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Acclaimed filmmaker Ryan Coogler, best known for writing and directing such smash hits as “ Black Panther ,” “Creed” and “Fruitvale Station,” has been making waves recently with his new movie “Sinners.” For those who don’t know, “Sinners” has already garnered over $70 million at the box office , despite having just released on Apr. 18. The film also had a very modest marketing push and very little studio support, making its success even more impressive. While “Sinners” has been drawing plenty of eyes from the general public, the behind-the-scenes story of Coogler’s Warner Bros deal has also enraptured creators, filmmakers and Hollywood film buffs alike. In fact, financial analysts have predicted that the “Sinners” deal could be worth millions for generations to come, while some studio insiders have expressed concern that the deal will destabilize the future of the industry if other filmmakers attempt to replicate it. In order to understand exactly what terms are established by Ryan...
Jamie Foxx is not here for the anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) narratives circulating in Hollywood . Foxx — born Eric Marlon Bishop — is the producer of Apple TV+’s “Number One On the Call Sheet,” a documentary that explores Black achievement in the film industry and the challenges Black women face in finding success. At the Los Angeles, CA, premiere on March 13, 2025, the Academy Award-winning actor emphasized the film’s importance, stating that it is more relevant now than ever. “Look what’s going on out there. They trying to erase everything we do… They talking about the DEI , affirmative action, we don’t need Black history . Why you picking on our history?” Foxx told Extra. “So, we just do more history. The more you erase, the more we replace. So, that’s all it is. We ain’t gonna be shy about it. Leave us alone. Let us enjoy. Let us all be American.” Since 2024, several high-profile companies have scaled back or eliminated their DEI programs , citing pressure from...
Ava DuVernay , Janelle Monáe, Chris Rock, and Cynthia Erivo are among over 400 Hollywood filmmakers, writers, actors, and musicians who signed an open letter urging President Trump’s administration not to roll back copyright protections at the request of AI companies. The creatives penned the letter in response to recent submissions to the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), during which Google and OpenAI asserted that U.S. copyright law should permit AI companies to train their systems on copyrighted works without needing permission or compensation from the rights holders, according to Variety. “We firmly believe that America’s global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries,” the letter states. “America’s arts and entertainment industry supports over 2.3 million American jobs with over $229 billion in wages annually while providing the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad. But AI companies are asking...
Issa Rae is applauding those who are upholding DEI efforts. During SXSW 2025 in Austin, TX, the actress, producer, and newest part-owner of San Diego FC participated in a keynote conversation where she shared her thoughts on the evolving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) landscape, according to The Hollywood Reporter. A racial awakening occurred in 2020 following the death of George Floyd due to police brutality. This led to an influx of support and a record-breaking $4.3 billion in venture capital and corporate investments towards Black-owned businesses, per ABC News, as well as a 55% increase in DEI roles created, notes NBC News. As time has gone on, many of these bold commitments around DEI have faded out. This has only worsened due to pressures from conservative groups challenging such efforts in litigation, with some success. Legal wins for the right have included the dismantling of Fearless Fund’s Strivers Grant program, which awarded Black woman-owned businesses, and the...
Shonda Rhimes is stepping down from her position on the Kennedy Center board. Deadline reports that the award-winning producer had served as treasurer of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which exposes art to 2 million annual visitors and is guided by a mission to promote a “culture of inclusiveness,” according to its website. The center has served 1.4 million students and offers education and outreach programs throughout the United States and in 29 countries. Now, the center’s leadership, which contributed to its direction and impact, will shift in response to Trump becoming more involved. He previously shared on Friday, Feb. 7, 2024, his intentions to become its chairman and stated that he would remove board members as part of his plan to pursue “a golden age in arts and culture,” the Los Angeles Times reports. This resulted in 18 board members being removed from the roster on the center’s website by Feb. 10, including chairman, David Rubenstein. Most of the...
Actor Djimon Hounsou believes he has not been given his just dues. The actor, who has remained in the industry for at least 30 years, pursued a career in acting in the U.S. after moving from Cotonou, Benin, at 23 years old, MarketWatch reports . Prior to his time in the U.S., he had experienced financial troubles, which led to homelessness for an 18-month period, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. However, his fate would take a turn in 1992 when he appeared in the film “Unlawful Entry.” In 1997, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama for his performance in Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad,” and an even bigger break came three years later with the Oscar-winning film “Gladiator.” However, despite what seems like a solid career, Hounsou feels overlooked and underpaid. “I am still struggling trying to make a living,” Hounsou said, according to Variety. “After 30 years…Maybe the first 10 years was trying to acclimate myself to the industry, to establish myself. But I’ve...
Taraji P. Henson feels indebted to fellow actresses Phylicia Rashad And Debbie Allen. The sister duo, Rashad and Allen, are graduates of the illustrious Howard University and have gone on to be revered in the entertainment industry. Rashad most recognized for her role as Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” while Allen’s resume includes acting credits and producing staple shows such as “A Different World,” “Scandal,” and “Empire.” The duo had a large influence on Henson, not only for their influence but also for sewing seeds into her acting dreams. Henson attended Howard University in the 1990s and faced challenges during her junior year while pregnant. “I really ran out of money . I didn’t know how I was going to finish, but I knew I was going to finish,” Henson said during an interview on the show, “Today with Jenna & Friends.” Her saving grace would come from the Dr. Andrew Allen Sr. Memorial Scholarship, established by Rashad and Allen in honor of their father, who also graduated...
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...
Tyler Perry understands the responsibility of leading by example when working with talent, a principle that shapes his unwavering commitment to ensuring actors receive fair and deserving compensation. Perry has received recognition from countless actors who revealed he was the first to ensure they were compensated fairly. This includes Taraji P. Henson. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Henson received her first $500,000 paycheck for a role from Perry. “I was asking for half a million. I didn’t get paid that until I did my first Tyler Perry film. He was the first person that gave — that broke the standard that I was getting paid for films, and he gave me $500,000,” Henson said during an interview on Variety’s segment titled “Actors on Actors.” Actor Cory Hardrict also revealed that Perry paid him generously during his time starring in “Divorce in the Black,” which was directed, written, and produced by Perry. “He paid me the most I’ve ever made in a film for three weeks ever [of...
Inspiration can come from many sources. For Yara Shahidi , the star of “Grown-ish,” one of the many influential figures in her life is her cousin — Grammy-Award-winning rapper and entrepreneur Nas. During a recent appearance on the “Sherri” show, the actress, producer, and Harvard graduate shared Nas’ role in inspiring her to attend the Ivy League institution , according to Because Of Them We Can (BOTWC). “There’s so many artists in your family. I did not know that Nas is your cousin. And that Nas, the great, inspired you to go to Harvard ,” host Sherri Shepherd told Shahidi. The actress replied, “Yes! I think the one thing people know about him just through, even his music, is just how smart he is. And he has such a deep passion for our culture and for education. And so, the first time I got to step foot on Harvard’s campus was when he was announcing a fellowship for graduate students that were studying hip-hop.” Harvard launched the Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship in 2013. Designed...
24-year-old actress Yara Shahidi felt protected when she entered the entertainment industry. At just 6 weeks old, she landed a photo shoot gig for a life insurance company, and by 6 years old, she had her first movie audition. In an interview with SoFi, led by Vivian Tu of Your Rich BFF, the actress reflected on her experience, noting that she was able to enjoy acting as a craft rather than as a means to support her family — a privilege she acknowledges isn’t always afforded to child stars. “My parents were able to set it up so that we had either family members or people that were helping us that were on set with another brother that were looking after me where they were able to dip out and do things for themselves,” she told SoFi. “So it was under that environment where I was able to have a fulfilling career at a young age and even be in my 20s, and say I’m happy I started that young. But it was so particular to being under those set of circumstances, which allowed me to enjoy...
Keke Palmer has no regrets about being the breadwinner for her family. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Palmer earned her first $1 million at just 12 years old as a child actress . At that time, her parents, Sharon and Larry, also hired a business manager to help oversee her finances. “They wanted me to know that they weren’t the ones controlling my money. They had heard these stories, and my mom said ‘I don’t want money to come in between me and my child,'” Palmer said on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast. Her parents would remain her backbone as she found her footing in Hollywood. Her early acting footprint included roles in “Barbershop 2: Back in Business”, “Akeelah and the Bee,” and “Jump In!” In 2008, she landed her own show on Nickelodeon with “True Jackson, VP” and her “life was changed after that,” she told People. “I was happy my family, we came to California for me to pursue my dreams I got my own show, right. H oney, my parents at their best made $40,000 a year growing...
Rumors surrounding Cynthia Erivo’s and Ariana Grande’s compensation have been addressed. T he two actresses star in “ Wicked ,” directed by Jon M. Chu. The film impressed with a stellar opening weekend, earning $162.5 million globally, according to Deadline. Based on the Broadway adaptation, it was produced on a budget ranging from $145 million to $150 million, per Screen Rant. Grande plays Glinda the Good Witch while Erivo plays Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West. Speaking on their roles, Grande commented to Blavity’s Shadow and Act, “I think it’s such an incredible honor and privilege to be trusted with the responsibility of playing Glinda, a role that I’ve loved since I was 10. And it does in a way, feel like a reintroduction. I feel like for both of us [Cynthia and I], this baby of ours has been a secret for such a long time. And I know it’s coming fast, and it’s loud, and it’s everywhere, but it’s been such an intimate part of our lives for the past three and a half years...
Katt Williams has purchased land to open a movie studio. During an interview with GQ, the comedian revealed he has acquired a former military base located in Alabama. It has been confirmed by Williams’ publicist, Amy Sisoyev. “I can’t disclose the amount or exact location just yet, but I can confirm that he has purchased a former military base in Alabama,” Sisoyev said via email to AL.com. Williams shared that he aims to follow in the footsteps of other celebrities, such as Tyler Perry. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Perry, a self-made billionaire, opened the world’s largest Black-owned studio. The studio, which Perry self-funded, reached a valuation of $280 million in 2023. Speaking of wanting to be next in line, Williams commented to GQ : “It’s just not fair to put all that pressure on Tyler Perry. He can only do so much.” At the time of this writing, it is unclear when the movie studio will break ground. Williams is part of a growing number of Black figures seeking to disrupt...
Tierra Whack wants to normalize conversations around financial literacy. The rapper, originally known as Dizzle Dizz, has teamed up with Venmo for its financial education series, “Money Talks.” The series features a range of artists and entrepreneurs, some of whom are Whack’s peers. Kicking off its second season, Whack sat down with North Philadelphia designer and seamstress Adriana Williams, who works a 9-to-5 while scaling her lifestyle brand. “We realized, we have so much in common and we had the same struggles,” Whack, a North Philly native, told AFROTECH™. “I really was like enlightened when I was talking to my friends, when we were filming. I’m like, ‘Yo, this is crazy.’ These are friends I talk to almost like at least twice, three times a week. And then we sat in front of the camera and I’m like, ‘Yo, I never knew you were going through this. I didn’t know.’ I don’t know what it is about us, but that’s just kind of like the unspoken thing. Venmo helped us break the ice. I...