and his friends enjoying a holiday style house party, as well as guest appearances from such artists as Leon Bridges and fellow Motown Records labelmate, Kevin Ross.
Released last week, “Uncle Marvin” will be featured on BJ’s forthcoming mixtape entitled The Lost Files: Cuffing Season. The project will be released tomorrow, December 14. The 8-track mixtape is said to feature some of BJ’s most soulful and seductive records to date with production from, Dre & Vidal (Miguel, Usher, Mariah Carey) and more. BJ discovered the tracks earlier this year on a lost hard drive while moving and decided to put them out as a gift to his fans for supporting him this year!
Check out the “Uncle Marvin” video HERE
New Hip Hop Video: The Game Feat. Jason Derulo – ‘Baby You’
The Game and Jason Derulo bring “Baby You” to life in the music video for their 1992 collaboration.
Directed by Benny Boom, the sleek visual begins with a man claiming his girl is stepping out on him with a Blood from Compton. Then, The Game appears with a gorgeous woman by his side.
Hanging out at Jim Gilliam Park in South Los Angeles, The Game continues to chill with the same lady while her husband rolls by, looking to confirm the infidelity.
As the video comes to an close, however, it becomes apparent that The Game was actually filming a music video the whole time. Still, he rides out with the model at the end.
WATCH HERE
Robin Thicke Pays Tribute To Late Father Alan
Veteran actor Alan Thicke died Tuesday at the age of 69, after suffering a heart attack in Los Angeles.
As tributes from friends and family poured in, his son Robin Thicke reflected on the loss of his beloved father.
“My father passed away today,” Thicke wrote on Instagram. “He was the best man I ever knew. The best friend I ever had. Let’s all rejoice and celebrate the joy he brought to every room he was in. We love you Alan Thicke. Thank you for your love. Love, your grateful son.”
Other friends of the family, including Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Nas, also remembered the “Growing Pains” star.
Drake remembered his fellow Canadian with a post on Instagram featuring the teary-eyed emoji and Canadian flag.
Thicke starred on the hit series “Growing Pains” in the ’80s and ’90s, which earned him the nickname America’s Dad. A singer-songwriter, he also wrote the theme songs for game shows including “The Joker’s Wild,” “Celebrity Sweepstakes,” and the original “Wheel of Fortune.”
Gladys Knight Settles Lawsuit with Son
Earlier this year Gladys Knight fans were shocked after her son Shanga Hankerson filed a lawsuit claiming his mother was mentally incompetent and not capable of terminating their agreement to allow his use of her name and likeness for his chain of Chicken and Waffles restaurants in Atlanta
The lawsuit has been settled...
Back in August Gladys Knight sued to have her name removed from the Gladys Knight Chicken and Waffles franchise after her son was arrested and charged with money laundering and tax
Now, according to reports, the issue has been settled and Shanga has agreed to remove his mother's name from the franchise and return all memorabilia by January 2017.
And the performers for President-elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration are???????????
Teen opera singer Jackie Evancho is set to sing the National Anthem at Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
Evancho’s mother confirmed the news to TMZ, telling the site Trump called the 16-year-old singer’s manager himself to ask if she’d sing.
Singer Andrea Bocelli has also reportedly been asked to perform, but the details have not yet been sorted out. Hopefully he won’t
Evancho, an America’s Got Talent runner-up, performed twice for President Obama, and when she was 11, sang at event Trump attended. She even sang with Bocelli last year in Italy.
Now that Kanye West is all buddy buddy with Trump, maybe the rapper will perform as well. How would Kim Kardashian respond to that?
SAG NOMS 2017: Moonlight and Fences are in….and LOVING Isn’t?
The 2017 SAG nominations are IN and are usually a good indication of who might be recognized at the Oscars and this year is looking much more diverse than the last two years, thankfully. Several movies and actors landed much deserved nods.
Moonlight and Fences both picked up three nominations each! They seem to be Awards season faves this go-round.
Moonlight has been taking over damn near every awards list and the SAG Awards were no different. Moonlight star Mahershala Ali is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role and Naomie Harris is in the running for the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. The film is also nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
Moonlight and Fences will battle it out in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture along with Hidden Figures.
Fences star Denzel Washington, who directed, produced and starred in the film, is nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and his co-star Viola Davis picked up a nomination in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role category. She will go up against Naomie and Hidden Figures star Octavia Spencer.
Sterling K. Brown and Courtney B. Vance won BIG at the Critic’s Choice Awards and the EMMYS this year. And we predict they will do the same at the SAG Awards.
Sterling and Courtney have both been nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
for their roles in “The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story.” Sterling is also nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series category for his role in the hit NBC show “This Is Us.”
Kerry Washington (Confirmation) and Audra McDonald (Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill) will battle it out in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series category.
“Orange Is The New Black” star Uzo Aduba won a SAG Award last year and she’s back for another one..or two. She is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series category and the “OITNB” cast nabbed a spot in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series category up against “black•ish.”
“black•ish” star Anthony Anderson and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” star Tituss Burgess (yassss!) will go head-to-head for the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series award.
Thandie Newton is nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for her role in “Westworld.” Check out the full list here.
However Loving seem to be shut out 😒….disappointing isn’t it?
The 2017 SAG Awards will air live on January 29th on TNT and TBS
Oh? Kirk Frost Hiding an Outside Baby from Rasheeda?
Is Love and Hip Hop Atlanta's Kirk Frost hiding an outside baby from his wife Rasheeda...?
Sources tell Funky Dineva that Kirk's outside baby drama will be the focus of his and Rasheeda's storyline on the next season of Love and Hip Hop Atlanta and that the child and its mother will appear on the show.
The source also claims Rasheeda was totally blindsided by the news and that her honest reaction was all caught on camera.
Danielle Brooks and Tess Holliday Slam ‘America’s Next Top Model’ for Lack of Size Diversity
Actress Danielle Brooks, who plays the beloved character Taystee in the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black, has been an advocate for full-figured women in the entertainment industry like herself. Recently, she took to Twitter to call out the longtime reality TV competition America’s Next Top Model for its lack of representation of women of all sizes.
The 27-year-old tweeted on Monday: “This 1% thing is real. The world really disregards plus size. Watched #ANTM and not one contestant was plus, hell, not even a size 6 or 8.” Brooks went on: “For the 67% of women who are plus size. #seethe67 I can’t tell you how upsetting it was to watch #antm and how many seasons has it been now? Even if producers felt well it’ll be hard for a plus size girl, show that ish. Let the world see how much work still needs to be done….”
The majority of the contestants featured on the show, which debuted in 2003 and aired the first episode of its 23rd season (or “cycle”) on Monday, has primarily featured aspiring models with traditionally ultra-thin bodies. Though there have been exceptions over the years.
Cycle 3 featured Toccara, who has since gone on to be featured in Italian Vogue. Whitney Thompson, featured in Cycle 9, was not only a plus-size contestant but became the show’s first and only full-figured winner. The series has also featured an openly gay contestant and a model with the skin condition vitiligo. But that’s about as far as the diversity goes — and in a culture that’s embracing body positivity and uniqueness more than ever, now seems to be the ideal time to be calling out a bastion of popular culture for not evolving with the times.
Prominent plus-size model Tess Holiday got vocal about her grievances with the show’s narrow-minded approach to choosing contestants in a string of tweets on Monday too. “I grew up religiously watching #Antm & praying one day to be a model. Girls like me were never given a fair shot. Having 0 plus girls on this season just really feels like 10 steps back. Plus girls need representation. Not just seeing a curvy judge — we need more,” she wrote about the newly debuted season, which features no full-figured women.
Holliday went on to tweet, “#ANTM has a model who works with plus brands & many plus girls look up to, but y’all couldn’t get a plus size model on the show to compete?”
Ashley Graham, one of the most prominent plus-size models in the industry and a host on ANTM, addressed the lack of diversity in the show’s newest season in an interview with E! News. “Unfortunately, it didn’t happen for this round, but that’s alright. Hopefully for season two — I’m looking for the woman who wins to be plus size. I think it would be so epic.”
Of course, it’s unfair to blame Graham for the absence of a plus-size contestant, especially since she represents full-figured women in the industry arguably more than anyone else out there. But one site, Revelist, tried to paint Holliday as pointing the finger at Graham. Holliday shut down the publication promptly on Twitter.
Revelist tweeted, “@Tess_Holliday called out @theashleygraham and America’s Next Top Model for huge contradiction.” Two hours later, Holliday replied, “I’m not mad at Ashley, I didn’t call her out. It’s not her fault ANTM didn’t use plus models.” No drama, just the truth — like a pro.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Mr Tank
Meet Mr Tankl ! So you know what to do to see them goods. GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN NOR ALTER any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
You’re Welcome!
AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
‘11 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS’
Anytime you have to show “proof of Santa” it’s not a good sign.
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!
EFREM
