TV/Film | Chicago Defender

Mo’Nique to Tape her First Netflix Original Special

Site Editor - July 20, 2022

Netflix announced that Grammy-nominated, Oscar, and Golden Globe award-winning actor and comedian Mo’Nique will film her first Netflix original stand-up comedy special this year...

How an Infamous ‘Boyz N the Hood’ Cameo Led to Real-Life Murder

LEVEL - June 30, 2022

Photo Credit: Photo illustration: Save As; Source: Everette Collection By: Thomas Golianopoulos, LevelMan Contributor After pulling the trigger in Hollywood’s most ominous drive-by, Lloyd Avery II...

Activism in Film with “Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America”

Danielle Sanders - June 14, 2022

“Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America” is a poignant and provocative documentary feature film that confronts the history of slavery and...

Comedian T. Murph: Fatherhood Over Everything

LaShawn Williams, Contributing Writer - June 13, 2022

T. Murph, who cut his teeth on Chicago’s comedy stages, is making noise in the world of television; with appearances on shows like “Chicago...

Taraji P. Henson Returns To Host BET Awards on June 26

Site Editor - June 6, 2022

Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe®-winning actor, writer, director, producer, and philanthropist Taraji P. Henson will return to host the “BET AWARDS” LIVE from the...

The Chicago Defender Talks to “P-Valley” Creator and Cast about Season 2

Danielle Sanders - June 3, 2022

Based on the play, creator, showrunner, and executive producer, Katori Hall, season two picks up in the middle of a pandemic in Chucalissa deep...

Regina Taylor on Playing Michelle Obama’s Mother in “The First Lady”

Danielle Sanders - May 19, 2022

Regina Taylor, a two-time NAACP Image Award-winning actress, playwright, and activist, plays the role of Marian Shields Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother in the Showtime...

Story of Black Rail Workers Inspired by Historical Events told in New Drama “The Porter”

Danielle Sanders - May 14, 2022

Set in the early 1920s, “The Porter” follows the journeys of train porters who hustle, dream, cross borders, and pursue their ambitions in the...

The “Birth of Gospel” Highlights Chicago’s Rich History in Gospel Music

Danielle Sanders - May 4, 2022

Photo: A choir performs in Chicago in 1941. Credit: Russell Lee, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division As part of the new season of...

Netflix’s ‘CIVIL’ to Open American Black Film Festival

Site Editor - April 28, 2022

The 2022 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) announced its lineup of narrative and documentary features and web series. This year’s festival format returns as...