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GLAAD has announced its inaugural cohort of 10 creatives for its newly launched Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative.
Alexander King, Brandon Nicholas, Brit Fryer, Ish Brown, Laquann Dawson, Michael Donte, Nyala Moon, Olivia Peace, Riley Wilson and Whitney Skauge will participate in the three-year program focused on developing and elevating the work and storytelling of Black LGBTQ+ creatives.
Created and led by DaShawn Usher, the director of GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media department, along with associate director Julian J. Walker and junior associate Kayla Thompson, the initiative — which is also supported by Gilead Sciences — is designed as a pipeline program to help address, and begin to resolve, the existing gap in equitable representation onscreen and behind the scenes in Hollywood.
Each participating creative will be granted 10,000 to fund a current or new creative project to be produced during their time with...
GLAAD has announced its inaugural cohort of 10 creatives for its newly launched Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative.
Alexander King, Brandon Nicholas, Brit Fryer, Ish Brown, Laquann Dawson, Michael Donte, Nyala Moon, Olivia Peace, Riley Wilson and Whitney Skauge will participate in the three-year program focused on developing and elevating the work and storytelling of Black LGBTQ+ creatives.
Created and led by DaShawn Usher, the director of GLAAD’s Communities of Color and Media department, along with associate director Julian J. Walker and junior associate Kayla Thompson, the initiative — which is also supported by Gilead Sciences — is designed as a pipeline program to help address, and begin to resolve, the existing gap in equitable representation onscreen and behind the scenes in Hollywood.
Each participating creative will be granted 10,000 to fund a current or new creative project to be produced during their time with...
- 9/29/2022
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
GLAAD has hired Julian J. Walker as associate director, Communities of Color & Media.
Walker will work alongside DaShawn Usher, Director of Communities of Color & Media, to create programming that shapes narratives and provokes dialogue that will lead to cultural change while identifying and meeting the needs of the community. One of his first big projects will be the upcoming launch of GLAAD’s “Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative” – a yearlong program designed specifically for Black LGBTQ+ creatives to elevate Black queer storytelling in entertainment and media.
Emei will serve as a pipeline to build and strengthen professional networks, advance access to executive leaders and spaces, and support the early development of creative projects as part of the three-year program. Walker will ensure GLAAD’s Communities of Color & Media department creates, reports, trains and partners with locally based initiatives throughout the country with a focus on the South.
“Early into...
Walker will work alongside DaShawn Usher, Director of Communities of Color & Media, to create programming that shapes narratives and provokes dialogue that will lead to cultural change while identifying and meeting the needs of the community. One of his first big projects will be the upcoming launch of GLAAD’s “Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative” – a yearlong program designed specifically for Black LGBTQ+ creatives to elevate Black queer storytelling in entertainment and media.
Emei will serve as a pipeline to build and strengthen professional networks, advance access to executive leaders and spaces, and support the early development of creative projects as part of the three-year program. Walker will ensure GLAAD’s Communities of Color & Media department creates, reports, trains and partners with locally based initiatives throughout the country with a focus on the South.
“Early into...
- 9/19/2022
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
‘The Sinner’ Boss Breaks Down Vera’s Daring Ploy, the Hooded Figure, and the Dangers of Drinking Tea
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from “The Sinner” Season 2, Episode 6, “Part VI.”]
Serving tea appears to be a family tradition on “The Sinner” this season. Julian Walker (Elisha Henig) gave his poisonous brew to two former Mosswood acolytes who supposedly kidnapped him, and on Wednesday’s episode, it’s revealed that his mother Vera (Carrie Coon) also served tea to the commune leader known as The Beacon (Brennan Brown) as an apology.
Of course, having set a precedent for toxic tea in the premiere, “The Sinner” has taught its viewers to view any steeped hot drink with suspicion. If this is the case, that means Vera assassinated the Beacon and took his place. But only the viewers know about the tea having seen it in the flashback. In her confession to Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman), she merely says, “He was unhappy for a long time; one day he left us.”
IndieWire spoke to showrunner Derek Simonds,...
Serving tea appears to be a family tradition on “The Sinner” this season. Julian Walker (Elisha Henig) gave his poisonous brew to two former Mosswood acolytes who supposedly kidnapped him, and on Wednesday’s episode, it’s revealed that his mother Vera (Carrie Coon) also served tea to the commune leader known as The Beacon (Brennan Brown) as an apology.
Of course, having set a precedent for toxic tea in the premiere, “The Sinner” has taught its viewers to view any steeped hot drink with suspicion. If this is the case, that means Vera assassinated the Beacon and took his place. But only the viewers know about the tea having seen it in the flashback. In her confession to Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman), she merely says, “He was unhappy for a long time; one day he left us.”
IndieWire spoke to showrunner Derek Simonds,...
- 9/6/2018
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
For all of Vera Walker’s psychological insight, she can’t see the most obvious of facts staring her in the face: Julian Walker is just a kid. She can pretend he’s a “new kind of man” all she wants, but despite all the work and all the supposedly profound teachings he’s ingested, he doesn’t even know what’s real.
- 8/23/2018
- by Alex McLevy on TV Club, shared by Alex McLevy to The A.V. Club
- avclub.com
USA Network’s newest Sinner isn’t even old enough to drive — but he might just be capable of murdering his own parents.
In the trailer for Season 2 of the cabler’s summer drama, embedded above, 11-year-old Julian Walker (played by Alex, Inc.‘s Elisha Henig) is suspected of poisoning his mom and dad… and truth be told, he’s not doing a great job convincing detectives that he’s innocent. (“It wasn’t supposed to hurt,” a teary-eyed Julian admits in the teaser, before he starts pounding a table with his fist.)
But it seems Julian’s parents weren’t exactly ideal caretakers,...
In the trailer for Season 2 of the cabler’s summer drama, embedded above, 11-year-old Julian Walker (played by Alex, Inc.‘s Elisha Henig) is suspected of poisoning his mom and dad… and truth be told, he’s not doing a great job convincing detectives that he’s innocent. (“It wasn’t supposed to hurt,” a teary-eyed Julian admits in the teaser, before he starts pounding a table with his fist.)
But it seems Julian’s parents weren’t exactly ideal caretakers,...
- 6/14/2018
- TVLine.com
At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only
"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"
The final chapter of Bilbo Baggins' "Hobbit" adventure is airing August 8 on HBO as part of its Saturday Night Movies. It'll be on HBO Now, the network's standalone streaming service, on the same day. So if you don't already have HBO as part of your cable package but want to watch the TV shows ("Game of Thrones," "True Detective," etc.) and movies, you can just order HBO Now to stream the content.
"Difficult People"
Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner star in this new Hulu Original series, which premieres August 5. Julie and Billy play more annoying and less successful versions of themselves -- aspiring comics living, working and struggling in NYC...
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only
"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"
The final chapter of Bilbo Baggins' "Hobbit" adventure is airing August 8 on HBO as part of its Saturday Night Movies. It'll be on HBO Now, the network's standalone streaming service, on the same day. So if you don't already have HBO as part of your cable package but want to watch the TV shows ("Game of Thrones," "True Detective," etc.) and movies, you can just order HBO Now to stream the content.
"Difficult People"
Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner star in this new Hulu Original series, which premieres August 5. Julie and Billy play more annoying and less successful versions of themselves -- aspiring comics living, working and struggling in NYC...
- 8/3/2015
- by Gina Carbone
- Moviefone
Umc – Urban Movie Channel, an Rlj Entertainment brand, created by Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (Bet), opens director Patrik-Ian Polk's lauded coming-of-age drama "Blackbird," today, April 24, 2015, in U.S.A. theaters. Based on the novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, the film stars Academy Award winning actress and comedian Mo'Nique, Isaiah Washington, Terrell Tilford, D. Woods, Gary L. Gray, Torrey Laamar, Kevin Allesee, Nikki Jane, and introduces breakthrough talent Julian Walker. “I am very excited to bring 'Blackbird' to theaters and to Umc,” said Johnson, adding, “'Blackbird' is in line with my vision for Umc to...
- 4/24/2015
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
The Boys in the Choir: Polk’s Antiquated Rendition of the Rural Gay Narrative
The blatant underrepresentation of black gay characters in film, whatever letter they’re placed into on the inclusive Lgbt spectrum, is simply not reason enough to appreciate the elemental contrivances of Patrik-Ian Polk’s Blackbird, an independent film rife with cliché in its euphemistic depiction of the rural queer experience that does little to elevate the film’s archaic nature.
The title has been inadvertently thrown into a higher caliber pop culture zeitgeist thanks to its distinction as Mo’Nique’s first post-Oscar role since her 2009 win for Best Supporting Actress in Precious. The significant media coverage concerning potential fallout between herself and director Lee Daniels should enhance the film’s shelf-life beyond the trappings of a niche market. Produced by the actress and her agent/husband Sidney Hicks, the project feels very much like the...
The blatant underrepresentation of black gay characters in film, whatever letter they’re placed into on the inclusive Lgbt spectrum, is simply not reason enough to appreciate the elemental contrivances of Patrik-Ian Polk’s Blackbird, an independent film rife with cliché in its euphemistic depiction of the rural queer experience that does little to elevate the film’s archaic nature.
The title has been inadvertently thrown into a higher caliber pop culture zeitgeist thanks to its distinction as Mo’Nique’s first post-Oscar role since her 2009 win for Best Supporting Actress in Precious. The significant media coverage concerning potential fallout between herself and director Lee Daniels should enhance the film’s shelf-life beyond the trappings of a niche market. Produced by the actress and her agent/husband Sidney Hicks, the project feels very much like the...
- 4/24/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Umc – Urban Movie Channel, an Rlj Entertainment brand, created by Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (Bet), will open Patrik-Ian Polk's coming-of-age drama "Blackbird," in U.S. theaters, starting this Friday, April 24, 2015. The film, which is based on the novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, stars Academy Award winning actress and comedian Mo'Nique, Isaiah Washington, Terrell Tilford, D. Woods, Gary L. Gray, Torrey Laamar, Kevin Allesee, Nikki Jane, and introduces breakthrough talent Julian Walker. With past films like "The Skinny" and "Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom,"...
- 4/21/2015
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
Umc – Urban Movie Channel, an Rlj Entertainment brand, created by Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (Bet), have set an April 24, 2015 U.S. theatrical release date for director Patrik-Ian Polk's coming-of-age drama "Blackbird," which is based on the novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan. The film stars Academy Award winning actress and comedian Mo'Nique, Isaiah Washington, Terrell Tilford, D. Woods, Gary L. Gray, Torrey Laamar, Kevin Allesee, Nikki Jane, and introduces breakthrough talent Julian Walker. “I am very excited to bring 'Blackbird' to theaters and to Umc,” said Johnson, adding, “'Blackbird' is in line with my vision for Umc...
- 4/15/2015
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
Umc – Urban Movie Channel, an Rlj Entertainment brand, created by Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (Bet), have set an April 24, 2015 U.S. theatrical release date for director Patrik-Ian Polk's coming-of-age drama "Blackbird," which is based on the novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan. The film stars Academy Award winning actress and comedian Mo'Nique, Isaiah Washington, Terrell Tilford, D. Woods, Gary L. Gray, Torrey Laamar, Kevin Allesee, Nikki Jane, and introduces breakthrough talent Julian Walker. “I am very excited to bring 'Blackbird' to theaters and to Umc,” said Johnson, adding, “'Blackbird' is in line with my vision for Umc...
- 4/1/2015
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
Five years after winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in “Precious,” Mo’Nique is returning to theaters in “Blackbird.” The independent drama centers on a deeply religious high school student in a small Mississippi town, who struggles with the fact that he may be gay. Mo’Nique plays the teen’s mother and also executive produced the film with her husband Sidney Hicks. She told TheWrap that director Patrik-Ian Polk cast Mississippi college student Julian Walker in the lead role because no top African-American talent in Los Angeles would sign on for the project. Also Read: Mo'Nique...
- 3/9/2015
- by Anita Bennett
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Umc Sets Theatrical Date for Patrik-Ian Polk's 'Blackbird' + New Release Poster + Trailer
Umc – Urban Movie Channel, an Rlj Entertainment brand, created by Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (Bet), today announced the April 24, 2015, U.S. theatrical release of director Patrik-Ian Polk's coming-of-age drama "Blackbird," which is based on the novel by the same name by Larry Duplechan. The film stars Academy Award winning actress and comedian Mo'Nique, Isaiah Washington, Terrell Tilford, D. Woods, Gary L. Gray, Torrey Laamar, Kevin Allesee, Nikki Jane and introduces breakthrough talent Julian Walker. “I am very excited to bring 'Blackbird' to theaters and to Umc,” said Johnson, adding, “'Blackbird' is in line with my vision...
- 2/10/2015
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
Thanks to our good friend Chance Calloway for reminding me about Blackbird, a movie we first heard about in mid-February this year. It’s back in the conversation now because...
- 7/7/2014
- by Ryan Adams
- AwardsDaily.com
With past films like The Skinny and Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom, writer-director Patrik-Ian Polk has become known for steamy ensemble dramedies about the lives and romantic woes of black gay men. His latest, Blackbird, while focused on a younger set of characters with tamer sexual history, has Polk’s imprint all over it, painting a vivid picture of the struggle, shame and awkwardness that comes with growing up black and gay in a tiny Mississippi town.Newcomer Julian Walker stars as Randy, a good-natured choirboy with a gorgeous voice and a host of personal issues – his little sister’s disappearance, the separation of his parents (played by Mo’Nique and Isaiah Washington), his...
- 2/19/2014
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
Mo’Nique‘s commanding presence has made her a thrilling comedienne, a ferocious talk show host (not to mention an effective emcee at the Apollo), and an Academy Award-winning actress.
In the four years since she picked up an Oscar for her universally lauded work in Lee Daniels‘ Precious as a monstrous, tragic mother, she’s chosen projects selectively and spent more time with her husband and three kids. Thankfully for us, she’s returning to the big screen with Blackbird, director Patrik-Ian Polk‘s feature about a teenage boy (Julian Walker) who struggles with his sexuality, religion, and familial woes in a small Southern Baptist town. Mo’Nique plays the boy’s religious, confused mother who, along with her husband (Isaiah Washington), questions her son’s identity.
To celebrate the movie’s recent premiere at the Pan African Film Festival, we caught up with Mo’Nique to discuss her history with gay men,...
In the four years since she picked up an Oscar for her universally lauded work in Lee Daniels‘ Precious as a monstrous, tragic mother, she’s chosen projects selectively and spent more time with her husband and three kids. Thankfully for us, she’s returning to the big screen with Blackbird, director Patrik-Ian Polk‘s feature about a teenage boy (Julian Walker) who struggles with his sexuality, religion, and familial woes in a small Southern Baptist town. Mo’Nique plays the boy’s religious, confused mother who, along with her husband (Isaiah Washington), questions her son’s identity.
To celebrate the movie’s recent premiere at the Pan African Film Festival, we caught up with Mo’Nique to discuss her history with gay men,...
- 2/18/2014
- by Louis Virtel
- The Backlot
Patrik-Ian Polk, whose acclaimed 2001 film "Punks," explored Lgbqt life in an African-American community, returns with his new drama "Blackbird," a film about a troubled teen growing up in a conservative Mississippi town. In the trailer we see newcomer Julian Walker as Randy Rousseau, a diligent choir boy who wrestles with the mysterious disappearance of his sister and the subsequent separation of his parents, played by Oscar winner Mo'Nique and Isaiah Washington. The film explores the roles religion, sexuality and race play as Walker's character comes of age. "Blackbird" will close the Pan African Film Festival on February 16th and is part of the lineup for the 2014 Outfest Fusion Lgbt People of Color Film Festival.
- 2/14/2014
- by Eric Eidelstein
- Indiewire
After closing the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles this Sunday, Patrik-Ian Polk’s drama Blackbird, which stars Isaiah Washington, Mo'Nique and Julian Walker, will open the 2014 Outfest Fusion Lgbt People Of Color Film Festival, the festival announced this morning. Running from March 14-16 in Hollywood, the festival lineup includes world premieres of Secrets & Toys and You Are Dead To Me. Also South Korean filmmaker Leesong Hee-il’s White Night will receive its Us premiere. Outfest is the leading organization showcasing, nurturing and preserving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender film images and artistry. For 30 years...
- 2/14/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Patrik-Ian Polk’s latest film Blackbird (pictured) starring Mo’Nique, Isaiah Washington and Julian Walker will open the 2014 Outfest Fusion Lgbt People Of Color Film Festival, scheduled for March 14-16 in Hollywood.
Actor, comedian and writer Alec Mapa will receive the 2014 Fusion Achievement Award on March 15.
World premieres include Secrets & Toys and You Are Dead To Me. South Korean filmmaker’s Leesong Hee-il’s White Night will receive its Us premiere.
For further details click here.
Actor, comedian and writer Alec Mapa will receive the 2014 Fusion Achievement Award on March 15.
World premieres include Secrets & Toys and You Are Dead To Me. South Korean filmmaker’s Leesong Hee-il’s White Night will receive its Us premiere.
For further details click here.
- 2/13/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
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