Forest Whitaker News

Emma Roberts announces today's AFI Movie Club selection: ARRIVAL. 

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that James Lipton, executive producer, writer, and host of the Bravo cable television series Inside the Actors Studio, has died at age 93.

The Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, the arts center of the Archdiocese of New York, has announced highlights of its 2020 Spring season, a rich mix of theater, film, music, author's nights, gallery exhibitions, and talk events featuring artists and thought leaders including Pulitzer Prize-winning Wall Street Journal columnist and author Peggy Noonan; New York Times columnist and bestselling author David Brooks, and Director of The Philanthropy Roundtable's Character Initiative and author Anne Snyder; Director of the Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ; a rousing evening of gospel music from Vy Higginsen's Sing Harlem choir; celebrated composer and big bandleader Darcy James Argue plus the New England Conservatory Alumni Big Band; Tony Award nominee Melissa Errico and multi-award winning New Yorker staff writer Adam Gopnik; singer, songwriter, and acclaimed clawhammer banjo player Abigail Washburn and genre-bending composer, guzheng virtuoso and vocalist from Beijing Wu Fei; and events tackling thought-provoking topical themes including justice in underserved communities, the protection of immigrants to America, and the inspiration of Sr. Thea Bowman and other Servants of God.

Premium cable network EPIX® announced today that Godfather of Harlem, its Forest Whitaker led, critically-acclaimed drama from ABC Signature Studios, which is a part of Disney Television Studios, will return for season two.  The 10-episode sophomore season, created by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein (Narcos) will commence production in New York later this year.

Joan Ryan, winner of BroadwayWorld's Top Artist Award and star of the hit cult musical RUTHLESS!, will debut a brand-new solo ONE NIGHT ONLY! on Saturday, March 7 at 9:30PM at The Green Room 42 (570 10th Avenue). Her recent return to NYC has included appearances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center followed by a sold-out concert in 2019 at Birdland.

Today, RTG Features and 1091 Media in partnership with SLAM, releases the official trailer and key art for the upcoming debut of A Kid From Coney Island - a soulful documentary based on the life of former NBA player, Stephon Marbury. The documentary is helmed by Executive Producers Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman. Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi, the producers of 2013's box office smash Fruitvale Station, are attached as producers as well as Jason Samuels. A Kid From Coney Island was directed by Chike Ozah and Coodie Simmons, responsible for creative visuals for artists such as Kayne West, Christina Aguuilera, Erykah Badu, Pitbull and more.

As the days get longer and Spring hits Seattle in the first quarter of 2020, The Opera Center bustles with free and low-cost activities for all ages. The mainstage operas attract big crowds Eugene Onegin (1/11 a?' 1/25) and Charlie Parker's Yardbird (2/22 a?' 3/7) at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. But, adjacent to McCaw Hall, is Seattle's newest education, artistic and civic space known as The Opera Center. This state-of-the-art facility opened to the public on December 15, 2018 and is accessible to everyone.

Veteran producer Effie T. Brown (Dear White People, Project Greenlight, Real Women Have Curves) has been named the new CEO of Gamechanger, which launched in 2013 as the first film financing fund by and for women. Brown is broadening the fund's scope to include projects by and about people of color, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities. Gamechanger is also expanding into television and digital content with a new, fully monetized development fund that will enable it to buy, option and develop IP for television, streaming and digital platforms.

Joan Ryan, winner of BroadwayWorld's Top Artist Award and star of the hit cult musical Ruthless!, will debut her brand new one-woman-show after performing last year in sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. The one-night-only event will take place on Saturday March 7 at 9:30PM at The Green Room 42.

See and hear Jennifer Hudson for the first time as Aretha Franklin in the first teaser for the upcoming bipoic, Respect!

When a museum celebrating the Ku Klux Klan opens in a small South Carolina town, the idealistic Reverend Kennedy (Academy Award®-winner Forest Whitaker) resolves to do everything in his power to prevent long-simmering racial tensions from boiling over. But the members of Kennedy's congregation are shocked to discover that his plan includes sheltering Mike Burden (Garrett Hedlund), a Klansman whose relationships with both a single-mother (Andrea Riseborough) and a high-school friend (Usher Raymond) force him to re-examine his long-held beliefs. After Kennedy helps Mike leave behind his violent past, the Baptist preacher finds himself on a collision course with manipulative KKK leader Tom Griffin (Tom Wilkinson).

Kimberly Scott has joined Liesl Tommy's Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect,” playing “Mama Franklin” opposite Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker.

The holiday season can be expensive! According to a Gallup study, American adults are projected to spend approximately $920 on gifts per person. In the midst of gift giving season, IMDb TV offers FREE entertainment with thousands of premium movies and TV shows available anytime at no cost and with half the ads of cable TV! Here are some ways viewers can enjoy free entertainment in December:

Roy Firestone Brings His ONE MAN SHOW To Jewish Family Services Of The Desert For One Very Special Performance, Sunday, November 17 at 3:00 pm at the UC Riverside Palm Desert Campus. Critically acclaimed as a performer, monologist, humorist, musician and impressionist, Roy Firestone, the seven-time Emmy® Award and seven-time Cable ACE Award winner, has performed in more than 2,000 venues spanning over two decades. He has shared the stage with performers  Josh Groban, Reba McEntire, David Foster, Forest Whitaker, and Bon Jovi. As an actor, Firestone was featured in the Academy Award-winning film Jerry Maguire, where he played himself in an unforgettable and often repeated scene with Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. I had the opportunity to catch up with Mr. Firestone as he was preparing for his desert performance. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation:

AMERICAN BUFFALO today announced a special pre-sale for fans of Darren Criss. Tickets will be available beginning Friday, November 15, 2019 at 10am EST and run through Sunday, November 17, 2019 at 5pm EST. To sign up for access to the pre-sale, please visit http://darrencriss.me/BuffaloBway or text a?oeBUFFALOa?? to 415.675.8068.

MGM and Bron Studios have announced the final casting for the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, starring Jennifer Hudson, according to Deadline.

DESUS & MERO will return from its summer hiatus with all-new episodes airing every Monday and Thursday at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, starting on Monday, October 14. DESUS & MERO features the duo chatting with guests at the intersection of pop culture, sports, music, politics and more, as well as giving their take on the day's hot topics in their signature style in front of a small live studio audience from New York City. Upcoming guests include DaBaby (on October 14), Taraji P. Henson, Forest Whitaker and Ta-Nehisi Coates.

With college theatre program auditions just around the corner, we're highlighting some of the most prestigious theatre programs from all across the country. Today we're chatting with faculty from the University of Southern California's School of Dramatic Arts about how their program is adaptable to changing trends and how it pairs professional training with a traditional college experience. Check out info on the school and answers about their program!

Carole King appeared at yesterday's Global Citizen Festival, where she performed 'Beautiful' for the audience.

Ben Platt appeared at today's Global Citizen Festival, where he performed his single 'Bad Habit' for the audience.