Chairman and CEO of "Soulidify Productions," BK Fulton Exclusive Feature in Hollywood Monthly by Hollywood Weekly Magazine, LLC

Celebrating Diversity In The Entertainment Industry

MONTHLY december 2019

VANESSA WILLIAMS

BEDSIDE READING

THE OFFICIAL HWMFF AWARD WINNERS

FILMMAKER ALYCIA COOPER

GRACE, BEAUTY AND GRIT

BOOKS TO DEVOUR

KEN COMER RETIRED N.Y.P.D. DETECTIVE TURNS NOVELIST A MAN OF INTEGRITY, INTELLIGENCE, GOOD WILL...AND HUMOR

BK FULTON

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR W

elcome readers to a very special issue of Hollywood Monthly Magazine. We are honored to have Media Mogul BK Fulton gracing our cover. I can honestly say the only other person I’ve ever known personally as driven to change this World for the better is my Publisher, Prather Jackson. BK Fulton is a man dedicated to one mission: altering our perception so we can, as Roberta Flack sang so beautifully, “See clearly now because the rain is gone.” But instead of rain obscuring our vision, we have stereotypes, sexism and cultural intolerance. As founding Chairman and CEO of “Soulidifly Productions,” BK is “clearing the rain” for movie theater patrons and streaming audiences around the World to see the World as it is. Filled with people from various cultures and countries and continents who have ALL contributed to the World we live in today. BK has turned his production company into a veritable “Entertainment Factory,” like Andy Warhol’s famous art studio from the 60s -- “The Factory.” You knew when Andy Warhol released any piece of art from “The Factory” it was here forever and cherished for posterity. They were instant classics. With BK’s Soulidifly Productions you better believe that any film, television, magazine or other form of media that comes out of his “Entertainment Factory” will be treasured and here to last. We are so proud to have BK Fulton and his amazing Soulidifly Productions as our Hollywood Monthly Cover Star! As always, readers, we thank you. We are who we are because of YOU. Wishing you all Peace & Happiness!

Associate Editor

MONTHLY

Anthony Ewart

Celebrating Diversity In The Entertainment Industry

december 2019

VANESSA WILLIAMS

BEDSIDE READING

THE OFFICIAL HWMFF AWARD WINNERS

FILMMAKER ALYCIA COOPER

GRACE, BEAUTY AND GRIT

BOOKS TO DEVOUR

KEN COMER RETIRED N.Y.P.D. DETECTIVE TURNS NOVELIST A MAN OF INTEGRITY, INTELLIGENCE, GOOD WILL...AND HUMOR

BK FULTON @ANTHONYEWART @ALEXANDRINEPOET

HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY• 1

CALL: (424)371-9900 EMAIL: HollywoodWeekly@gmail.com

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Prather Jackson VICE PRESIDENT Bernice Harris Michael D. Coxson SENIOR BOOK CURATOR Jane Ubell-Meyer ASSOCIATE EDITOR Anthony Ewart DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES & ASST TO THE PUBLISHER Jordan O'Quinn-Campbell MARKETING & SALES Launy Rhem CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Barbara Burke Victor Migalchan Alex A. Kecskes Rebecca Miller ART DIRECTOR Damian Aragon GRAPHIC DESIGNER Clemmy Le Busque PRODUCTION DESIGNER Denise Chavez VIDEO EDITOR/ PRODUCER Israel Aleman CHINA OPERATIONS Victor Migalchan victor@hollywoodweeklymagazine.com (213) 220-3052 (424) 371-9900 INDIA OPERATION Ike Sinha Country Director Art4Peace Awards Hollywood Weekly Magazine B1/1565 Vasantkunj New Delhi-110 070 Mobile +919599068592 ASIA OPERATION Joyce Penas Pilarsky HWM Asia Ambassador Email: info@joycepilarsky.com Bench Bello HWM Asia Operations hollywoodmagazineusa@gmail.com Mobile +639273895559 DISTRIBUTORS CoMag MADER NEWS NEWS INFLIGHT, INC

MONTHLY

DECEMBER 2019

The Yanfan Foundation

12 A Man of Integrity... VANESSA WILLIAMS 18 KEN COMER 26 ALYCIA COOPER 32 REGINA DANIELS 38 Nollywood A-List Child Star BK FULTON Grace, Beauty and Grit

Retired N.Y.P.D Detective

TRADE Is A Perfect Skakespearean Tradegy

BEST SCREENPLAY WINNER "FREE YOURSELF" BY KELLY LACOMBE BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY “THE HUMAN BRIDE" BY LUCIA BRACCALENTI HW SPECIAL SCREENWRITER AWARD "LENA'S RULES" BY KEN COMER BEST ANIMATION “ANACRONTE” RAUL KOLER, EMILIANO SETTE, DIRECTORS BEST DOCUMENTARY “REAL TRUTH ABOUT” PAUL EFRON BEST DRAMATIC SHORT “TRADE” ALYCIA COOPER, DIRECTOR BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY “THE DOLL” DANTE JAMES, DIRECTOR HWMFF AWARD FOR INDUSTRIOUS EXCELLENCE GEORGE GOODENOUGH BEST COMEDY “THE FIDDLING HORSE” DIRECTOR, CJ WALLIS HW AWARD FOR ARTISTIC BRILLIANCE "WHAT'S EATING RALPHIE MAY” JEREMY BONDS, DIRECTOR BEST FEATURE FILM “ROAD TO REDEMPTION” JETA AMATA, DIRECTOR MOST OUTSTANDING HUMANITARIAN CAUSE RENO OMOKRI MOST OUTSTANDING CHILD STAR OUTSIDE OF USA REGINA DANIELS MOST CREATIVE HUMANITARIAN CLERGYMAN APOSTLE CHIBUZOR GIFT CHINYERE HW SPECIAL HERO AWARD JIM ZULEY

Held at the Historic Warner Bros. Studios

Dear Studio Executives: I am delighted to announce HW’s new Film Division focusing on developing major film projects. Our slate of hi-concept feature films have projected budgets between 5-15 million dollars. I personally feel HW’s Film Division presents a great opportunity for any major Hollywood studio seeking a conduit to a broad segment of a largely unrepresented society of people.

PRATHER JACKSON

We have expanded into an international publication with global print distribution into 16 foreign countries. Future editions of HW will identify stories that can easily be adapted into major films. Below are a few of our current film projects. Please contact me if you are interested.

“LEGAL PROSTITUTES” (TREATMENT EXCERPT) By Prather Jackson

Thrust into litigation, with no training, and based upon his own true story, Prather Jackson’s landmark victories against two of the world’s largest Corporations reveals the immoral levels attorneys will stoop to satisfy the greed of the Corporations they serve.

GRASS ROOTS: AMERICA’S SECOND PROHIBITION The Underground War in Compton for the Control & Legalization of Marijuana in the 90s Cable/Streaming Original Series written by Anthony Ewart

“America’s Second Prohibition” tells the story of all the men and women who lost their lives or were incarcerated during America’s prohibition of marijuana. The series focuses on ground zero of the resurgence and explosion of marijuana in America: Compton, California in the 90s -- the birthplace of West Coast Hip-Hop and the new fusion of music and marijuana as a lifestyle. But not everyone who sold marijuana in Compton was a drug dealer, and this was The War. Marijuana activists fighting for the legalization of the marijuana they sold to the community against those who sold crack and heroin -- the real drug dealers. And in the midst of this struggle you had the Crips and Bloods killing each other. But the African-American families in Compton found a way to survive these turbulent times. “America’s Second Prohibition” introduces a global audience to the tough, fascinating characters who populated “Compton of the 90s,” and shows the resilient, joyful loving spirit of African-American families who lived through this violent moment in our history.

“PROPHECY” By Ben Hur

The screenplay revolves around Isaiah, a smart but troubled, bigoted and hateful young African-American man who is going down the wrong road in life. Despite a religious mother challenging him to become someone great, and a wonderful girlfriend who adores him, his intolerance toward White people based on a lie he was told as a child keeps pulling him in the wrong direction. Marred by a victim mentality and an obsession to get rich, when his last hero Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated, he loses all hope and succumbs to temptations for making fast money as a drug runner and thief. It is at this time he meets Joshua, a quirky, rather innocent young man of Middle-Eastern descent who has just been released from a mental institution, where he was incarcerated for believing he is Jesus Christ. Joshua’s childish innocence compared to the stark harshness of a streetwise conman makes for odd traveling buddies.

“HEROES FROM HEAVEN” By Dr. Scott Glenn

In the Garden of Eden two beings of light are tricked into consuming a forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge by a man made of flesh with a sinister smile. Creatures land from the heavens and cast Adam and Eve from paradise. As the millennia go by, their descendants continue to fall further and further from grace. The world is broken into seven different continents. Each is led by an unfortunate soul who has been twisted by one of the seven deadly sins and given dominance over man. Together, they rule as the Seven Continental Alliance.

THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS By Brian Kinsey

For a young mulatto woman passing for white in the Carolinas in the 1870s, her dreams of leaving an oppressive black existence are crushed when the white man she plans to marry discovers her true background, forcing her to return to the black world and embrace her true identity.

Email: HollywoodWeekly@gmail.com or Call: (424) 371-9900

6 ANNUAL HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY FILM FESTIVAL STELLAR GALA TH

BY JORDAN O’QUINN-CAMPBELL On November 2, 2019 Hollywood Weekly Magazine hosted its 6th annual Film Festival at the historic Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank. The event attracted people from around the world including Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and China. There were several foreign dignitaries and talented actors, producers, and screenwriters in attendance. Some of the special guests included: President Goodluck Jonathan, Zik Zulu Okafor, Ejike Asiegbu, Producer/Writer Egor Efiok, Director Jeta Amata, Vanessa Martini, Joan Brown McCarthy, Producer Tess Cacciatore, Akon, Reno Omokri (“Most Outstanding Humanitarian Cause” Award Recipient), Regina Daniels (“Most Outstanding Child Star Outside of the USA” Award Recipient”, and several other stars. Awards were given to the best shorts, features, screenplays, comedies, thrillers, dramas, and science fiction films. The festival was hosted by Eric Zuley and Dante. Eric Zuley, as you know now from our HWM Cover, is the son of Jim Zuley, who is featured on the Cover of

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this HWM edition. Jim and Eric created eZWay Promotions, which is a company that prides itself in being the top ten social media influencers in the world. They are well on their way to becoming major International Promoters. Our Hollywood Weekly Film Festival began with a red carpet and lunch at nearby Claim Jumpers in the TNT building, near Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank. Everyone arrived, chatting over lunch and drinks. Networking and business connections were the buzz of conversations; everyone talking about their upcoming film and television projects. People were also able to rub shoulders with foreign dignitaries and international stars. Everyone was in high anticipation for the award ceremony. Actors, producers, and screenwriters were interviewed about their films and photographed on our TWO Red Carpets! One red carpet and stepand-repeat was located at our pre-Award lunch and another Red Carpet and step-and-repeat continued at Warner Bros. Studios.

Larry & Marsha Covin grace the red carpet with a music icon

Once the red carpet and interviews were over everyone made their way into the lavish main theatre venue of Warner Bros. Studio. The theatre contained a huge screen with seating accommodations for over 200 guests -- and we SOLD OUT! There were 30-minute panels that included a Q&A by Film Festival Winners like Writer/Director Alycia Cooper and the cast for her Award-winning short film “Trade,” and Director Jeta Amata and Producers Egor Efiok and Tess Cacciatore for their Best Feature Film Winner “Road to Redemption.” The amazing night ended with Host Eric Zuley Honoring his father, Jim Zuley, with a Special Award from Hollywood Weekly for all the work he’s done in helping his son, Eric, build his eZWay Empire, and being the kind of Father we can all love and admire. This was a night of Film, Fun and Love, which was our goal at Hollywood Weekly Magazine right from the start. Mission Accomplished!

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Photos By Daler Olimjanov

The Yanfan Foundation Title Sponsor 6th Annual Hollywood Weekly Fiilm Festival November 2, 2019

The first Westerner Branded at the Legendary Shaolin Temple of China in Henan Province, the main temple of the Shaolin school of Buddhism to this day and the birth place of Kung Fu. Born in the southern port town of Brindisi, Italy, Franco Testini, whose official title is His Majesty Abbot Shi Yanfan, acrossed the Mediterranean into the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China, and became the Shaolin Temple’s first ever appointed Western Ambassador. Held by the Chinese government with the approval of the National Religious Affairs Administration and the China Buddhist Association, Shaolin Temple in Henan partially revived an ancient ceremony that had not been practiced for over 300 years. His Majesty Abbot Shi Yanfan was at the helm of a long and grueling ceremony, after which he was officially anointed with the title of an Abbot. On May 24, 2007, many highly respected and honorary Abbots were called to witness this historical event. On the last day of the ceremony His Majesty Abbot Shi Yanfan was chosen to become the first ever non-Asian to receive the ancient ceremonial branding signs that consisted of searing nine circles on the top of the head with sticks of incense - called the Jieba. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the 2,500 year old Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China has unveiled its secrets that help promote natural self-healing of the body, increase inner strength, and reduce stress and pain. An unprecedented tribute to the most ancient martial arts and Eastern philosophy in the world. Today, in order to spread the legendary Shaolin Culture around the world His Majesty Abbot Shi Yanfan was commissioned to be the Cultural Ambassador of Songshan Shaolin Temple Henan Province, China’s to promote the understanding, the revival, and preservation of legendary Shaolin heritaDge on a global scale.

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A MAN OF INTEGRITY, INTELLIGENCE, GOOD WILL...AND HUMOR BK FULTON: THE STEADY RISE OF HIS “SOULIDIFLY UNIVERSE” BY ANTHONY EWART In 1948 Mahalia Jackson released her landmark recording of “Move On Up A Little Higher.” The title of the song is ironic because a signature aspect of Mahalia Jackson’s voice was that it did, constantly, move on up a little higher...one octave at a time, sometimes two or three. When you thought she couldn’t possibly sing a higher note she would soar even higher, taking you with her into the clouds, and beyond.

tionally, spiritually -- culturally. He found himself wandering the depths of one of the campus libraries. Eventually he arrived at a very significant number in the dewey decimal system: e185.5. This was the section of the library devoted to African-American history. BK had discovered what writer/activist Arturo Alfonso Schomburg had been saying since the turn of the 20th century: “What we call Black history are just the missing pages of World history.”

If you want to understand who BK Fulton is, this is the framework in which to do so. He is a man who will constantly soar higher than you think he can. And if you allow him, he will take you and your imagination on cinematic adventures around the world, through different time periods and well beyond the clouds. BK Fulton is a historian and a natural storyteller, which makes him an incredibly effective filmmaker, and the reason he is the Founding Chairman and CEO of “Soulidifly Productions.”

A fire ignited. An epiphany occurred. BK’s faith in himself and his place within the African Diaspora was confirmed and restored...but we’re still at Virginia Tech. Those books only hinted at the forgotten (or ignored) golden treasures of African and African-American history. He needed to find a bookstore devoted to African-American history -- the enormous help e.185.5 gave, notwithstanding, BK needed more comprehensive books.

BK is such a fascinating individual with so many compelling moments in his life I would almost have to serialize my story on him to fit everything into one article. Similar to the way Charles Dickens originally published his novels -- in magazines, and sometimes chapters at a time. But I’ll make an executive decision for myself and begin with one memory from BK’s life that stopped me cold in our interview. I had never heard of anyone who had done this before. It inspired me. This chapter, or story from BK’s life happened when he was a student at Virginia Tech. He was feeling a little lost at college. Emo12 • HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY

He found a black-owned store that had those golden historical treasures of Black history. Everything he wanted and more. Writers like J.A. Rogers and his “One Hundred Amazing Things About The Negro.” Books by iconic historians such as Dr. Ivan Van Sertima. Classics like Carter G. Woodson’s “The Miseducation of the Negro.” Lectures on tape by famous black historians including John Henrik Clarke -- my favorite because he was a personal advisor to Malcolm X once he left Elijah Muhammed. BK was a kid in a candy store or whatever metaphor you want to use to explain that BK needed to buy everything in that store. He had to. The fire that started in the campus library next to e185.5 was never going to be extinguished. The Sun has a lifespan. It will eventually swell

BK FULTON

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to a red giant and then collapse onto itself in a black hole. This fire that BK had to learn black history and disseminate it had no lifespan. It would never burn out. He knew this. The problem was money. BK had enough for school, but not to buy all these books. He approached the owner and learned that their computer system was archaic, to say the least. He offered to work for the store and fix their computer system... in exchange for books. Not for money, for books. That, my friends, is a thirst for knowledge “defined.” We’re now in 2017. The Sun has grown older. The fire within BK Fulton is burning stronger and brighter than ever. He has worked for almost every major technological company that you and I deal with on a daily basis. He has acquired his wealth and connections, and phase two of his plan that began in that Virginia Tech library is about to be unveiled. He creates “Soulidifly Productions.” Armed with this secret knowledge he’s learned throughout his life about Black history that most African-Americans

are unaware of, he’s ready to “show the world” what he knows... And there was something else. The prevalent disparity in the media of their portrayal of women and people of “good will” (in general), in addition to the racial problems of representation. Soulidifly Productions would pave the way for EVERYONE who has been ignored to have their stories told. In its first full year, Soulidifly released four (4) films and all four feature length movies received distribution. You may be aware that only 4% of independent films receive distribution. Two of the films written and directed by the incredible Wes Miller, “Atone” and “River Runs Red,” (the latter which stars Taye Diggs, John Cusack and George Lopez is a favorite for streaming audiences). This was historic (truly never been done before) -but we’re just in the first quarter of BK’s game. I like the sound of that. BK’s game. In a way, BK’s game is kind of like LeBron’s game. As in LeBron James. He has surrounded himself with a Dream Team to run Soulidifly Productions. Monty Ross, President of Soulidifly Productions Film & Production. Nicholas Powell, writer extraordinaire and Co-Founding Editor of SoulVision Magazine (a division of Soulidifly Productions), and Queon “Q” Martin, Executive Vice President of Soulidifly Productions. Today, as you read this, there are two films from Soulidifly Productions that are in theaters and/or On-Demand right now: “Love Dot Com: The Social Experiment” and “Hell on the Border.” HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY• 15

You’ll realize that your anticipation for a new Soulidifly production will be akin to the way cinephiles would await a new “Merchant Ivory” production. You know the quality of that cinematic experience will be fantastic. I’ll get back to “Hell on the Border” in a moment, because that movie is a BK Fulton production ALL THE WAY if you’ve been paying attention to the man BK is. But let’s do BK’s favorite thing to do right now -- go back in the past. Back to when BK was a little boy. You don’t have to use your imagination very hard. BK’s done the heavy lifting for you. “Mr. Business -- The Adventures of Little BK” is available now wherever you buy books. If you want to peek into the backstory of this brilliant man and learn lessons on organizing your life and your business from someone who is on target to becoming a major media mogul in Hollywood, “Mr. Business” is a great book series (seven books total). And, you get to see some of that famous BK Fulton humor I mentioned in my title. “Mr. Business -- The Adventures of Little BK” is so popular that one of the producers of “The Simpson’s” is in discussions with Soulidifly Productions about turning it into an animated series. Plan on that! Now... “Hell on the Border.” The cast is stellar. Ron Perlman. Frank Grillo. Zahn McClarnon and David Gyasi as “Bass Reeves.” Bass Reeves is a name you’ve probably never heard of. But you have heard of “The Lone Ranger.” Bass Reeves was African-American... Now I know you’re confused. Okay, Bass Reeves was a black man who left slavery after the Civil War and became a Lawman in Arkansas. He eventually became a U.S. Marshal and is credited with arresting over 3,000 felons and shooting and killing 14 outlaws in gun battles. His legend is the basis for the fictional “Lone Ranger.” How about that for an elevator pitch for a film? And as you can see, this is 100% a BK Fulton production. In learning about BK Fulton, his Soulidifly Productions and “Mr. Business -- The Adventures of Little BK,” I am, as I have previously stated, inspired. Inspired to do what BK and Soulidifly Productions have done and will continue to do...Move On Up A Little Higher.

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Soulidifly.com

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THE GRACE, BEAUTY AND GRIT OF

VANESSA WILLIAMS

By Allison Kugel

anessa Williams is a creature unlike any other. It’s as though she came here to impart the ins and outs of living life on one’s own terms. From unwitting societal lightning rod during the 1980s to multi-platinum selling recording artist; and Broadway, film and television star, Vanessa Williams slayed the male-dominated Hollywood dragon long before the #MeToo movement happened. You can tell from talking to her that, both, the scars of past judgment she endured, and the fruits of her sweet success have made their impact. Both created indelible imprints. In more recent years, Williams stunned audiences with sultry scene-stealing characters on hit series like Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty. Her recent film starring Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba, Miss Virginia, tackles the socio-economic and educational inequities that urban students of color endure, showcasing a more socially conscious film portrayal. Vanessa Williams’ exotic beauty strikes you dead on arrival, but Williams does not lead with her looks. She prefers to enter a conversation with intellect, boldness and strength. Williams is now preparing to take her Broadway-honed stage skills across the pond to London’s West End, where she will be starring in a production of City of Angels, opening at the Garrick Theatre in 2020. She’s also added fashion designer to her packed resume, launching the sexy and sophisticated Vanessa Williams collection for HSN, and fresh on the heels of a multi-album deal with BMG, Williams is working on new music to reflect a collection of musical genres she is currently passionate about. A renaissance woman for the ages, Vanessa Williams’ life is nothing if not purposeful.

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Allison Kugel: Something told me to read your 2012 memoir, You Have No Idea, which I read cover to cover yesterday. I’m so glad I read your book, because it was the missing piece to really understanding you. The one constant theme throughout your life, it seems, is that you are a natural born rebel! Vanessa Williams: (Laughs) Yeah. Allison Kugel: That quality plays out in one way when we’re young, but changes as we get older. How do you express that side of yourself now? Vanessa Williams: It’s now about being unafraid to take chances. In terms of my career, I just signed on to do City of Angels on the West End [of London]. It’s not a lot of money, but it is an opportunity to work on the West End. It’s always been a dream of mine to live overseas, and to study in London. I’ll be working at the Garrick Theatre. We start rehearsals in January, we open in March, and the show will be running until the end of July. There are no guarantees, in terms of leaving my life in the states behind, but it’s something that excites me. At this stage of my life it’s all about asking myself what I want to do that I’ve never done. The challenge of it excites me, and doing the same thing bores me. Allison Kugel: When nude photos of you surfaced during your 1984 reign as Miss America and you were forced to relinquish your crown ten and a half months into your year-long reign, you were counted out there for a while in your twenties. Do you ever pat yourself on the back these days and say, “I did it!”? Broadway, films, television, platinum-selling recording artist and on and on… do you feel vindicated? Vanessa Williams: No, I really don’t. I don’t think that, because there’s always that next goal, like, “but I want to originate a role on Broadway;” “but I want to do a movie musical.”

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There is always something yet to be done. It’s not that I’m never satisfied, but there is always another goal on the horizon. When you’re an actor, it’s like being a gypsy. You jump into another circle of players, and it’s great. Then when it’s over, it’s heartbreaking, but then you’re ready to move on to the next circle. That’s what excites me and that’s what will always propel me to say, “Ok, what’s next?” Allison Kugel: Clearly, you value adventure over routine. Vanessa Williams: Well, I look at some people who have been on the same show for eleven or twelve seasons, and it’s a great cash cow. It’s great to have that kind of consistent salary where you can budget and put money away. God bless everyone who has had a series on the air for ten years, but there is an energy that keeps you kind of hungry when you are always looking for the next thing and you don’t know what that next thing is. Allison Kugel: I want to go back a bit and talk about the beginning. I think people may forget because it was so long ago, but you broke through a pretty significant glass ceiling in your twenties by being crowned the first African American Miss America. You became this societal lightning rod at the time. In 2008, when President Obama was elected as our first African American president, did you feel a connection or kind of kinship with him, since he broke a barrier in a similar way? Vanessa Williams: Oh, absolutely, in terms of his safety, and his presence was worldwide. But there is an expectation that comes with that honor of breaking barriers. It’s also a tremendous fear, not only for yourself, but for family members; because there is such division, which doesn’t seem to leave us. I thought it was over in the 1980s and it wasn’t; I thought it was over in the 2000s and it wasn’t; and, obviously, it’s still apparent now. So, there is a specific fear and uncertainty that you have, but you have to be brave and you have to continue to do what you were chosen to do, and the job that is before you. Allison Kugel: Had you ever had that conversation

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with President Obama about that? Vanessa Williams: I met him right before he began his run for president. I’ve been on the Special Olympics international board for years, and I was on Capitol Hill with the Special Olympics meeting people and trying to raise money for our group. I met him right off the heels of that wonderful speech he’d given at the Democratic National Convention, and word was out that he was someone to watch. I gave my little spiel about how we needed more funding for the Special Olympics. I could see the appeal, and then he announced. When he announced that he was going to run for president, I was definitely in his corner. My mother was coming from the perspective of having lived through Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. being assassinated, and Kennedy being assassinated, and she was fearful for his life. That’s the generation that she grew up in. I felt that it could happen, and she also, of course, had some issues with it. It just showed the fear that was due to where my mother’s generation had come from. Allison Kugel: What have you learned about love? What’s been your greatest love lesson? Vanessa Williams: I’m lucky to have four children, and there is nothing like that love; a love like that never ends. Once they’re out of the house, you’re still, as a mom, always available. You’re still always worried (laughs) and concerned. And you’re still always extremely proud, no matter their age or what they are doing. Allison Kugel: How do you take care of your body, mind and spirit; and what’s your feel-good routine? Vanessa Williams: My feel good is waking up with a good cup of coffee and doing a crossword puzzle in the sun. That starts my day off perfectly. And when I get a chance to explore and travel, I love to horseback ride, wherever I am, and go to the stables and find a horse and go on an adventure and explore the terrain on horseback. Spending time at home is also a joy for me. I’m on the road traveling so much, so my happy place is kicking off my shoes and hanging out at home.

Allison Kugel: You’re a practicing Catholic and you attend Church regularly, but in your most quiet and intimate moments, whom or what do you pray to, and what do you pray for? Vanessa Williams: Hmm... it depends on what it is. I pray to God and my ancestors and my guides, and everyone who has been with me along my journey. As far as what I pray for, it depends on what I want or need at that particular moment; whether it’s guidance, whether it’s “show me the way,” or whether it’s protection for one of my children. It depends on what my particular need is at that moment. Allison Kugel: What do you think you are here in this life as Vanessa Williams to learn, and what do you think you are here to teach? Vanessa Williams: I absolutely love to teach, in the literal sense, and I’ve done it for three years in a row at NYU (New York University). I’ve taught Master Classes at Syracuse University, where I went for musical theatre. I also teach women’s groups. It’s teaching strength and to be aware, because you never know when and where something is going to happen for you. Whether that’s your talent, whether it’s an opportunity… just be open to who comes into your life and what they can bring.

offer help. I think I’m here to learn to keep moving ahead. On this earth we have setbacks, struggles and obstacles. You have to be able to say, “What is this teaching me?” so you can move through it and move ahead in your life. Avoiding something or trying to deny it won’t get you anywhere. Allison Kugel: Speaking of giving advice to other women, back in 2011 and 2012 you worked on Tyler Perry’s film Temptation with Kim Kardashian while she was going through the separation from her ex-husband, Kris Humphries. The two of you spent some time together during filming. Did she seek your advice about weathering scandal and a media firestorm? Vanessa Williams: She’d just broken up with Kris [Humphries] and the press was all over the place, so Tyler made it very easy for her to hide from the press on set. Basically, it worked on the set, keeping the press away. Then we flew back to LA together. I just needed to be the sounding board for her at that point. Sometimes you don’t need to talk. You just have to let them talk, and you have to listen. She talked Continued on page 24

Allison Kugel: And you’re here to learn? Vanessa Williams: That as women, for sure, we are a community, and to ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice or for help. Look for a mentor. I’ve learned that there are many people that are willing to be teachers and to help you along in your life, so don’t be afraid to ask because there will always be somebody there to HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY• 21

Photo by Wayne Hoggatt

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about all the stuff that was happening and her fear of being judged, but that it was something she felt she needed to do. My advice to her was that you go through the storm, but the dust will settle, and you’ll get an opportunity to see clearly, and it will be a different day; and you’ll feel better and you can move on. Allison Kugel: Do you consider yourself a trailblazer for women? Vanessa Williams: I think my history has made me a trailblazer, unknowingly. I’ve always just been myself and that’s how it played itself out. Allison Kugel: What makes you feel most beautiful? Vanessa Williams: The sun and the warmth makes me feel beautiful. Every time I land someplace that’s warm, it makes me feel like I’m connected to nature. And that’s without hair and makeup and wardrobe, and all that stuff. It’s just the breeze, the water, and heat that makes me feel like my most natural self. And then being around children. Whether it’s my children who are all grown up… there’s a connection that I have with kids. Maybe because both of my parents were elementary school music teachers, but there is a connection that me and my kids have with young kids that I absolutely love. My connection with children makes me feel so alive. Allison Kugel: You recently launched your own clothing line, Vanessa Williams, which is available through HSN. The collection is versatile, imaginative and sexy, yet understated. And I love how you incorporate animal prints and patterns with different looks. Vanessa Williams: Thank you. It’s another opportunity to be creative and I’ve got a great manufacturer, so the quality is fantastic. It’s an extension of what I love, which is putting my stamp on things. I love fashion, and I’ve been fortunate to work on amazing shows, both on television and on Broad24 • HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY

way, where I’ve worked with incredible costume designers and been exposed to fantastic fashion through stylists. And I’ve settled into what my own personal style is, along with what resonates with other people. When I design, I keep my eighty-year-old mother in mind, and then my children; my girls are from age 19 to 32. Everyone’s got their own sensibility, and there’s one piece for everyone to enjoy. Allison Kugel: When will you be recording your next album? Vanessa Williams: Now! I just finished recording a children’s album, which will be out next spring. And I’m working on a new album for BMG that will be out next year. We’re leaning towards mood and tropical music for this next album, and there will be more projects to come. Allison Kugel: Let’s circle back to your upcoming show on London’s West End, City of Angels. You’re a Broadway veteran, but this will be your West End debut! Vanessa Williams: This will be my “junior year abroad” that I never got the chance to do! In college, I was supposed to go to London and then I became famous that September. So, it’s my delayed junior year abroad, thirty-six years later (laughs). And it’s getting a chance to show my stage talent on another respected stage. My children are not at home, so it’s an opportunity to tick another thing off the bucket list. Shop the Vanessa Williams collection at HSN and pre-order tickets to see Vanessa Williams star in City of Angels at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West end. Visit VanessaWilliams.com. Allison Kugel is a syndicated entertainment columnist, author of the memoir, Journaling Fame: A memoir of a life unhinged and on the record, and owner of communications firm, Full Scale Media. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonKugel.com. Photo Credits: Rod Spicer, Mike Ruiz, Gilles Toucas

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hether Ernest Hemingway was

obsessed with the idea that writers had to experience life before they could write, or he just believed it as an artistic truth, that school of thought, unfortunately for young writers, is correct. The longer you live in this world, the more varied your interests and experiences are while you are here, makes you a better writer. It’s just a fact. Even the great, multitalented Steven Spielberg, who was a cinematic prodigy by anyone’s standards, famously admitted that if he made “Close Encounters of the

Third Kind” as a mature man, the ending may have been different. As a young man in his 20’s Spielberg felt no qualms about sending Richard Dreyfuss’ character “Roy Neary” off to space to live with aliens instead of staying on Earth with his family. But now, as a husband and a father, an artistic decision like that for Spielberg would require more thought... Life is the ultimate teacher. Mark Twain said never let school get in the way of your education. The school of life, where the worst that can happen won’t be suspension from school...though you will “exit the campus,” as it were.

Ken Comer is a twenty year

veteran of the New York City Police Department.A seasoned Detective who retired in 2005. Early in his career he was recognized as one of the top officers in his percent. Young Officer Comer was reassigned to the Organized Crime Control Bureau -- he became an undercover Narcotics Investigator. The operative word to sum up Mr. Comer’s life with the NYPD would be gritty -- and that is a pleasant way to describe the world Ken Comer worked in and somehow made it to the other side...but he didn’t come back to us empty-handed, he brought stories. Lots of them.

Screenwriter, Retired N.Y.P.D.

Detective Ken Comer brings

“Reality” to his fictional Screenplay Masterpiece

“Lena’s Rules”

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Of course, Ken knew what to do with all those stories and the memories of all the characters he in his 20 years encountered NYPD. Life for with the with the dream Ken began even did some of acting. He early in his modeling he decided career before wanted that he to live the life of those famous

Detectives he read about in novels or saw in films. Reading Ken Comer’s screenplay “Lena’s Rules” was like reading a new novel by Michael Connely -- except, (and I love Michael Connely), Ken Comer has walked the walk. The things his characters say and the emotions and feelings and dire strait situations they find themselves in all come from an organic place of creative, artistic truth. I don’t know what kind of writer Ken Comer would have been had he not spent two decades working with the NYPD, but I do know that the screenplay “Lena’s Rules” could not have been written without the life experiences Ken Comer lived through.

Not surprisingly Ken Comer is now working as a full-time screenwriter. And, as an added benefit for all that life experience Hemingway loved writers to have, Ken has also found a new career as a law enforcement consultant in Hollywood. But it’s Ken’s characters. Ken’s words. The colorful, vivid, dangerous worlds that Ken Comer creates that is truly fascinating -- and where we, movie audiences, will benefit from his talent the most. KEN COMER SCREENWRITER, RETIRED N.Y.P.D. DETECTIVE com904@aol.com 917-734-5977

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Books to Devour

by Jane Ubell-Meyer, Founder of Bedside Reading

elcome to 2020. This is the time of year when I recommend that we evaluate our lives, not only to look forward but to look inward, as well. Three of our authors speak to these disciplines. Rohit Bhargava, a WSJ bestselling author of Non-Obvious MegaTrends. As I started reading his book, I was reminded of how I, and perhaps all of us, could take a new look at ourselves to see if we are wired for a “growth mindset” or a “fixed mindset”. Do you notice the smallest of details? And can these details change our lives? Another visionary author is PJ Jackson. She’s an incredible empath who is taking the ancient concept of the labyrinth to tap into our true selves. Our third author Tim Tigner, who has had more bestsellers than we can count, explores the concept of immortality in his spell binding bestseller, The Price of Time.

The Body Double by Emily Beyda

dark, glittering debut novel, The Body Double is the suspenseful story of a young woman who is recruited by a stranger to give up her old life and identity to impersonate a reclusive Hollywood star. A strange man discovers our nameless narrator selling popcorn at a decrepit small-town movie theater and offers her an odd and lucrative position: she will forget her job, her acquaintances, even her name, and move to Los Angeles, where she will become the body double of the famous and troubled celebrity Rosanna Feld.

The Prophecy by Kim Sakwa

ierce and feared, 16th-century Highland laird Greylen MacGreggor has yet to meet his match—until Dr. Gwendolyn Reynolds falls through time and into his arms. Get spellbound by this time travel romance.

Vicious by L.J. Shen

hey say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true. The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares. He is a brilliant lawyer. A skilled criminal. A beautiful liar. A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover. Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.

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The Prize by Geoffrey M. Cooper

hat does it take to win a Nobel Prize? Deceit? Fraud? Maybe even murder? When she finds a drug that has the potential to treat Alzheimer’s disease, Pam Weller is certain she’s made the discovery of a lifetime. But her success threatens the supremacy of Eric Prescott, a leading figure in Alzheimer’s research, who sees his chances at a Nobel Prize slipping through his fingers. His lust for the prize and the accolades that come with it drive him to concoct a plot against Pam that threatens her career, her freedom, and even her life.

The Birth Mother by Seymour Ubell

n a business trip, a high-powered fifty-six-year-old American entrepreneur visits his partners in China. After their meeting, his Asian mentor invites him to an orphan- age, a trip that will change the course of his family’s life forever. Without hesitation, he and his wife fall in love with Anglo/Asian twin girls and become their adoptive parents. The children grow up in a world of twists and turns with multiple coincidences and synchronicity. The story takes us on a journey them from China to Europe to America and back to China where their unusual birth mother enters their lives. This powerful story is filled with drama at every turn as the daughters face internal and external challenges. The Birth Mother is a story filled with love, pathos, tragedy, and triumph. A surprise of the season!

The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow

n this riveting memoir, David Crow presents a searing account of his experience growing up on the Navajo Indian Reservation with a mentally ill mother and violent father, an ex-con from San Quentin who groomed him to be his partner in crime. When David ultimately found the courage to change his life, he unwittingly triggered a plot of revenge that forced him into a deadly showdown with his father. Raw and palpable, “The Pale-Faced Lie” is an unforgettable testament to the power of forgiveness and the strength of the human spirit.

The Moments Between by Natalie Banks

T ◘

ragedy strikes the life of Claire DuPont when her husband of nine years is killed in a train accident on his way home from work, leaving her alone with two small children. One morning, six months later, she awakes to find him alive and there with her in the house, like he had never been gone. With her head spinning she picks up her phone only to see the date is actually three months before the accident ever occurred. Bewildered but grateful, she writes it off as a very vivid, bad dream. But as time goes on, she realizes that events are unfolding exactly the way they did in her dream. Racing against time, she desperately tries to change the inevitable but finds herself helpless to change anything. Unwilling to give up, she vows to stop at nothing to save her husband before it’s too late.

Lost Tomorrows by Matt Coyle

The Changemaker: The Art of Building Better Leaders by Deke Copenhaver

eadership is never easy. Almost all leaders deal with both triumph and tragedy, oftentimes in equal measure. The fact of the matter is that leadership insists on constant rejection of the status quo. True leaders demand continuous reflection and improvement of those around them, and even more importantly, of themselves. True leaders are Changemakers. You will learn to become unafraid of doing omething different in the service of a good cause and how to spark a movement that others can’t help but rally around. The Changemaker is a roadmap of sorts, designed to deliver comprehensive, common sense leadership strategies to people from all walks of life.

phone call thrusts Rick Cahill’s past and all its tragic consequences into his present. Krista Landingham, his former partner on the Santa Barbara Police Department, is dead. When Rick goes to the funeral in the city where his wife was murdered and where he is seen as guilty for her death in the eyes of the police, he discovers that Krista’s death may not have been a tragic accident, but murder. Hired by Krista’s sister, Leah, to investigate, Rick follows clues that lead him to the truth, not only about Krista’s death, but about the tragedy that ruined his life. In the end, Rick is left with a decision that forces him to confront the horrific actions he’ll need to take to exact revenge and achieve redemption.

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Vivid Vision by Cameron Herold

any corporations have slick, flashy mission statements that ultimately do little to motivate employees and less to impress customers, investors, and partners. But there is a way to share your excitement for the future of your company in a clear, compelling, and powerful way, and entrepreneur and business growth expert Cameron Herold can show you how. “Vivid Vision” is a revolutionary tool that will help owners, CEOs, and senior managers create inspirational, detailed, and actionable three-year mission statements for their companies.

I Know How This Ends by Amy Impellizerri

n the spring of 2020, a very special class is graduating from high school. This class of students has just one thing in common. The class is comprised completely of 37 survivors – of children whose pregnant mothers were in and around the World Trade Center on 9/11, but whose mothers survived, and gave birth within the next few months. These 37 students are part of a longitudinal study known as “Operation Steel Survivors” and their very public commencement is now scheduled for Carnegie Hall in Manhattan.

Conversations With Our Authors Q: So many people go through personQ&A with al and emotional PJ Jackson, author upheavals in their lives--loss of a loved of The Labyrinth one, loss of a job, Influence: Awaken an illness, etc. What the Wisdom Within is the best way to embrace change? A:No matter what comes your way, you must believe there is a reason for it. Life is a journey where you are given challenges to learn and to grow. The number one way to cope with change is to expand your self-awareness. You must accept the notion that inside this challenge there is a blessing. If you can learn to love the opportunity to grow, then you can embrace anything that is put in front of you. Q: Why are so many people fearful of change? A:People don’t fear change, they fear the unknown. Not knowing what will happen next fills you with anxiety which, left unchecked, ultimately turns into fear. Without change you become complacent and your youthful curiosity is lost. A great way to look at change it is to step back and observe the changing of the seasons. Each season has its ups and downs, yet you know what to expect. You also know the season will change again, and you can easily find joy in what will happen in the next season. It’s the same 30 • HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY

with life. Ask yourself, “What can I do with this change to make my life more joyful?” Look at change as an adventure, and trust that no matter what happens, you’ve got this! Q: It is now 2020, what’s your best advice on how to approach the new year? A:The best advice to approaching the new year is to focus on you and do these three things. First, put in the time to find yourself and understand your true purpose. Second, be kind to yourself, you are the most important person you will ever meet. And third, give yourself permission to hire a coach. No matter what you are trying to improve in your life; your health, your relationships or your self-worth, you don’t need to do it alone. You can’t be the best you until you invest in you, so make 2020 the year of YOU! It’s not selfish, it’s self-care.

Q&A with Tim Tigner, author of The Price of Time Q: Should scientists be searching for the Fountain of Youth? A: No, because it would be a disaster if they found it. The population would explode beyond sustainable limits, forcing governments to enact artificial means of limiting life. We’re much better off with a natural balance. Q: Do you think we’ll ever achieve immortality? A:I don’t think it’s possible to indefinitely stave off death. To stop our bodies from wearing out. Biological systems can be patched and propped up, but those are temporary and isolated fixes. On the other hand, one could argue that for most intents and purposes, Shakespeare is immortal. He’s still part of the zeitgeist, still shaping and affecting lives. Q: Setting aside the population issue, would the human race be better off if we were immortal? A:While the idea of preserving wisdom is enticing, the answer is no. The refreshing effect of the circle of life is crucially important because it brings fresh minds into management positions, minds that matured in themodern environment. If that weren’t the case, Caesar might still rule the world, which would be covered with temples to Zeus and Apollo. Also, the whole world would likely resemble the Middle East, where history andgrudges drive endless cycles of destructive behavior. We’re much better off with a biological cycle that givesus fresh starts and clean slates.

Q&A with Rohit Bhargava, author of Non Obvious Megatrends Q: How can professionals succeed in the midst of what you call the modern believability crisis? A: I believe it’s harder to be trusted today than ever before. Part of the reason is that we are surrounded by fake news, fake brands and fake leaders too. That’s the modern believability crisis, and it’s having a serious impact on business. Building trust with your customers and your team is hard because they are all skeptical. One key to doing it is being willing to share the unexpected truth. For example, we trust the waiters who tell us the truth about what’s great on a menu and what isn’t much more than we trust the one who says, “you can’t go wrong, everything’s great.” If you want to succeed, you need to start with trust and that comes from proactive honesty. Q: Do you really believe anyone can learn how to predict the future? A: I do! But it’s not just based on wishful thinking. I’ve conducted hundreds of workshops for leaders at many different levels within an organization and I’ve discovered that you can teach people the same five basic habits and they can learn how to see the details in the world around them and put them together in a way that allows them to see the trends as they are happening. The five habits are being curious, being observant, being thoughtful, being elegant and being fickle. Putting them together allows you to build a disciplined habit of collecting ideas the way most people collect frequent flier miles.

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OOPER

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Alycia Cooper’s Short Film

Covers ‘6 Circles of Hell’ by Anthony Ewart

Lust (2nd Circle). Greed (4th Circle). Wrath (5th Circle). Violence (7th Circle). Fraud (8th Circle). Treachery (9th Circle). It’s hard to imagine a 30 minute short film containing all of these elements from Dante Alighieri’s 14th -century masterpiece, “The Divine Comedy,” but she does. Inferno (Hell) is the first part of Dante’s Divine Comedy, and it is the most recognized part of the epic poem. As writer and director of TRADE, Alycia Cooper is essentially our “guide” through this hellish scenario she has created, just

“Trade” just about

from “Dante’s Inferno” as the poet Virgil was Dante’s guide in the Divine Comedy. Maybe Alycia’s log line for TRADE should have echoed Dante’s as he passed through the gates of Hell: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” But, Alycia Cooper is a comedian, right? We saw her on Last Comic Standing. We saw her on America’s Got Talent. Her comedy videos on Tru TV’s “Laff Mobb Presents Laff Tracks” are the highest rated videos they have. So, where did Alycia’s command of dramatic writing spring from? When did her comedy go gothic?

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AlyciaCooper.com will tell you all you need to know about the whirlwind formation of this multitalented artist, which began at 5 when she “perfected knock-knock jokes and imitating drunk family members.”

ut nothing you read about Alycia Cooper’s comedic roots points to the emotional and psychological depth she exhibits in her first Short Film “Trade.” Alycia has essentially pulled a Jordan Peele. Everyone knew Jordan Peele was an incredibly talented comedic actor and writer, but the leap he made to “Get Out” and “Us” as a writer and director came from a far deeper pool of talent. It came from a depth of talent unseen and unknown by the public, and therefore it came as a surprise -THIS, is Alycia Cooper’s story.

The deepest part of the ocean is called “Challenger Deep.” It’s located in the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It’s 6.856 miles down. That’s 36,200 feet. The closest patch of land to Challenger Deep is Fais Island. Fais Island is classified as a “raised coral island” if that gives you an idea of the scope of land in the middle of nowhere we’re talking about. And even this raised coral island is 180 miles away from Challenger Deep. 6.856 miles down into the depths of the ocean -- I believe that’s just about the distance from the smile on our face we show the public to what’s really going on in the core of our existence. The core of our existence. Six miles down into our emotional psyche. That’s where you’ll find Alycia Cooper fishing -- in the deepest part of our emotional ocean. But that’s where we find our true selves. Sigmund Freud said our HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY• 34

Sallieu Sesay showing that he’s got levels.

personality is the tip of an iceberg, underneath the surface of the water (or under our conscious reality), was Freud’s psychological trifecta of the Id, Ego and Superego. Whatever this mysterious pool of knowledge and creativity and passion and raw talent deep inside our unconscious is called, clearly Alycia Cooper has tapped into it. Like drinking from a metaphorical sacred well of spiritual water within her unconscious, Alycia the comedian has been reborn Alycia Cooper, “The Filmmaker.”

“The filming of Trade was a great experience. There was a level of professionalism only matched by those bigger sets that I had been on previously.

Chastity Dotson

I remember the empathy and kindness that everyone showed. To give specific examples would be a problem only in that it would require pages and pages of shout outs and acknowledgements. I can say in short that everyone was nice and there was such a sense of family. The support was strong on set. I remember one particular shot when I was outside of the house and Alycia yelled, “cut”. The response from everyone on set provided me with an enormous amount of reinforcement. I look forward to more projects to come with Ms. Cooper.” Actor Sallieu Sesay, ‘Felonious Hinds’ from Alycia Cooper’s “Trade”

IRONIC TRAGEDY TRADE is a perfect Shakespearean tragedy because of the heartbreaking irony of the story. The impetus for the events that lead to the tragic ending echo the famous saying written centuries ago: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Irony... John Travolta brought the irony of “Romeo and Juliet” into hilarious perspective in “Saturday Night Fever.” Travolta’s character “Tony Manero” reflects on the famous tragedy by stating, “I always thought Romeo should have just ‘waited a little longer.’” Yes, maybe Juliet would have woken up in time for him not to kill himself if he had “waited a little longer.” But he didn’t wait. And that’s why it’s a tragedy.

Actor Sallieu Sesay, who is a Writer/ Director himself, plays “Felonious Hinds” in TRADE. Sallieu does a masterful job in creating fear and intensity with just his eyes. Few can convey deep emotional subtext of rage and passion with their eyes. Sallieu can, frighteningly so. The intensity he brings to this role reminds me of a young Howard Rollins Jr. who set the world on cinema on fire with his performance in director Milos Forman’s “Ragtime.” As a writer himself, he was able to compartmentalize the demons of his character, and only give us glimpses into what could possibly lay lurking 6 miles down in his troubled emotional psyche. Actor Blue Kimble, who plays “Alonzo Harrison” in TRADE, is perfect as a man who is not exactly what he seems to be on the surface. Freud’s “iceberg theory” about our personalities must have been swirling through Cooper’s mind as she created this complex character of conflicting emotions. Blue, a former football player, does a fantastic job of keeping you guessing about his character. Do we sympathize with him? Can we empathize with him? Do we we feel sorry for him or hate him? Blue and I spoke about the “drama” inherent in all sports, and though acting is a different kind of drama, adrenaline can’t tell the difference. Concentration and focus are tools for an athlete, and a thespian. Blue has made his transition to film and television from football seamless, revealing that, just like Alycia Cooper, he was always in possession of hidden talents. Writer/Director Alycia Cooper has shown her talent in eliciting true, real performances from her actors, and Mr. Kimble was up for that challenge. It was just “Game Time,” for Blue. Actress Chastity Dotson has the challenging role of “Tempia Harrison,” the wife of Kimble’s “Alonzo Harrison.” Chastity is a seasoned theatre actress with seven one-woman shows under her belt, and 36 IMDB credits. She’s busy. But she loves what she does,

which is immersing herself in fictional characters. Becoming those characters. Living like those characters. It could be an emotionally draining career for some, but not Chastity. 7 one-woman shows, clearly Chastity has a ravenous appetite for acting. In TRADE she has 30 minutes to show us her integral part in Cooper’s raw, emotional vision of a sad truth of denial in our society. For Chastity, the role of Tempia Harrison was complex. Tempia’s feelings about the husband she knew before he went to jail, and the man that came back to her. This she must balance with a successful career and two kids. But home is where your heart is, and Chastity’s home life with Alonzo is...well... Let’s just say her female intuition is leading her beneath the frozen surface water of the iceberg that is Alonzo Harrison.

immediately after viewing, like Jane Campion’s amazing 1993 film “The Piano,” with Holly Hunter, Anna Paquin, Sam Neill and Harvey Keitel. TRADE is a disturbing film, but it is a necessary film. Alycia Cooper is concerned, at this point in her filmmaking career, with peeling back the skin of uncomfortable and ugly situations. Poking around in the flesh that lay underneath and then dramatically filming it. We may want to thank Alycia. Who knew the evil in Dante’s Inferno could be so close to our present lives? With people we know. With people we meet. With people we’re married to.

Alycia Cooper’s TRADE will be screened at Hollywood Weekly Magazine’s 6th Annual International Film Festival on November 2nd. It will be one of those films that have to be discussed

TRADE is a perfect Shakespearean tragedy because of the heartbreaking irony of the story.

Blue Kimble gets his “daddy on” with his Trade kids, Isaiah James and Celeste Clark. HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY• 35

Alycia Cooper puts out another fire with DP, Freeman White III

Interview with Alycia Cooper HW-How long have you wanted to be a filmmaker? Alycia Cooper- I believe a lot longer than I even realized. I’ve always loved Hollywood and cinema. When I was growing up in the 70’s, celebrities were insulated and almost mythical. They kept their private lives private. If you got a glimpse into their world, you drank it up like a thirsty person that walked through the desert, and is finally able to get a drink of water. They wouldn’t let you photograph their kids. There was such a mystique surrounding the entertainment business and entertainers, that a little girl like me never thought I could be a part of it. Nevertheless, I watched everything I gained exposure to, and had no idea that watching as much television and film that I did would lead me to this moment. HW- What were your favorite movies as a child? AC- Well, we had one cable channel in MD at the time, so you’d see the same few movies ad nauseam. I could recite the words to Cujo, Children of the Corn, and Carlito’s Way. 36 • HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY 32 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Then, the big boom happened with Jaws and then E.T. The stories, acting and directing were so awesome that you were able to get lost in the story. People earned these spots with talent and hard work. There was no social media at the time, so people weren’t hired because of the number of followers they had. They got their positions on merit. Novel idea, huh? LOL! HW- Which directors did you gravitate towards? AC- Early on, it was Steven Spielberg. As I grew older, it became Spike Lee, John Singleton, Kasi Lemmons, The Hudlin and Hughes brothers. HW- Was there one film that resonated with you more than others? AC- Yes. “The Color Purple.” The movie was over three hours long, but you were so lost in the story that it felt like ninety minutes. The acting, the script, the music, the cinematography- this movie made you laugh, cry, it had every-

thing. It also introduced us to Whoopi Goldberg. To this day, it has to be the most quoted movie of all time, and anytime it comes on television I end up watching it again. With commercials that can become a six hour adventure. HW- Let’s talk about Trade. How did you come up with the title? AC- I’m not giving you any spoilers. Your readers will have to find out November 2nd at the film festival. HW- So, without giving away any spoilers, why this story? AC- Well, as you know, I’m an actor and a comic. I started my stand up career in 2000. In this world, the worst thing you can do is sound like someone else, which is why it always baffles me why someone would want to steal jokes, but I digress. I always strive to sound unique, which spilled over into my screenwriting. I decided that I wanted to tell a story in such a way that it feels extremely fresh and different. I took a theme that I believe is not discussed in the African-American community and brought it to the forefront. I’m a huge Jordan Peele fan, so I knew that I wanted to add a horror/

suspense thriller aspect to the piece. I put all these things together and out came the story idea for “Trade.” HW- What do you want audiences to take away from this film? AC- I want to spark a dialogue. Some people will be on one side, some will be on the other. I purposely wrote it with nuances and dimensions so that no two people will experience this film the same way. It will all hinge upon the viewers individual upbringing, life experiences, and cultural assumptions. This is what makes Trade special. I’m proud of the work we all did on this. As a first time director, I couldn’t have asked for a better producing experience, team (in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes), and final product. This is my calling card to the industry. HW- What is your overall goal with Trade? AC- My goal is to direct Trade as a feature film. I’ve already written the script. I just need investors to take this to the next level, but don’t we all? Lol.

“W

e had an amazing time on the production of “trade. The energy on the set was always positive and encouraging, those are the type of work environments that allow you to be your best on camera. Cooper is more than just a director, she wanted us to actually live on the camera, she wanted all of our emotions to be real. Because these are the things that capture the audience. Trade” taps into different dynamics that everybody will be able to relate to, but then the film also gives you a glimpse into worlds that you may have never seen before. From The prison culture, to the family relationships.. we wanted to make sure that everything was as genuine and realistic as possible. And I think Cooper and our award winning cast of actors were able to pull that off. We can’t wait to share this film with the world.” Actor Blue Kimble

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REGINA

DANIELS:

FROM A CHILD STAR TO AN EMERGING MEGA STAR BY ZIK ZULU OKAFOR

o many of her fans in Nigeria, Regina Daniels is a child prodigy. At only seven she made her debut appearance in Nigeria’s movie industry known as Nollywood in a movie titled Marriage of Sorrow. It was however in the movie, Child of Miracle, that Regina stirred the soul of movie fans with her professional performance that delineated a child’s crystal understanding of character interpretation and delivery of dialogue. It was a movie that had some of Nigeria’s leading stars including the amazing super star, Ini Edo, a hugely gifted Mercy Johnson and pretty Chika Ike. But perhaps her career in the movie industry is providential. First, her mother is an actress. Then Regina attended Hollywood International School, a school that bears the name of the world’s biggest movie industry. So, while at home her mother remained a constant mirror in her face to see the biggish picture of a fast growing Nollywood and off to school she adorns the Hollywood school uniform with the echoes of the US staggering movie industry. So, the acoustics around her was movie. She indeed had to be an actress. Born October 10, 1999, the fifth in a family of six children, Regina hails from Delta State, one of the 36 states that make up her country, Nigeria, plus the Federal Capital, Abuja. She grew up in Asaba the state capital and began her acting career in this town reputed as the source of the famous River Niger. The state is also a massive destination for Nollywood productions. Today, Regina, a reticent young woman of a posh aura is one of the fastest growing stars in Nollywood with an impeccable

pedigree. Having starred in over 25 movies, she stands tall among her peers. Some of the movies she starred in include The Enemy I know, Merry Men, Python Girl, The Bat Man, Wipe Your Sorrow, Royal Covenant, Queen Rebecca, Hanging Coffin and Jaja the Great among others. The former student of Igbinedion University in Edo state, Nigeria and now admitted into the Aldersgate College, Solano in the Philippines, also produced The Jericho and Twins Apart. Having grown up in Asaba, Regina had seen children of the rustic folks and their perpetual struggle to break away from the shackles of poverty. Supported by her mum, she set up the Regina Daniels Development and Charity Foundation to lend a little hand to these children living below the bread line. Through this Foundation she has given scholarships and organised skill acquisition and empowerment programmes for both children, the youth, adults and women. In early 2019 Regina Daniels got married to a billionaire businessman, Prince Ned Nwoko. Together, they are now re-writing the story of Nollywood, forming strategic partnerships, investing in movie productions, promoting tourism and music. Indeed Regina sponsored The Artiste of the Year Award at the 2019 Headies, one of the biggest and most respected music awards in Nigeria. For her professional race, for her endurance, phenomenal growth in her career and commitment to charity, HWMFF is delighted to give accolades to this glittering star as the Most Outstanding Child Star Outside of United States 2019. HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY• 39

DAVID FOSTER, HAIM AND CHERYL SABAN AMONG GUESTS AT FIDF WESTERN REGION GALA IN SUPPORT OF ISRAELI SOLDIERS GALA HELD IN MEMORY OF LATE RABBI YECHIEL ECKSTEIN. TOP DONATIONS INCLUDE $15 MILLION FROM CHERYL AND HAIM SABAN. BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., – Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) hosted its annual Western Region Gala on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at the landmark Beverly Hilton Hotel. The “Making a Difference” Gala, which has become one of L.A.’s premier charitable events, raised $29 million and united 1,000 people from across the country to support the brave men and women of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The FIDF Western Region Gala was held in memory of Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein (z”l), who dedicated his life to unifying Christians and Jews in support of the State of Israel, was the Founder and President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship), and steadfastly supported FIDF and its mission. Joining the event were prominent business, philanthropic, and political leaders and celebrated names in entertainment, fashion, sports, and technology, including longtime FIDF supporters Haim and Cheryl Saban, who had previously chaired the FIDF Western Region Gala for 13 years; David Foster; President and CEO of The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) and daughter of the late Rabbi Eckstein, Yael Eckstein; Managing Member of R.H. Book LLC and Chairman of Jet Support Services Inc. Robert Book and his wife, Amy; and Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amos Yadlin. Israeli-American actress and model Moran Atias emceed the gala. FIDF’s leadership at the gala included FIDF National Vice President and Western Region Chairman Tony Rubin and his wife, Linda; FIDF National Board Member and Western Region President Ari Ryan and his wife, Rebecca; FIDF Western Region Founder Leo David; FIDF National Chairman Rabbi Peter Weintraub and his wife, Ellen; FIDF National President Bobby Cohen and his wife, Lorraine; FIDF National Chairman Emeritus Nily Falic; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gila Klifi-Amir; and FIDF Western Region Executive Director Jenna Griffin. “Cheryl and I are honored to have served as FIDF Western Region Gala chairs for 13 incredible years and are proud to see the outpouring of support that this event continues to receive,” said Haim Saban. “We are gratified to see that the FIDF’s important mission resonates so powerfully in the LA community and are humbled to have gathered with FIDF again this year for a meaningful evening that memorialized our dear friend Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein (z”l).”

40 • HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY

“My father was a dedicated and ardent supporter of Israel and its soldiers, and firmly believed in the vital mission of FIDF, caring for the men and women who protect Israel and the Jewish people,” said Yael Eckstein. “I am proud to be part of this big family – a family that celebrates our diversity and embraces our different backgrounds.” A delegation of both American and Israeli soldiers and veterans attended the gala and addressed the crowd. One such hero, IDF Staff Sgt. (Res.) Amit Kadosh, was part of a special IDF operation to neutralize a senior Hamas terrorist. Upon completing his service, Amit received an academic scholarship through FIDF’s IMPACT! Scholarship Program, which helped him study computer science and business administration at Tel Aviv University. During the event, Amit surprised his girlfriend of seven years, Talya, by proposing on stage. Other IDF soldiers in attendance included Staff Sgt. (Res.) Izzy Ezagui, an American citizen who moved to Israel, became a decorated squad commander in the IDF, and returned to the battlefield after losing an arm in combat; 1st Lt. Jerusalem, an Ethiopian-Israeli soldier whose visual disability did not stop her from becoming a volunteer officer in the IDF Northern Command; 1st Lt. N., born and raised in a Druze family, who serves in a Paratroopers special unit, despite his parents’ opposition; Cpl. Eden, an IDF Musical Ensemble singer and winner of “The X Factor Israel” reality TV show; Staff Sgt. Y., a Lone Soldier- one who voluntarily enlisted in the IDF without having immediate family in Israel - originally from Pittsburg, PA, who serves in an elite IDF unit; and others. Top single donations announced at the event included $15 million from Cheryl and Haim Saban, $3 million announced by Yael Eckstein from The Fellowship, and $1 million from Tony and Linda Rubin. The event featured a special performance by David Foster and Friends. Funds raised at the gala will provide much-needed and well-deserved services such as academic scholarships to combat veterans, financial assistance for soldiers in-need, support for Lone Soldiers – those who enlist in the IDF without immediate family in Israel, crucial aid for wounded veterans and the families of fallen soldiers, weeks of rest and recuperation for entire IDF units, as well as educational, cultural, and recreational facilities. The evening presented a rare and its brave men and women in uniform.

Haim and Cheryl Saban pledge $15 million at the FIDF Western Region Gala. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden

FIDF National Board Member and Western Region President, Ari Ryan and his wife Rebecca; FIDF National President Bobby Cohen and his wife, Lorraine; Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gila Klifi-Amir; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; and FIDF Western Region Executive Director Jenna Griffin, with IDF soldiers. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden

Cheryl and Haim Saban; Managing Member of R.H. Book LLC and Chairman of Jet Support Services Inc. Robert Book and his wife, Amy; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; FIDF Western Region Executive Director Jenna Griffin; Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gila Klifi-Amir; and President and CEO of The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) and daughter of the late Rabbi Eckstein, Yael Eckstein, with IDF soldiers. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden

Cpl. Eden, an IDF Musical Ensemble singer and winner of “The X Factor Israel” reality TV show, sings Israel’s national anthem “Hatikvah, ” at the FIDF Western Region Gala. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden

David Foster and Friends perform at the FIDF Western Region Gala. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden

FIDF National Board Member and Western Region President, Ari Ryan and his wife Rebecca; FIDF Western Region Executive Director Jenna Griffin; FIDF National Vice President and Western Region Chairman Tony Rubin and his wife, Linda, with IDF soldiers. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden

IDF Staff Sgt. (Res.) Amit Kadosh surprises his girlfriend of seven years, Talya, by proposing on stage. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden

President and CEO of The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) and daughter of the late Rabbi Eckstein, Yael Eckstein, receiving the “FIDF Defender of Israel Award,” at the FIDF Western Region Gala. A $3 million A delegation of American and Israeli sol- donation was announced by Yael Eckstein diers, on stage at the FIDF Western Re- on behalf of The Fellowship. Photo Credgion Gala. Photo Credit: Linda Kasian it: Mark Von Holden

Cheryl and Haim Saban; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gila Klifi-Amir, with IDF soldiers. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden

FIDF National Vice President and Western Region Chairman Tony Rubin announces a $1 million contribution to FIDF’s programs. Photo Credit: Mark Von Holden HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY• 41

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42 • HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY

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Best Businesses in...Northridge Every Store has a Story. Every Business has a History. Hollywood Weekly has turned our “Spotlight” on the amazing businesses located here in Northridge. Our New HW Series on the “Best Businesses in Northridge” begins with “MAMICON’S.” Located at 8363 Reseda Blvd. Unit 13, there are TWO WORDS that best describe Mamicon’s: DELICIOUS and HOMEMADE! Everything you eat or drink in Mamicon’s is 100% HOMEMADE.

MAMICON’S

mamiconsrestaurant@gmail.com

Every meal is made FRESH! Fresh chicken. Fresh beef. Fresh vegetables. -- even the Horchata is homemade! Mamicon’s is the dream of Juan and Joana Rosales. Juan’s Mother, the incredible Consuelo Rosales, raised 7 children on her own. She was the Mother and the Father -- and Juan never forgot how hard his Mother worked for their success. When Consuelo passed away a year ago, Juan and Joana decided to honor her -- and ALL WORKING PARENTS who do their BEST for their kids. Mama Consuelo has become “Mamicon’s,” and Juan and Joana are celebrating Consuelo’s love of cooking by creating authentic, delicious Mexican food.

818.477.2448

MAMICON’S Mexican Restaurant 8363 Reseda Blvd Unit 13 Northridge CA 91324 818.477.2448

Juan and Joana are a True Power Couple. In addition to their successful Mamicon’s, Joana owns “City Financial Income Tax,” located in Canoga Park, which also covers bookkeeping, business accounting and payroll services. We are so proud to have Juan, Joana and Mamicon’s as our very 1st “Best Business in Northridge.”

City Financial Income Tax

Income Tax Services Bookkeeping Small Business Accounting & Payroll Service

jgcityservices@gmail.com 818 704-5490 / 818 693-9581 HOLLYWOOD MONTHLY• 43