Latest news with #YvonneOrji
NBC News
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Yvonne Orji finds her voice as host of Netflix's viral dating show
Yvonne Orji, the Emmy-nominated star of "Insecure," reflects on her path from aspiring doctor to comedian and host of Netflix's "Pop the Balloon Live." The show has gained viral attention for its fresh take on modern dating and emotional honesty.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow' Trailer: New Netflix Doc Chronicles Making Of ‘Stranger Things' Stage Show
Netflix has released a trailer for its new documentary about the making of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the stage adaptation that was a hit on the West End and begins Broadway previews tonight. Check out the Netflix trailer above, and some first-look images from the Broadway play below. The Broadway production officially opens April 22 at the Marquis Theater. More from Deadline 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' Coming To Broadway In March; See Trailer Released Today Sarah Snook Goes Fantastically Wilde In 'The Picture Of Dorian Gray' – Broadway Review Viral YouTube Dating Series 'Pop The Balloon' Lands Live Netflix Order, Yvonne Orji To Host Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow will debut on Netflix on April 15, and goes backstage to detail the creation of the play during its 2023 development in London. The documentary, directed by Jon Halperin, depicts the cast and crew of the London production as they prepare for the play's debut at the Phoenix Theatre in London. The film's synopsis: 'With special behind-the-scenes access, follow the cast and crew of Stranger Things: The First Shadow as they race against time to prepare the ambitious, boundary-pushing stage show for its West End debut amid mounting fan and critic anticipation.' The doc is produced by Angus Wall, Kent Kubena, Terry Leonard, and exec produced by Matt Bell. 'The challenge is to create a visceral experience for the audience, where they feel shock and awe, surprise and delight,' says Stephen Daldry, the director of the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. 'You have to deliver that. The fusion of television and theater is about the speed of narrative and how you create it … There are moments in the show where you will think, 'I don't understand how they did that.' 'The first time we saw the play, we were blown away,' says Ross Duffer, who created TV's Stranger Things with brother Matt Duffer, who adds about the stage show, 'They pulled everything off, and then some. It was one of the most thrilling experiences of our lives.' Here are some first-look images from the Broadway production. Both photos depicted actor Louis McCartney as Henry Creel. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery '1923' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Pop The Balloon' Was Never Supposed To Make It This Far
This article includes material from HuffPost's weekly culture and entertainment newsletter, The Culture Catchall. Click here to subscribe. It pains me to say that Netflix's newest reality show is not an early April Fool's Day joke. Unless you've been completely out of the social media loop, you've likely stumbled upon a clip of the speed dating show 'Pop the Balloon.' The YouTube social experiment, hosted and co-created by Arlette Amuli, has become a viral sensation over the last year-and-a-half for its outrageous moments of singles making superficial snap decisions to reject one another by popping their balloons. Now, the series is taking the messy drama to the streaming world. On Thursday, Netflix announced plans to roll out a new iteration of the online show hosted by Yvonne Orji, but with a twist. Starting April 10, the streamer will air live episodes — yes, you read that right — of 'Pop the Balloon,' promising 'even higher stakes, fresh twists and celebrity surprises, all unfolding in real time.' 'We're thrilled to see 'Pop the Balloon' take on a new life on Netflix,' Amuli and co-creator Bolia Matundu shared in a statement. 'From day one, we've kept love and fun at the heart of the show, and watching it evolve and soar beyond our wildest dreams has been truly exciting. As executive producers, we're proud to support this next chapter and can't wait for both new and longtime fans to experience it.' I can't say the overwhelming majority, myself included, shares the same sentiment, per the mixed reactions on social media: We do not fucking need this. — Solitary (@Queen_EO) March 27, 2025 i hope this crashes and burns tbh — Dark Fairy ✨🧚🏾🖤 (@nekkedhippie) March 27, 2025 Ain't nobody asked for no damn Pop The Balloon TV show, Netflix! — travis's video soul. (@travisfromdabk_) March 27, 2025 They're making the balloon popping date thing into an actual show on Netflix… — AK 💗 (@LeRouge_A) March 27, 2025 That's perhaps because 'Pop the Balloon' has a pretty cringe reputation, mainly for becoming a platform that has exploited misogynoir, body shaming, controversial dating views, straight-up dysfunction, and more for clicks and views. has anyone at netflix really watched this?? cause what a terrible idea — nay 🖤 (@chaoticblkgirl) March 27, 2025 The digital version of Pop the Balloon is rooted in misogynoir with self-hating views on love and dating. Very curious to see the series format. — GirlTyler (@sheistyler) March 27, 2025 I just — who in the room doesn't understand this is horrible? 🤦🏾♀️ — LINDSEY 👩🏿💻 🍑 | UX/UI Doll (@LindseyCreated) March 27, 2025 Will a Netflix co-sign make the concept any less problematic? No. But that also depends on whether the digital series gets a complete makeover, which, based on Netflix's announcement, doesn't sound too far off. In addition to showcasing everyday contestants like the original series, Netflix's version plans to throw in a few known reality stars, too, like Johnny Bananas ('The Challenge'), Chase DeMoor ('Too Hot To Handle'), Farrah Abraham ('Teen Mom') and Zaina Sesay (The Ultimatum'). That alone should tell you this will not be a serious dating show by any means. But then again, 'Pop the Balloon' didn't earn its reputation for being a show in the business of making love matches anyway. Most of its notoriety stems from viral clips that, oftentimes, highlight some embarrassing moment or disparaging remark made by a participant — and social media comments only fuel the toxic discourse. It goes without saying that most reality dating shows today are seemingly not designed to nurture actual love connections. 'Too Hot to Handle,' 'Temptation Island,' 'The Ultimatum,' and others alike rely on gimmicks to give their shows a false sense of purpose when their ultimate goal is to provide entertainment — the crazier, the better. So, in some ways, it makes perfect sense for 'Pop the Balloon' to ink a deal to bring its wild antics to Netflix's broad audience. Still, it's troubling to think how this show will be received when the original version predominantly features Black participants and is consumed by a mostly Black audience, most times within the confines of social media. I had this same uneasy feeling when the 'Saturday Night Live' cast (which isn't the most diverse) spoofed 'Pop the Balloon' for a January skit featuring host Dave Chappelle, Donnell Rawlings and musical guest GloRilla. This is not because the sketch series very obviously pulled from the internet zeitgeist for comedic fodder, but because a silly social media gimmick was always meant to remain where it started — because not everything makes for great content. Yet, mocking the show on national television only gave it more credence. And Netflix just sealed its fate. But I can't say I'm particularly shocked, considering how low the bar is for reality shows today (a certain streaming network that turned 'Bad Girls Club' into fight club comes to mind). Leaning into spectacle over substance is sadly on par with most Netflix dating shows. 'Pop the Balloon' airing on the streamer will likely turn it into the next unnecessary cultural phenomenon. Because that's the goal these days, right? To turn senseless entertainment into ludicrous discourse that will consume our timelines, thus giving the show the ratings it needs. I guess you can never underestimate people's appetite for tasteless content. Subscribe to The Culture Catchall to stay up to date on all things entertainment.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Fifteen Percent Pledge Hands Out $400K to Black Entrepreneurs at 4th Annual Fundraising Gala
The Fifteen Percent Pledge holds its fourth annual fundraising gala, the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award returns to Frieze, Balenciaga reinvents aughties paparazzi snaps for its new Le City Bag campaign and Prada taps writer Ottessa Moshfegh for a collection of short stories. The Fifteen Percent Pledge, a racial equity and economic justice nonprofit advocacy organization urging major retailers and corporations to commit 15% of their purchasing power to Black-owned businesses, held their fourth annual fundraising gala Feb. 1 at Paramount Studios. The Saturday evening event, hosted by Yvonne Orji, was attended by Kim Kardashian, Tina Knowles, Teyana Taylor, Aaron Pierre, Keke Palmer, Amber Valletta, Nia Long, Jesse Williams, Janelle James, Karrueche Tran, Precious Lee, Lori Harvey, Rachel Zoe, Lamorne Morris, Meena Harris, Jeannie Mai, Mia Moretti, Dree Hemmingway, Lee Daniels, Eva Chen, Law Roach, June Ambrose, Jason Bolden, Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald, Rachel Scott and more. To kick off the presentation, Ciara presented the first grant of the evening, the Altadena Honoree Grant, to Barbara Shay, owner of Little Red Hen Coffee Shop, which was recently destroyed when the Eaton fire tore through Altadena. More than just a restaurant, Little Red Hen was a pillar of the community. The Fifteen Percent Pledge made a $50,000 donation to support Shay and her family in their efforts to rebuild. Sienna Naturals co-founders Hannah Diop and Issa Rae received the second annual Sephora Beauty Grant, a $100,000 grant created to honor exceptional Black beauty brands and help them reach the next level of success. Finally, Fifteen Percent Pledge founder Aurora James presented the 2025 Achievement Award alongside Kelly Rowland to three businesses: RedDrop ($200,000), Brooklyn Tea ($35,000), and Bernard James ($15,000). Gala attendees voted to determine the winner of the award from a group of five finalists, which also included Be Rooted and Crease Beast. In her welcome to guests, James said, 'Each and every one of us. Our stories, our pasts, our cultures and identities are part of the fabric that makes America great. More than great, spectacular. You deserve to be here. I deserve to be here. We make 'here' what it is. Our talent, our tenacity, our drive – that is why we got here. This country in its best form is a product of each of our beautiful and individual contributions. Never let another person tell you otherwise. We belong. You belong.' That same weekend, the Fifteen Percent Pledge also hosted the 15th Street Block Party at Paramount Studios, an immersive activation for the community to shop, eat and support local Black-owned businesses. The Block Party featured storefronts featuring Black-owned brands, including Danessa Myricks Beauty, Ghetto Gastro, L'Enchanteur, Diotima, FORVR MOOD, Pattern Beauty, Cay Skin, Ami Cole, among others as well as book signings with Yvonne Orji, Mickalene Thomas, Amy Sherald, Meena Harris, and a live podcast recording with John Legend. Founded by James in 2020, the Pledge also offers large corporations accountability support and thought partnership to advance equal opportunity for Black-owned businesses and Black people in the workforce. Since its inception, the Fifteen Percent Pledge has created a pipeline to shift $14 billion to Black-owned businesses. Global contemporary art organization Frieze has announced the return of the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award ahead of the sixth edition of Frieze Los Angeles, which returns to Santa Monica Airport Feb. 20. The initiative celebrates the next generation of filmmakers by offering emerging talent the opportunity to participate in a transformative program produced in collaboration with the award-winning nonprofit Ghetto Film School and global film and TV studio Fifth Season. In addition to supporting the film award, Deutsche Bank continues its role as the global lead partner for Frieze fairs, underscoring over 20 years of shared commitment to artistic excellence. Selected from an open call for applicants aged 18 to 34 in the Los Angeles region, the emerging filmmakers shortlisted for this year's award are Guinevere Alcaraz, Ja'Lisa Arnold, Austin Chen, Christopher Guerrero, Sophia Lafaurie-Munoz, and Nicole Mairose Dizon. Each has produced a short film responding to this year's theme, 'Togetherness.' The theme invites the fellows to explore the essence of human connection and its role in shaping individuals, communities and society. The winner of the Deutsche Bank Frieze Los Angeles Film Award will be selected by a jury comprised of leaders in film, arts and culture and receive a $10,000 prize. This year's panel includes: Erin Christovale (curator, Hammer Museum), Rhys Ernst (Emmy-nominated filmmaker and artist), Christine Messineo (director of Americas, Frieze), Claudio de Sanctis (head of Private Bank and member of the management board), Tayanna Todd (head of Inclusive Content, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group) and RaMell Ross (artist and filmmaker). Each jury member brings a wealth of expertise and passion for empowering underrepresented voices in the arts. 'The Film Award has always been an initiative we're immensely proud of, reflecting our commitment to nurturing emerging talent,' Messineo said. 'This year's cohort has created short films exploring the theme of 'Togetherness,' a concept that feels especially poignant in the context of the rebuilding of the city. Now, more than ever, it's crucial that we come together to support the creative community, celebrate their work and provide opportunities for Los Angeles' young talent.' Tickets are available now at Balenciaga has unveiled a new campaign for its Le City Bag using digitally altered paparazzi images from the early 2000s. Le City Paparazzi, features street-style photos of Paris Hilton, Alek Wek, Alessandra Ambrosio, Amber Valletta, Claudia Schiffer, Malgosia Bela, Natasha Poly and Tyra Banks that have been edited to show them carrying the Le City bag while the images have been finished with a unique watermark that pays homage to the branding used by stock photo websites. The iconic bag, which debuted in 2001, was created by former Balenciaga creative director Nicolas Ghesquière and was originally named the Le Dix Motorcycle Lariat before being renamed Le City. The bag's fans include Kate Moss, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, the Hilton sisters, the Kardashians and the Olsen twins, to name a few. As part of the Spring/Summer 2025 'Acts Like Prada' campaign starring Carey Mulligan, the luxury Italian brand has commissioned American author Ottessa Moshfegh to create a collection of short stories. Inspired by Mulligan's characterizations, 'Ten Protagonists' features 10 stories centered around each female character and keyed to a particular campaign image. Bound into a limited-edition Prada publication illustrated with the campaign images of Mulligan, these short episodes expand on the invented selves of each of these female protagonists through Moshfegh's words. Known for her radical depiction of female characters, Los Angeles-based Moshfegh is the author of six books of fiction, including the cult-favorite 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation' (2018), and the Booker Prize-nominated 'Eileen' (2015), for which she also co-wrote the 2023 film adaptation. Moshfegh's most recent novel, 'Lapvona' (2022), was a New York Times bestseller. Connecting to Prada's tradition of pioneering new storytelling methods through the campaign and directly following last season's Miranda July hotline, 'Ten Protagonists' adds a layer of new meaning to the Spring/Summer 2025 Prada images, creating original contemporary literature while expanding their relevance to a dimension beyond the visual. 'Ten Protagonists' is written by Moshfegh and features the Spring/Summer 2025 Prada campaign images of Mulligan, photographed by Steven Meisel with creative direction by Ferdinando Verderi. The book is available to download now at Clean beauty brand ILIA Beauty has debuted its first-ever outerwear collaboration with Halfdays, the women-founded performance fashion brand, as part of the launch of their new Barrier Build Skin Protectant Cream. The partnership combines ILIA's dedication to clean, skin-forward beauty with Halfdays' expertise in sustainable, high-performance ski wear, ensuring women feel confident, protected and stylish both on and off the mountain. The collaboration takes the form of the Custom Ski Suit: A limited edition set featuring Halfdays' bestselling Lawrence Jacket ($375) and Alessandra Pant ($275), brought to life in ILIA's signature 'Rose' shade. Crafted from recycled fabrics, with high-performance insulation and waterproofing, this ski wear set combines functionality with effortless style. Each ski suit set comes with a full-sized ILIA Barrier Build Skin Protectant Cream as a gift — a cushiony moisturizing cream that calms and strengthens the skin barrier and reduces the look of redness. 'With sensitive skin, finding products you can trust is hard. I created Barrier Build as a functional product with purpose — to protect and replenish skin even in the toughest conditions. Skiing has always been a part of my life, so partnering with Halfdays to offer solutions for winter protection feels like a natural fit,' ILIA founder Sasha Plavsic said. The limited edition ski suit is available now on and the ILIA Barrier Build Skin Protectant Cream will also be available on Sephora and other ILIA retailers. The Fashion Trust U.S. (FTUS) hosted a cocktail event Feb. 4 to celebrate the finalists for its third annual FTUS Awards taking place April 8 in Los Angeles. The Tuesday evening event, hosted by founder Tania Fares, Elizabeth Stewart, Karla Welch, Wayman Bannerman, Micah McDonald, Law Roach and Chriselle Lim, was attended by Aimee Song, Alex Israel, Arianne Phillips, B Akerlund, Brandon Blackwood, Brigette Romanek, Daniella Villegas, Designer, Eric Buterbaugh, Fai Khadra, Gela Nash Taylor, Jeanne Yang, Michael Chow and Storm Reid. The finalists in the Ready-to-Wear category are Rachel Scott of Diotima, Grace Ling, Jakarie Whitaker of Hikari no Yami and Nana Kwame Adusei of Kwame Adusei. The finalists in the Jewelry category are Bernard James, Kia Schwaninger of Kia Schwan, Rebecca Zeijdel-Paz of Beck and Reut Ringel of Reut. The finalists in the Accessories category are Danielle Griffiths of Clyde, Paradis Winslet, Marianna Senderkis of Sederkis and Michal Lifshitz of Poemet. The finalists in the Graduate category are Bashar Abouljoud, Bryan Barrientos, Eunhae Cho and Patrick Taylor. Google Shopping is the presenting sponsor of the FTUS 2025 Awards, providing all winners access to a Google mentorship program built in partnership with FTUS. This program offers expert guidance on key aspects of the fashion and retail industries to support and elevate emerging talent within American design. The finalists will showcase their work to the Fashion Trust U.S. panel on April 8 in Los Angeles, and the five chosen winners will be announced at the awards ceremony that evening. Winners will all receive financial support and mentorship from industry leaders. Founded in 2022 with a mission to provide financial support, guidance and mentorship to designers based in the United States, Fashion Trust U.S. has developed into a platform of opportunity to discover and nurture young U.S. design talent to help them build their label into a thriving global brand. Have a news story for our readers? Please email Interested in partnership opportunities? Please email The post The Fifteen Percent Pledge Hands Out $400K to Black Entrepreneurs at 4th Annual Fundraising Gala appeared first on TheWrap.
Associated Press
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
e.l.f. Makes a New Play on Big Game Viewing to Throw the Ultimate Watch Party for the Community
The Big Game is here, and e.l.f. (NYSE: ELF) is making a new play, joining the live viewing experience and inviting the community to its pioneering first live watch party 'The E.L.F. TIME Show.' This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: e.l.f. debuts 'The E.L.F. TIME Show,' an innovative second-screen companion experience running parallel to the Big Game with an all-star host lineup led by sportscaster Suzy Shuster, actress and comedian Yvonne Orji and drag queen Heidi N Closet. (Photo: Business Wire) The beauty brand known for disrupting norms, shaping culture and connecting communities is committed to meeting every eye, lip and face wherever they are – and research shows that 70% of Americans use an average of two or more media platforms during the Big Game.* All the action at the 'E.L.F. TIME Show' on Sunday, Feb. 9 further amplifies the sticky bond e.l.f. has made with the football community throughout the season through the 'eyes. lips. face. fandom.' campaign that celebrates fan-favorite Power Grip Primer, the No. 1 SKU in mass cosmetics** 'With our viewing party, we unleash an e.l.f. twist on democratizing access to sports fandom. We always want to be with the community, literally where they are as their tried-and-true bestie,' said Laurie Lam, e.l.f. Beauty's Chief Brand Officer. 'And what do besties do on Big Game day? They have fun!' Enjoy the cheesesteaks and BBQ and experience the Big Game with the e.l.f. made entertainment roster: 'The E.L.F. TIME Show' 'The E.L.F. TIME Show,' an innovative second-screen companion experience running parallel to the Big Game, has an all-star host lineup led by sportscaster Suzy Shuster, actress and comedian Yvonne Orji and drag queen Heidi N Closet. The trio will bring fun and gripping commentary and keep the party going – including giveaways – while Christopher Kouros, as 'Klaus' reports from New Orleans. Watch live across e.l.f.'s channels on TikTok, Twitch, Instagram, YouTube, Amazon and Who is Klaus? e.l.f. recently released 'e.l.f. von zehn,' a global campaign first launched in the German market that puts real product reviews through outrageously literal and seriously funny lab tests. Klaus is e.l.f.'s new 'Chief Science Officer', who awarded e.l.f.'s Power Grip Primer, Halo Glow Liquid Filter, Lash Xtndr Mascara and Glow Reviver Lip Oil an 'e.l.f. von zehn' – which translates to 11 out of 10! 'e.l.f. von zehn created a product rating scale for our global community, upholding a shared value of premium quality,' said Lam. 'Why stop there? Let's normalize the bizarre and apply Klaus' rating system to New Orleans and its attractions.' Democratizing access During the Big Game, the 'e.l.f. von zehn' spot will air on Tubi, which provides free entertainment to 100+ million monthly active users. e.l.f. will be the only participating beauty brand in Tubi's live Big Game programming, a first for the streaming service. e.l.f. is the first brand sponsoring Tubi's recently launched shoppable experience, allowing viewers to shop their e.l.f. favorites directly on without disrupting their viewing experience. More of a puppy fan? e.l.f. is the Official Cosmetics Partner of Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl XXI, also on Sunday. e.l.f.'s ' ad spot will air during the four-legged sporting event on Animal Planet, Discovery and TBS. This partnership raises awareness for shelter pets and reinforces e.l.f.'s vegan and cruelty-free values. History of total disruption: e.l.f. is no stranger to making noise at the Big Game. In 2023, as one of the only beauty brands to show up in front of one of the largest TV audiences, e.l.f. disrupted with a sticky ad that showed everybody that beauty belongs everywhere. Last year, 'Judge Beauty' delivered a verdict at the Big Game that it's a 'crime' to overpay for makeup. This year, e.l.f. takes a multi-pronged, disruptive, never-been-done before approach to the Big Game that reflects the e.l.f. ethos to bring the best of beauty to every eye, lip and face. Tune in across our channels Sunday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT: Twitch *From AdTaxi, 2025 Super Bowl Survey. ** " *e.l.f. Cosmetics claim based on data reported by NielsenIQ through its Scantrack Service for the Mass Market Color Cosmetics category for the 52-week period ending December 28, 2024 for the US xAOC channel according to e.l.f. Cosmetics custom product hierarchy. Copyright © 2024, Nielsen Consumer, LLC.' About e.l.f. Cosmetics e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) is fueled by a belief that anything is possible. We are a different kind of company that disrupts norms, shapes culture and connects communities through positivity, inclusivity and accessibility. e.l.f. Cosmetics, our global flagship brand, makes the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face by bringing together the best of beauty, culture and entertainment. Our superpower is delivering universally appealing, premium quality products at accessible prices that are e.l.f. clean and vegan, all double-certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA as cruelty free and we have products made in Fair Trade Certified™ facilities. Learn more at SOURCE: e.l.f. Beauty Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 02/07/2025 01:05 PM/DISC: 02/07/2025 01:06 PM
