Rising Star Thuso Mbedu Covers W Magazine’s Pop & Fall Fashion Issue!
On stands September 14th, W Magazine Volume 4 The Pop & Fall Fashion Issue, features The Underground Railroad actress, Thuso Mbedu on the issue’s third of four covers. In her first W Magazine cover, shot just a few days before her 30th birthday, Mbedu talks about preparing for her role as Cora Randall in Amazon Prime’s 10-epidsode series, The Underground Railroad and working with the series director, Barry Jenkins. Mbedu also talks about working alongside her idol, Viola Davis and their forthcoming film The Woman King.
On her character Cora Randall’s journey in Barry Jenkins, The Underground Railroad: “In episode 1, she’s always hunched over,”… “you’re trying to be as small as you possibly can at all times. You don’t want to bring any sort of attention to yourself.”… [In episode 3, hiding in an attic] “hunched over in a different state.”… [By episodes 8 and 9, when Cora is living among free people of color] “a Black body with agency”
Listening to audio recordings of emancipated slaves to discover her character, Cora Randall’s voice: “Hearing their broken English drew me much closer to them,”… “In rural South Africa, in certain parts of the townships, some people speak like that. In the recordings, I heard Africans, rather than just African-Americans. I also heard broken spirits, and that changed how I treated Cora. I felt that, as someone who was so withdrawn and isolated, she would use her silence and her voice as weapons.”
On auditioning for the role of Cora Randall: ”I wasn’t aware that Barry was attached to the project, and I didn’t know it was based on a novel,”… “The scenes themselves had everything that I needed.”…[She got the part and bought the book] “and I was like, Oh snap! This is so much bigger than I realized.”
Learning about upcoming co-star and idol, Viola Davis’ process: [an interview in which Davis explained her process] “Viola said that she puts an emphasis on finding the why of any character—the reason this character makes any of the choices they make. For the longest time, before coming across that interview, whenever people would ask me about my process, I didn’t know how to articulate it,”… “Listening to her, I thought, That’s exactly how I approach my work!”
On training for her upcoming role in The Woman King: “Because I’m so tiny, my character has to have a lot of speed,”… “I have to be very fast and agile. Apparently, it wouldn’t be believable that I could potentially punch a person and they’d fall down.”… “I don’t know about that. I would beg to differ.”
#RHOA: Kenya Moore’s Daughter Brooklyn Has Been Having A Great Summer!
Kenya Moore’s daughter Brooklyn Daly is enjoying every minute of her summer. The Real Housewives of Atlanta tot has been having a blast hitting the beach and enjoying some outdoor adventures, as captured in a series of photos and videos on Instagram.
On August 24, Kenya took to Instagram to share a photo of her recent trip to the beach with little Brooklyn. In one photo, the mom can be seen posing on the sand in a flowy blue dress while a second slide captures her walking hand-in-hand with her 2-year-old tot.
“Walk with me and I will never lead you in the wrong direction,” Kenya wrote in the caption of the sweet snapshots, also adding a heart emoji.
Brooklyn also stayed busy practicing some yoga poses outdoors and reenacting one of her favorite animated movies, Frozen, as showcased in a series of posts on her Instagram account.
Earlier this month, the RHOA daughter also made sure to send some love to her dad, Marc Daly, on his birthday. Marc shared a peek at the precious birthday message he received from his daughter via his restaurant’s Instagram account, SoCo Brooklyn.
“Love,” the caption read.
#MusicNews: Stokley Unveils Covert Art & Release Date for Upcoming Album “Sankofa”!
Legendary singer Stokley is set to move to the next chapter of his solo career with the upcoming release of his sophomore album “Sankofa”. The album has now been given a release date of September 17th and it will arrive via his partnership with Bluraffe Entertainment and music icons Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’s Flyte Tyme/Perspective Records
The album title “Sankofa” is a Ghanian term which is a nod to the roots of African American ancestry. The album will encompass Stokley’s past experiences in the music industry and the knowledge he’s received over the course of his 35 year career.
“Sankofa” features guest appearances from H.E.R., Snoop Dogg, Wale, The Bonfyre & KiDi. Also featured on the album is the previously released #1 hit single “She”, as well as “Vibrant” with Snoop Dogg, “Cascade” with The Bonfyre, and “Woman”.
Check below for the tracklist for the sophomore album from the legendary Mint Condition front man, and stay tuned for the album when it’s out next month.
Stokley “Sankofa” album tracklisting
1) Sankofa – Past
2) Vibrant (ft. Snoop Dogg)
3) Cafe (ft. Wale)
4) She
5) Vudoo
6) Clouds (ft. Shakespeare!)
7) Homecoming (Lude)
8) Cascade (ft. The Bonfyre)
9) RUSH (ft. H.E.R.)
10) Sankofa – Present
11) Recipe
12) Woman (ft. KiDi)
13) Cascade (LVRS Quarrel Mix)
14) Trinkutsi (Lude)
15) Verbalize (ft. Snoop Dogg)
16) Slip
17) Lost
18) Sankofa – The Present (ft. Mahmoud El-Kati)
#HipHopNews: Drake Fans Leave Kanye West Diss Signs On Front Porch Of Kanye’s Childhood Home!
Fans are now getting involved in Drake and Kanye West's beef.
On Saturday (Aug. 28), photos surfaced that show Kanye West's childhood home in Chicago with signs around it that support Drizzy. One sign reads "CLB Coming Soon," in reference to Drake's upcoming album, Certified Lover Boy. A second sign says "Fuck Justin Laboy," a shot at the social influencer who has been promoting 'Ye's new Donda album. A third sign reads "45 44 Burnt Out," in reference to Drake's apparent shot at Kanye on Tripppie Redd's new "Betrayal" song.
The Drake and Kanye West beef has been heating up over the last few weeks, with some hoping it will culminate with the two going head-to-head by dropping their respective albums on the same day. Drake's recent shot on "Betrayal" got a response from Kanye, who posted a screenshot of an apparent group text warning Drake, which included the line, "You will never recover." A couple days later, the passive aggressive beef went viral again when Kanye shared Drake's home address online.
Both rappers are preparing to drop huge albums. On Friday (Aug. 27), Drake announced the release of his Certified Lover Boy album via ESPN as Sept. 3. Kanye has announced multiple release dates for his Donda album but failed follow through. He has, however, reportedly collected million of dollars by putting on multiple listening events in Atlanta and Chicago. The release date listed for Donda on Apple Music is now Sept. 5. According to Kanye's manager, the album has been delivered to DSPs. However, the album was reportedly previously sent to DSPs and later pulled by the Chicago rapper.
#RIP ICONIC Actor Ed Asner, TV’s blustery Lou Grant, dies at 91
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ed Asner, the burly and prolific character actor who became a star in middle age as the gruff but lovable newsman Lou Grant, first in the hit comedy “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and later in the drama “Lou Grant,” died Sunday. He was 91.
Asner’s representative confirmed the actor’s death in an email to The Associated Press. Asner’s official Twitter account included a note from his children: “We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you.”
Built like the football lineman he once was, the balding Asner was a journeyman actor in films and TV when he was hired in 1970 to play Lou Grant on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” For seven seasons he was the rumpled boss to Moore’s ebullient Mary Richards (He called her “Mary,” she called him “Mr. Grant”) at the fictional Minneapolis TV newsroom where both worked. Later, he would play the role for five years on “Lou Grant.”
The part brought Asner three best supporting actor Emmys on “Mary Tyler Moore” and two best actor awards on “Lou Grant.” He also won Emmys for his roles in the miniseries “Rich Man, Poor Man” (1975-1976) and “Roots” (1976-1977).
He had more than 300 acting credits and remained active throughout his 70s and 80s in a variety of film and TV roles. In 2003, he played Santa Claus in Will Ferrell’s hit film “Elf.” He was John Goodman’s father in the short-lived 2004 CBS comedy “Center of the Universe” and the voice of the elderly hero in the hit 2009 Pixar release, “Up.” More recently, he was in such TV series as “Forgive Me” and “Dead to Me.”
Nonetheless, Asner told The Associated Press in 2009 that interesting roles were hard to come by.
“I never get enough work,” he said. “It’s the history of my career. There just isn’t anything to turn down, let me put it that way.”
“I’d say most people are probably in that same boat, old people, and it’s a shame,” he said.
As Screen Actors Guild president, the liberal Asner was caught up in a political controversy in 1982 when he spoke out against U.S. involvement with repressive governments in Latin America. “Lou Grant” was canceled during the furor that followed and he did not run for a third SAG term in 1985.
Asner discussed his politicization in a 2002 interview, noting he had begun his career during the McCarthy era and for years had been afraid to speak out for fear of being blacklisted.
Then he saw a nun’s film depicting the cruelties inflicted by El Salvador’s government on that country’s citizens.
“I stepped out to complain about our country’s constant arming and fortifying of the military in El Salvador, who were oppressing their people,” he said.
Former SAG President Charlton Heston and others accused him of making un-American statements and of misusing his position as head of their actors union.
“We even had bomb threats at the time. I had armed guards,” Asner recalled.
The actor blamed the controversy for ending the five-year run of “Lou Grant,” although CBS insisted declining ratings were the reason the show was canceled.
Asner’s character had caught on from the first episode of “Mary Tyler Moore,” when he told Mary in their initial meeting, “You’ve got spunk. … I hate spunk!” The inspired cast included Ted Knight as Ted Baxter, the dimwitted news anchor; Gavin MacLeod as Murray Slaughter, the sarcastic news writer; and Betty White as the manipulative, sex-obsessed home show hostess Sue Ann Nivens. Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman, playing Mary’s neighbors, both saw their characters spun off into their own shows.
“Mary Tyler Moore” was still a hit when the star decided to pursue other interests, and so it was brought to an end in the seventh season with a hilarious finale in which all of the principals were fired except for the bumbling Baxter.
Asner went immediately into “Lou Grant,” his character moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to become city editor of the Tribune, a crusading newspaper under the firm hand of Publisher Margaret Pynchon, memorably played by Nancy Marchand.
Although the show had its light moments, its scripts touched on a variety of darker social issues that most series wouldn’t touch at the time, including alcoholism and homelessness. Asner remained politically active for the rest of his life and in 2017 published the book “The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs.”
Asner, born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1929, almost became a newsman in real life. He studied journalism at the University of Chicago until a professor told him there was little money to be made in the profession.
He quickly switched to drama, debuting as the martyred Thomas Becket in a campus production of T.S. Eliot’s “Murder in the Cathedral.”
He eventually dropped out of school, going to work as a taxi driver and other jobs before being drafted in 1951. He served with the Army Signal Corps in France.
Returning to Chicago after military service, he appeared at the Playwrights Theatre Club and Second City, the famed satire troupe that launched the careers of dozens of top comedians.
Later, in New York, he joined the long-running “The Threepenny Opera” and appeared opposite Jack Lemmon in “Face of a Hero.”
Arriving in Hollywood in 1961 for an episode of television’s “Naked City,” Asner decided to stay and appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, including the film “El Dorado,” opposite John Wayne; and the Elvis Presley vehicles “Kid Galahad” and “Change of Habit.” He was a regular in the 1960s political drama series “Slattery’s People.”
He was married twice, to Nancy Lou Sykes and Cindy Gilmore, and had four children, Matthew, Liza, Kate and Charles.
Beyoncé ‘Disappointed & Angry’ After Learning The Tiffany Yellow Diamond She Wore!
Beyoncé is reportedly not happy about unknowingly wearing a blood diamond for a Tiffany & Co. ad.
As previously reported, Beyoncé and Jay-Z recently posed in a Tiffany & Co. ad for the company’s “ABOUT LOVE” campaign. In the ad, the couple poses by a never-before-seen painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat as Beyoncé rocks the iconic Tiffany Yellow Diamond. The 128.54 carat diamond was discovered in South Africa back in 1877, and Beyoncé is the fourth person–and first Black woman–in history to wear it.
However, people soon began to criticize Beyoncé for wearing the Tiffany Yellow Diamond in the ad–largely due to the diamond’s history. The Tiffany Yellow Diamond was found in Kimberley, South Africa when the country was still under British colonial rule. Black miners who worked in awful conditions with minimal pay were the ones who unearthed the diamond, and it has resultingly been labeled as a “blood diamond.”
Traditionally, a blood diamond is a gemstone sold to fund military operations. However, the term has come to be applied to any gemstone mined by people forced to work in brutal conditions.
While Beyoncé‘s mother–Tina Lawson–attempted to shut down the criticism, Beyoncé herself took another approach.
According to reports, Beyoncé is “disappointed and angry” that she didn’t know about the Tiffany Yellow Diamond’s dark history. An insider stated:
“Beyoncé is aware of the criticism and is disappointed and angry that she wasn’t made aware of questions about its history. She thought that every final detail had been vetted, but now she realizes that the diamond itself was overlooked.”
Thousands attend “March On for Voting Rights” rally in D.C!
Almost six decades after Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech in Washington D.C., his son, Martin Luther King III, and granddaughter, Yolanda Renee King, joined Reverend Al Sharpton, other activists and thousands more in the nation’s capital at the “March On for Voting Rights” Saturday (Aug. 28).
CBS Washington, D.C., affiliate WUSA reported an estimated 50,000 people attended Saturday’s march, which began at McPherson Square before ending up at the National Mall. Martin Luther King III, his wife, Andrea Waters King, and Rev. Sharpton, along with other voting rights leaders organized the march to urge Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
According to the event page, “Since January, 48 states have introduced 389 bills that amount to shameful, outright voter suppression, and many have already become law.” “These laws suppress voting methods that enrich our democracy and lead to high turnout: banning ballot drop boxes and mail-in voting, reducing early voting days and hours, restricting who can get a mail-in ballot, prohibiting officials from promoting the use of mail-in ballots even when voters qualify, even criminalizing the distribution of water to voters waiting in the long lines these laws create racist, anti-democratic voter suppression laws amount to rigging the game. But in America, elections are not a game—and lives depend on their outcomes,” the site reads.
Marches were held simultaneously Saturday (Aug. 28) in D.C., Atlanta, Miami, Phoenix and more cities across America. Since the House passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act on Wednesday (Aug. 25), most of the speakers at the rally in D.C. focused their attention on the Senate.
“We are a force of nature,” King III told the crowd. “This is a battlefield of morals and you are armed with the truth and the truth is a flame, you cannot extinguish. People have done it before, and we’ll do it again. We will demand federal voting rights until we have them. So don’t give up. Don’t give in. Don’t give out. You are the dream, and this is our moment to make it true.”
His 13-year-old daughter Yolanda King, took the stage and spoke about “the torch” being passed. “I know activism works. I’ve seen it in my own family,” she said. “It’s time for our generation to wake up the world so we can stop talking about the dream and start living the dream…We will be the generation that earns and wins our freedom once and for all.”
Rev. Sharpton referenced the Capitol riot during his speech, saying on Jan. 6, “You saw an insurrection against people’s right to vote.” “Today you saw 20,000 walked through the streets to the Capitol to represent Dr. King’s resurrection of the right to vote,” he said. “No windows broke, nobody harmed. No disorder. This is how you come to the Capitol.”
In Atlanta, Bernice King, MLK Jr.‘s daughter told the crowd that the country is in a “state of emergency,” The Hill reported. “Voting rights is not an evanescent domestic issue that can be kicked about by reactionary guardians of the status quo. It is rather an eternal moral issue, which may well determine the destiny of our nation. The hour is late, the clock of destiny is ticking out, and we must act now before it’s too late,” she said. “The most significant threat to our democracy is principled men and women’s voices remaining silent on this issue and failing to yield to conscience by standing against laws that restrict access to vote.”
The “March On for Voting Rights” is the latest effort from voting rights advocates and Democratic members of Congress who hope to end the filibuster in the Senate and pass federal voting rights legislation before the 2022 midterm elections.
New Michael Jackson music released in the future? According to Tito Jackson, Yes!
The King of Pop could soon be belting out new tunes, his family says.
“There is more music to release. They have music. He left behind music,” Michael Jackson’s brother Tito told The Sun.
Tito said the Jackson family has plans to record a new studio album, their first since 1989, and that they hope to record a new track featuring previously unknown material from their brother, one of the most celebrated artists in history, who died in 2009.
“It would be so pleasing to be on a record with Michael once again,” said Tito, who was in the UK performing with The Jacksons at the Happy Days Festival in Surrey. “Anything that would work we would be willing to give a try and see what happens.”
“It’s beyond our control but they always try and get our participation and we’re always happy to offer,” he said, apparently in reference to Sony, which paid $750 million in 2016 for Jackson’s lucrative share of the Sony/ATV music publishing catalogue.
“It’s definitely a brilliant idea. We’re thinking about doing something, so hopefully that will come to fruition,” Tito said.
Watch The Trailer for ‘ATL 2’ with T.I., Lauren London, Evan Ross and The Whole Crew!
ATL was released in 2006 and exceeded expectations to become a cult classic and staple in Hip Hop and Atlanta roller skating culture. More than 15 years later, director Chris Robinson has the band back together for a sequel, as the ATL 2 trailer arrived on Friday (August 27).
Soundtracked to Ray Charles’ “Georgia,” the minute-long clip finds including T.I. and Lauren London walking the streets of Atlanta alongside their co-stars including Jackie Long, Jason Weaver, Albert Daniels, and Evan Ross.
The trailer was released just two days after Chance the Rapper tweeted about his love for the original movie. “ATL is a movie that never truly got it’s flowers. It’s probably the most quotable movie from my childhood,” he wrote.
In his caption, Robinson responded to Chance: “HEY @chancetherapper WHAT IF……..WE DID IT ONE MORE TIME + #THE FAMILY #THELOVE #THEQUOTABLES #ATL2 #MANIFEST #CLASSICO.”
Way back in 2015, T.I. announced that a sequel to the 2006 movie was in the works, sharing a photo with Robinson and his co-stars Jackie Long, Albert Daniels, and Jason Weaver.
The original ATL opened at No. 3 at the box office and grossed around $21 million by the end of its theatrical run. T.I. played the main character Rashad in the coming-of-age film, which is loosely based on the experiences of the film’s producers, Dallas Austin and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins.
Naomi Osaka Is Offically The Highest Paid Female Athlete Of 2021!
Congrats to tennis star Naomi Osaka who is officially ranked as the highest-paid female athlete of 2021!
Osaka has had a difficult year with a public debate over how she cares for her mental health and loss at the Olympics. Even with one tournament left, the tennis star will be wrapping up 2021 on a high note.
Over the last year, Osaka raked up $50 million in edmdoresmemts and $5.2 winning matches. Last year she made $37.4 million so it’s safe to say Naomi Osaka is definitely living her best life!
Women athletes are dripping in black excellence, but when it comes to the men you might be a little surprised that it is being led by UFC champion Conor McGregor, bringing in $180 million this year.
Overall, as far as athletes who are getting to the bag this year across all sports and all genders, Osaka is currently the 15th highest-paid athlete in the world.
Word on The Curb is Rihanna And A$Ap Rocky May Get Engaged!
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky may have marriage on the brain.
The couple is reportedly “madly in love” and an engagement could “happen soon,” according to a report from Us Weekly.
“These two are so madly in love, and it’s true there’s a lot of buzz in their circle about an engagement being in the works,” said a source. “Going by the hints Rocky’s been dropping, [it] may well happen soon, but there’s no pressure and what matters most to both of them is to keep building on this truly beautiful thing they’ve got going.”
The singer, 33, and rapper, 32, had been friends for years before their relationship turned romantic following Rihanna’s breakup with Saudi businessman Hassan Jameel in January of 2020. And now marriage could be on the table.
“They’re very open with friends that it’s unlike any connection they’ve ever experienced with anyone else and they see each other as life partners,” added the insider. “They don’t need a piece of paper to be happy, but Ri’s a real romantic and her friends and family — her mom, especially — would love to see her married.”
In an interview with GQ earlier this year, Rocky confirmed that he and Rihanna were dating, calling her the “love of my life.” “She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones,” he told the magazine. “I think when you know, you know. She’s the One.”
2 Kennedy Siblings Back the Parole for Sirhan Sirhan Release While Six of them Blasts it!
Six of Robert F. Kennedy's children have condemned the decision to free his assassin from jail after California's parole board voted to approve the move following support from two of their siblings.
Sirhan Sirhan, 77, who shot and killed the Kentucky senator and U.S. presidential candidate in 1968, was granted parole at his 16th attempt on Friday.
The decision was made after two of RKF's children—Douglas Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—pushed for their father's murderer to be released, arguing that he has been fully rehabilitated after spending more than 50 years in jail.
"While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhan's impressive record of rehabilitation," Kennedy Jr. said in a letter submitted during the hearing to the parole board.
Speaking to the Associated Press after Sirhan's parole was granted, Douglas Kennedy added: "I've lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love."
In a statement on Friday night, six of Kennedy's nine surviving children said they were "devastated" by the decision while urging the Parole Board and California governor Gavin Newsom to reverse the recommendation.
"Given today's unexpected recommendation by the California parole board after 15 previous decisions to deny release, we feel compelled to make our position clear. We adamantly oppose the parole and release of Sirhan Sirhan and are shocked by a ruling that we believe ignores the standards for parole of a confessed, first-degree murderer in the state of California," the statement from Joseph P. Kennedy II, Courtney Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Christopher G. Kennedy, Maxwell T. Kennedy and Rory Kennedy said.
"Our father's death impacted our family in ways that can never adequately be articulated and today's decision by a two-member parole board has inflicted enormous additional pain.
"But beyond just us, six of Robert Kennedy's nine surviving children, Sirhan Sirhan committed a crime against our nation and its people. He took our father from our family and he took him from America."
Sirhan was originally sentenced to death in 1969 before the state of California scrapped the death penalty and his sentence was reduced to life in 1972. While California has since reinstated the death penalty, capital punishment was never handed back to Sirhan.
Sirhan's 16th parole hearing was notable as for the very first time, prosecutors declined to oppose his release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who is pushing a platform of prisoner reform.
The move was condemned by the California District Attorneys Association.
"This is one of the most notorious political assassinations in American history and the killer was considered for release without benefit of a representative on behalf of the people of California. That is disgraceful," Vern Pierson, El Dorado County District Attorney and CDAA President said in a statement.
Parole Board Commissioner Robert Barton denied that the decision to grant Sirhan parole was influenced by the fact no prosecutors were there to argue against it.
"Obviously they opposed in the past and even if they had opposed it today, our decision would be the same," Barton said.
The decision to grant Sirhan parole will be reviewed by the board over the next 120 days. It will be sent to Newsom, who will have 30 days to decide on whether to approve the decision, reject it or modify it.
Newsom has been contacted for comment.
Jay-Z is Joined by Megan Thee Stallion & Swizz Beatz at His 40/40 Club Anniversary Party!
The 51-year-old rapper stepped out for his 40/40 Club 18th Anniversary Party on Saturday night (August 28) at the club in New York City.
Stars in attendance included Megan Thee Stallion, Swizz Beatz, Quincy, Meek Mill, Remy Ma, Lil Uzi Vert, political commentator Van Jones, and retired pro football player Victor Cruz.
The 40/40 Club is a chain of sports bars and lounges that Jay-Z first opened in 2003. Locations include NYC, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and at the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Little People, Big World's Amy Roloff and Chris Marek Are Married!
Amy Roloff and Chris Marek are officially husband and wife!
On Saturday, the Little People, Big World star, 56, and Marek, 55, said "I do" in front of 146 of their closest family and friends at Roloff Farms in Hillsboro, Oregon.
During the ceremony, which took place outside in front of a gazebo, the bride stunned in a dress from Justin Alexander's Sincerity Collection, while Marek wore a black suit as they exchanged their vows.
The pair's nuptials were officiated by Michael Williams and also saw Roloff walk down the aisle to "Heart to Heart," which was composed by Marek's best man, Rick Hinkes.
The couple then held their reception in a tent outside, where The Macey Gard Band performed during the memorable event, including during the couple's first dance to the band's song, "At the End of the Day."
"Our wedding day is a special day, but our marriage is a lifetime together," Roloff told PEOPLE of her nuptials. "I'll have the rest of my life with Chris and that makes me smile."
"[It was challenging] planning a traditional wedding and all that typically goes into that, to what we want to have at our wedding," she added. "Sometimes it felt like the two clashed at times for me. But in the end, it's about the two of us — Chris and I. It's about combining our two lives together into one and sharing it with our family and friends."
The duo, who got engaged in September 2019, first met at a pool party in 2016 — after Roloff filed for divorce from ex-husband Matt Roloff in 2015.
"[Chris and I] got to talking and he invited me to go on a motorcycle ride," Roloff recalled in a December 2016 episode of Little People, Big World. "Oh, I'm having a ball!"
Later, speaking with her girlfriends about her relationship with Marek, Roloff admitted that she didn't think she'd find love with someone of average height.
"I just never thought someone who is average size would be interested in me," she said in a TLC clip from June 2017. "I just really want him to never question or doubt the relationship because I'm a little person."
The couple previously confirmed that they selected Roloff Farms as their wedding venue after running into logistical challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"COVID came into play because I think a lot of people either changed or canceled and moved whatever was going on in 2020 to 2021, so other places just kind of eroded away and plan B became plan A," she said on Little People, Big World in June.
"The farm has beautiful scenery and we just don't know what's going to happen with COVID," she continued. "So it's easier to have it there."
Despite the expected challenges that come with wedding planning, Roloff — who shares four children with ex Matt: twin brothers Jeremy and Zach, 31, daughter Molly, 27, and youngest son Jacob, 24 — had plenty of help from her friends and and family.
"They all have been wonderful," Roloff said. "They've been helping me all this week with setting up and, most importantly, moral support. Having my grandkids be a part of our wedding day is so special to me. To know that they are happy for me means so much to me."
Leading up to the big day, Roloff documented the day's final touches via Instagram.
"Wedding decor is going up!" she captioned one clip, joking that the chicken featured in the shot was her "surprise guest helper."
Earlier this week, Amy visited the Dahlia Festival in Canby, Oregon, to select flowers for the event. "I'm so excited because I have bunches of flowers for my wedding," she said on her Instagram Story. "And they're big and bold and beautiful."
ff also told PEOPLE she intended on indulging in a little self-care Saturday morning before the ceremony.
"I'm going to write in my journal and read some devotions," Roloff said of her pre-wedding plans. "Write my vows. Look at photos of Chris and I and think about where we started to where we are now and how wonderful it has been."
Despite being an outdoor event, the CDC still advises against crowded gatherings, even when vaccination status is known. Due to the airborne nature of the COVID-19 virus, hospitalization rates are at a six-month high.
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘Candyman’ Towers Over Box Office With Impressive $22 Million Debut!
“Candyman” was summoned to the top of domestic box office charts, collecting an impressive $22.37 million from 3,569 theaters in its first three days of release.
The R-rated slasher film, written by Jordan Peele and directed by “Captain Marvel 2” filmmaker Nia DaCosta, surpassed industry expectations despite fears the delta variant would keep people from going to the movies. Though multiplexes have struggled to sustain momentum as COVID-19 cases continue to surge, Hollywood has witnessed that new films available only in theaters (such as “Candyman” and last weekend’s champ “Free Guy”) have been seeing ticket sales hold steady compared to tentpoles being offered simultaneously on streaming services (like “The Suicide Squad” and Hugh Jackman’s “Reminiscence”).
“Candyman” cost $25 million to produce — MGM financed and produced the film, while Universal handled marketing and distribution — and appears on track to become one of the rare pandemic-era releases to become profitable during its theatrical run. The sequel to the 1992 film, this version starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, has been well received by critics and moviegoers, with an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and “B”
“The theater is where this genre is best experienced because it becomes exactly that — an experience,” says Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. “We’re headed to a nice run because next weekend is a three-day holiday and we had really enthusiastic audience scores.”
Overseas, “Candyman” had a slower start, opening in 51 international markets and pocketing $5.23 million for a global tally of $27.6 million.
In recent weeks, new releases like “Candyman,” the Ryan Reynolds-led “Free Guy,” and Paramount’s animated adventure “PAW Patrol” sold more movie tickets than expected, yet the overall box office is pacing roughly 50% behind the same period in 2019.
“Vaccinations are picking up, but not fast enough to make a difference yet,” says David A. Gross, who runs consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “For now, it’s impressive that moviegoing is holding up as well as it is.”
In second place on domestic box office charts, Disney and 20th Century’s “Free Guy” declined a mere 31% in its third weekend in theaters and added $12.7 million from 3,940 venues. The sci-fi comedy adventure, which held the No. 1 spot for two weekends in a row, has generated $78 million to date.
In a distant third, “PAW Patrol” dipped 50% from its opening weekend and brought in $6.6 million from 3,189 locations. So far, the movie, based on the popular kids TV show, has amassed $24 million in the U.S. and Canada.
JoJo Siwa Will Make History As Part Of The 1st Same-Sex Pairing On “Dancing With The Stars”!
Jojo Siwa will make history on the upcoming season of “Dancing With The Stars,” becoming the first contestant to team with a same-sex partner on the dance competition show.
ABC announced on August 26 that the 18-year-old social media star is among the 15 celebrities dancing this season and will be the first in the show’s history to dance with another woman.
Siwa shocked fans earlier this year when she announced she was a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
“I am so excited to be a part of Dancing With the Stars season 30. And to be dancing with a girl, I think it’s so cool,” Siwa said.
Lupita Nyong'o Pays Tribute to Chadwick Boseman with Candid Snap on 1-Year Anniversary of His Death!
Lupita Nyong'o is honoring Chadwick Boseman on the one-year anniversary of his death.
On Saturday, the 38-year-old actress paid tribute to her late friend and Black Panther costar with a touching tribute on social media.
Sharing an image of herself laughing beside Boseman, Nyong'o wrote alongside the Instagram post, "I did not know that I could miss both his laughter and his silence in equal measure. I do. I do..."
"One year after his passing, the memory of @chadwickboseman remains this alive in me," she added.
In the comments section, a number of stars sent their love and support. "Holding space for your heart today❤️❤️❤️❤️," wrote Elaine Welteroth as Viola Davis added, "My heart💔💔."
Josh Gad, who starred in 2017's Marshall alongside Boseman, also shared his own tribute.
"Not a day goes by one year later, where it doesn't still hurt. But in the darkness, he always reminds us of the light. He was an angel on this planet and is now a Saint on high," Gad wrote on Twitter. "Love you and miss you more than ever… forever."
Last August, Chadwick died at his home surrounded by family after a private years-long battle with colon cancer. He was 43.
"It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman," his team wrote on his Instagram page at the time. "Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV."
"A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy," they added.
Back in April, Nyong'o stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she spoke about Boseman and said it is "still so hard for me to come to terms with his passing." She also listed Boseman's "leadership" as what she'll miss most about starring opposite him in the upcoming sequel to Black Panther, which began filming in June.
"He led the movie with such compassion and just presence. When Chadwick came on set he was present, and he brought his entire being to that movie. He was just so humble as well," Nyong'o said of Boseman on the set of the 2018 superhero film. "That leadership will be missed. And he was my friend, so it's hard to think of him in the past tense."
"I do know for certain that he would want us to do this," she added of production moving forward on the forthcoming follow-up film. "I feel that what [director] Ryan Coogler has planned very much honors him and his legacy. So I feel good about going back."
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige previously revealed that the Black Panther sequel — titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — would not be recasting Boseman's role of T'Challa/Black Panther.
Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill to star in Kenya Barris-directed comedy for Netflix!
The pandemic’s not over yet so Eddie Murphy’s not returning to standup, but he will be reuniting with Coming 2 America (2019) writer Kenya Barris for a forthcoming untitled comedy film for Netflix. Jonah Hill will star opposite Murphy.
The plot details of the comedy feature have yet to be revealed, however according to THR, it’s an “incisive examination of modern love and family dynamics and how clashing cultures, societal expectations and generational differences shape and affect relationships. Murphy and Hill will find themselves on opposite sides of some of those divides.”
Murphy and Harris recently worked together on Amazon’s Coming 2 America, a follow-up to Murphy’s popular ‘80s comedy. In the last few years, Murphy’s taken on small film roles, recently starring in the biopic Dolemite Is My Name and the drama feature Mr. Church. The legendary comedian has another upcoming project that is a reprisal of another one of his early roles—the forthcoming production of Beverly Hills Cop 4.
Hill and Barris co-wrote the script for the untitled Netflix project and are both producing it through their respective production companies. Hill made his directorial debut in 2019 with A24's Mid90s and his other upcoming projects include Adam McKay’s star-studded black comedy film Don’t Look Up, which is set to premiere in December.
The untitled film will be Barris’ first time in the director’s chair for a feature film, but he is known for his writing on Black-ish and its subsequent spin-off series grown-ish and Mixed-ish. He is also know for creating the Tyra Banks-hosted America’s Next Top Model with Ken Mok. Barris and Hill will executive produce the film with Mychelle Deschamp, Hale Rothstein, Matt Dines, Ali Goodwin, Andy Berman, David Hyman and Charisse Hewitt Webster.
Netflix picks up popular (and canceled) NBC series 'Manifest' for fourth and final season!
We haven't heard the last of the passengers of Flight 828.
Netflix announced the popular TV series "Manifest" will return for its fourth and final season. The news came Saturday (8/28) in a nod at the show's plot which centers around the mysterious Montego Air Flight 828.
The drama follows a group of passengers who land on what seems like a routine flight from Jamaica back to the states. However, once the wheels touch the tarmac the travelers deplane into a world that has aged five years since when they first boarded.
Netflix announced "Manifest" will air a fourth and final season on the streaming platfrorm.
Netflix announced "Manifest" will air a fourth and final season on the streaming platfrorm.
"Manifest" was canceled by NBC in May despite remaining a consistent top-10 show on Netflix, which streams reruns (and performing well in USA TODAY's "Save our Shows" poll).
"Never in my wildest dreams could I have envisioned the worldwide outpouring of love and support for this story, its characters, and the team who work so hard to bring it all to life," executive producer Jeff Rake said in a statement. "That we will be able to reward the fans with the ending they deserve moves me to no end."
Season 4 will be the first original season of "Manifest" that will exclusively be on Netflix. The streaming platform has similarly rescued shows like "You," which originally aired on Lifetime and "Lucifer," which first aired on Fox (the final season on Netflix arrives in September.)
USA TODAY's TV critic Kelly Lawler wrote that the series is a copycat of the hit 2004 series "Lost" but has qualities that give the show staying power.
"The series' biggest strength is its simplicity. Just because it's a genre show doesn't mean it has to be overly complicated," Lawler writes. "The supernatural riddle of what happened to the plane is driving a season-long arc, but each episode also has a 'mystery of the week' that's much more down to Earth."
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘NOTHING TO SEE HERE SIR, CARRY ON.’
This cute dino says Hi!
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Jay
Meet Jay! You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
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HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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