Latest news with #Greenleaf
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Adrienne Barbeau and Xander Berkeley join cast of Tyler Savage's horror thriller 'Oddities
's horror thriller 'Oddities' has added , , and Lilimar to the cast. An expansion of Savage's 2023 short film of the same name, 'Oddities' is a genre-bending thriller following two self-destructive best friends (played by Simone and Lilimar) who accidentally kill someone. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now After finding refuge in a roadside antique shop, an older woman (Barbeau) initially offers help, but things soon take a dark turn, reported Variety. "'Oddities' is an irreverent celebration of so many of the things that first made me fall in love with film," writer-director Savage said in a statement. "I'm filled with gratitude for getting a chance to expand this world, and I'm thrilled with how this team and cast have come together. Huge thanks to Vicky Boone, Liz Kelley and my incredible fellow producers. We caused some mayhem in Louisville, so I can't wait to show people what we cooked up. " 'Oddities' is produced by Broad, Javier Gonzalez, Noah Lang, and Max Neace. Simone, Lilimar, Jamie Meyer, Lucas Fleisher and Adrienne Barbeau serve as executive producers alongside co-producers Travis LaSalle, Dash Hawkins and Jeff Smith. Principal photography recently wrapped in Kentucky. Producers are currently in potential sales discussions for a 2026 release. Simone recently appeared in Netflix's "Forever" and starred in "Greenleaf"; Barbeau was in "The Fog," "Creepshow" and "Argo"; Berkeley is known for "The Walking Dead" and "Apollo 13," while Lilimar provided her voice for both "Inside Out 2" and "Batwheels," reported Variety.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tyler Perry's Hit BET+ Series ‘Sistas' Gets ‘Divorced Sistas' Spinoff Starring LeToya Luckett
Tyler Perry is expanding the world of Sistas yet again with a brand new spinoff series, Divorced Sistas, set to premiere this summer on BET and its streaming service, BET+ — coinciding with the 2025 BET Awards. Leading Divorced Sistas is the talented LeToya Luckett, known for her role in Greenleaf, alongside a strong lineup that includes Khadeen Indréa (Ellis Ever After), Porscha Coleman (Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!), Briana Price (Step Up: High Water), Jennifer Sears (Madea's Family Funeral), RonReaco Lee (Survivor's Remorse), DeVon Franklin (Kingdom Business), Donovan Christie Jr. (The Oval), and Robert Christopher Riley (Dynasty). According to the series' synopsis, the spinoff centers on five close friends — Rasheda, Geneva, Naomi, Tiffany, and Bridgette — as they 'navigate life, love and the challenges that come with divorce, marriage and dating. As they lean on each other through heartbreak and healing, their biggest test comes from within their own circle, challenging their loyalty, character and true bond of sisterhood.' 'This is a story of resilience and the power of female friendship,' stated Perry about the show. 'I hope audiences fall in love with these dynamic characters and are able to explore their own personal truths about healing and love through them.' This exciting new project marks the second spinoff of the Sistas franchise — following the success of Zatima — and is the first under Perry's expanded multiyear content partnership with BET Media Group. The series is created, written, and directed by Perry. Divorced Sistas premiers on June 9. See the trailer below. More from Terri J. Vaughn Stars In 'Tyler Perry's She The People' Comedy Series Maia Campbell's Ready To Revive Her Career With Tyler Perry's Help Tasha Smith's Update On 'Why Did I Get Married 3:' It's "Probably Not" Happening
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Forever Cast: Where Have You Seen The Stars Of Netflix's Teen Romance Before?
Having already won over the hearts of critics, the new teen romance Forever now has Netflix users falling for it, too. The eight-part series serves as a modern update on Judy Blume's classic novel of the same name, centring around Justin and Keisha, two teens who fall in love at a pivotal stage in their lives. Since it began streaming earlier this week, the show has received an overwhelmingly positive response and hasn't budged from Netflix's most-watched list. It also boasts an array of new, young faces in its cast, many of whom are only in the early stages of their acting career. But there are also a few familiar faces dotted around, too. With that in mind, here's a quick guide to where you might have seen the stars of Forever before... Before being cast as Keisha in Forever, Lovie Simone's biggest role to date was in the family drama Greenleaf, playing Keith David and Kim Hawthorne's on-screen daughter Zora in all five seasons. She also played a main role in The Craft's sequel The Craft: Legacy and the historical drama Manhunt, as well as making one-off appearances in Orange Is The New Black and Blue Bloods. Fans of The Mindy Project will remember Xosha Roquemore for her performance as Tamra Webb, a nurse who works at the same hospital as the title character. She also played Gabourey Sidibe's on-screen classmate in Precious, and has also appeared in The Butler, Space Jam: A New Legacy and Captain America: Brave New World, in which she portrayed Secret Service agent Leila Taylor. Michael Cooper Jr's performance as Justin has already earned him plenty of praise – which is particularly impressive given how few on-screen credits he had before being cast in Forever. Before joining the Netflix series, he had also appeared in the musical drama film On The Come Up and had a minor role in the horror series The Inhabitant. For her performance in Apple TV+'s The Morning Show, Karen Pittman earned an Emmy nomination, after which she was cast as Miranda's professor Nya Wallace in the first two seasons of Sex And The City spin-off And Just Like That. She's also appeared in The Americans, Yellowstone and the Paul Rudd comedy Living With Yourself. After taking the lead in the TV movie biopic Hendrix, Wood Harris played Avon Barksdale in the first three seasons of The Wire, and reprised the role in guest appearances later in the show's run. You might have also seen him opposite Paul Rudd in the first Ant-Man movie, playing Nandez in Blade Runner 2049 or Tony 'Little Duke' Evers in the Creed series. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marvin Winans III (@marvinwinansiii) Still early on in his career, child performer Marvin Lawrence Winans III might be a familiar face to Abbott Elementary fans, after playing student Chad in a handful of episodes. Known to friends and family as 'Three', the youngster previously appeared in ad campaigns for Google and Apple. Barry's past TV work includes Barbershop, Flashforward, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul, in which he played a police detective. As for his film work, you might have seen him in The Terminal, Rush Hour, Collateral, Miami Vice, A Star Is Born or Dolemite Is My Name. Last year, Ali Gallo played the main character's sister in the Netflix high school movie Incoming. Before that she appeared in Virtual Morality, The Sex Lives Of College Girls and the dark comedy I Hate Myself And Want To Die. For his work as Randall Pearson in This Is Us (a role he shared with Sterling K Brown, each playing the character at different stages of his life), Niles Fitch earned a SAG Award in 2017 and 2018. He's also appeared in Mixed-ish, That 90s Show and Disney's Secret Society Of Second-Born Royals. In the early years of her career as a child actor, E'myri Crutchfield played a main role in Amazon Prime's The Kicks. More recently, she landed the role of Ethelrida Pearl Smutny in season four of Fargo, and played Kelly in Dark Harvest. Forever is now streaming on Netflix. These Are Our 9 Top Picks Of The New Shows And Films Streaming On Netflix This May Black Mirror Fans Have Just Days To Watch The Show's Most Unique Episode Before It Leaves Netflix This Brilliant Cameo In Netflix's The Four Seasons Has An Extra Meaning You Might Have Missed
Los Angeles Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Forever' modernizes a story about first love, vulnerability and heartbreak with its leads
The story of how Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr., the stars of Netflix's 'Forever,' first met is like a perfectly scripted meet-cute that was fated to fuel a tender portrait of young love. Cooper was on a flight bound for Los Angeles from Atlanta for an audition, stressed because his car had been stolen three hours earlier. But he heeded his agent's advice to worry about it later ('He's like, 'Just go! If you book this, you can buy another car,'' Cooper recalls). Simone was his seatmate, en route to audition for the same TV series. Not that they had any clue then — they didn't speak to each other on the flight. And they didn't encounter each other in that first round. It wasn't until they both got a callback for the chemistry read that it clicked. Now, they're poised to become the next teen obsession as the latest couple to go from book to screen in the newly released 'Forever,' Mara Brock Akil's adaptation of Judy Blume's 1975 coming-of-age novel. Both are relative newcomers — Simone, 26, has several TV credits to her name, including 'Greenleaf' and 'Manhunt,' while Cooper, 23, has a handful of shorts and film credits. They were cast last year to play the leads, Keisha Clark and Justin Edwards. 'Forever' captures the intensity of first love and the powerful imprint it leaves as its teenage participants fumble through emotions and insecurities. Set in Los Angeles in 2018, the series follows the romance between Keisha and Justin, two high school students who live on opposite ends of the social and economic spectrum. Keisha is a smart and confident track star whose circumstances pushed her to mature early and set big goals for life after high school, while Justin is a shy, music-loving guy who struggles with schoolwork despite his best efforts and pushing by his successful parents. They first meet in grade school but reconnect as teens at a New Year's Eve house party and quickly fall for each other, leading to a whirlwind romance filled with puppy eyes, miscommunication and deep longing. Their story, tracked over the course of a year, is punctuated by a sex video making the rounds at school, disruptive parental expectations and ample use of the cellphone block function (which leads to many unanswered texts). 'That first love — it changes people,' Simone says. 'It changes your view on boundaries and connections and how you want to connect. It shapes you because it's all of these 'firsts' and processing them and feeling them so intensely. Not in a traumatic way but in a life way.' 'Vulnerability is so tricky,' adds Cooper. 'A lot of us tend to suppress emotionality versus run to it. Your first love exploits it in a complete way that you're not accustomed to.' The pair are in town again, this time seated in a plush, mauve-colored booth at Netflix's offices on Vine Street on a recent day in April. If 'Forever' rides the current teenage romance wave just right, it has the potential to serve as a defining breakthrough for both. But that's not what has them laughing and growing bashful. In this moment, they're reflecting on the lessons, growth and cringe moments that come with being young and down bad for someone. Cooper talks about planning dates weeks in advance because of his nerves and wanting to get things right with his first girlfriend. 'It was this palpable love that you can't shake,' he says. 'I was like, 'I want to take her to the beach! I want to take her hiking! I want to have a picnic!' It sticks with you and shapes your idea of how you see the world. And it made me put someone else before myself.' Simone's first boyfriend, she says, was a secret. 'I'm from the Bronx, so we would sneak away to Times Square in Manhattan and link up and go on dates to the movies and stuff. I remember he got me a Swarovski bracelet and I had to hide it.' 'Hold up — he got you a Swarovski bracelet?' Cooper interjects. 'What?' 'Yeah!' Simone says. 'I was 15 or 16. He was a year older. When it ended, I was just so distraught for, like, two years. Just a mess. But it makes you put yourself first, eventually.' Cooper credits Akil for grounding 'Forever' in that beauty of discovery in adolescence. It's a passion project decades in the making, even if Akil didn't realize it. The writer and producer is known for a TV catalog that explores the joys and complexities of Black women, with shows like 'Girlfriends,' 'Being Mary Jane' and 'The Game.' Akil was first introduced to Blume's oeuvre with 'Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret,' reading it in less than two days. It set her on a search for more of the author's work, known for depicting the confusing experience of growing up. She was 12 when 'Forever' started getting passed among her friends. 'Pages were falling out because the book had been passed around so much,' she says on a recent day at her production office in L.A.'s West Adams neighborhood. Akil, who makes a point to stress her love for sleep, recalls fighting off slumber to read it. 'I remember my mom turning off the light, and she made me leave my door open because I would close it so I could stay up late to read. But she left the hall light on and I would read the book like this,' she says as she mimics holding a book, stretching her arms as if trying to get a sliver of light on a page. 'I think I still have this 'Forever' crook in my neck.' It was a seminal text for her adolescent mind, she says, because she was curious about how one goes from liking and kissing someone to knowing when they're ready to engage in sex. What is that like? How do you do it? Where do you do it? Does it hurt? How do you talk about it? 'Connect the dots for me,' she says. 'Forever' offered some insight. 'There's a passage in the book that explores that — how they are making this decision and how are they doing this. I thought it was really honest and well done,' she says. 'Even the first time around, it didn't go so well. Nothing bad happens. But it wasn't this idyllic, romantic moment. It was awkward. And I appreciated that.' Not everyone feels the same — it has been on the American Library Assn.'s list of most frequently challenged books since the '90s. Just last March, Florida's Martin County School District banned it from its schools. If you ask Akil, it speaks to the power of Blume's pen and what has made her one of the most celebrated young-adult authors: 'She treated our humanity as seriously as we took ourselves and really captured the psyche of being young. That roller coaster of joy to 'Oh, my God, life is over' for the smallest thing.' Akil didn't give the book much thought since those formative years. It wasn't until she landed an overall deal with Netflix in 2020 and became aware that some of Blume's work was available to adapt that Akil was determined to find a way to translate it for a new generation. However, at the time, 'Forever' was not available to be optioned. That didn't deter Akil. She reread the book and requested a meeting with Blume, who had written it for her daughter around the time when the birth control pill became available to unmarried women. On a Zoom call, where they both wore blue-framed glasses, Akil made her pitch. Now, 'Forever' marks her debut series with Netflix. Tapping into the need for more inclusive depictions of young love, Akil's take isn't a straight adaptation. For one, it centers on two Black teens, and the characters' names have been changed to Keisha and Justin. And while the emotions the teenage characters display are universal, they are also informed by reality. Akil decided to set the show in 2018 and have the characters attend predominantly white private schools to grapple with the experience of being young Black people navigating such institutions as they aspired for the best opportunities for their future. The inspiration stemmed from the widespread conversations about microaggressions and systemic racism prompted by George Floyd's murder in 2020. Blume's 'Forever' centered Katherine, framing her as the more vulnerable protagonist because of her gender and the time period, but Akil's adaptation explores how both Keisha and Justin are equally vulnerable. Keisha is trying not to let a scandal define her personhood. 'I love that you can see what Keisha's going through as a young Black woman with a lot of pressure on her — that anxiety, that weight the world places on you, that feeling that there's no room for mistakes,' Simone says. 'And she pushes through.' Similarly, Justin, as a Black teen boy, is just as vulnerable when it comes to his future and the exploration of sexuality. 'I don't see Justin in the canon that often. I don't see the awkward but cool love interest, Black leading man in a story,' Akil says. The experiences of her eldest son, Yasin, helped shape her vision for Justin, Akil says. (Yasin also created the music that Justin works on throughout the series.) 'I was nervous to step into the role,' Cooper says. 'But there was one particular line that Mara wrote that said something like, '[Justin] has one foot in insecurity and the other foot in confidence' and it hit; I was like, 'I can connect to this.' Even though he is different than who I am ... there is something so real and raw about it. Mara wrote such a full-figured person.' Akil also wanted Los Angeles to play a role in their love story. The production filmed in real neighborhoods — Keisha's family lives in Crenshaw, and Justin's family lives in the affluent View Park-Windsor Hills neighborhood. As the season unfolds, the pair visit places like the Fairfax District, the Santa Monica Pier and Little Tokyo. 'Something unique about living in Los Angeles, some of our vernacular here we say, 'Above the 10, below the 10' — I wanted to bring the beauty of both sides into it,' she says, referencing the interstate that cuts the city in half. 'And how challenging that would be for young people who either don't have access to a car or haven't learned how to drive yet. What are the challenges it would be to see each other? It adds to the drama of it all, the connection.' Akil's vision earned Blume's seal of approval. 'I was never going to do an adaptation of 'Forever,' but this was different. It was to be her take on 'Forever,' inspired by my book,' says Blume, 87, in a statement to The Times. 'Now that I've watched all the episodes, some of them more than once, I think Mara has done a fine job reimagining the characters and story of my book. I hope audiences both new and old will come away satisfied, as I did.' Akil, who came up as a writer on UPN's coming-of-age sitcom 'Moesha,' says she needed actors who could make you want to root for their characters, whether together or apart, and could delve into the wellsprings of the search for identity that is crucial to this story. Simone and Cooper embodied that apart, she says, but together, they brought something else out in each other, though Akil struggles to define it. 'But you can just see it. Something shifted,' she says. 'I think Michael was unpredictable to Lovie and that brought something out in her that was just really beautiful. And that is what love is — it's unpredictable.' Palpable chemistry between leads is, of course, crucial to young-adult romance adaptations — it's what made streaming series like 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before,' 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' and 'Normal People' successful. The night before their chemistry read, Cooper ran into Simone outside their hotel while she was waiting for an Uber Eats delivery from Wendy's. They ended up reviewing scenes together. 'That was the first time that we had ever processed or done anything together at all,' Simone says. 'It was fun. It was like, OK, now that we've done this in this room with the Wendy's, we have to go out there and get it.' Regina King, who directed the pilot and is an executive producer of the series, says she encouraged the actors to use their auditions as a touchpoint. 'I would often remind them about the first time they auditioned together and how their hearts were beating fast; the nerves may have been just because you wanted to get the role, but it's also that, 'Oh, what is this actor going to be like?' What was that first feeling when you guys sat there in front of that camera, in front of us?' Now, a few hours after our initial sit-down, Simone and Cooper are huddled inside Hachioji Ramen in Little Tokyo for a photo shoot; Simone is filling Cooper in on the horror film she's been busy shooting. The location is significant — it's where their characters meet for a final date of sorts, having broken up and preparing to navigate life after graduation. Choosing not to attend Northwestern like his parents did, Justin is pursuing his music instead. Keisha, meanwhile, is bound for Howard University. 'The development of these characters, for them to come to that level of communication and maturity, is good for young people to see,' Cooper says. 'Justin is just stepping into himself, he's growing up. Keisha is too; She's at peace with letting go.' 'I love that you get to see some form of closure,' Simone adds. 'Because a lot of times with breakups, there's not much conversation around the ending. Endings can be beautiful. Endings can be beginnings. I do see Keisha and Justin reconnecting. I don't know when or for what. They need to be themselves separately. That's important to see too, that you can grow outside of each other.' Akil hopes to continue exploring their story beyond one season. Maybe not forever, but at least for a while.
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix Forever star Lovie Simone's age and where you've seen her
Lovie Simone stars as Keisha in Netflix's new Judy Blume adaptation Netflix's new darling, Lovie Simone, is captivating audiences as the lead in the streaming giant's latest offering. Adapted from Judy Blume's 1975 novel, Forever is currently available for fans to binge-watch. In this gripping eight-part drama, Simone portrays Keisha, a talented athlete whose life spirals when an intimate video of her is leaked by her boyfriend, leading to a scandalous fallout at school. Facing public humiliation, she's forced to switch to an expensive school that stretches her mother's finances. The plot thickens as Keisha finds herself back in touch with her childhood crush, Justin (played by Michael Cooper Jr.), sparking a fresh connection between them. Beyond the turmoil of young love, Keisha grapples with the socioeconomic pressures of living with one parent who is struggling to stay afloat. Simone's portrayal of Keisha is already winning over viewers, but who is the talent behind the character? Lovie Simone age Lovie Simone was born on November 29, 1998, and grew up in The Bronx, New York. At just 26 years old, she has built an impressive résumé, reports the Mirror US. Simone has been passionate about performing since her youth. Her acting journey began at the tender age of nine, and by 2017, she had made her television debut. In a heartfelt chat with NME magazine back in 2020, she opened up about her lifelong ambition, saying, "I've always wanted to be an actress or a storyteller. "When I was young I would have moments in my room alone when I'd be in front of the mirror crying and then I would accept my award. I was really dramatic and I always knew it had to go somewhere," she revealed. Twin sister Simone's twin is RnB musician Yorie Oppong, who goes by Reiyo The Giant professionally. She has releasing music since her 2020 debut single 'November.' Drawing on the soulful influences of legends like Billie Holliday, Sade and Nina Simone, Reiyo currently rakes in a staggering 55K monthly Spotify listeners. Where you've seen her before Simone found her big break on the Oprah Network drama, Greenleaf, as the family's eldest daughter Zora. She went on to bag roles in Netflix's Social Distance and STARZ's hit series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Prior to becoming Keisha, the talented New Yorker portrayed Mary Simms in Apple TV+'s acclaimed historical drama, Manhunt. The limited series offers a fictional recount of the manhunt following Abraham Lincoln's assassination.
