Menace II Society 1993 premiere
Sunday April 25th, Lumiere Music Hall 9036 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
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Tyrin Turner was born on 17 July 1972 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Menace II Society (1993), Meet the Blacks (2016) and Belly (1998). He is married to Amina Garner. They have two children.- Director
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Albert and Allen Hughes began making movies at age 12, but their formal film education began their freshman year of high school when Allen took a TV production class. They soon made a short film entitled How To Be A Burglar and people began to take notice. Their next work, Uncensored videos, was broadcast on cable, introducing them to a wider audience. After high school Albert began taking classes at LACC Film School: two shorts established the twins' reputation as innovative filmmakers and allowed them to direct Menace II Society (1993), which made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and grossed nearly 10 times as much as its $3 million budget. After following up with Dead Presidents (1995) they directed the feature-length documentary American Pimp (1999).- Producer
- Director
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Albert and Allen Hughes began making movies at age 12, but their formal film education began their freshman year of high school when Allen took a TV production class. They soon made a short film entitled How To Be A Burglar and people began to take notice. Their next work, Uncensored videos, was broadcast on cable, introducing them to a wider audience. After high school Albert began taking classes at LACC Film School: two shorts established the twins' reputation as innovative filmmakers and allowed them to direct Menace II Society (1993), which made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and grossed nearly 10 times as much as its $3 million budget. After following up with Dead Presidents (1995) they directed the feature-length documentary American Pimp (1999) .- Producer
- Actress
- Writer
Jada Koren Pinkett Smith was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Robsol Grant Pinkett, Jr., a contractor, and 'Gammy' Adrienne Banfield Norris, a nurse. They divorced after only a few months of marriage. Her father is of African-American descent and her mother is of Afro-Caribbean ancestry (from Barbados and Jamaica). Jada majored in dance and choreography at the Baltimore School for the Arts, where one of her classmates was Tupac Shakur. She spent a year at the North Carolina School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue her career in acting. Her big break came in 1991 when she was cast in the part of a college frosh on the television sitcom A Different World (1987). She made her feature film debut two years later in Menace II Society (1993). She did not gain widespread recognition, however, until her role opposite Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor (1996). In addition to being in front of the camera, she has spent time behind it directing music videos. Pinkett-Smith is married to Will Smith, and they have a son, Jaden Smith; and a daughter, Willow Smith.- Actress
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Tichina Arnold was born on 28 June 1969 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Everybody Hates Chris (2005) and Martin (1992). She was previously married to Rico Hines and Lamon Brewster.- Actress
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Captivating, gifted, and sensational, Angela Bassett's presence has been felt in theaters and on stages and television screens throughout the world. Angela Evelyn Bassett was born on August 16, 1958 in New York City, to Betty Jane (Gilbert), a social worker, and Daniel Benjamin Bassett, a preacher's son. Bassett and her sister D'nette grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida with their mother. As a single mother, Betty stressed the importance of education for her children. With the assistance of an academic scholarship, Bassett matriculated into Yale University. In 1980, she received her B.A. in African-American studies from Yale University. In 1983, she earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Yale School of Drama. It was at Yale that Bassett met her husband, Courtney B. Vance, a 1986 graduate of the Drama School.
Bassett first appeared in small roles on The Cosby Show (1984) and Spenser: For Hire (1985), but it was not until 1990 that a spate of television roles brought her notice. Her breakthrough role, though, was playing Tina Turner, whom she had never seen perform before taking the role, in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993). Bassett's performance earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golded Globe Award for Best Actress.- Actress
- Make-Up Department
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Deborah Anne Mazar Corcos (born August 13, 1964) is an American actress and television personality, known for playing sharp-tongued women. She began her career with supporting roles in Goodfellas (1990), Little Man Tate (1991) and Singles (1992), followed by lead roles on the legal drama series Civil Wars and L.A. Law.
Beginning in 2014, she has had a starring role in the Cooking Channel series, Extra Virgin, along with her husband Gabriele Corcos. She is also known for her role as press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage and stars as Maggie Amato on TV Land's Younger.
Mazar was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, the daughter of Nancy and Harry Mazar. Her father was born in the Latvian SSR, Soviet Union, to a Jewish family, but raised Roman Catholic. She had no knowledge of her father's ancestry until her twenties. Mazar's parents annulled their marriage shortly after she was born, and she spent her early life in the country in upstate New York with her mother. As a teenager, she relocated to Long Island, where she lived with her godparents.
Mazar worked various odd jobs, including selling jewelry at Fiorucci with Linda Ramone and Joey Arias, later as a dental assistant, and at a nightclub.
While working at Danceteria, Mazar met Madonna. She hired Mazar to do her makeup for the music video for "Everybody". She also originated the hair and makeup for the play Speed-the-Plow.
Mazar began her career as a hip hop b-girl in New York City. Her first television appearance was on the pilot for a hip hop television dance show, Graffiti Rock in 1984. She appeared in five of Madonna's music videos - "Papa Don't Preach", "True Blue" (both 1986), "Justify My Love" (1990), "Deeper and Deeper" (1992) and "Music" (2000).
Mazar has played a number of minor supporting roles in a variety of films, including Sandy, a friend of Henry Hill's mistress in Goodfellas (1990); The Doors (1991); a small role in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992); Bullets Over Broadway (1994); and as Spice (of Sugar and Spice, with Drew Barrymore as Sugar) in Batman Forever (1995). She gained her first real following from playing a character on Civil Wars in the early 1990s. When that series was can-celled her character was brought over as a recurring role between 1993 and 1994 season of the TV drama L.A. Law.
She played the villain Regina, a modern-day Cruella de Vil, in the family film Beethoven's 2nd (1993). She has appeared in independent films Inside Monkey Zetterland and Nowhere and her short-lived sitcom, Temporarily Yours. She appeared as the genie in the Space Monkeys' music video, "Sugarcane".
Mazar appeared on a Friends episode in its eighth season ("The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part One"). Mazar played "Doreen, the Evil Bitch," a crazed pregnant woman who shares a hospital room with Rachel. In the 1999 docudrama film The Insider she played character Lowell Bergman's assistant Debi. From 2000-02 she played Jackie on the television drama That's Life. She provided the voice of Maria Latore in the video games Grand Theft Auto III (2001) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).
From 2004 to 2011, she had a supporting role on Entourage as press agent Shauna Roberts. She also had a recurring role on the sitcom Living with Fran, playing Fran Drescher's character's cousin, Merrill. She did a two-episode stint on the television series Ugly Betty as fraudster Leah Stillman.
Mazar was a contestant on the ninth season of Dancing With the Stars. She was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy and finished in twelfth place. She was eliminated in the third week (October 6, 2009). In 2012, Mazar played Jessica, a glamorous, leather-clad villainies in Home Alone: The Holiday Heist.
Mazar began appearing on a Cooking Channel cooking/reality show television series in January 2011. She, her husband Gabriele Corcos, and their two daughters star in the series, which depicts their lives, and showcases their own recipes. The show is scripted. The show has had four seasons as of June 2014. In 2015, Mazar and her husband started another series on the Cooking Channel entitled Extra Virgin Americana where they travel the U.S., road trip style, with their children and family friend searching for great food.
Beginning in 2015, Mazar has starred in Younger with Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff as Maggie. The series met critical acclaim and began filming its fifth season in February 2018.
Mazar appeared in the 2nd season of The $100,000 Pyramid reboot on ABC on August 6, 2017. In the main game, she helped her contestant get 7 clues in only 15 seconds causing host Michael Strahan to say, "I think that's the quickest round we've ever had, 15 seconds!"
In 2018 she played Ava Gardner in the Spanish period comedy-drama television series Arde Madrid, telling the story of the period which the American actress spent in Madrid during Francoist Spain.- Actor
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Samuel L. Jackson is an American producer and highly prolific actor, having appeared in over 100 films, including Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Unbreakable (2000), Shaft (2000), Formula 51 (2001), Black Snake Moan (2006), Snakes on a Plane (2006), and the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999-2005), as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Samuel Leroy Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., to Elizabeth (Montgomery) and Roy Henry Jackson. He was raised by his mother, a factory worker, and his grandparents. At Morehouse College, Jackson was active in the black student movement. In the seventies, he joined the Negro Ensemble Company (together with Morgan Freeman). In the eighties, he became well-known after three movies made by Spike Lee: Do the Right Thing (1989), Mo' Better Blues (1990) and Jungle Fever (1991). He achieved prominence and critical acclaim in the early 1990s with films such as Patriot Games (1992), Amos & Andrew (1993), True Romance (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), and his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino, including Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), and later Django Unchained (2012). Going from supporting player to leading man, his performance in Pulp Fiction (1994) gave him an Oscar nomination for his character Jules Winnfield, and he received a Silver Berlin Bear for his part as Ordell Robbi in Jackie Brown (1997). Jackson usually played bad guys and drug addicts before becoming an action hero, co-starring with Bruce Willis in Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) and Geena Davis in The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996).
With Jackson's permission, his likeness was used for the Ultimate version of the Marvel Comics character, Nick Fury. He later did a cameo as the character in a post-credits scene from Iron Man (2008), and went on to sign a nine-film commitment to reprise this role in future films, including major roles in Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and minor roles in Thor (2011) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). He has also portrayed the character in the second and final episodes of the first season of the TV show, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013). He has provided his voice to several animated films, television series and video games, including the roles of Lucius Best / Frozone in Pixar's film The Incredibles (2004), Mace Windu in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Afro Samurai in the anime television series Afro Samurai (2007), and Frank Tenpenny in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).- Actress
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She graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1971. While a student at Spelman (an all-female institution), she met Samuel L. Jackson, who was a student at Morehouse College (the all-male institution affiliated with Spelman), who would later become her husband. She and Jackson have one daughter named Zoe.- Actress
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It's fair to say that after 20 years and over 50 film appearances, Mimi Rogers should be praised for her variety of roles and acting capabilities, not for a brief marriage to a Hollywood star. In the early 1980s she began to carve a niche for herself in Hollywood, appearing on television and in films. It was her role in Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) that got her noticed and was her springboard to stardom. Cemented by a marriage to Tom Cruise, an already established young actor, Mimi went on to appear in Hider in the House (1989), Desperate Hours (1990), and The Doors (1991). She appeared in a controversial movie analyzing religion in America, The Rapture (1991), which proved a hit and delighted audiences, creating many a debate over the film's subject material. She played a bored telephone exchange operator who swaps a sinful life of sex and swinging with other couples for a devout religious one, ending unexpectedly in disaster. Despite her successes, few meaty, interesting roles came her way in the '90s. Shooting Elizabeth (1992), opposite Jeff Goldblum, the family movie Monkey Trouble (1994), Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1995), and Full Body Massage (1995) were just a few of the films that she appeared in. Working consistently, she rejuvenated her career in the unexpected hit Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), playing Miss Kensington, an attractive female agent of 1960s London and the mother of Elizabeth Hurley's character. Next, Mimi was seen in the big-screen remake of the '60s sci-fi TV series Lost in Space (1998) and several guest appearances on the hugely popular television series The X-Files (1993), playing a scheming FBI agent. A role in the Canadian indie-horror Ginger Snaps (2000) did her career no harm. Soon, she was opposite Geena Davis in The Geena Davis Show (2000) from 2000-01 and playing an extremely rich Manhattan socialite in the direct-to-video Cruel Intentions 2 (2000).
More recently Mimi has appeared on cable television, including leading roles in Charms for the Easy Life (2002) (which she also executive produced) and Cave In (2003) (a true-life disaster drama in which she played the Chief Superintendent of a mine). In 2004, she gave a revealing performance in The Door in the Floor (2004), a critical success. The Loop (2006), a Chicago-based sitcom, will soon be airing in America, featuring Mimi as a flirtatious office worker. Also in 2006, Mimi will be appearing in an original horror film, Penny Dreadful (2006), playing a psychiatrist in peril. In 2003, she married her longtime boyfriend Chris Ciaffa, with whom she has a son and a daughter. A poker novice, Mimi also travels around competing in tournaments, some televised.- Writer
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Paul Abbott was born on 22 February 1960 in Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK. He is a writer and producer, known for Shameless (2011), Shameless (2004) and State of Play (2003). He has been married to Saskia Abbott since 1993. They have two children. He was previously married to Sheila Culf.- Actor
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Edward Walter Furlong was born in Glendale, California. His mother, Eleanor (Tafoya), is from a Mexican family, and worked at a youth center. Furlong had no acting ambitions until he was approached by casting agent Mali Finn, who was looking for a young actor to play the role of John Connor in what turned out to be one of the the biggest box-office hits of the 1990s, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). Finn instantly recognized his ability, and suggested him for the part, feeling that he could hold his own playing opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton.
For his career-starting role, Furlong earned an MTV movie award for best breakthrough role, and a Saturn Sci-Fi award for best young actor. From there, he took an unconventional route through Hollywood, which led to his working with some of the top people in the business, in both studio and independent films. His work has included starring opposite Jeff Bridges in American Heart (1992) for which he was nominated for an IFP Spirit award for best supporting actor. He has also starred in A Home of Our Own (1993) with Kathy Bates, Little Odessa (1994) with Tim Roth, The Grass Harp (1995) with Walter Matthau and Barbet Schroeder's Before and After (1996).
He also starred opposite Edward Norton in Tony Kaye's controversial and gripping drama American History X (1998) and in the hit comedy Pecker (1998). More recently, Furlong has been opposite Willem Dafoe in the prison drama Animal Factory (2000), directed by Steve Buscemi. He recently starred in Pupi Avati's 13th-century tale, The Knights of the Quest (2001).- Actor
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Kadeem Hardison was born on 24 July 1965 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and director, known for A Different World (1987), White Men Can't Jump (1992) and Drive (1997). He was previously married to Chanté Moore.- Actor
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Critically hailed for his forceful, militant, authoritative figures and one of Hollywood's most talented and versatile performers, Laurence (John) Fishburne III has been the recipient of numerous awards, including a number of NAACP Image honors.
Born in Augusta, Georgia on July 30, 1961, to Hattie Bell (Crawford), a teacher, and Laurence John Fishburne, Jr., a juvenile corrections officer. His mother transplanted her family to Brooklyn after his parents divorced. At the age of 10, the young boy appeared in his first play, "In My Many Names and Days," at a cramped little theater space in Manhattan. He continued on but managed to avoid the trappings of a child star per se, considering himself more a working child actor at the time. Billing himself as Larry Fishburne during this early phase, he never studied or was trained in the technique of acting.
In 1973, at the age of 12, young Laurence won a recurring role on the daytime soap One Life to Live (1968) that lasted three seasons. He subsequently made his film debut in the ghetto-themed Cornbread, Earl and Me (1975). At 14 Francis Ford Coppola cast him in Apocalypse Now (1979), which filmed for two years in the Philippines. Laurence didn't work for another year and a half after that long episode. A graduate of Lincoln Square Academy, Coppola was impressed enough with Laurence to hire him again down the line with featured roles in Rumble Fish (1983), The Cotton Club (1984) and Gardens of Stone (1987).
Throughout the 1980s, he continued to build up his film and TV credit list with featured roles despite little fanfare. A recurring role as Cowboy Curtis on the kiddie show Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986) helped him through whatever lean patches there were at the time. TV guest appearances at this time included "Trapper John," "M*A*S*H*," "Hill Street Blues," "Miami Vice," "Spenser: For Hire" and "The Equalizer."
With the new decade (1990s) came out-and-out stardom for Laurence. A choice lead in John Singleton's urban tale Boyz n the Hood (1991) catapulted him immediately into the front of the film ranks. Set in LA's turbulent South Central area, his potent role as a morally minded divorced father who strives to rise above the ignorance and violence of his surroundings, Laurence showed true command and the ability to hold up any film.
On stage, Laurence would become invariably linked to playwright August Wilson and his 20th Century epic African-American experience after starring for two years as the eruptive ex-con in "Two Training Running." For this powerful, mesmerizing performance, Laurence won nearly every prestigious theater award in the books (Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Theatre World). It was around the time of this career hallmark that he began billing himself as "Laurence" instead of "Larry." More awards and accolades came his way. In addition to an Emmy for the pilot episode of the series "Tribeca," he was nominated for his fine work in the quality mini-movies The Tuskegee Airmen (1995) and Miss Evers' Boys (1997).
On the larger screen, both Laurence and Angela Bassett were given Oscar nominations for their raw, seething portrayals of rock stars Ike and Tina Turner in the film What's Love Got to Do with It (1993). To his credit, he managed to take an extremely repellent character and make it a sobering and captivating experience. A pulp box-office favorite as well, he originated the role of Morpheus, Keanu Reeves' mentor, in the exceedingly popular futuristic sci-fi The Matrix (1999), best known for its ground-breaking special effects. He wisely returned for its back-to-back sequels.
Into the millennium, Laurence extended his talents by making his screenwriting and directorial debut in Once in the Life (2000), in which he also starred. The film is based on his own critically acclaimed play "Riff Raff," which he staged five years earlier. In 1999, he scored a major theater triumph with a multi-racial version of "The Lion in Winter" as Henry II opposite Stockard Channing's Eleanor of Acquitaine. On film, Fishburne has appeared in a variety of interesting roles in not-always-successful films. Never less than compelling, a few of his more notable parts include an urban speed chess player in Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993); a military prisoner in Cadence (1990); a college professor in Singleton's Higher Learning (1995); a CIA operative in Bad Company (1995); the title role in Othello (1995) (he was the first black actor to play the part on film); a spaceship rescue team leader in the sci-fi horror Event Horizon (1997); a Depression-era gangster in Hoodlum (1997); a dogged police sergeant in Clint Eastwood's Mystic River (2003); a spelling bee coach in Akeelah and the Bee (2006); and prominent roles in the mainstream films Predators (2010) and Contagion (2011). He returned occasionally to the theatre. In April 2008, he played Thurgood Marshall in the one-man show "Thurgood" and won a Drama Desk Award. It was later transferred to the TV screen and earned an Emmy nomination.
In the fall of 2008, Fishburne replaced William Petersen as the male lead investigator on the popular CBS drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), but left the show in 2011 to refocus on films and was in turn replaced by Ted Danson. Having since had a regular role as "Pops" in the comedy Black-ish (2014), he has also been seen on the bigger screen in the Superman movies Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) as Daily Planet chief Perry White; played a hired assassin in the thriller Standoff (2016); portrayed a minister and former Vietnam War vet in Last Flag Flying (2017); and essayed the role of a revengeful prison warden in Imprisoned (2018).
Fishburne has two children, Langston and Montana, from his first marriage to actress Hajna O. Moss. In September 2002, Fishburne married Cuban-American actress Gina Torres.- Writer
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The trail-blazing linchpin of a sprawling family dynasty of comic entertainers, it was multi-talented writer/director/producer Keenen Ivory Wayans (born June 8, 1958, in New York City) who led the familial pack and was the first to achieve national prominence when he successfully created, launched, wrote, hosted and starred in In Living Color (1990), a landmark 1990s black-oriented comedy sketch satire on Fox TV that beat the odds and transcended the then-narrow periphery of TV comedy to became a defiant movement of inclusion. It was a brilliant showcase for up and coming comics and not only ignited/advanced the careers of his own younger talented siblings (Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans), but the superstar film careers of Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx.
The second of ten children of Howell Wayans, a grocery store manager, and Elvira Wayans, a social worker and singer, Keenan attended Seward Park High School, then majored in engineering at Alabama's Tuskegee University. He dropped out during his senior year when the comedy bug hit him full force. Heavily influenced by Richard Pryor, he found only lukewarm success on the New York stand-up stage, deciding later to relocate to Los Angeles in order to pursue film and TV opportunities. After being glimpsed in bit parts in such TV shows as "CHiPs" "The Renegades" and "Cheers" along with the minor part of a stand-up comic in the Bob Fosse-directed biopic Star 80 (1983), Keenen found his first real break in the sudsy ensemble TV military series For Love and Honor (1983) as Army Pvt. Duke Johnson, part of an artillery unit who aspired to become a professional boxer. From this, he moved onto more visible roles on nighttime TV, including "Hill Street Blues," "Benson" and "A Different World."
After hooking up with star comedian Eddie Murphy and earning a writing credit for the opening sketch of the star's raunchy live performance documentary Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987) and a TV writing nod for Joan Rivers's nighttime chat show The Late Show (1986), Keenen's name became known as an actor and writer. Partnering with actor/writer/producer/director Robert Townsend, he had his first film hit with the film Hollywood Shuffle (1987), a biting satire highlighting the plight of the black actor in 70's Hollywood. Done in hilariously stereotypical fashion, one great bit had detective Townsend battling a blaxploitation villain named Jerry Curl (Wayans). Keenan went solo (writer/director/star) for his next similar 70s blaxploitation parody, the even bigger hit I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988). Here he played the revenge-minded, but not particularly macho Jack Spade alongside such icons of blaxploitation cinema as Jim Brown, Isaac Hayes, Bernie Casey and Antonio Fargas, as well as several members of his family.
These two major successes led to the irreverent, controversial, Emmy-winning TV satire In Living Color (1990). This Fox show would become Keenen's creative baby and prized pièce de résistance that would effectively showcase his deviously scathing social humor. He also turned the show into a family act as well with Damon, Kim, Marlon and Shawn all part of the wild and woolly ensemble. Opening each episode surrounded by the beautiful dancing "Fly Girls" (one of the season's replacements would be Jennifer Lopez), the nattily-dressed Keenen would graciously spotlight his comedy troupe more than himself. The show caught on quick; however, squabbles with the network over creative control, censorship and financial issues led to an incensed Keenen abruptly leaving his show in 1992, after only two seasons. His exit was quickly followed by his family performers.
When it comes to outrageous satire, Keenen has few peers and immediately picked up where he left off as a writer, director and star of in his own film comedy vehicle, the action-filled A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994) in which he plays a private detective named Shame who takes on drug lords. He next supported brothers Shawn and Marlon with a bit role as a mailman in their own popular crime comedy vehicle Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996), then was given the chance to hang opposite action star Steven Seagal in Seagal's producing vehicle The Glimmer Man (1996) as two cops out to solve some murders. With his next film vehicle project, Keenen decided to write but left the directing chores to David Hogan in a dramatic change of pace with Most Wanted (1997). He plays a Marine and special operations officer on a top secret mission who gets framed for an attempted assassination.
Towards the end of the 1990's Keenen attempted his own nighttime talk show, described as ("late night talk the Wayans way"). As host, writer and executive producer, The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show (1997) had heavy competition and did not catch fire, barely lasting a couple of seasons. Come the millennium, however, Keenen set his sights on directing (and appearing in a minor role) the riotously crude horror film spoof Scary Movie (2000), which prominently displayed brothers Shawn and Marlon (also co-writers). This would become a blockbuster hit. The following year he also directed the first sequel Scary Movie 2 (2001).
Continuing to keeping things more or less a family affair, he directed and co-wrote (only) Shawn and Marlon's crime comedy vehicles White Chicks (2004), as two FBI agents who go undercover in drag, and Little Man (2006), as criminal brothers, one being a dwarf(!); appeared as a guest on brother Damon's sitcom "My Wife and Kids"; and co-wrote and had a featured part in another all-inclusive Wayans project Dance Flick (2009), which mercilessly pokes fun at dance movies. This film was directed by nephew Damien Dante Wayans, co-written by Keenen, Shaun, Marlon, Damien and Craig Wayans, produced by Keenen, Shawn, Marlon, Damien and Craig, and starring nephew Fast Girl (2008) with other performances by Keenen, Shawn, Marlon, Damien, Kim, Craig, niece Chaunte Wayans and nephew Michael Wayans.
After laying low for several years, Keenen, the divorced father of five children, returned to direct several episodes of the comedy series The Last O.G. (2018) starring Tracy Morgan as an ex-con adjusting to the outside.- Actor
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Brandon Hammond was born on 6 February 1984 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Soul Food (1997), Mars Attacks! (1996) and Our America (2002).- Actor
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Larenz Tate was born on the west side of Chicago to Larry and Peggy Tate, the youngest of three brothers. His brothers are actors Larron Tate and Lahmard J. Tate. In 1984, Larenz and his family moved to California. It was while living in California that Larenz's parents got him and his brothers involved in a drama program at the Inner City Cultural Center. At first, the boys were interested just to meet girls. However, when they saw classmate Malcolm-Jamal Warner get cast in the role of "Theo Huxtable" on The Cosby Show (1984), they began to take it more seriously. From then on, the brothers began getting other small roles. Larenz's career first took off in a Christmas episode of The Twilight Zone (1985), after which roles began pouring in. He has gone on to star in both television series and movies.- Actor
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MC Eiht was born on 22 May 1967 in Compton, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Menace II Society (1993), Boyz n the Hood (1991) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).- Actor
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On a foundation of talent, unbridled dedication and a passionate mindset, Glenn Plummer has enjoyed a successful acting career that spans three decades. He has starred in such feature films as, Gifted, Saw II (2005), Dennis Hopper's Colors (1988), Menace II Society (1993), Showgirls (1995), The Salton Sea (2002), Poolhall Junkies (2002), Pastime, and the compelling drama South Central (1992) in the break out role of "O.G." Bobby Johnson, one of Glenn's most memorable performances.
It was largely this very moving role that helped solidify Glenn as a staple in the African-American film community. Experiencing much crossover success, Glenn took his abilities to cover a wide range of personas and delved into television. Appearing in such television movies and mini-series as ABC's The Women of Brewster Place (1989), TNT's Heat Wave (1990) (about L.A.'s Watts' riots of 1965) and TNT's Reversible Errors (2004). Glenn Plummer generated praise and accolades from critics alike for his performances in Showtime's Ruby's Bucket of Blood (2001), as well as his deep, thought-provoking exhibition in HBO's The Corner (2000).
Before returning to the big screen, Glenn had a re-occurring role as "Timmy Rawlins" in the inaugural season of the Emmy/Golden Globes Award-Winning, television show ER (1994) including the 88-minute pilot. Glenn Plummer's later projects include writing, directing (in his directorial debut), producing and starring in the horror film VooDoo Curse: The Giddeh (2006).- Actor
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Clifton Powell a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He is an actor and producer, known for the films Ray, Selma Lord Selma, Dead Presidents, and Menace 2 Society, and the TV series The Family Business, Sacrifice, and Saints & Sinners. Clifton has two children, Maya and Clifton Jr., and two grandchildren, Alizah and Rashaad Jr.- Marilyn Coleman was born on 23 March 1934 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She was an actress, known for Menace II Society (1993), Disco Godfather (1979) and The Meteor Man (1993). She died on 25 June 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Arnold Johnson was born on 15 November 1921 in New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Menace II Society (1993), Shaft (1971) and Putney Swope (1969). He was married to Betty Helene Heater. He died on 10 April 2000 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Lawrence Thomas from Oakland, CA known to most as Pooh-Man, starting writing poetry in elementary school. He was a young teen at the birth of rap, song writing became second nature. This embarked his rap career. Pooh-Man, started his career as MC Pooh, and released his first album, "Life of a Criminal" this sparked a large fan base in the Bay Area. This album is the most referenced by his fans today. His lyrics were definitely risqué street poetry, straight from the streets of Oakland. In 1992, he wrote and recorded "Sex, Money, and Murder" which appeared on the soundtrack to the film Juice and his "Funky as I Wanna Be" album, which featured guest appearances of Too Short, Ant Banks and MC Breed. He also appeared in the Hughes Brothers Menace II Society as "Doc" later that year His 13 years of incarceration allowed him to write over 3000 songs. Despite his absence from the music industry, he was welcomed back many, including his fans nationwide and overseas. He planned his top goals precisely. He stayed current on the music industry forecast to prepare him for what had changed. In January of 2014, less than 2 months of his release he was busy building a new life. Pooh-Man started a new record label, Infinite Kaos Productions Inc., with his wife Rena. He returned to the studio with Ant Banks and Stan "The G-Man" Keith. He is the featured artist for the newly established label, based in Central Florida. "Kaos Theory" has been years in the making. It serves as his first official full-length album since 2001, released July 29th. Ant Banks produced 12 tracks and the other titles were produced each by Big Zeke the Politician ("Macaroni") and Stan "The G-Man" Keith ("Free").- Jullian Roy Doster is known for Menace II Society (1993), Quantum Leap (1989) and Out All Night (1992).
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Todd Anthony Shaw better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on pimping and promiscuity, but also drug culture and street survival; respectively exemplified in his most popular songs "Blow the Whistle" and "The Ghetto".
A pioneer of West Coast rap, Shaw began recording in 1983, cultivating a large following in his native Oakland. In 1987, his fourth album Born to Mack attracted the attention of Jive Records, who signed him and distributed the album nationally. His subsequent 1988 album Life Is...Too Short was highly successful, going double platinum, and he remained prominent into the 1990s.- Khandi Alexander was born on 4 September 1957 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. She is an actress, known for CSI: Miami (2002), Patriots Day (2016) and Scandal (2012).
- Vonte Sweet was born in 1971. He is an actor, known for Menace II Society (1993), Traffic (2000) and Predator 2 (1990).
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Duke Media Entertainment, led by actor, director, producer, writer and humanitarian, Bill Duke, is dedicated to bringing quality Edutainment to audiences around the globe. Formerly Yagya Productions, Duke Media has successfully produced critically acclaimed film and television content for more than 30 years. Additionally, Duke Media is in process of expanding the brand to involve itself in the development of new media technologies, i.e. cellphone apps, games, and virtual world experiences. Since the early 70s, Bill Duke along with industry veterans Michael Shultz and Gordon Parks, have long paved the way for African Americans in the industry.
Mr. Duke excels in front of and behind the camera. His acting and directing credits are extensive and include stints on such ground breaking television series as Falcon Crest, Fame, Hill Street Blues, Knotts Landing, Dallas, and New York Undercover. His feature credits include Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Get Rich or Die Trying, Deep Cover, Hoodlum, Predator, Menace II Society and Not Easily Broken, to name a few. He has recently completed production on, Blexicans, a new television pilot that takes a comedic look at a mixed race family. His documentaries, Dark Girls and Light Girls, both NAACP Image Award nominees, aired on OWN and were two of the most successful documentaries on the network.
Bill Duke's invaluable contributions to the industry have been recognized by both his peers and the entertainment community. Appointed by former President Bill Clinton to the National Endowment of Humanities, he was appointed to the Board of the California State Film Commission by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and he has been honored by the Directors Guild of America with a Lifetime Achievement Tribute.- Actor
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Dwayne Barnes was born and reared in Detroit, Michigan where he witnessed some of life's harsh realities, which has consequently affected and transformed him as an artist and human being. In his senior year in high school, Barnes, voted "Most Likely to Succeed," won a citywide acting competition and was awarded a scholarship to attend Eastern Michigan University. However, after a few years of collegiate life, Barnes heard the call of his destiny and chose to immediately set his sights on moving to Los Angeles and stardom.
Not just an actor, Barnes is also blessed with vocal talent and just two years after moving to Los Angeles, his performance in Robert Townsend's, "The Five Heartbeats: The Musical," was nominated BEST ACTOR for an NAACP Theater Award. Barnes also starred in the musicals, "Letters from Nam", which was written and produced by Emmy award-winning director, Paris Barclay, and "Dorian," which The Denver Daily New said, Barnes "gave a knockout performance." Barnes' musical talents also led to a contract with Capitol Records, where he recorded an album with the group H20. The group disbanded before the album was released.
Barnes has guest-starred in over 30 different episodic shows, including such hit shows as C.S.I, E.R, and Cold Case. Other network guest appearances include, "Without a Trace", "Angel", "Judging Amy", "Numbers", "The Shield" and "Six Feet Under." Following in the shoes of such greats as, Samuel L. Jackson, Halle Berry (Jungle Fever) and Chris Rock (New Jack City), Barnes' haunting portrayal of the cheeseburger loving crack addict in the urban classic Menace II Society has garnered him critical acclaim throughout Hollywood. Barnes next project, which is due out in the Fall 2006 is a suspense thriller "The Flock" starring Richard Gere and Claire Danes.
Refusing to be just another actor on the circuit, Barnes co-wrote and starred in, Memorial Street (2003), a short film, inspired by his real life relationship with his mother. The film is a touching portrayal of a mother and son's broken relationship and the challenges that they are forced to go through, and somehow sustain the undying love innately shared between the two. Memorial Street was chosen by A.F.I's Women in Film Program and also starred, "Magnolia's" April Grace.
Dwayne Barnes is destined to become one of the greats of our times. He is a dedicated and focused man on a mission to change lives for the better through expression of his art and life's journey. His passion, drive, and mission to succeed will surely lead him to doing just that.- Actor
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Charles S. Dutton was born on 30 January 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Gothika (2003), Alien 3 (1992) and A Time to Kill (1996). He was previously married to Debbi Morgan.- Garen Holman is known for Menace II Society (1993).
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- Cynthia Calhoun was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, specifically in the Northeast Pensacola section of Ferry Pass. She attended Ferry Pass Middle School and W.J. Woodham High School, graduating in 1981. Not many years after her graduation she appeared on Star Search as a contestant. She did not win, but the exposure led to her becoming a background singer for Steely Dan and small roles in several films.
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Erin Sands is an Actress, Author, Activist, Writer and Producer. She is the author of The Dunes, a faith-based book for personal growth and the creator of The AmERINcan an online thought leaders forum featuring blogs and panel discussions on emerging political and social issues As an actress Erin has landed Guest-Starring roles on critically acclaimed shows like: NCIS. She is also a producer of documentary films designed to empower and uplift people through true-life stories of faith and victory.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised in the Bay Area of Northern California, Erin grew up with an innate love for dance, theatre and the written word.
A graduate of Loyola Marymount University, Erin began her career in the performing arts as an actress, dancer and choreographer. Creating pieces for feature films, music videos as well as numerous stage productions. As an actress Erin has landed guest-starring roles on a slew of popular network shows as well as leading roles in independent and feature films. Most notably she has been cast in critically acclaimed shows like "NCIS" and "Southland" as well as popular sitcoms like TV One's, "Love That Girl". She is often recognized for her very memorable role in New Line Cinema's old school cult classic, "Menace II Society".
Erin has since expanded her creative base by writing and producing scripted and unscripted content for film, television and digital media. "I create projects that I want to see. Shows that illustrate the strength of the human spirit to persevere and overcome. Content that has the ability to make us truly examine our own prejudices and build bridges instead of walls. As well as shows that are simply entertaining whether it be a comedy or a drama. I love showcasing diversity of the human experience with content that can make you laugh until you cry; or that can be both provocative and profound".
Erin is the co-writer and co-producer of STEM, an award winning, faith-based indie film, chronicling three women's courageous journeys from tragedy to triumph. Erin is also the creator of a comedic film that she wrote and will star in entitled, Crazy About Erin.
A entertainment industry multi-hyphenate, Erin is the author of The Dunes, an inspirational faith-based book for personal growth. The co-host of a podcast entitled: The Other Side, which examines politics and policy through a faith based lens. And the creator of The AmERINcan, a popular thought leaders forum featuring blogs, vlogs and panel discussions on emerging political and social issues. As a content creator Erin plans on making her mark in multiple ways in this new media, digital era. Expect more!- Actor
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Emerging from the streets of L.A., Samuel "Caffamilliano" Monroe, Jr., of Los Angeles, California, has embarked upon success. Starting out as a young actor Samuel Monroe Jr,"Caffamilliano", Landed his first roll as an actor in Patti LaBelle's Hit TV series "Out All Night" (Episode: Taking Care of Business as Dion). Which Started Samuel Monroe Jr,"Caffamilliano" remarkable acting Career, Samuel Monroe Jr, went on to displaying his acting talents when he played on "The Lyon's Den" (With Rob Lowe in two episodes as Man); "The Steve Harvey Show" (Episode: White Men Can Funk); "Smart Guy" (Episode: Lab Rats as Warren); "NYPD Blue" (Episodes: Closing Time as Brother #3 and Girl Talk as Punk #2); "Murder One" (Trey); "Chapter Seven" (Samuel Monroe Jr,"Caffamilliano"). From television on to the big screen Samuel Monroe Jr,"Caffamilliano" then graced the big screen, with big roles, in box office hits such as Menace II Society (Ilena's Cousin); Set It Off (Lorenz); The Players Club (Junior); Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (Sam); Tales from the Hood (Bulldog); Choices 2 (AC with the 3-6 Mafia); The Lick (Kilo); Behind The Pole (Jame); David E. Talbert Play called "What goes around Comes around (Stan)"; and hit TV series Southland (Tank); Moving from the big screen to the big chair, as a Director, Writer and Producer, Samuel Monroe Jr,"Caffamilliano" has produced his own hit television series entitled "The Halls". It is a true depiction of the lifestyles of youths who enter the Juvenile Hall system at early ages. This television show is also very compelling and chronicles the lives of not only the children, but of their parents as well. He believes that capturing the lives of the parents (behind the scenes) is essential because he believes that childhood corruption starts at home. The multi-talented Samuel Monroe Jr,"Caffamilliano" is no stranger to other media outlets. Being formerly signed to Jive Records and working with Andre Harrell encourage him to follow his dream to produce and record his own music. With a rap style of his own and with the hottest tracks co-produced by some of the worlds' greatest and most prolific legendary producers (Battlecat, Duane Nettlesbey, Jelly Roll, Meech Wells, Mohamed Aniff "Double F" and Clint "pay- back" sands), look forward to hearing new music from Samuel Monroe Jr,"Caffamilliano" in the near future!- Actor
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An acting chameleon who can easily lose himself in the life of his film and television characters, Clifton Collins Jr. is a native Angeleno who grew up destined to become a part of the Latino entertainment industry. His great-grandparents on his mother's side were a Mexican trumpet player and Spanish dancer who formed a traveling family act, and his grandfather was well-known character actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, most famous for his humorous sidekick roles in 1950s/1960s John Wayne westerns (he played the excitable hotel keeper in Rio Bravo (1959)) and in sitcoms. His uncle and aunt dabbled in the business at one point as well. While his famous grandfather was unable to break out of the old unflattering Latino stereotypes, Collins Jr. has done Pedro proud in the new millennium. Playing everything from policemen to boxers to serial killers, he has managed to transcend the typical racial trappings of his grandfather's era and play flesh-and-blood, three-dimensional characters. It was not always that way.
Born short, lean and mean on June 16, 1970, he started his career in 1988 using his real name of Collins, but two years later began billing himself as "Clifton Gonzales-Gonzales" as a tribute to his aged grandfather and his early accomplishments. Pedro, who died in 2006, lived long enough to witness his grandson's achievements. Toiling in typical "barrio" roles at the beginning of his career, Collins Jr. found himself stuck in bit parts either as a struggling blue-collar worker or urban thug. In the mid-1990s, he began to search out and wing standout roles that enabled him to break the confines of the Latino stereotype. He slowly moved up in billing, even in mediocre material such as the futuristic prison film Fortress (1992) and the mindless 1970s rock-era comedy The Stöned Age (1994). His breakout role as Cesar, the vicious student and gangbanger in One Eight Seven (1997) opposite Los Angeles substitute teacher Samuel L. Jackson, set him on the right path. This led to a mesmerizing collection of other portrayals, both good-guy and bad-guy, in such films as The Replacement Killers (1998), The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998) and Tigerland (2000). His versatility finally tested, he played everything from a gay Mexican hitman in the critically acclaimed Traffic (2000) to a psychological profiler for the FBI in the mainstream actioner Mindhunters (2004). A number of top guest appearances came his way on such series as NYPD Blue (1993) and The Twilight Zone (2002) and he had recurring roles on Resurrection Blvd. (2000) and Alias (2001).
A monumental shift forward in his career happened recently with his hypnotic portrayal of killer Perry Smith, the object of writer Truman Capote's obsession, in the art-house favorite Capote (2005). Decades ago, Robert Blake played the same part in the gripping Capote book-to-film In Cold Blood (1967). This heralded achievement has enabled Collins to move into the co-producer's chair of late, notably for Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders (2006), in which he inhabits the role of serial killer Kenneth Bianchi. Obviously, there is plenty more in the works for this major talent.
More recent millennium work includes potent performances in Road Dogz (2002); Tom Cool (2009), which he produced; Dirty (2005); For Your Own Good (1996), which he co-produced; Star Trek (2009); Freeloaders (2012); The Vault (2017); and the Oscar-winning Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019).- Producer
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Quincy Jones III is the son of composer, musician, and producer Quincy Jones and Ulla Andersson. He was raised in Sweden. He has six sisters. Martina "Tina" Jones is his full sister. Jolie Jones is an older half-sister whose mother is Quincy Jones' first wife, Jeri Caldwell. Kidada Jones and Rashida Jones are the daughters of Quincy Jones and his third wife, actress Peggy Lipton. Kenya Julia Miambi Sarah Jones is Quincy Jones' daughter with actress Nastassja Kinski. Rachel Jones is another half-sister whose mother is Carol Reynolds. Now a well-known music producer under the moniker QDIII, his debut album, "Soundlab," featured various artists including Justin Warfield. He also produced tracks for Yolanda 'Yo-Yo' Whittaker (Yo-Yo), Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, Justin Warfield and many others.- Cinematographer
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Christopher Koefoed was born in 1951. He is an editor and writer, known for The Abyss (1989), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and Young Guns (1988).- Actor
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Toby Emmerich serves as Chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
Under Emmerich's leadership, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, which includes Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, DC-based films and Warner Bros. Feature Animation, operates with the mandate to deliver the industry's most diverse film slate, working across all genres with both established and up-and-coming talent in front of and behind the camera.
In 2019, Warner Bros. Pictures Group released the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, "Joker" (DC), which earned $1.08 billion at the global box office and won two Academy Awards, as well as the hugely successful horror sequel "IT Chapter Two" (NL).
Emmerich was named President and Chief Content Officer of the Pictures Group in 2017 and promoted to Chairman a year later. Under his leadership, WBPG had its most successful year ever in 2018, with a global box office of $5.57 billion ($1.95 domestic; $3.62 internationally). This success was fueled by a diverse lineup of hit films, including "Aquaman" ($1.14 billion worldwide-the most successful DC Super Hero film ever and Warner Bros.' second-biggest title of all time), "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" ($653 million worldwide), "Ready Player One" ($582M), "The Meg" ($528M), "Rampage" ($426M), "A Star is Born" ($423M), "The Nun" ($367M) and "Crazy Rich Asians" ($240M).
In his role as Chairman of the Pictures Group, Emmerich has oversight of the Studio's global theatrical production, marketing and distribution operations, and he also oversees the marketing and distribution activities of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
Prior to his current role, Emmerich served as President and Chief Content Officer, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. Before that, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of New Line Cinema for eight years. In this role, he had full oversight of New Line Cinema's development, production and financial operations, and led the company's efforts to forge new opportunities to diversify and build on its dynamic legacy.
Under Emmerich's leadership, New Line released such diverse features as the Academy Award-winning blockbuster "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King"; the perennial holiday classic "Elf"; the romantic favorite "The Notebook"; the action thriller "San Andreas"; comedy hits "Wedding Crashers," "Central Intelligence," "Horrible Bosses" and "We're the Millers"; and instant horror classics "Lights Out" and the films in "The Conjuring" universe, including "The Conjuring," "Annabelle," "The Conjuring 2," "Annabelle: Creation" and "The Nun," which have become one of the most successful horror franchises of all time at $1.57 billion and counting.
Nearly a decade after "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy swept the world, New Line reunited with Peter Jackson to take audiences back to Middle-earth with the acclaimed "The Hobbit" Trilogy, beginning with "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," followed by "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" a year later and "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" in 2014. The three films together earned almost $3 billion worldwide.
Emmerich also held the position of President of Production, to which he was promoted in 2001. A longtime studio veteran, he also previously served not only as President of New Line Music, but also as an accomplished screenwriter and producer who wrote and produced New Line's sleeper hit "Frequency," starring Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel.
Emmerich joined the company in 1992 as a dual development and music executive. In his position as President of Music, he oversaw the development of numerous platinum- and gold-selling soundtracks for such films as "Seven," the first two "Austin Powers" films, "Elf" and many more. Prior to his posts at New Line, Emmerich was an A&R representative at Atlantic Records from 1987 to 1992.
In January 2019, Emmerich was honored with the Producers Guild of America's Milestone Award, which recognizes an individual or team who has made historic contributions to the entertainment industry.
Emmerich attended The Calhoun School and Wesleyan University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1985, with honors in English and concentrations in Classics and Film. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.- Actor
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Ant Banks is a multi-platinum producer/artist known for creating heavy, low-end, funky bass lines, utilizing savvy recording techniques, concocting creative artist collaborations, and having his own distinct original sound.
Interested in making music from an early age, the Oakland, CA native became involved with his school bands, learning to play a variety of instruments; which provided him with the necessary tools to become skilled at playing Funk-related music like Parliament, Funkadelic, and The Gap Band. Diligently honing his craft, he would create beats and record his own versions of those classics for fun, serving as a precursor to becoming one of the music industry's most sought after producers to work with. Ant Banks' pioneering journey began in the mid-1980's as he began christening a slew of independent projects with the birth of what has become known as the "Oaktown Funk". His first taste of success came when he began working with friend and Oakland rap sensation M.C.ANT in 1985. The two recorded numerous 4-track cassette classics like "Feel the Bass" and "M.C. Ant & Ant Banks" along with countless others. In 1988, the early collaborators proceeded to release their first album entitled M.C. Ant The Great, with joint collaborative efforts by DJ Terry T. Distributing the tapes at their high school out of the trunk of their cars, the album went on to sell more than 60,000 units independently, paving the way for Ant Banks to expand his early production empire.
In 1989 Ant Banks hooked up with M.C. Pooh, a/k/a Poohman, to record Life of a Criminal". The rise in popularity accounted to more than 150,000 units sold independently. By 1990, Banks went on to produce Spice 1's 187 Proof E.P., another successful independent project that he put his signature production on, selling more than 200,000 units. The overwhelming success this project received opened the door for Spice 1 to sign a hefty, major label recording contract with Jive Records. Along with the releases of MC Ant, Poohman, Spice 1, and others, Banks managed to sell over 400,000 units, without a record label or promotion. This turned him into a prominent figure in the Bay Area Hip-Hop scene by the early1990's.
Ant Banks' big break came in 1990 when he was brought aboard to help produce on Too Short's Short Dog's In the House LP, where he provided contributions to several of the project's songs like the album's title track. The platinum success of Short Dog's In the House, which debuted on the Billboard 200 at #20 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, convinced Too Short to sign Ant Banks to his label Dangerous Music, where he took the lead in ushering in the production team known as The Dangerous Crew. More career-defining success soon followed with Ant Banks' first credited platinum production appearance on two 1992 hip-hop soundtracks, Juice and Menace II Society. During that same year, he was on production for Too Short on the platinum-selling Shorty the Pimp album, as well as providing production on over half of the platinum-selling debut for frequent collaborator Spice 1 for the self-titled Spice 1album.
Through his burgeoning connections, Ant Banks signed a recording contract with Jive Records and released his debut album Sittin' on Something Phat in1993. The record featured live instrumentation, including guitar by notable former Parliament mainstay Michael Hampton. In 1994 he released the follow-up The Big Badass album to critical acclaim and featured local rap group sensation Bad N Fluenz, which consisted of Ant Banks' favorite rapper of all-time in the late Rappin' Ron and partner Ant Diddley Dog. Rounding out his Jive Records catalog, Ant Banks released Do or Die in1995, further showcasing his capable techniques on the microphone, his intricately laid bass-heavy production, and his meticulously skillful mixing. Throughout the decade of the 1990's, Ant Banks continued to elevate his production prowess by producing numerous songs for countless artists such as the gold-selling single "Pimp Of The Year" for Dru Down", producing and mixing for Too Short on two gold-selling albums (Can't Stay Away, You Nasty) and four platinum-selling albums (Shorty the Pimp, Get In Where You Fit In, Cocktails, Gettin' It), three gold-selling records for Spice 1 (Spice 1, 187 He Wrote, Amerikkka's Nightmare), and two gold-selling albums for fellow bay area ambassador E-40 (Hall of Game, Element of Surprise).
In 1997, Ant Banks' style of production and creative collaborations continued to grow and expand when he moved over to Priority Records to release his star-studded Big Thangs project. Reaching out and flexing his collaboration arm, he recruited some of the West Coast's preeminent artists to assist him on the masterpiece. The results of his recruiting efforts included Ice Cube, 2Pac, E-40, King T, WC, Too Short, Dr. Dre, Coolio, Mack-10, and Ice-T. The strategy paid off as the project peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, number 20 on the Billboard 200, and sold over 300,000 units with no video & very little radio play.
During his time at Priority Records, Ant Banks also produced a string of hits including the first single, "Snoopafella", off Snoop Dogg's No Limit Records release and platinum album No Limit Top Dogg, the gold-selling title track off Mack-10's Based on A True Story, as well as "Thugs" off the platinum-selling soundtrack Romeo Must Die.
April 1999, saw Ant Banks release his T.W.D.Y. (The Whole Dam Yey) Derty Werk project, experiencing a substantial hit with the lead-single "Player's Holiday". Reaching #41 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, T.W.D.Y. consisted of the core of Ant Banks, Rappin' 4-Tay, and Captain Save'Em, with features from several of the bay area's finest like Spice-1, Too Short, E-40, Mac Mall, B-Legit, Keak the Sneak and others. A little over a year later, Ant Banks followed with the second T.W.D.Y. album entitled Lead the Way, in which Oakland emcee Dolla Will replaced Rappin' 4-tay, and saw Ant Banks collaborate with artists like Kokane, Kurupt, MC Eiht, Butch Cassidy and Yukmouth.
Ant Banks has a diverse, yet impressive body of work which includes working with MC Breed, Anthony Hamilton, Something For The people, Too Short, E-40, MC Ren, 8Ball, Jayo Felony, and Big Pun to name only a few. He has provided contributions to projects associated with Jive Records, New Line Cinema, Priority Records, Island World, Death Row Records, Suave House, Warner Bros. Pictures, No Limit Records, Blackground Entertainment, Epic, Ruthless Records, Silver Pictures, Loud Records, Relativity, MCA Records, Island Pictures, Dimension Films,
Throughout the career of Ant Banks his productions have been part of selling over 27,000,000 units and counting. He's worked with a virtual "who's who" of the entertainment industry.- Actor
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Grand Puba was born on 4 March 1966 in New Rochelle, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Honey Boy (2019), The Night Before (2015) and High School High (1996).- Actor
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Lord Jamar was born on 17 September 1968 in New Rochelle, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Boiler Room (2000), Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) and Menace II Society (1993).- Director
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Chris Stokes Bio
Entrepreneur Christopher B. Stokes has made a name for himself in the music industry with the discovery of such stars as Brandy, Immature, B2K, Jhene Aiko, Sevyn Streeter, Mila J, Kevin McHale (Glee), Omarion & Marques Houston. A Los Angeles native, Stokes has been immersed in the music business since the age of seventeen. Known for his ingenuity behind chart-topping success stories such as multi-platinum selling groups "B2K" and "Immature" and solo artists "Omarion" (former lead singer of "B2K") and Marques "MH" Houston (former lead singer of "Immature"/"IMX"), Stokes continues his meteoric rise in the music.
Stokes began his career in music at the young age of 12, singing in different groups and talent shows. His mother Irene "Mama Stokes" was an actress/comedienne, which gave Stokes his early interest in the entertainment industry. Stokes later realized that his passion was in the management field. He knew he had a great eye for new talent when he landed his first record deal with a group he was managing called "Next Issue." That situation didn't work out, but it gave Stokes the experience and determination to make his stamp in the music industry as a force to be reckoned with. As his career furthered, Stokes went on to discover the 90's Boy Group sensation Immature. While working with Immature, Stokes was introduced to singer, rapper and dancer Mila J. Later signed by Stokes, Mila J and her two group members landed a deal with the MCA label in 1995 under the name Gyrl. Gyrl disbanded and Mila J went on to be in another Stokes created girl group called Dame Four. In 2006, Mila J was signed as a solo act at Motown under the direction of music mogul Sylvia Rhone to work on what was set to be her first solo album, Split Personality. However, due to creative differences, the album was not released. In late 2012, Mila J went into the studio and put out a mix tape of 5 songs. The mix tape exploded obtaining over 600,000 downloads, causing a stir within industry insiders who then took note. In 2013, Mila J was the talk of every major label in town, but decided to re-sign to Motown. Her first single under Motown "Smoke, Drink, Break-Up" was released in February 2014 and immediately began climbing the R&B Chart. In the 00's Stokes also founded the hit boy group B2K. It was during this time that Stokes discovered and began working with Jhene Aiko. Stokes met the young songstress when she was only 5 years old. He instantly knew that she was a star and would one day be a huge success in the music business. Stokes artist developed Jhene until she was ready and old enough to take her place in the industry which began with Stokes getting her signed to Epic Records through his then production company TUG (The Ultimate Group). Some time after leaving Epic she and Stokes mutually decided to part ways. Taking some time to further develop herself Jhene Aiko released a very successful mixtape called "Sailing Souls" and on to a chart topping R&B hit "The Worst". Stokes also served as Vice President of A&M/Interscope Records. During his tenure at A&M/Interscope, Stokes assembled the girl group TG4 and signed them to T.U.G. Entertainment, where Stokes served as their manager. He offered Amber (Sevyn) Streeter the first spot in the group after she opened for B2K and IMX at a concert in Orlando, Florida in early 2001. The group later went on to be signed by A&M records. Unfortunately the group did not achieve the success that Stokes had hoped for and they later disbanded. Amber (Sevyn) Streeter went on to pursue a career in songwriting where she wrote several chart topping hits for artists like Chris Brown and Ariana Grande. She also began a successful solo career under the name Sevyn Streeter. Stokes also helped actor/singer Glee star Kevin McHale get his start in the business. Stokes discovered Kevin back in 2001 at the age of 13. Stokes helped mold him into a solid performer and put him into the boy band NLT, which led to Kevin's major role as Artie Abrams on the hit Fox television show Glee. Involved in every step of the creative process with his artists, Stokes is an accomplished songwriter as well. He has contributed to tracks for superstar groups Destiny's Child, B2K, BBD and Immature, and has also written and produced for Bobby Brown, Omarion and Marques Houston.
Without a doubt one of the most influential players in R&B music, Stokes' creative ventures extend well beyond his music roots. In 2003, Stokes made his feature writing/directing debut with the super successful "You Got Served". That film surprised Hollywood, opening at #1 and continuing to dominate even in its 2nd weekend. "You Got Served" went on to gross more than $150 million worldwide in box office and DVD combined. The dance film and it's success ignited a spark throughout the dance community and gave a breath of life to the dance culture in the industry and worldwide. Stokes has also directed more than 150 music videos for artists on his label as well as artists from other labels.
If that wasn't enough, Stokes ventured into the Clothing industry for a bit with Christopher Brian, a high-end apparel line. Stokes gave mega reality TV star Kim Kardashian her first multi-million dollar modeling job as the spokes model for Christopher Brian Apparel. E! did a news special on Chris Stokes and his clothing line featuring very racy, sexy but tasteful pictures of a topless Kim wearing just the CB jeans. The special also included Kim Kardashian. Shortly after, Kim Kardashian and her family went on to do the hit series "Keepin Up With The Kardashians". Chris Stokes has been the creative director for the line since its inception, and it represents his vision of luxurious, beautiful clothes for men and women. Deemed "the brand for the million-dollar man," the collection was a huge success at the MAGIC trade show in Las Vegas in 2007. Hundreds of celebrities packed Body English at the Hard Rock Hotel to launch the line, which featured a special performance from super producer Timbaland. A year after starting, Stokes inked a lucrative deal to sell the popular line.
In 2007 Stokes directed the horror film "Somebody Help Me" which starred Omarion and Marques Houston. In addition to directing the film, Stokes also wrote the script. The film was released to DVD on November 13, 2007 and made a television premiere on BET on Halloween 2007. In 2010, Stokes went back to his experience in the horror genre and wrote and directed the sequel to "Somebody Help Me", "Somebody Help Me 2". The sequel reunited Stokes with Sonny King (Corbin), Omarion (Darryl) and Marques Houston (Brendan) and picks up where the first installment left off. The film made it's television premiere on BET on October 29, 2010 and did really well on DVD. The success of the horror genre continued for Stokes with the Grindstone/Lionsgate release of his new film "No Vacancy". Stokes also continued with the Dance genre in 2012 with the hit kids dance battle film "Battlefield America". The film featured the introduction of young star Camren Bicondova who Stokes also discovered. "I remember I had to convince Camren and her mother to let her act in the film." Says Stokes. "Camren was hired as a dancer, but I felt like she was a mega star. So I wrote her into the film as one of the characters. She was very nervous because she had never acted before, or even thought about it. But I finally convinced her mother to let her do it. The ending result was great. We all were very happy with her performance." Camren is now one of the breakout stars of Fox's new hit TV series "Gotham" as Selina Kyle.
In 2014, Stokes set his eyes on entering into the world of television and is launching his new Film and Television Production Company Footage Films. Since it's inception Stokes' Production Company has produced and released a number of films over several different mediums. The most recent of which come from a three picture deal Stokes had with media giant Viacom in 2018. In 2018, Stokes directed three films. The first film was a suspense/drama titled We Belong Together which starred Draya Michele, Charles Malik Whitfield and Elise Neal. We Belong Together aired on BET in July 2018. The second film was a political drama titled Running Out Of Time which starred Tasha Smith and RonReaco Lee. Running Out Of Time aired on BET in December 1, 2018. To round out the trifecta, the third film, Fall Girls which starred Amara La Negra and Tammy Roman aired on BET in January 2019. All of Stokes' films can also be found on Netflix and all digital platforms, several of them have trended as "most popular" on the streaming service.
With 2019 in his sights, Stokes promises to deliver more entertaining content while building the Footage Films brand.- Actor
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