Exploring Horror and the “Pleasure” of Fear
With the critical and box office success of Get Out, A Quiet Place, and Hereditary, as well as the ongoing success of shows such as The Walking Dead and its offshoots, horror has been making its way from the shadows into the mainstream gaze. The Purge franchise — known for its brutal films and...
Rihanna Says, “Nope” to the Superbowl, Cuz Kaepernick and More
Deadline reports that Rihanna took time from her Fenty firebrand and from producing new music to give the NFL a big, "NOPE!" on headlining the Superbowl. Reports are that Rih-Rih is staying away from the gig because of her support for Colin Kaepernick. But, her action dredges up an even deeper issue — how...
Chaka Khan Honored As 2019 Rose Parade Grand Marshal
Let me tell you something good! Wednesday morning on the front lawn of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses House, icon, Goddess, the Queen of Funk herself, Chaka Khan was named the 2019 Rose Parade Grand Marshal. This is a huge moment for Pasadena and a huge moment for the Tournament of Roses. Chaka Khan...
After the Laquan McDonald Verdict: What Must Change for Justice to Finally Be Done?
Two Weeks ago, the Laquan McDonald shooting case played out over the airwaves. Everyone wondered if an officer would finally be convicted of murder. Would that end the now-rote "defense of my life" excuse that exonerated officers every other time they committed murder? Would it do anything to curb the deaths of unarmed black...
BGN Interview: Russell Hornsby Calls ‘The Hate U Give’ an Ode to Black Dads
Russell Hornsby is best known by the blerd community as Hank, from the 2011 NBC show Grimm. Others may recognize him from his powerful performance as Isaiah, the grieving father in the Netflix show Seven Seconds (2018). His current role in The Hate U Give, however, as Maverick (Mav) the patriarch of the Carter...
Cartoon Network Partners to Host First Black Women Animate Boot Camp
Black Women Animate (BWA) and Cartoon Network have partnered together to form a new initiative called Boot Camp Training Day on Saturday, Oct. 20 at Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, California.
The event will kick off with a conversation featuring the team behind Cartoon Network’s hit series Craig of the Creek. The groundbreaking show has connected with...
BGN Interview: Karen Toering, Director of the Gary International Black Film Festival
Eight years ago, I received an email from Karen Toering, a fellow, Gary, IN native, currently living in Seattle, WA. She is a consulting producer for the Langston Hughes African American Film Festival in Seattle. However, her email expressed an opportunity to create a film festival in our hometown, with help from some of...
BGN TV: ‘Black Lightning’ Season 2 Brings the Thunder and Lightning
BGN recently had the pleasure of visiting the set of Black Lightning as season two was being taped. We were given the opportunity to speak with the cast, crew, and showrunner about all that is in store for this forthcoming season. From the very beginning, it was evident that the showrunner and executive producer,...
BGN Interview: George Tillman Jr. on ‘The Hate U Give’ and Telling Angie Thomas’s Story
BGN met with George Tillman Jr. after experiencing his masterpiece The Hate You Give the previous night. There, in the elegant Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, we sat out in the audience as Angie Thomas's words sprang to life onscreen thanks to Tillman's direction. We sat down to discuss the film's intensity and the themes...
BGN Baltimore Comic-Con 2018: Checking Back into Charm City
The week previous to the 2018 Baltimore Comic-Con saw the comic book nerd world all abuzz with the uncowling of Batman’s genitalia in Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo’s Batman Damned. The first issue released on DC’s Black Label has us visiting another universe where the Joker is dead. Of course, there is no injustice...
