Posted on Friday, May 2, 2014

“Where’s The Love” Premieres THIS Saturday on UP!!!

Hello World,

Lanman Rucker & Denise Boutte…still working on my red carpet photo skills…

Happy Friday 🙂

As I’m still a newlywed (almost 9 months to be exact 🙂 ), all things love and marriage are very much on my radar…That’s why I was blessed last night to be able to attend a preview event at Aurum Lounge for “Where’s The Love,” a romantic drama featuring two popular, married TV talk show hosts, played by Lamman Rucker (UP’s Sugar Mommas, “Meet the Browns”) and Denise Boutte (“Meet the Browns,” “Days of Our Lives”), who dispense relationship advice even as their marriage starts to crumble…

It is the one-year anniversary of the talk show Where’s The Love?, hosted by married relationship experts and doctors Sebastian (Lamman Rucker) and Ryan Reid (Denise Boutte). They are in their mid-30s, great looking and have a successful counseling practice complete with best-selling books and an Emmy®-nominated TV show. Ryan and Sebastian seem to have it all, but secretly their relationship is falling apart. They’ve been keeping up appearances to Sebastian’s sister Kai (Terri J. Vaughn) and her husband Rod (Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan), Ryan’s best friend Sidney (David Banner), their producer Paige (Nicole Eggert), Ryan’s editor Dale (Karon Joseph Riley), their patients, their fans and the public to save their lucrative careers – until one day when it all comes out. Now, Ryan and Sebastian have to decide whether their own marriage can be saved…

The ensemble cast includes Terri J. Vaughn (UP’s In the Meantime, “Meet the Browns”), Karon Joseph Riley (UP’s Marry Me For Christmas, “Necessary Roughness”), David Banner (Lee Daniel’s The Butler, Ride Along), V103 host Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan (“106 & Park,” “Rap City”), Ahmed Lucan (Khazana, “Homeland”), Shirley Strawberry (co-host of “The Steve Harvey Show,” Madea Goes to Jail), Nicole Eggert (“Baywatch,” Charles in Charge”), and LeToya Luckett (“Single Ladies,” “Treme”). Kandi Burruss (“The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “Let’s Stay Together”), Tommy Ford (“Martin,” “Basketball Wife”) and singer-songwriter/record producer/actress Angie Stone (Ride Along, Scary Movie 5) guest star.

Trey Haley (The Man in 3B, Note To Self) directs the film from a script by Cas Sigers-Beedles (UP’s Sugar Mommas, Love Will Keep Us Together). Filmed in Atlanta, “Where’s The Love?” will premiere exclusively on UP on Saturday, May 3 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Below are a few pics and impromptu interview snippets from the preview event…

Terri J. Vaughn gets my Cutest Red Carpet Appearance Award…At four months pregnant with her third child with hubby Karon Riley, she looked fabulous…In addition to acting, she and her business partner Cas Sigers-Beedles continue to make moves with their production company Nina Holiday Entertainment, she is an acting coach and mother…AND she is about about to shoot a new movie with her business partner in Trinidad while pregnant…Her secret to balancing it all: “I have an amazing husband, and he’s in the movie too!”

Some may know David Banner primarily from his rapping career, but he’s becoming a well-versed actor as well. “This is my 15th movie. I took a break from music. Sometimes you do stuff for so long, you have to recalibrate and remember why you are doing it in the first place.”

Shirley Strawberry, who is probably best known as the co-host of the “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” is also featured in the movie…She revealed that she was recruited to be on the show to help “balance” Steve…”He’s crazy but a lot of fun. It’s been fun and a blessing to work with him.”

Everyone remembers Tommy Ford from “Martin!” But since then, he has moved into directing and producing…Currently, he is directing a new film “Switching Lanes,” a story about race relations between two high schools students, one who is white and one who is black, running track…The movie is in post-production…

Ahmed Lucan portrays Ryan’s agent in the film….”It’s a blessing that Terri Vaughn gave me an opportunity to be in this film. She is my acting coach actually.”

David Banner’s selfie with the cast and others affiliated in the movie 🙂

Below is a snippet of the film….

Any thoughts?

Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

GMC TV Debuts “For Richer or Poorer” THIS SATURDAY!

Hello World,

Now that I am engaged, all things wedding and marriage have captured my attention! That’s why GMC TV’s new series “For Richer or Poorer” has me intrigued…Below is a description of the show…

Based on original screenplays written by Cas Sigers Beedles (“A Cross to Bear” and “If You Really Love Me”) and directed by Roger Melvin (“The Love You Save” and “If You Really Love Me”), “For Richer or Poorer” follows couple Aubrey and Kya Wilson who are on an upswing after suffering a major financial blow when Aubrey loses his six-figure job. Back on track and living a more modest lifestyle, the couple find themselves facing new challenges when they take a trip down memory lane with mementos given to each by ex’s, Kya’s new business takes off, home ownership on the horizon and dreams of expanding their family come in to play. As they explore issues such as honesty, trust, financial role reversal, and parenting, they find a new and deeper respect for their lifetime partner and build for a better future.

And the show includes an all-star cast! Aubrey is portrayed by Rockmond Dunbar, who has starred in several popular television shows including “Girlfriends” and “Soul Food.” He was also awesome as Sanaa Lathan’s long-suffering husband in Tyler Perry’s “The Family That Preys!” Kya is portrayed by LeToya Luckett, a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a founding member of the R&B group “Destiny’s Child.” The show will also feature two actors from some of my favorite sitcoms from the ’80s and ’90s! Jackée Harry a.k.a. Sandra from “227” and Lisa from “Sister Sister” is also a part of the cast. Carl Payne a.k.a. Cockroach from “The Cosby Show” and Cole from “Martin” is on the show as well! Also on the cast are: Angell Conwell (“Baby Boy” and “The Young and the Restless”), Anthony Evans (“The Voice”), Comedian Buddy Lewis and DeEtta West (“A Cross To Bear” and “Meet The Browns”).

Take a look at the trailer and let me know what you think:

“For Richer or Poorer” will be televised as follows. All times are EST.

Saturday, January 26

Episode 101 – “The Ex Files” (9 and 11 p.m.)

Episode 102 – “The Switch” (10 p.m. and 12 a.m.)

Saturday, February 2

Episode 103 – “She Trusts Me, She Trusts Me Not” (9 and 11 p.m.)

Episode 104 – “Me & Mrs. Jonesy” (10 p.m. and 12 a.m.)

Saturday, February 9

Episode 105 – “You’re Perfect, Now Change” (9 and 11 p.m.)

Episode 106 – “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing, Baby” (10 p.m. and 12 a.m.)

Will you be watching? Any thoughts?

Posted on Friday, February 17, 2012

Powerhouse Performers Partner in New GMC TV Film “A Cross to Bear!”

Hello World,

Terri J. Vaughn, Danielle Deadwyler & Tandria Potts, director of the film

On Wednesday night, I was blessed to attend a screening of the new GMC TV film “A Cross to Bear” at Midtown Arts Cinema. Based on an original screenplay written by Cas Sigers Beedles and Terri J. Vaughn (Remember Lovita Alizé Jenkins-Robinson from “The Steve Harvey Show” back in the day?), director-actor Kim Fields returns to the front of the camera in a heartwarming story of redemption.

I must admit I was expecting a kind of cheesy, melodramatic, fluffy film, but I was truly taken in by the film. And judging by the audience that I sat with, I was not the only one inspired. A woman behind me cried throughout the screening, and a young woman in front of me swayed and cooed at the tender love story that was a subplot in the film. The movie will air on GMC TV tomorrow (Feb. 18) at 7 p.m. EST with encore telecasts at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Tandria Potts and Kim Fields

“A Cross to Bear” tells the unflinching and inspiring story of Erica Moses, a would-be dancer with no family connections who finds herself fighting alcoholism and living on the streets with her newborn child after being left by her boyfriend. One ill-fated night, she takes refuge from the cold in an empty building with a handful of other homeless people and her life is shattered. Traumatized and now living at the home of Joan (who is portrayed by Fields), a former nurse who has dedicated her life to helping woman like Erica and other women in transition get back on their feet. As the cause of Erica’s personal hell is revealed, slowly, with the help of Joan’s unique brand of tough love and the friendship of Tina, a former crack baby who also lives in Joan’s house, and the guidance of other women who have found new beginnings at Joan’s House, Erica finds the will to live and learns the redemptive power of forgiveness.

I was able to speak to some of the actors in the film, many of whom will be making their television debut such as Danielle Deadwyler, whose stage credits include a performance in Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre productions of “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enough” and “The Colored Museum” under the direction of Jasmine Guy, portrayed Erica Moses. Deadwyler, who grew up in Capitol View Homes, attended Grady High School and graduated from Spelman College, identifed with Erica’s struggle to escape her circumstances and achieve her dreams. (And the film was shot in the A!)

“If you are steadfast, do the work, continuously, your dreams will manifest,” said Deadwyler.

A critical scene at the beginning of the film shows Erica as a child watching her mother, who seems to be an alcoholic, use her feminine wiles to secure the money and affection of a man despite the cost to her self-esteem and her child. Years later, Erica has not learned from her mother’s mistakes and finds herself in a similar precarious position.

When the film was originally conceived about six years ago, Vaughn was slated to portray Erica. However, once the film was backed by GMC TV after years of false starts and setbacks, Vaughn felt it would be best to be a producer on the film instead. “This film means a lot to me. I’m a huge advocate for creating projects for television that my nieces can see,” said Vaughn, whose husband Karon Riley is in the film. Vaughn’s producing partner Sigers Beedles was inspired to write this film based on her experiences volunteering in a homeless shelter. “I’m fascinated with people who are at the lowest of their low points and how they are able to come out of that because some don’t.”

“A Cross to Bear” also features performances by Malinda Williams (“The Wood,” “Soul Food”), Jackie Long (“ATL,” “Idlewild”) vocalists Angie Stone and Kenny Lattimore, and and Christian hip hop artist Lecrae Moore.