TV One Announces New Original Holiday Film COINS FOR CHRISTMAS Starring Essence Atkins

TV One announced today that production is underway in Atlanta, GA on a new original holiday film, Coins For Christmas. Starring Essence Atkins ("Marlon," "Are We There Yet?"), Coins For Christmas tells the story of single mother, Madison Morris, who is struggling to make ends meet - just two weeks before Christmas. A chance encounter leads her on a new path. Atkins stars opposite Stephen Bishop ("Imposters," "Being Mary Jane"), who plays Alec Darby, a former pro athlete who is also not doing well financially. The film is slated to premiere on TV One in December.

Single mom Madison finds herself scraping pennies together two weeks before Christmas after the IRS freezes her bank account, her ex fails to come through with any help and her boss fires her. Desperate to pay bills and buy gifts for her teenage children, Madison jumps into the ever-popular "gig economy." That's when she meets and eventually gets hired by obnoxious, sidelined former pro football player Alec Darby, also secretly on the verge of going broke. This odd couple butts heads time and time again, but they eventually forge a friendship. And, to their surprise, they learn a lot about themselves and teach one another how to be better people.

Coins For Christmas cast announced today:

· Essence Atkins as Madison Morris

· Stephen Bishop as Alec Darby

· TC Carson as Hank

· Kelly Price as herself

· Karlie Redd

· James "Lil JJ" Lewis as Rex

· Rodney Perry as Mr. Cannon, and

· Karon Joseph Riley as Jake

Coins For Christmas is written by Rhonda F. Baraka and directed by Jamal Hill, with casting by Leah Daniels-Butler, CSA and George Pierre. The film was produced by Swirl Films, with Eric F. Tomosunas serving as Executive Producer. James Seppelfrick, Ron Robinson, Keith Neal, Darien Baldwin serve as producers. For TV One, Karen Peterkin is the executive producer in charge of production; Donyell McCullough is Sr. Director of Talent & Casting; and Robyn Greene Arringtois Interim Head of Original Programming and Production.

For more information about TV One's upcoming programming, including original movies, visit the network's companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using #COINSFORCHRISTMAS and #REPRESENT.

ABOUT SWIRL FILMS

Swirl Films is America's "number one urban film production company," a full-service film & television production company with over 60 original productions in the past six years, focusing on urban content and programming, independent features and multi-camera productions. Swirl Films is a major content provider for TV One including the original productions: Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story (2016), which was TV One's first ever biopic, starring LisaRaye McCoy, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Darius McCrary, Indirah Khan and Teyonah Parris as Howard. According to the network, the film broke record ratings, undeniably becoming the top original film in the network's history drawing in 2 million views, resulting in the networks highest ratings week ever. Quickly surpassing those numbers is TV One's #1 original premiere of all time, When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story (2017), starring Lance Gross, Niatia Kirkland and Tami Roman, directed by actress Tasha Smith. Swirl Films previous production credits for TV One include Born Again Virgin, starring Danielle Nicolet, Meagan Holder and Eva Marcille; Here We Go Again, starring LeToya Luckett, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Kyndall Ferguson; Russ Parr's award-winning film, The Undershepherd, HEAR NO EVIL and 35 & Ticking (Kevin Hart).

ABOUT TV ONE

Launched in January 2004, TV One serves 59 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers. The network represents the best in black culture and entertainment with fan favorite shows Unsung, Rickey Smiley For Real, Fatal Attraction, THE MANNS and The NAACP Image Awards. In addition, TV One is the cable home of blockbuster drama Empire, and NewsOne Now, the only live daily news program dedicated to black viewers. In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is solely owned by Urban One, Inc., formerly known as Radio One, Inc. [NASDAQ: UONE and UONEK, www.urban1.com], the largest African-American owned multi-media company primarily targeting Black and urban audiences.

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