Hollywood Buzz

HOLLYWOOD SPOT LIGHT

Chez Hadley

“They Call Me Magic”

Set to premiere on April 22 (Apple TV+) is “They Call Me Magic,” the highly anticipated four-part documentary event that takes an illuminating, holistic look into the life and career of one of the world’s most iconic figures, Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

The documentary offers a rare glimpse into the incredible real-life story of Johnson, who left his mark on history through his work – both on and off the court. From the magnetic connection that led him to the love of his life to his transcendence from sports superstar to business titan blazing new trails for former athletes and revolutionizing the way corporate America does business in Black communities, “They Call Me Magic” offers unprecedented access.

The docuseries explores Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s remarkable journey from being the face of the Los Angeles Lakers and cementing himself as an all-time NBA legend, to changing the conversation around HIV with the shocking diagnosis that he transformed from grief into triumph, shifting global dialogue about the disease and overcoming its staggering odds.

From his humble beginnings in Lansing, Michigan to becoming the global force he is today, “They Call Me Magic” features intimate interviews with Magic, his family, and an all-star lineup–including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Snoop Dogg, former President Barack Obama, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, and LL Cool J–as the docuseries charts the cinematic life of one of the biggest cultural icons of our era.

All four parts of “They Call Me Magic will premiere globally on April 22 on Apple TV+.

OUT THIS MONTH

Morbius March 4 Ambulance April 8 The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talennt• April 22 The Man Who Fell to Earth• April 24 (Showtime)

Will Smith To Face the Music on April 18

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has initiated disciplinary proceedings against Will Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy. “There are big consequences because nobody is OK with what happened. Nobody, nobody, nobody,” said Academy board member Whoopi Goldberg of Smith’s open-handed slap of Chris Rock during the Oscars. The box office star will find out exactly what the consequences are on April 18. The disciplinary actions, which may include suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions against Smith who likely has already received notice of the vote regarding his violations and will have the opportunity to respond in writing. And even though Rock declined to press charges, the

Academy could press formal police charges against Smith. If found guilty, a misdemeanor charge of assault would have Smith looking at up to six months in jail and a $100,000 fine.

The Academy apologized to Chris Rock for what he experienced on their stage and thanked him for his resilience in the moment.

“Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,” the statement read. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.”

Smith has since publicly apologized to Rock on social media, writing, “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”

For his part, Rock had mostly remained mum on the event, breaking his silence for a performance on stage in Boston where–before he said a word–he received two standing ovations that left him misty-eyed. Of the incident, Rock said: "I'm still processing it. I will talk about it, and it will be serious, and it will be funny, but not tonight.” Ironically, in a video posted to her TikTok account a few days before the Oscars, Pinkett Smith said, “Being a Black woman and dealing with hair in Hollywood, especially in the era that I came up in, having your hair look as Euro-

HOLLYWOOD BUZZ pean as possible was always the thing,” she says in the video. … I had to learn to get the courage to go, nah I’m not doing it, which is why I feel the freedom today, I don’t give two craps what people feel about this bald head of mine. Cuz guess what? I love it.” L.A. Focus/ April 2022 12

On the Home Front

After 22 years of marriage, Blackish star Anthony Anderson’s wife Alvina Stewart has filed for divorce a second time, citing irreconcilable differences. She is asking for spousal support and attorney fees, as well as requesting “property acquired during the marriage be treated as ‘community’ property to be split between the parties.” There is much to split as Anderson is starring as Andre Johnson in the final season of Blackish, currently hosts the game show, “To Tell the Truth” and is back in his co-starring role of Det. Kevin Bernard in NBC’s revival of the original Law & Order.

In Other Entertainment News...

After a ten-year absence, Samuel Jackson is set to return to the Broadway stage for a revival of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Piano Lesson, to be directed by his wife, LaTanya Richardson Jackson in what will mark her Broadway directorial debut. The production–set to begin performances in mid-September–will also star John David Washington and Danielle Brooks…Finally, a docuseries tracing Megan Thee Stallion’s rise from viral freestyling phenom and hitmaking rapper to cultural powerhouse is currently in the works from Jay-Z’s Roc Nation.

Footnotes

Regina Hall

Hometown: Washington D.C. Age: 51 Big Break: “Scary Movie” Recent Projects: Master (Amazon), Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (September, The Best Man (3) Regina Hall graduated from Fordham University in 1992 and went on to earn a master's degree in journalism from New York University before shifting to an acting career. In 1997, she began appearing in commercials, and then made the giant leap into movies. Notoriety came with her role in the comedyhorror spoof, Scary Movie in 2000. Since she’s appeared in dozens of films and T.V. shows including, “Black-ish”, “Black Monday”, “Think Like A Man”, “Shaft”, “The Hate U Give” and “Girls Trip”.

On her upcoming film, Honk for Jesus, stars Hall as the first lady of a megachurch embroiled in scandal after her husband (Sterling K. Brown) makes a series of missteps “My grandmother was a Baptist and I’ve gone to church my whole life. My family, myself, we’re all Christians,” she says. “I thought [Ebo] wrote a really interesting story that allowed us the gift of critical thinking about the church and what value we place on it.”

On religion: “I’m always fascinated by religion and its connection to culture and how we view the world,” Hall says. “What we learn, what we think, what is imposed by what you think is doctrine…I think those are questions we, unfortunately, have had since the beginning of time. I don’t think I’m asking a new one. But maybe we’re asking the same questions in different ways, still wanting the same answer.”

You hold a master’s degree in journalism, why did you not pursue it? I value journalism even more now than ever and realize how difficult the job is – the risks they take in their life, what it takes to sit down and write a story. I’ve always thought it was such an honorable profession, and I still do. There's days where I'd be like, "Ah, I'd want to tell that story," because it's so imperative. I didn't pursue it because my dad had a stroke and life took me in a different direction.

How do you make a character your own? I feel like the paper gives you all the information, but the actor gives it life. That means all the nuances of who she is, her backstory, all the stuff that’s not on the paper—her biggest secret, her biggest regret, whatever that might be, that you craft and all your homework before you even go up to set. It’s those kinds of things that create texture and nuances in a character. That’s the hard part of it and the fun part.

On what the pandemic taught her: The pandemic was a reminder of how much I wanted my family to be okay, for them to be safe. I was very aware that we don't know what will happen, so just making sure that your family is safe and healthy, and that you're communicating how much you love them is always important.

RedCarpet Style

The Oscars were back in style and the among the stars lighting up the red carpet last month were those spotlighted below, wearing what we felt were some of the evenings most stylish looks.

JADA PINKETT SMITH was a head turner in this Jean Paul Gautier Couture gown REGINA HALL wowed in this beige Vera Wang showstopper ZOE KRAVITZ channeled Audrey Hepburn in Saint Laurent JILL SCOTT sparkled in this gorgeous body shaping black gown

AUNJANUE ELLIS showed off her curves in this orange Versace gown

Eye OnGospel

God is On Her Side

Dubbed the “first lady of worship and praise” for her work as worship leader at L.A.’s West Angeles COGIC and such signature hits as “Like The Dew In the Morning”, Judith McAllister recently announced the release of her latest single, God Is on My Side.

“It is my hope and prayer,” she posted on Instagram, “that it blesses you and serves as a daily reminder that God is on your side.”

The single was written by her daughter Destiny.

“She was reading about the story of David and about how God rescued him and delivered him from his enemies. She texted me about three o’clock in the morning and said, ‘Mom, when you wake up, please come and talk to me because I have a song for you.’ I got up after prayer and I said to her, okay Destiny, what do you have for me. She began to sing this song and I said, ‘Oh my goodness, this is definitely a song that I believe will not only witness to the goodness of God but will also bless the people of the Lord.

The Harlem-born, selftaught pianist and mother of three credits her success in part to a vision in the heart of her pastor, the Bishop

Charles E.

Blake Sr.

“A lot of what I’m walking in at this particular time in my life is a direct reflection of the vision that was in his heart,” she states. “In the early 80’s, he had a vision of people of color really lifting their hands and worshipping God and you must understand but we didn’t do that at the time. It was definitely something that was apostolic in its nature and the journey has definitely been wonderful. Seeing now how so many worship individuals and worship ministers are really embracing it and taking it to the next level it’s just such a joy to have been there on onset of what God is doing in this particular arena at the time.”

The new single is available on all platforms and McAllister has also announced the sale of God Is on My Side t-shirts on her website, neverendingworship.org.

Kingdom Business

Grammy winning, platinum-selling gospel superstar Kirk Franklin is teaming up with five-time Grammynominated supergroup Maverick City Music for the Kingdom Tour featuring special guests Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires. Produced by Live Nation and Undivided, the 37-city tour kicks off on June 1st at FTX Arena in Miami, FL making stops across North America in Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping up in Denver, CO at Ball Arena on July 31st. At the conclusion of the Kingdom Tour, a collaboration album, Kingdom, will follow featuring Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin. In the meantime, shooting has wrapped shooting on Kingdom Business, the music-driven eight-episode scripted series about the gospel industry produced by DeVon Franklin, Holly Carter and Kirk Franklin and airing on BET later this year.

Yolanda Adams stars as the reigning “Queen of Gospel” Denita Jordan, a gospel superstar who has launched her own in-house label, while also serving as the first lady of her husband’s church. Serayah (of Empire fame) stars as Rbel, a talented up-and-coming gospel star with a checkered past as an exotic dancer and a voice that propels her to center stage.

Co-stars include Michael Beach as Denita’s husband who also serves as the Bishop of the First Kingdom Church; Michael Jai White, Denita’s former collaborator turned rival; and Tamar Braxton. A date for the debut of the show has not yet been announced.

Marvin’s Song for Today’s Times

In the lead up to his 14th album, Substance, (due in June), Marvin Sapp has released his latest single, All in Your Hands. Penned by Sapp and Stan Jones, “All in Your Hands” is a melodious reminder to relinquish worry, anxiety, fear and doubt to the ever-knowing God who has an answer before the question is even asked.

“If there is one thing that I know it is that God is sovereign,” says Sapp. “When I first heard this song, I actually had already selected a debut single, but I knew this is what we needed to lead with. Whatever we are going through individually, and everything that the world is going through collectively, it is absolutely all in God’s hands. I’m honored to be able to bring this song to life to remind us of just that.”…Sadly, gospel vocalist LaShun Pace –who got her start performing with The Anointed Pace Sisters along with her sisters, Duranice, Phyllis, June, Melonda, Dejuaii, Leslie, Latrice, and Lydia–passed away last month. Known as one of the most talented sopranos to ever walk on this side of Heaven, Pace’s signature hits include “I Know I’ve Been Changed”, “Complete” and “Act Like You Know.” She was 60 years old…Byron Cage is set to launch his own weekly talk show on his Instagram and Facebook Live platforms. Announced guests include Bebe Winans, Trina Braxton and T.C. Carson…Finally, congratulations to Jekalyn Carr on the launch of her skin care line for her Jekalyn Beauty brand. Products include a facial moisturizer cream, serum and facial gel cleanser.