black biopics

Could you see any of these famous females playing Mariah Carey in a biopic series?

We reminisce on 15 amazing biopics that told the stories of prominent figures in Black culture, and also 5 that were practically panned just in case future directors need an example of what not to do.

Bobby Brown specifically told producers Whitney Houston documentary that he didn’t want to be a part of it, but didn’t keep him out of it, so now he’s files a lawsuit. Brown, as well as the estate of Bobbi Kristina Brown, is reportedly suing Showtime Networks, BBC, and the producers of a Whitney Houston documentary entitled Can I Be Me. The complaint […]

It’s safe to say that most people already know the story of the tragic death of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 at the hands of white supremacists. Since his death, there have been numerous plays, poems and documentaries on his life and brutal murder, however no proper biopic has been made…until now. https://twitter.com/shadowandact/status/950841356712316931 Today it […]

One of TV’s most anticipated projects is only a few short months away, as BET’s New Edition miniseries is all done and ready to captivate audiences with a 3-night extravaganza that tells the entire story of one of the most successful R&B groups in history. Not only does it tell the story of New Edition […]

HBO has finally set a date for its Bessie Smith biopic starring Queen Latifah. The film, which follows America’s “Empress of the Blues” from her beginning in abject poverty to becoming one of the biggest recording artists of the 1920s, will premiere on May 16, the network announced Tuesday. Smith died after a car accident in […]

Journalists got a first look at Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith in director Dee Rees’ (pictured) HBO biopic this week,  and based on the effusive reaction in the room via Twitter – to the sizzle reel alone – it may very will be the most anticipated telefilm of the spring. The film follows Smith’s journey from a […]

[Warning: Clip contains graphic NSFW language] NEW YORK (AP) — Though the Lifetime movie Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B drew criticism from fans upset with casting and the way it depicts Aaliyah’s life, executive producer Wendy Williams says she wouldn’t do anything differently if she had it to do again. Aaliyah fans took to Twitter, […]

Andre 3000 has left the building. After this weekend’s shows in Atlanta, Outkast may be done. Andre Benjamin, who stars as Jimi Hendrix in the John Ridley helmed Jimi: All Is By My Side opening this weekend, says he’s ready to move forward. The 39-year-old rapper hasn’t made an OutKast record since 2003’s Grammy winner […]

Playing James Brown, once known as the hardest working man in show business couldn’t have been easy. But actor Chadwick Boseman, who also portrayed Jackie Robinson in 42, was up for the challenge. In Get On Up, the Anderson, South Carolina native channels the Godfather of Soul, rendering the musical icon as a flawed human […]

HBO released a cast list and other details on its upcoming film Bessie a biopic of blues legend Bessie Smith with Queen Latifah in the title role and it includes a host of popular Black acting talents. The singer, rapper and daytime talk show host will also executive produce the project, which originates from HBO […]

Powerful women are nothing new. But they’re not always the ones that are out front. In Lifetime’s The Gabby Douglas Story airing on Saturday February 1 at 8 p.m., Douglas is the focus. But her mother, Natalie Hawkins, played by Regina King, deserves her own accolades. The divorced mother of four supported her daughter’s dreams […]