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Dwayne Johnson now holds a greater stake in WWE, the place where his journey began. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the wrestler-turned- actor -turned- businessman has taken on a new role with TKO Group Holdings Inc., the parent company of WWE and UFC. Johnson joined its board of directors in January 2024 and, as a result, also secured full ownership of “The Rock” trademark. “My grandfather, ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come,” Johnson said at the time, according to Variety. “Which is why I’m very humbled to have a seat at the table that has decades of history and family legacy for me. A table that my family helped to build. …Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and taking full ownership of my name, ‘The Rock’, is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring as my crazy life is coming full circle.” He continued, “I’m very motivated to help continue to globally expand our TKO, WWE, and UFC businesses as the...
Tobe Nwigwe’s investments in himself and his savvy networking have paid off immensely. At Art Basel Miami, the artist and fashion designer took part in a panel discussion, reflecting on his journey so far, moderated by “Earn Your Leisure” podcast hosts Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings. He shared a memorable story about invest ing in his own artistry by funding a feature with Pharrell Williams , who was already a fan of his work. “Pharrell charged a lot of money for his beats. It costs a lot of money. So when he hit me up and was like, ‘Yo, I love what you’re doing.’ I was like, ‘Man, appreciate it.’ He was like ‘Man, the industry been waiting on somebody like you.’ I was like ‘ Man thank you, man.’ He was like , ‘It’d be honor if you could come up to Miami ‘ and we met Pharrell,” Nwigwe said on the panel. Photo Credit: Earn Your Leisure Their collaboration resulted, and as part of the agreement, Nwigwe received an invoice for the feature — a testament to the professional exchange that...
Black actors and actresses’ public display of gratitude for Tyler Perry’s support is ongoing. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Meagan Good shared on NBC’s “Today With Hoda & Jenna” that Perry was the first person to properly compensate her throughout her three-decade career. While Good was anxious to share with Perry what she desired to earn for her leading role in his “Divorce in the Black,” she says that the media mogul was already set on that offer. “He [Perry] was like ‘You deserve this’ ’cause I was already thinking in my head like, what I was going to ask, and I was like, ‘Oh, is this too much?’” Good recounted. She continued, “I was like, ‘I don’t want to lose the job.’ ‘Cause I come from that generation when you’re working in the ’90s and 2000s when women ask for something you are perceived to be a certain kind of way or when you show up a certain way. When you’re assertive, you’re perceived to be a certain kind of way… But that’s what I love about Tyler, ’cause he was...
Morgan Freeman is a beloved actor , producer, and public figure who has been an instantly-recognizable figure in the entertainment industry for over five decades. The velvet-voiced thespian has given such landmark performances in his day that he’s often associated with god himself, simply because he portrayed the larger-than-life role in the 2003 movie “Bruce Almighty.” According to Celebrity Net Worth , Morgan Freeman has amassed an enormous fortune of more than $250 million. While this nest egg is impressive by any measure, it’s especially incredible as Freeman comes from very humble beginnings, and has lost multi-million dollar figures in disputes such as his 2010 divorce. Any way you slice it, Morgan Freeman’s net worth paints a compelling picture of his longevity, creativity, and resilience, and solidifies his position as an inspiration to us all. Now that the long-standing GOAT of voiceover narration has just celebrated his 87th birthday, this seems like as good a time as any...
By now, just about every television and film fan is well aware of the genre-defining legacy of Shonda Rhimes. The prolific showrunner has created and served at the helm of multiple hit series’, including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” “Scandal,” and several others, and executive produced hit Netflix outings such as “Bridgerton,” “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” and “Inventing Anna.” Through these efforts, Shonda Rhimes has received universal acclaim, a Golden Globe , and a net worth of over $240 million, per Celebrity Net Worth . Shonda Rhimes’ generational wealth is truly a success story we can all admire, and her net worth tells a tale of her hard work and resilience. Beyond her financial successes in entertainment, Rhimes also maintains a diverse portfolio of real estate investments and other lucrative holdings. So, let’s take a moment to examine the life and work of the Emmy special honoree, and dissect the multiple streams of income she has utilized to create such...
In 2015, film and television producers Lee Daniels and Danny Strong debuted the critically acclaimed television series, “Empire,” starring actors Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard. As characters, they portrayed a complicated couple attempting to navigate the duality of family and business. Each week, viewers were engrossed in the drama of this fictitious musical dynasty, but behind the scenes everything wasn’t as glamorous as it seemed. Howard has been in a legal battle over his salary from the show since December 2023. According to a previous post from AFROTECH™, the “Hustle & Flow” actor claims he received up to 50% less than what his white counterparts would have made in a starring role similar to “Empire’s” music mogul character Luscious Lyon. Terrence Howard’s Complaints Based on the lawsuit documents filed against the Creative Artist Agency (CAA), the complaint alleges that Howard was unaware of the fees and conflict of interest the agency would impose. Additionally, after...
Chris Tucker has revealed his compensation for one of his most notable roles. In 1995, the comedian-turned- actor starred in “Friday,” which was directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh, according to IMBd. Tucker played the character Smokey and landed the role due to his humorous performances while touring with “Def Comedy Jam” in the ’90s. “One day we were sitting around watching Def Comedy Jam, and we saw Chris [Tucker] perform, and me and Cube couldn’t stop laughing,” DJ Pooh told Complex. “We thought, ‘This dude would be able to play the hell out of Smokey. Let’s see if we can get him to come in and read for him.’ And that’s what happened, and it was over like that.” Friday would go on to gross $28.2 million worldwide, according to IMBd. The budget to create “Friday” was $2.3 million, Ice Cube revealed on X, formerly known as Twitter. He also added that actors on the film were paid according to the scale of the budget. For Tucker this equated to a $10,000...
When Shonda Rhimes gave us the critically acclaimed “Scandal,” Thursday nights were never the same. The brilliance of the show’s characters kept viewers captivated, all led by Olivia Pope, as portrayed by Kerry Washington. Washington made the world feel like Olivia Pope could do just about anything. She was the proverbial cousin in most people’s heads and the “fixer” many people wish they had in real life. Although Washington’s role in “Scandal” was noteworthy, it wasn’t the first nor would it be the last time she’d make her mark on the culture. Kerry Washington is a New York native with early roots in the acting industry. During her early teen years, she was a part of New York’s TADA! Youth Theater. Her work with the theater would prove beneficial as Washington went on to appear in hit television shows and films including “Ray” and “Little Fires Everywhere.” The 46-year-old actress is also known for her work behind the camera as a producer and director for shows such as the hit HBO...
Queen Latifah is definitely responsible for a lot of “firsts” for Black female rappers. She’s the first Black female rapper to be nominated for an Oscar (for Best Supporting Actress in 2003’s “Bessie”) and the first Black female rapper to be halfway to a coveted EGOT (according to CBS Watch Magazine). Queen Latifah was the first rapper to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (per Billboard, she achieved the honor in 2006). And her third album, “Black Reign,” became the first album by a Black female rapper to receive an RIAA certification, ultimately snagging a gold certification (per Apple TV). In short, the Queen knew how to give it to ’em at a time “they” weren’t sure they even needed it, and she’s more than a little responsible for rap music becoming the culturally dominant force it is today. These days, Queen Latifah is perhaps best known for her acting career thanks to the success of films like “Set It Off” and television shows like “Living Single” and, most recently,...
Though Regina King got her start in Hollywood when she was very young, she’s far from the stereotype of a “child actress.” As Brenda Jenkins on the hit comedy “227,” King won over the hearts of all primetime television watchers. And they watched in amazement as her career continued to grow, thrive, and evolve alongside her. Her acting career ultimately culminated with an Oscar win for her role in “If Beale Street Could Talk.” And, as AfroTech previously reported, she also made history as the first Black woman director to premiere at the Venice Film Festival. “Unfortunately, across the world, that’s how things seem to work. One woman gets a shot and if she does not succeed, it shuts things down for years until someone else gets a shot,” she said, according to The Root. “I am so grateful for our film to be a part of the festival but I really, really want it to perform well. There’s so much talent out there—so many talented directors—so if One Night in Miami gets it done here, you’ll...
It’s fair to say that Denzel Washington changed the game for Black actors. Until his flurry of critically acclaimed roles primarily in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, conventional wisdom in Hollywood held that African Americans were not broadly appealing nor bankable in leading roles. Despite many critically praised performances by older luminaries, such as Sidney Poitier and James Earl Jones, commercially successful films starring African Americans were few and far between. However, Washington began to make history in the ‘90s, with several movies in which he starred (1993’s “The Pelican Brief,” 1995’s “Crimson Tide,” and 1998’s “The Siege” among them), grossing over $100 million worldwide. Along with rapper-turned-actor Will Smith, Denzel Washington paved the way for Hollywood production companies to cast Black actors in big-budget films. His string of commercially successful films has lasted well into the 2000s, with recent films such as “2 Guns,” “Flight,” “The Equalizer,” and...
Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most recognizable actors in the world today. As one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, he reportedly earns a $10 million to $20 million salary for each film he stars in — and even his cameo appearances result in a hefty payday for the box office veteran. Forbes reports that Samuel L. Jackson has “the biggest cumulative total for any actor in history. That’s not even counting some pretty big titles that the site chose not to factor into the figures due to his comparatively small roles. Throw in those four titles alone, and those totals shoot up by $2.787b (like adding an Avatar ) and give Jackson $7.1B domestic and $16.26B worldwide.” It may seem easy to dismiss the actor as nothing more than a meme thanks to his starring role in films like “Pulp Fiction.” But according to Celebrity Net Worth, his acting — however meme-able — has garnered him a $250 million net worth. At the rate things are going, he just may become t he richest actor of all time (in...
Yara Shahidi has the amount of discipline that we all should aspire to have! When it comes to work-life balance, the 21-year-old actress has life totally figured out as she admits to dipping out on Sunday’s Emmys early to attend classes at Harvard University. “I do fly out tonight to make it to class in time,” shared the “Grown-ish” actress in an interview with ET. “The lovely people at The Academy really helped me out because I was like, ‘Guys, I have a hard out to make this flight.” That’s right, Shahidi put in a special request to present earlier in the ceremony in order to make her flight in time. She presented the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series to Brett Goldstein for “Ted Lasso” during the ceremony, which was hosted by Cedric The Entertainer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yara (يارا) Shahidi (@yarashahidi) Not only did she have to adhere to her duty to present during the awards ceremony, but the young actress was happy to be on the...
Music, acting, reality TV, adult toys, and fashion—there are only a few industries that Kandi Burruss hasn’t touched. And she continues to reinvent and open new streams of income. Now, her business acumen will be the focus of a new course at Georgia State University, the institution announced. This fall, Professor Mo Ivory will offer Georgia State Law students a chance to study Burruss’ entrepreneurial moves. Ivory will guide law students through the deals and contracts that have built Burruss’ brand. Students will also role-play contract negotiations and hear from key players in her career, including her mother, attorneys, manager, and more. “I chose Kandi because she has an amazing career, which spans every aspect of the entertainment industry from music, television and live performance to licensing, apparel and more,” Ivory said. “She handles her business and it shows with her success, but all the while she’s completely approachable and willing to share her lessons learned. I...
The year 2020 has been dedicated to celebrating Black excellence and giving our community the spotlight we’ve always deserved. For the first time in its history, the Television Academy announced its most diverse lineup of nominations as Black actors and actresses scored a record high of slots for the 2020 Emmy Awards, according to The Hollywood Reporter . As pointed out by Variety , 35 of 102 nominations went to Black performers and artists this year accounting for 34.3 percent of its total nominees. It seems as though Black Hollywood is finally garnering a much stronger presence from the notoriously white, male-skewed awards ceremony. This is quite a refreshing change to see Black artists get their well-deserved flowers from their peers as the better half of the year has already evolved the conversation around the value of Black lives and stories. “2020 isn’t just about the global health crisis,” said Television Academy chairman and CEO Frank Scherma as reported by Consequence of...