Author Archives: Gail Choice

“I don’t want people to feel like we got lucky,” said Jason Mitchell, the subject of an increasing amount of best supporting actor Oscar buzz for his portrayal of the late hip-hop artist Eazy-E in Universal’s “Straight Outta Compton.”
“For lack of a better expression, we worked our asses off,” added the young star.

“In my mind, I see a line and over that line I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful White women with their arms stretched out to me over that line. But I can’t seem to get there no how. I can’t seem to get over that line.”

Since the nominees for the 67th Emmy Awards were announced last week, butterflies have filled the stomachs of Hollywood. In the eight years that I’ve reported on the Emmys, this marks the first time I can’t profile all of the nominees. It’s not that I don’t want to; I simply don’t have the space because there are to many Blacks.

On Saturday May 16, HBO will premiere the highly anticipated drama “Bessie” starring the very versatile and talented Queen Latifah as the legendary Blues singer Bessie Smith. This may be Latifah’s most challenging role in her outstanding career. Queen Latifah says she worked with a singing coach who trained her to sing in Smith’s register.

Don’t know how many of you remember the old comic strip “Little Orphan Annie.” I do, and I loved reading about her adventures. I remember liking her hair, big, red…I even think it predated the Afro. I remember billionaire Oliver Warbucks and I liked the dog Sandy, Annie’s constant companion. I also remember when it went to Broadway, I knew I’d never see it because for me Broadway was a world away.

“Beyond the Lights” will make you believe in love all over again. And what’s so unique about this film is that it’s about Black love.