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Kevin Hart is giving credit to film producer Will Packer for his position in business and his career. Where It All Started The comedian turned actor first met Packer in 2007 at the Los Angeles airport, according to the Chicago Sun Times. Hart remained on Packer’s radar, and he eventually called the actor to work on their first movie together, “Think Like A Man.” At the time, Hart was booking mostly cameos which included “Scary Movie 3” (2003), “Soul Plane” (2004), and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005). Learning Packer Was “The Real Deal” While On Set When it came to landing more screen time, Hart had become accustomed to empty promises. Landing the gig and working with Packer was all the proof Hart needed to ensure the Will Packer Productions founder was “the real deal.” “When I first met Packer and ‘Think Like A Man’ was [brought] up, he came to me first and said, ‘Listen man, I’m going to make this movie happen, but I’m not going to go forward and pursue, if I don’t know that I have...
For most college students, school’s been back in session for a few weeks and the fall semester is well underway. While some are just starting out and others are wrapping up their academic career, this is still a period that marks endless possibilities as students everywhere are laying the foundations for their career paths. Although it’s always easy to look to people with a decade or more of experience in their field for inspiration, it’s equally impressive to see how recent graduates are faring — especially those who’ve spent nearly their entire lives in the spotlight. In particular, Malia Obama is a Harvard University graduate who’s made a name for herself so that she stands separate from her famous parents, Barack and Michelle Obama. Malia is the couple’s oldest daughter and is making a name for herself as a film director. But how did she get here, and what was her academic journey like? Malia Obama: A Look Back On Her Journey Photo Credit: Ralf-Finn Hestoft/Corbis Malia Obama...
Well-known for her career in entertainment, Malinda Williams is now dedicating time to uplifting women in technology. The Pivot Many may recognize Malinda Williams for her work as an actress, which includes credits in shows such as “The Cosby Show,” “Sister, Sister,” “Moesha,” and films like “Soul Food” and “The Wood.” She had been booking gigs for more than 30 years, yet she encountered a period of stagnation during which work became scarce. Money management had always been easy for her, which was helpful when it was time to stretch her earnings, Williams shared in an interview with AFROTECH™ . Eventually, she had to move to New Jersey and ventured into a “difficult” period, which also reignited a new area of interest. “I set out on a continuation of my spirit spiritual journey, but I also went to the bookstore, and that’s where I find a lot of my spiritual material, and a book called ‘HTML For Dummies’ fell off the shelves,” she told AFROTECH™. “I had tinkered around a little bit...
Idris Elba has several business moves in the works to advance Africa. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the English actor has roots that trace back to Sierra Leone, his father’s native country. Elba was also granted citizenship there after he made a visit in 2019, BBC reports. At the time, he said the moment was “ the biggest honour I could get from my country.” “I’m no stranger to Africa: I’ve been in Africa, I’ve made films in Africa, I’ve championed Africa,” Elba explained to BBC. “But Sierra Leone, it’s a very different feeling because it’s my parent’s home. The welcome has been incredible, and I’ve plugged straight into that energy that I think Sierra Leone is rising with. The son of the soil is coming back to fertilise the soil.” Elba also announced plans to invest in the area and surrounding lands with his eyes set on its tourism and entertainment. “America or England cannot house my ambition. Africa can house my ambition, I can create another Disney here [and] I can’t do...
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...
The date Oct. 1, 2023, holds weight for the Beyhive for two reasons. One, it’s the day that Beyoncé closed out the “Renaissance World Tour” in Kansas City, MO, and two, that same night she shared a teaser for “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.” Released on Dec. 1, fans lined up to watch the documentary concert film at AMC Theatres. And while the impact was already felt within that limited time of its showing, a new report shares the true magnitude of it all. According to The Hollywood Reporter, AMC Theatres announced that its fourth-quarter revenue for 2023 was $1.10 billion with a net loss of $182 million. In 2022, it had revenue of $990.9 million and a net loss of $287.7 million. The outlet details that AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron said “literally all” of the company’s increase in revenue was due to Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s concert films. “What is particularly noteworthy is how much AMC benefited from our trailblazing industry leading efforts with our highly successful distribution...
There’s no doubt that “Girls Trip” was a box office hit during the summer of 2017. Starring Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, and Tiffany Haddish, it became the first film with “an all-black creative team in front of and behind the camera to earn $100 million at the box office,” per The New York Times. What’s more, Tracy Oliver became the first African-American writer to cross off that milestone.
For nearly three decades, Djimon Hounsou has made a name for himself in Hollywood with an established acting portfolio. Hailing from Benin, the two-time Academy Award nominee first starred in Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad” in 1997, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama. Following his breakout role, Hounsou went on to act in “Blood Diamond,” “Gladiator,” “Shazam!,” and more. The 58-year-old star has worked with some of the best in the business. However, he still feels he hasn’t received his proper due.
