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Black America Web
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Up-and-Coming Black Actresses You Need to Know
Source: Anadolu / Getty The entertainment industry is seeing an exciting wave of new, talented Black actresses who are shaping the future of television and film. These rising stars are breaking barriers with their performances, tackling diverse roles, and changing the landscape of Hollywood. It's truly a beautiful sight to witness, as Hollywood has not always been welcoming to our melanated queens. Before the 1950s, Black actresses were rarely seen on the big screen, and when they did appear, their roles were often relegated to harmful stereotypes, failing to capture the full breadth of the Black experience. The Civil Rights movement ushered in a new page for Black female stars, where their roles began to expand to include ' more diverse' and 'complex character development,' according to Duke University Libraries. Related Stories While things have slowly improved over time, with Black women increasingly taking on a powerful array of roles for major film projects, there's still much work to be done to ensure they receive their rightful recognition. Only 10 Black actresses have ever won an Oscar in the acting categories, the LA Times notes . Halle Berry remains the only Black woman to win Best Actress (for Monster's Ball in 2002). The other nine have won in the Best Supporting Actress category. With stars like Danielle Deadwyler, Wunmi Mosaku, and Taylor Russell dominating the big screen in recent years, these rising talents are pushing boundaries and paving the way for our future queens on screen. Here are seven Black actresses that we are excited to see make waves in the film world. MORE: Young Black Actors To Watch In 2025 Up-and-Coming Black Actresses You Need to Know was originally published on Source:Getty Danielle Deadwyler's breakout performance in The Harder They Fall (2021) as Cuffee was a showstopper. The 43-year-old's portrayal of a Black woman in the Old West made her a standout in the star-studded cast. She also received critical acclaim for her role in Till (2022), where she played Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, and received praise for this year's chilling horror film The Woman In The Yard. Deadwyler's commanding presence and emotional depth make her one of the most exciting actresses on the rise. We think she's poised for even greater roles in both historical dramas and modern works, and can't wait to see what she takes on next. Source:Getty Dominique Thorne, 27, made an unforgettable impression with her breakout role in Barry Jenkins' If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), where she played the role of the compassionate and determined Sheila Hunt. More recently, she is known for her role as the tech-savvy Riri Williams, the leading star of the wildly popular Disney+ series Ironheart , which debuted in June. The role continues the story of her character introduced in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Thorne's impressive range as an actress has fans spellbound, a testament to her true devotion to the craft. During an interview with Essence in 2023, the star revealed that she has always wanted to act ever since high school. 'In my mind, wanting to become an actor started when I had to apply to high schools because that's the first time that I said, 'Yes, this is what I want to do,' she explained. 'I only want to go to performing arts schools.' But the more I talk to family, the more they remind me that this has been something that I've been interested in since I was a child. Over the holidays, actually, they were reminding me about auditions we used to go on from ads that you'd hear on the radio, back when they still did that. My dad would faithfully drive me to each and every one that we heard. I was probably around nine or 10 at that time, but high school's when it got serious.' Source:Getty Taylor Russell's breakout role came with Trey Edward Shults' Waves (2019), where she starred as a teenage girl navigating the grief of losing a family member. Her sensitive and powerful performance garnered significant praise. She also appeared in the Escape Room series and was a standout in the scary horror film Bones and All (2022), where she starred opposite Timothée Chalamet. Fans are excited to see what the 31-year-old Canadian actress has in store for a possible third edition of Escape Room, but a release date and production details are murky. Interestingly, an X account called Film Updates alleged on July 21 that the beautiful Hollywood actress had been tapped to star in Frank Ocean's directorial debut alongside Industry star David Jonsson, but details are unclear. Here's what we do know: Russell's impressive range and emotionally charged performances are driving her toward a promising career. Her roles in both independent films and big-budget projects signal that she is ready for even bigger things. Source:Getty Jayme Lawson, 27, gained attention for her role in Ridley Scott's The Last Duel (2021), where she portrayed the character of Princess Isabelle. She has also starred in a variety of stage productions and is a rising star in the theater community. Her presence in film is now growing, with her poised performances marking her as a future leading lady. Fans are excited to see Lawson shine in The Running Man, which is set to debut on Nov. 7. The film will serve as an adaptation of Stephen King's critically acclaimed novel of the same name, according to Variety. Lawson will star alongside Glen Powell, Michael Cera, and several other big-named stars. Source:Getty KiKi Layne's performance in If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) as Tish Rivers was an unforgettable showcase of her talent. She has since appeared in films like The Old Guard (2020) and Coming 2 America (2021), where she further proved her acting range. The 33-year-old standout recently appeared in The Old Guard 2 , continuing to expand her role as the fierce Marine-trained warrior, Nile Freeman. Speaking to MadameNoire at the Netflix Presents Black Excellence Brunch during the American Black Film Festival on June 13, Layne shared how 'amazing' it felt to reimagine her role as Nile for the second time. The 33-year-old star said she was honored to bring a fresh and powerful presence to the action genre, a category of film that 'hasn't always centered' Black women. For Layne, The Old Guard 2 is more than just a film; it's a moment of representation and creative evolution. 'It means everything to me,' the Hollywood standout shared. 'I'm always thinking about how we are being seen and how I am representing us in every project that I do. To be the lead of an action film, and to do that alongside Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman, these women who have kicked down so many doors for women in action. Now I get to take it to the next level and represent for Black women in action. It's amazing.' Source:Getty Ayo Edibiri is a rapidly rising actress, comedian, and writer who has garnered attention for her work in both television and film. Known for her sharp wit and emotional range, she has become a standout talent in the entertainment world. One of her most significant roles is in The Bear (2022–present), where she plays Sydney Adamu, a young chef navigating the intense and high-pressure world of fine dining. Her performance in the series has been widely praised for its blend of humor and vulnerability. Ayo has also gained recognition for her voice work in the animated series Big Mouth (2017–2023), where she voices a recurring character named Natalie. Additionally, she had a memorable guest appearance on the hit sitcom Abbott Elementary (2021–present), where she brought her comedic sensibilities to a unique role. In film, Ayo starred in Bottoms (2023), a raunchy teen comedy directed by Emma Seligman. The film follows two high school girls who start a fight club to increase their social standing, and Ayo's portrayal of the character PJ was praised for her ability to deliver both laughs and emotional depth. This year, the 29-year-old made her horror film debut in Opus, starring opposite John Malkovich, which sent chills down our spines. With her versatile skillset in full throttle, we cannot wait to see what she tackles next.
Black America Web
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
‘To Be Raw, Right': Danielle Deadwyler Dishes On Rocking Her Natural Cornrows In '40 Acres'
Source: Mike Coppola/MG25 / Getty Danielle Deadwyler's captivating performances in films like The Harder They Fall, Till , and her most recent bad a** role — she plays Hailey in the dystopian thriller '40 Acres' — are proof that the award-nominated actress won't be placed into a box. While all of these characters are women with the charge to lead, protect, and prove, they're different in their own rights. Hailey Freeman, her partner, and kids are separated by the outside world by seemingly impenetrable defenses. Hailey is the matriarch of the family. As a unit, they tend to their crops while maintaining intense training sessions and utilizing the knowledge of their ancestors to live off the land. When their peace is interrupted by colonizers, they must fight back to protect their family. I caught up with Deadwyler during the press junket for R.T. Thorne-directed film. She talked about the freedom of being able to wear cornrows while filming the post-war flick, the invisible labor that Black women carry, and what reparations would look like now. 'To be raw, right?' she responds when I ask her about stripping down to her plaits to play Hailey. 'Who wants to have all the things on all the time?' She continued, 'There's a weight to that, and I'm interested in people who are in characters and women and figures that are just trying to be their most, their real selves.' Being able to be vulnerable and weightless is something she values. 'I think that's something that interest interests me because You know, we, we bear invisible weights very much, in, in our current place in the world, in our communities, the labor of black womanhood is something that's been, you know, critical in my artistic life from the performance art realm to film and TV realm, and so, We have, we deserve the ability to, to see on screen what you look like, what we feel like in our most natural state and so I love a good a good straight back.' She laughs while joking about feeling the air on her scalp. 'I just read this article in The Guardian the other day talking about how the tariffs are really impacting motherhood, really impacting the role of women, because economically, and then all that trickles down into everything that happens inside of the labor of a household.' 'The wellness and and the rearing of our children to the wellness of our family that extends to, you know, to thinking about this generation who's trying to caretake for the elder that is forthcoming in the family as well as caretake for the children and then how the hell do you caretake for yourself? For Deadwyler, self-care looks like 'quietude.' She called it a 'redeeming quality' of her 'self-recovery and wellness.' Paired with meditation and breathing. 'This is a moment that we really need to hone in on our breath. That's the thing that connects all human beings. Everybody needs that. That's the beginning of your day, that's the close of your day, that's the thing that connects you to the present. If we took a breath for all of the way there, how we engage with people, things would be very different. I know we stop and take a breath and a beat before we react, a lot of times we probably would be in a better place.' For me, 40 acres has always been synonymous with reparations. 'I've read the Ta-Nehisi Coates' article, and I think that reparations should come in myriad ways,' explained Deadwyler. 'Financial, educational, I think it's a dynamic, it's not a one-size-fits-all.' Catch Danielle Deadwyler in '40 Acres,' out now. SEE ALSO 'To Be Raw, Right': Danielle Deadwyler Dishes On Rocking Her Natural Cornrows In '40 Acres' was originally published on
Black America Web
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Keke Palmer Says She Pulled Jonathan Majors Interview Because It Was "Insensitive"
Keke Palmer has addressed what led her to remove an interview with actor Jonathan Majors on her podcast, Baby, This is Keke Palmer. While appearing on a recent episode of The Breakfast Club, she says that once it was done, her team felt that it would be irresponsible to air it, deeming it insensitive. Majors, 35, was moving up the Hollywood ladder with roles in films like The Harder They Fall, Creed III and Magazine Dreams when his career was derailed by domestic violence allegations. In May of 2023, he called the police on his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, but after she was hospitalized with head and neck injuries, he was arrested. In December, he was convicted of two misdemeanors: reckless third-degree assault and second-degree harassment, but was acquitted on more serious charges. Majors and Jabbari ultimately settled a civil suit for assault and defamation out of court. In 2025, the actor married Meagan Good, whom he started dating during the trial. Palmer says she doesn't regret interviewing Majors. 'I mean, people sit down with serial killers,' she told The Breakfast Club. 'I'm not comparing him to a serial killer, but at the end of the day, I felt like, as a journalist, I'm supposed to talk and we're supposed to hear and let the public decide how they want to feel. But that didn't get a chance to happen.' Palmer says that maybe one day people will be able to see the interview, but that she listened to her team when they advised her not to release it. 'Ultimately, with my partners, it was just decided — they saw the reaction that people felt it was insensitive, that maybe we shouldn't put it out, Palmer said. She added, 'It's always there, if people wanted to see it. But I always wanna be respectful and understand where everybody's coming from. If they're not going to feel like they're going to receive anything good from the interview, then okay, cool.' Majors was dropped by his agent and manager and lost the role as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel series, among other opportunities. He was interviewed on other podcasts, including ones hosted by Cam Newton and Rickey Smiley. He told The Breakfast Club earlier this year that Good took a lot of heat for their relationship. 'I don't think she mind me saying, they weren't announcing it, but she lost endorsements, we got uninvited to stuff. She got uninvited to stuff because she had shown just how down she was and they knew if Meg was coming, Jay's coming.' 'She took an incredible hit,' he added. Palmer says she wanted to provide a platform for Majors so that he could discuss what happened from his point of view. And she says she's happy that he and Good connected and fell in love. 'Meagan's my girl. I've grown up loving her; she's honestly a mentor to me, and representation for all of us young Black women,' Palmer said. 'I mean, I was happy for her to get married. I was excited to have the conversation [with Jonathan]. ' Palmer continued, 'I wish them all the best.' Keke Palmer Explains Why She Pulled 'Insensitive' Jonathan Majors Interview, Social Media Still Upset was originally published on 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Danielle Deadwyler Talks ‘40 Acres' Film And Her ‘Widening' Career
Danielle Deadwyler attends the "40 Acres" screening with Talkback during the 2025 American Black ... More Film Festival at the Miami Beach Convention Center on June 14, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. She has been a leading force with her deep, emotional and layered character performances in such films as The Harder They Fall, Till, The Piano Lesson, Carry On and The Woman In The Yard - yet actress Danielle Deadwyler still has plenty of on-screen personas that she is eager to take on next. 'I'm trying to get to every segment dot on the line - and it's not a line, it's a circle. I'm trying to hit every quadrant.' Next up for Deadwyler, 43, is 40 Acres, a gritty drama about a Canadian farming family, living in a dystopian world where they must protect their land & resources at all costs. Directed and co-written by R.T. Thorne, Deadwyler plays Hailey Freeman, the matriarch of this formed family. So, what initially drew Deadwyler to this project? 'The root of any film script is just intelligence, right? Does this piece know what it is? How is my writer, director connecting? That's the realest thing for me. I'm all about the people. What is the story? How do you want to tell it? I jump onto things because of that, first and foremost. R.T. is visually brilliant. He has worked in the realms of music videos, as well as television. And so, to dig into this story of farmland, to dig into this story of family, of survival, of dystopia - I was connected to that on a personal level because I had been dealing in what does it mean to be learning about how to maintain land, to reconnect with land, on a spiritual level and a rooted level.' The Gotham Award winner not only stars in 40 Acres, but she also serves as an executive producer. So, I wondered what it means to her to have this type agency and leadership role behind-the-scenes, and if it ultimately benefited her on-camera performance. Deadwyler said, 'I think it does. I think a producer is there to mother and help birth the film, and to take care of the wellness of that project from pre-production to post-, right? To distribution. You are ushering this thing along. Executive producer, I feel like it can be financial, but it is largely creative. It's a checks-and-balances of the work. My job as an actor is to enhance this vision, to enhance this language - but in conjunction with being an executive producer is to instill a greater knowledge of what it is contextually, historically. Having a hand at supporting something like that is moving forward - it's the way that I want to deal with any project.' (Left to right) Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Greyeyes, Kataem O'Connor, Haile Amare and Jaeda LeBlanc ... More in "40 Acres" Being the mother to a teenage son in real life, I wondered if Deadwyler brought her own maternal instincts into her acting performance of playing a protective mother in 40 Acres. 'I think that mothering doesn't always come through birth - literal birth, but hell yeah. There is a beauty to children. I believe in protecting them. Everyone was a child at some point - just the protecting childhood and innocence is critical. I do bring that know-how. I taught elementary school and have taught across the educational gamut - the educational span from ESL to GED to arts camps and whatnot. It's important to protect people in the midst of their expansion, in the midst of their widening eye, and to protect their bodies from harm. So, that's the basic thing to do and bringing that to Hailey - bringing that to any role, quite frankly - that entails the exploration of motherhood - that urgency, that passion has to be present. If we're talking about a dystopic North America, we are surely talking about hardcore, passionate, urgent, rigorous, ruthless protection.' When moviegoers get the chance to watch this 40 Acres Magnolia Pictures film in the theaters starting July 2, I wondered what Deadwyler hopes that people will take from its story and overall theme into our own divisive real world. Danielle Deadwyler, R.T. Thorne, and Milcania Diaz-Rojas attend the "40 Acres" screening with ... More Talkback during the 2025 American Black Film Festival at the Miami Beach Convention Center on June 14, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. 'Man, I think the other day, R.T. and I were having a conversation about what's the significance of the film. This is a conversation across generations, right? I think we're at a, you know, every moment is critical. It's not like this is just now the critical moment to be doing this thing. The generational divide has been ongoing, right? For the past umpteen hundred years plus, there's value to Hailey's desire and need to insulate. There is value to her mistrust or distrust, her guarded-ness. And yet, there is an inherent need for her son to desire to know more. It is not just this nuclear family. So, what does it mean to meet each other? Just to meet each other - that kind of discussion is what should be happening. I think in the nuclear family, for sure. As to the greater world, we have a whole other conversation to be had, but the least we can do with those who we are in community with on a day-to-day basis is meet each other, because we are fighting to be together today on a basic level now.' So, with thought-provoking films like 40 Acres, is Deadwyler noticing that her priorities and interest towards the stories and characters she wants to take on, evolving at all as time goes on? Deadwyler said, 'Oh, heck yeah. I can hit a Till, I can hit a Piano Lesson, I can hit a Carry On, I can hit a Woman In The Yard - and then now, I'm hitting a 40 Acres. This is in the dystopian future - and then I'll pull it back. You can hit it in a horror thriller capacity, in an action thriller capacity, in a drama. This is a family drama with some action thriller. I think people respond to all kinds of stuff and I'm trying to have a wide range of a discussion or engagement with all kinds of audience members. If I can get them in these different genres, then let's play. If I can get them in film, TV, let's do it. Theater, performance art - let's do it. I'm just trying to have a well-rounded conversation about what does it mean to exist in this body and the narratives that come through it.' While reflecting upon the trajectory of her career up until now and what she is perhaps enjoying more today than in years past, Deadwyler said, 'Well, when I was a child, that's when I started. What am I enjoying today? I think the community is widening for me. I think that's exciting to feel and see, and dialogue with folks who are of like-mind. I think I'm trying to go a little slower. Things are hectic - things do move fast. The industry is at a critical tipping point. And so, how do you take something from infancy to adulthood as a project? That's what I'm getting the privilege of doing now, to take my time and to be that much more critical of the things that have been coming my way - and to develop. I'm getting to mother the works that I am connected to.' As Deadwyler continues on around Hollywood projects, with celebrated recognition already surrounding her outstanding performances by groups like BAFTA, the Critics Choice and the Film Independent Spirit Awards, I was curious what she is liking about the ways of the entertainment industry today, and what aspects of yesteryear does she wish were still in place. 'I feel like as difficult as the internet and social media have contributed to the shifting nature of the business, I am a beneficiary in that I'm from Atlanta. Aside from educational stints elsewhere, I've always lived in Atlanta and have not had to live in Hollywood, in order to have a greater conversation. I think that Hollywood is global at this point, which is a challenge to a lot of spaces - which has been a challenge to an ongoing conversation in Los Angeles. It has opened the world up, and I, along with other folks, have had the privilege to be witnessed and not necessarily in-person, though I have had that, too. So, it's a weird thing to have come in right at the cusp of the mad dash shift into bookings off of just self-tape or whatnot. I think the ability to be working is the massive privilege and something that I am grateful for. The other movements are a bit more challenging. I just want to be someone who's encouraging and advocating for work in local spaces that may be in LA - like bringing more things to LA, that may be in Atlanta. Everybody's having a kind of dearth of projects, but bringing things back to the U.S. is critical.' Having navigated over the years as a creative professional herself, what advice does Deadwyler have for other creatives that want their skills to be considered within a competitive and often unstable industry? 'You have full capacity to make - you have so much technology at your hands. You can just make, right? Like literally, collaborate with people who are 'simpatico' with what you are doing. If that thing can be made on a very small, intimate level - and it can be made on a grander level - but you can just start right here. I think when I started doing performance art about 13 years ago, that just fueled me to the things that I could do. I don't have to wait to show my skill in a way. I have to do it for myself. I have to do it for the local community that I'm trying to have a conversation with. Everything, it has its place. I think you should be preparing for all of those spaces and doing it with people who you have a connected heart to.' As I concluded my conversation Deadwyler, I left her with my signature and original interview question, wondering what she would say to her 40 Acres character Hailey, if only she could. Danielle Deadwyler in "40 Acres" Deadwyler said, 'Girl, you should smoke the weed, instead of drink the liquor [laughs]. At the end of the day, the fight that she has is so important. If not for that, would they have been able to protect themselves the way they needed to? There is a need for reprieve, as much as there is a need for the ability to fight. So, I'd tell her to take a couple of tokes and let everybody live.'
Black America Web
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
A Grand Occasion: Idris Elba, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra Jonas & More Attend The ‘Heads of State' World Premiere In New York City
Source: Taylor Hill / Getty We're just a little over a week away from the release of the action-comedy Heads of State. Earlier this week (June 24th), Amazon MGM Studios hosted the red carpet world premiere at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Guests were treated to a screening of the film followed by an afterparty at Twin Tails. Continue reading to check out photos from the star-studded event. Heads of State follows the UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena), who have a not-so-friendly and very public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries' 'special relationship.' When they become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary—who proves more than a match for the two leaders' security forces—they are begrudgingly forced to rely on the only two people they can trust: each other. Ultimately allied with the brilliant MI6 agent Noel Bisset, they must go on the run and find a way to work together long enough to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world. In addition to Elba ( The Wire, Takers, Hobbs & Shaw, The Harder They Fall ) and Cena ( Daddy's Home 2, F9, The Suicide Squad ), the film also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas ( Baywatch, The Matrix Resurrections, Citadel ), Paddy Considine, Stephen Root ( King of the Hill, Dodgeball, Get Out ), Carla Gugino ( Spy Kids trilogy, American Gangster, Night at the Museum ), Jack Quaid ( The Boys, Oppenheimer, Novocaine ) and Sarah Niles ( I May Destroy You, Ted Lasso ). Ilya Naishuller ( Hardcore Henry, Nobody ) directed Heads of State from a screenplay by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and Harrison Query, and story from Query. The film was produced by Peter Safran and John Rickard, with Marcus Viscidi, Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Elba and Cena serving as executive producers. Many of the film's contributors were in attendance for the big night. Check out some photos from the premiere below and be sure to check out Heads of State when it premieres globally on Prime Video July 2nd. A Grand Occasion: Idris Elba, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra Jonas & More Attend The 'Heads of State' World Premiere In New York City was originally published on Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty
