The Lion King Returns for Live Action Film this Summer 2019

The Lion King returns after twenty-five years of hit Broadway shows within the United States and internationally around the globe. The animated film will finally become a live action film starring a few of their original cast members and some very new faces and upcoming stars will appear in their first leading roles in a major production film. The small animated lion cub we remember being launched in the air by a colorful wise bam boon monkey has become an iconic image in our minds for two decades. He is the symbol in the film of hope, promise, his legacy from the moment he is presented to the jungle as the next ruler and gives all of the animals a sense of comfort, pride, and a better future for them and their community within the film.

This time the gang is all back together: Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, Mufasa, Scar, and all of the beloved characters are back in this diverse and beautiful film. The following stars have been cast within the film. This is a huge ensemble cast and I wanted to make sure I covered everyone’s most recent acting achievements and some accolades many of my readers may not have known or do know too.

1. James Earl Jones the award winning theater, television, and film actor will star and reemerge in his role as Mufasa. It’s pretty amazing because he played and contributed his legendary and famous voice as Simba’s father. Mufasa is the protector to Simba he oversees the pride. There is no one else I could have imagined taking on this role that both children and adults have come to love.
2. Donald Glover aka “Childish Gambino” stars as the Adult Simba he’s a Grammy award winner with a hit television series, “Atlanta” and his multi platinum award winning album from 2018 featuring the hit single, “Redbone”.
3. Funny man Seth Rogen will stars as Timon’s sidekick “Pumbaa” (“The End is near”, “Knocked Up”, “The Neighbors 1 and 2”, , “The 40 year old virgin”, “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” and “Long Shot” which debuts this May 2019 also.
4. Eric Andre stars as Azizi he is the creator, host, and co writer of The Eric Andre Show on Adult Swim featured on the Cartoon Network. He was also featured on Man Seeking Woman, “Two Broke Girls”, “Disenchantment”.
5. Billy Eichner stars as Timon we all remember Pumbaa’s best friend and sidekick. He has been featured on the Netflix series, “College with Friends” “Billy with friends”, and has upcoming film “Noelle”.
6. John Oliver stars as Zazu English comedian is the British correspondent and featured on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”, had a podcast titled “The Bugle”, he has also received many accolades for Emmy, TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement for News and Information, Webby Award, MTV Movie and TV Award.
7. Keegan Michael Key is a comedian, actor, writer, and producer he was featured on the show “Key & Peele”, “Playing House”, “Whose Line is it anyway”, “Lets Be Cops”, “Tomorrowland”, “Pitch Perfect”, “Keanu”, and is featured on hilarious show, “Friends From College” on Netflix will star as Kamari in the Lion King.
8. John Kani-Rafiki he is a theater thespian and received an Oliver Award for “My Children! My Africa”, “Captain America: Civil War”, “How to Steal Two Million”, “Endgame” “Nothing But the Truth”, and starred in the mega billionare dollar hit, “Black Panter” as T’Challa’s father and will also play Rafiki in the Lion King.
9. Florence Kasumba stars as Shenzi is a voiceover actress and was also featured in “The Black Panther”, she played Senator Acantha in 2017’s”Wonder Woman”, “Emerald City”, “Mute”, “Offline : Are You ready for the next level”, and “Captain America: Civil War”.
10. Alfre Woodard activist, Emmy, Grammy Award, and multi-nominated Academy Award actress, who has been featured in a whole book of hit films  (Crooklyn, Love & Basketball, How to make an American Quilt,  Blue Chips, Beauty Ship, Something New, Mississippi Grind,  Captain America, Clemency,  Juanita,   and she will star as Sarabi. Well seasoned actress and love her because when you see her play certain roles you see another dimension come out of her. She’s an actress who knows how to bring the character to life and make it even more realistic.
     
11. Get ready “Beyhive”… Grammy award winner, multiplatinum artist, actress, songwriter, singer, fashion designer,  and businesswoman,  Beyonce Knowles-Carter will play the adult Nala character. As many of you know Beyonce starred in “Dreamgirls”, “The Fighting Temptations”, “Cadillac Records”, “Obsessed” and a few animated roles so she is no stranger to performing and crossing over into film. She also has her own documentary “Life is but a dream” she produced with HBO and just recently her documentary, “Homecoming” which takes a behind the scene looks at her life currently after she just had her fraternal twins, Rumi & Sir Carter and raising, 7-year-old, Blue Ivy, and managing business and her beautiful marriage with husband, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. She shows the full process of finding her talented dancers, the marching band, and how her production team, fashion team, stage crew, and everyone involved including her family have all found a way to become successful as a unit.
12. Chiwetel Ejiofor  another theater, television, and film actor, BAFTA award winner, Laurence Olivier award winner who has been featured intelevision , film, and theater projects “Amistad”, “Dirty Pretty Things” “Love Actually”, “She Hate Me”, “Melinda & Melinda”, “Four Brothers”,”Talk to Me”, “Sherlock Holmes”, and will star in the sequel to Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”.
     
13. Jaydon “JD” McCrary fans he has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network, “The Paynes”,  “American Soul” he played the king of pop as child, “Little” he made his debut as Isaac, he was featured on Childish Gambino’s “Awaken my Love”, and he has three singles, “Inviting all of you”, “My Name”, and “Keep In Touch” He just received an award from Bounce TV Network as Trumpet Award as an official sponsor and rising star. I see amazing things happening for this kid right here nothing but going up from here.

 

1. Shahadi Wright Joseph is the breakout star of the film “Us” (2019) I definitely recommend that you see her performance and she will be playing the Young Nala in the live action film this year.

 

That’s one theme that takes place within this film of the Lion King you see how everyone plays their part. Every single character has a purpose and reason within the film of the movie and at the end of the day it is all about making sure that the future king becomes successful to rule the wild and growing jungle and still remains a protector of his pride and his self.  For more information on this amazing film, the original soundtrack, merchandise, and everything you want to know visit http://www.disney.com  and visit http://www.lionking.com for more information on the Broadway show, film tickets, and more. The film debuts July 19, 2019

 

 

The cast of Lion King Live Action Film (2019)

 

Legendary Filmmaker leaves his mark on the film industry

“Legendary Filmmaker Leaves Impact in Filmmaking community and around the world”

 

We have been losing some amazing icons in a variety of industries. Some people who have left their mark on this planet. It breaks our hearts of course it hurts but when you leave your mark you leave your history, your story, and you change the world I believe in this…. “When you are fortunate to live on this amazing, beguiling, and ever-changing planet you can leave footprints in the sand, send shooting stars and comets across the sky, or you can simply just blow in the wind.”-Chloe J. Riccardo

            I knew I had to write this story it struck me and I had a feeling it was coming when the news broke I knew right away who this person was and how his life and story has changed so many of us around the world who want to tell stories whether through media, film, acting, or through other ways of expression.

 This person left paintbrush, canvas, and painted his mark with a stamp and then some. Legendary filmmaker, John Singleton passed away yesterday April 29, 2019. I wanted to discuss this topic because I have realized his impact in the art, film, and all creative industries he touched many people around the world.

            The word genius exists for a reason because you simply think to yourself “Why didn’t I think or create something amazing and powerful like that?” I believe we all are here for many purposes and to share our stories and journeys within our community so we learn what choices to make and what not to make. What can impact our lives comes from the notion that you have the ability and free thought to choose what kind of life you want to live.

            He did the same with his films like “Poetic Justice” a film I discussed on my personal blog when the anniversary came up. Singleton gives you a snapshot of a young African American woman who is in her twenties living and growing up in a Los Angeles South Central community after losing and grieving the death of her boyfriend. She just so happens to channel her emotions and pain through her poetry. We learn later in the film that her poems were actually written by the amazing phenomenal woman herself, Maya Angelou. The film has had an impact on the hip-hop community because it was one of the breakout roles for a young hip-hop artist named, Tupac Shakur, and a young woman who has become a cultural icon, Janet Jackson.  His impact broke boundaries and his film translated to the community all around the world. Myself included I love the story, the music soundtrack, the characters were relatable, real, and honest. You can easily connect to their story and I think that’s something that many people can identify with too. You also see issues being raised within the community at that time back in 1993 with gang related violence, discrimination, heavy senseless violence, drug abuse, and other issues are exposed within the story line that just created more consciousness around us all. How we needed to do better and grow better. John gave many new actors and actresses all a chance and everyone within his films have gone and paved the way for many actors, actresses, and filmmakers of color. He studied at the University of Southern California filmmaking school as well. Their filmmaking program has launched the career of some gifted directors and filmmakers. Singleton is definitely included.

His other films and television projects he was involved in continues today to impact many up and coming artists daily. Films like the 1991 classic, “Boyz In the Hood” which launched O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, and Angela Bassett’s careers at that time. The film told a story of a young man growing up in South Central, LA with his father he comes to live with him during his teenage years. It is a coming-of-age story so to speak but he’s dealing with the issue of learning how to balance being a man and making the right choices. He struggles to deal with getting involved in the gangster life of some of his friends who sit around drinking malt liquor and shooting guns. He deals with the issue of becoming a father too soon and teenage pregnancy. Then he also deals with the issue of making sure to come out alive within school and his community itself. These are the stories John helped create and bring on film. He wanted his people to identify with the characters he created. He wanted to translate the story and bring it on film. So we all could say to ourselves “That’s me I see myself within that character, that’s my child, or that’s my neighbor”.

            One other film I saw was how he changed the game with “Higher Learning” (1995), “Shaft” (2000) “Baby Boy” (2001), and “2 Fast 2 Furious” (2003) he changed the film industry and took other musicians and artists under his wing and helped launched their careers like Taraji P. Henson, Tyrese, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, and many others who were featured in this film. He changed their lives. “Baby Boy” a story many of us can relate to within the African American community a young man is coming of age and struggling with getting out on his own. He is trying to find his way within his community in his career, as a father, and a son to his mother. “Baby Boy” is one of those stories where you get a male perspective so to speak. You see what a young twenty-year old man is facing day to day.  Absentee father issue comes up when his father may not be present or around his single mother. Singleton knew how to write and capture a story adding color, life, and making us all even want to emulate the characters he created. He made us want to become those people. Some of them were fearless, others were gifted talented, stylish, beautiful, and some were comical, silly, or funny. He should be known as the visionary of positive black images. He wanted to tell the truth with his films and also show what we could become eventually in the future. I believe we may have exceeded his expectations and then some for the reality and what he really wanted to see achieved in the film industry, in the African American, and all minority communities. He will be truly missed by his fans, his family, his friends, his colleagues, and everyone he touched who loved his films.

John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968-April 29, 2019)

 

 

 

 

 

Two big pop divas coming to the new entertainment state

She's coming to Vegas bringing all of her hits, "Cardi B" making her way on your KAOS nightclub stage

Queen of Pop Janet Jackson coming to MGM Grand hotel this spring 

Let's call Las Vegas instead of sin city. Let's just call it our new entertainment capital. Everyone is coming there to do a show and these two ladies are no different they deserve it with the incredible achievements and successes they have had it's their time to shine. They both recently just had children under 5 and are out here managing family, motherhood, success as entertainers, and are breaking barriers as women of color, and women in general. 

She’s a newly fresh-minted Grammy award winner. She just won her first Grammy award for her 2018 album, “Invasion of Privacy”. I am talking about the new hip-hop goddess, “Cardi B” (Belcalis Alamanzar) who has been considered as a hip hop Marilyn Monroe who rose from the Bronx and has made a name for herself in Hollywood. Cardi will be heading to the West Coast as one of the A list big stars (_ this summer to do quick residency.

Next the pop queen, Janet Jackson will be heading to the Vegas strip for her residency. Couldn’t believe when I heard it but it makes perfect sense because she has had three decades of number ones and successful albums that have made their mark all around the globe worldwide. Of course she has had many sold out successful tours but there’s something about doing a big Vegas residency these days that takes peoples careers to a whole different level. You go from not just a celebrity but now you’re officially a legend. You’re at the level of Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Michael Jackson (who of course Janet is his little sister), and now for her to be considered and put at that mark it takes her to a completely different place.

For some of you who may have been born in the nineties or the early 2000s let me school you on who is Janet Jackson and why this is a big deal….

The woman is an icon, who has influenced many pop, R&B, soul, dancers, actresses, and more. Without her there would be no Beyonce, no Ciara, no Aaliyah, no Tinashe, and many more. Her influence is incredible she showcased and showed superstars I am more than a pretty face. She’s multitalented and she has influenced a generation of women to demand control, respect, to be fierce, creative, and not intimidated by themselves or anyone else. Janet’s influence as an artist doesn’t just come from her music but she has affected generations of people politically and many other realms.

Cardi will perform at the nightclub KAOS which opens this month she will be scheduled for a few shows there in May. Janet Jackson will also be performing at the MGM Grand Hotel featuring her new show Metamorphosis which is about her journey from being a child star then becoming the icon she is now. It will feature detail about her life with the Jacksons, her journey through her solo career, and where she is now today. So make your way out to Vegas. You know I will! I will see you all there very soon. Looking forward to seeing my “sheroes” on stage this spring and summer. Congratulations ladies.

Visit http://www.kaosnight.uvtix.com for Cardi B’s residency

Visit http://www.iamcardibofficial.com for more information on her upcoming shows and performances.

Visit http://www.janetjackson.com