An investigation is being launched by the LAPD and DEA to determine more which led to the death of Matthew Perry, who died last October.
While the autopsy revealed that Matthew Perry had a high level of ketamine in his system at the time of death, this joint criminal investigation is trying to figure out the exact source of the anesthetic. According to TMZ, investigators are actively pursuing people within the community who could provide any information that would aid in their search.
Perry was found unresponsive in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home last fall. While the initial suspicion was that he had drowned, the autopsy report had more details on the causes, particularly as they related to ketamine and other factors. While details on the investigation over Matthew Perry’s death are slim at this point, if there is a party to be found as far...
While the autopsy revealed that Matthew Perry had a high level of ketamine in his system at the time of death, this joint criminal investigation is trying to figure out the exact source of the anesthetic. According to TMZ, investigators are actively pursuing people within the community who could provide any information that would aid in their search.
Perry was found unresponsive in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home last fall. While the initial suspicion was that he had drowned, the autopsy report had more details on the causes, particularly as they related to ketamine and other factors. While details on the investigation over Matthew Perry’s death are slim at this point, if there is a party to be found as far...
- 5/22/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
The lineup for the 28th edition of the American Black Film Festival continues to get more star studded with the world premiere of the second season of Kerry Washington’s Hulu series “UnPrisoned.”
Washington will attend the Miami Beach-based festival to celebrate the premiere and sit for a fireside chat with fellow executive producer Tracy McMillan, who created the series based on her life.
The Special Screenings lineup also features world premieres of documentaries “Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys,” about the Wu-Tang Clan founding member, and “Down in the Valley,” inspired the world of the hit Starz series “P-Valley,” plus a screening of the classic “Devil in a Blue Dress,” as part of the Denzel Washington Retrospective.
The HBO Short Film Award Showcase will kick off the film festival program on June 12, hosted by Sirius Xm’s Bevy Smith (“Bevelations”). Five filmmakers are selected as finalists, and...
Washington will attend the Miami Beach-based festival to celebrate the premiere and sit for a fireside chat with fellow executive producer Tracy McMillan, who created the series based on her life.
The Special Screenings lineup also features world premieres of documentaries “Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys,” about the Wu-Tang Clan founding member, and “Down in the Valley,” inspired the world of the hit Starz series “P-Valley,” plus a screening of the classic “Devil in a Blue Dress,” as part of the Denzel Washington Retrospective.
The HBO Short Film Award Showcase will kick off the film festival program on June 12, hosted by Sirius Xm’s Bevy Smith (“Bevelations”). Five filmmakers are selected as finalists, and...
- 5/15/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Missed Wednesday’s late-night monologues? We’ve got you covered with our round-up of the night’s best laughs from across the dial.
Late-Night Beat Down
The old saying goes, “If you come at the king, you best not miss.” That could likely be adapted to the late-night motto, “If you come for someone paid to tell jokes about you for a living, you’d best have some decent jokes of your own—or at least a competent fact-checker.” Sadly for Donald Trump, his recent decision to attack Jimmy Kimmel Live! and recent Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel demonstrated a serious lack of both comic ammunition and accuracy, as Trump’s social media shot blew up in his face on Wednesday.
Kimmel, naturally, was delighted to spend most of his Wednesday monologue breaking down every facet of Trump’s error-filled, occasionally all-caps tirade (with late-night colleague and podcast partner Stephen Colbert...
Late-Night Beat Down
The old saying goes, “If you come at the king, you best not miss.” That could likely be adapted to the late-night motto, “If you come for someone paid to tell jokes about you for a living, you’d best have some decent jokes of your own—or at least a competent fact-checker.” Sadly for Donald Trump, his recent decision to attack Jimmy Kimmel Live! and recent Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel demonstrated a serious lack of both comic ammunition and accuracy, as Trump’s social media shot blew up in his face on Wednesday.
Kimmel, naturally, was delighted to spend most of his Wednesday monologue breaking down every facet of Trump’s error-filled, occasionally all-caps tirade (with late-night colleague and podcast partner Stephen Colbert...
- 4/18/2024
- by Dennis Perkins
- LateNighter
Exclusive: Adriyan Rae lands recurring role on Netflix’s Forever created by Mara Brock Akil.
Forever is a reimagination of the 1975 novel by Judy Blume and follows the epic love story of two Black teens exploring their identities through the awkward — and moving — journey of being each other’s firsts in 2018 Los Angeles. Like its inspiration, the show will examine “the idea of your first love being with you forever,” said Brock Akil, who created acclaimed stories of Black love and growth like sitcom Girlfriends and drama Being Mary Jane. She was also a writer on the YA comedy Moesha.
Oscar winner Regina King (One Night in Miami) will serve as executive producer and will direct the first episode.
Rae will portray Brittany, one of Keisha’s older cousins, and is described as a social climber who looks out for Keisha and her well-being like an older sister—even if...
Forever is a reimagination of the 1975 novel by Judy Blume and follows the epic love story of two Black teens exploring their identities through the awkward — and moving — journey of being each other’s firsts in 2018 Los Angeles. Like its inspiration, the show will examine “the idea of your first love being with you forever,” said Brock Akil, who created acclaimed stories of Black love and growth like sitcom Girlfriends and drama Being Mary Jane. She was also a writer on the YA comedy Moesha.
Oscar winner Regina King (One Night in Miami) will serve as executive producer and will direct the first episode.
Rae will portray Brittany, one of Keisha’s older cousins, and is described as a social climber who looks out for Keisha and her well-being like an older sister—even if...
- 4/2/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Louis Gossett, Jr., a trailblazing actor who became the first Black man to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, sadly passed away late Thursday night on March 28, 2024. He was 87 years old. The news was reported by the Associated Press, who confirmed his death through the late actor's nephew Robert.
Most recently appearing in Warner Bros.' "The Color Purple" remake and in HBO's "Watchmen" series, Gossett, Jr. is perhaps most well known for his award-winning turn as drill instructor Emil Foley in 1982's "An Officer and a Gentleman." Additionally, he won an Emmy award for his role in the popular 1977 miniseries "Roots" and went on to earn widespread acclaim and recognition on both television and movies, racking up numerous Primetime Emmy Awards over the years. After first getting his start on Broadway at a time when the odds were severely stacked against him, Gossett, Jr. made his big-screen...
Most recently appearing in Warner Bros.' "The Color Purple" remake and in HBO's "Watchmen" series, Gossett, Jr. is perhaps most well known for his award-winning turn as drill instructor Emil Foley in 1982's "An Officer and a Gentleman." Additionally, he won an Emmy award for his role in the popular 1977 miniseries "Roots" and went on to earn widespread acclaim and recognition on both television and movies, racking up numerous Primetime Emmy Awards over the years. After first getting his start on Broadway at a time when the odds were severely stacked against him, Gossett, Jr. made his big-screen...
- 3/29/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Actors Kate Winslet and Idris Elba collaborated for the first time for the 2017 feature Mountain Between Us. But while working together, Winslet and Elba found themselves communicating with each other the way a real couple would.
Idris Elba shared what it was like working with Kate Winslet in ‘The Mountain Between Us’ Idris Elba and Kate Winslet | Samir Hussein/WireImage
The Mountain Between Us was a 2017 romance film starring both Elba and Winslet as a stranded couple trying to survive cold climates. Although the film was fictional, the environmental conditions were very real according to Elba.
“I won’t say it was tough,” Elba once told The Sydney Morning Herald. “But it was hard work. It was very cold and very taxing on your body.”
Elba would also be working with Winslet for the first time. Her experience with romance films would help The Wire alum adjust to a genre...
Idris Elba shared what it was like working with Kate Winslet in ‘The Mountain Between Us’ Idris Elba and Kate Winslet | Samir Hussein/WireImage
The Mountain Between Us was a 2017 romance film starring both Elba and Winslet as a stranded couple trying to survive cold climates. Although the film was fictional, the environmental conditions were very real according to Elba.
“I won’t say it was tough,” Elba once told The Sydney Morning Herald. “But it was hard work. It was very cold and very taxing on your body.”
Elba would also be working with Winslet for the first time. Her experience with romance films would help The Wire alum adjust to a genre...
- 3/27/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ghostbusters Franchise Ranked On Rotten Tomatoes: From Paul Rudd’s Frozen Empire To Bill Murray’s Og Film; Find Out Which Film Has The Highest Rating. (Photo Credit – IMDb)
The Ghostbusters franchise is once again back with the sequel of the reboot that came out in 2021. The original film came out in the 80s and was not only commercially successful but critically praised. The latest film in the franchise, Frozen Empire, has yet to have a worldwide release; it premiered in New York City’s AMC theatres a few days back and came out across the USA on Friday.
The latest release stars Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, and others from 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The 2024 film reunites the old and the new cast. The Og characters returned for this recent film, including Bill Murray and Annie Potts. Gil Kenan directed it, which is currently the franchise’s lowest-rated film.
The Ghostbusters franchise is once again back with the sequel of the reboot that came out in 2021. The original film came out in the 80s and was not only commercially successful but critically praised. The latest film in the franchise, Frozen Empire, has yet to have a worldwide release; it premiered in New York City’s AMC theatres a few days back and came out across the USA on Friday.
The latest release stars Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, and others from 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The 2024 film reunites the old and the new cast. The Og characters returned for this recent film, including Bill Murray and Annie Potts. Gil Kenan directed it, which is currently the franchise’s lowest-rated film.
- 3/23/2024
- by Esita Mallik
- KoiMoi
Actor Idris Elba got his breakthrough role by starring in the hit television series The Wire. But Elba was surrounded by a cast of other talented performers, with one in particular making him nervous.
Idris Elba found this actor incredible to work with Idris Elba | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Although Elba looked back at his time on The Wire fondly, he confided that he never revisited the show. This was partially due to the fact that, similar to many actors, Elba wasn’t keen on watching his own performances.
“In truth, to this day, I’ve never really watched The Wire,” Elba once told Sports Illustrated. “I haven’t seen it–I’m not very good at watching myself. But I’m always really touched when people talk about the performance and, essentially, the whole show.”
However, he wouldn’t have minded rewatching The Wire for the sake of one actor’s performance.
Idris Elba found this actor incredible to work with Idris Elba | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Although Elba looked back at his time on The Wire fondly, he confided that he never revisited the show. This was partially due to the fact that, similar to many actors, Elba wasn’t keen on watching his own performances.
“In truth, to this day, I’ve never really watched The Wire,” Elba once told Sports Illustrated. “I haven’t seen it–I’m not very good at watching myself. But I’m always really touched when people talk about the performance and, essentially, the whole show.”
However, he wouldn’t have minded rewatching The Wire for the sake of one actor’s performance.
- 3/20/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
February may be over, but Freevee is far from done! Despite rumors Amazon would be shutting the door on its free streamer, the service will instead open the gates to 15 new Fast channels and plenty of new titles this coming month, including 2020’s psychological thriller “The Invisible Man,” the heist comedy “Ocean's 8,” and more.
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what to watch on Freevee in March, and continue below to see all the titles and channels getting added to the streamer in March!
Watch Now Free amazonfreevee.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Freevee in March 2024? “Emma” | Friday, March 1
Anya Taylor-Joy stars as the restless Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy and elegant young woman without rivals living with her father in Regency-era England who entertains herself by meddling in the romantic lives of those closest to her as an amateur matchmaker. The film,...
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what to watch on Freevee in March, and continue below to see all the titles and channels getting added to the streamer in March!
Watch Now Free amazonfreevee.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Freevee in March 2024? “Emma” | Friday, March 1
Anya Taylor-Joy stars as the restless Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy and elegant young woman without rivals living with her father in Regency-era England who entertains herself by meddling in the romantic lives of those closest to her as an amateur matchmaker. The film,...
- 2/29/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Clockwise from top left: This Is Me... Now: A Love Story (Prime Video), Red Rocket (A24), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount)Image: The A.V. Club
Amazon’s Prime Video kicks off February with a summer blockbuster, a new “narrative-driven cinematic odyssey” from Jennifer Lopez, and a bunch of...
Amazon’s Prime Video kicks off February with a summer blockbuster, a new “narrative-driven cinematic odyssey” from Jennifer Lopez, and a bunch of...
- 2/3/2024
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
The Book of Clarence: New trailer shows how far Clarence is willing to go to prove he’s not a nobody
The new trailer for The Book of Clarence has been released. While the previous trailer showcased a soulful, satirical tone, this new one brings the gladiator action as Clarence is now shown to be confronted by James McAvoy’s Roman character, who proposes a challenge for our blasphemous character.
The outrageous mind of Jeymes Samuel, who last brought us Netflix‘s The Harder They Fall, is tackling complex themes in his new biblical satire from TriStar Pictures and Legendary. The Book of Clarence sees Lakeith Stanfield doing the unthinkable — posing as humanity’s next lord and savior. Stanfield is joined by an all-star cast that features the acting talents of Omar Sy, Rj Cyler, Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy, Anna Diop, Teyana Taylor, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Additionally, the cast also includes Caleb McLaughlin, Babs Olusanmokun, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Nicholas Pinnock, Micheal Ward, Chase Dillon, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.
The outrageous mind of Jeymes Samuel, who last brought us Netflix‘s The Harder They Fall, is tackling complex themes in his new biblical satire from TriStar Pictures and Legendary. The Book of Clarence sees Lakeith Stanfield doing the unthinkable — posing as humanity’s next lord and savior. Stanfield is joined by an all-star cast that features the acting talents of Omar Sy, Rj Cyler, Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy, Anna Diop, Teyana Taylor, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Additionally, the cast also includes Caleb McLaughlin, Babs Olusanmokun, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Nicholas Pinnock, Micheal Ward, Chase Dillon, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.
- 11/28/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Ending the year in signs is the hilarious, adventurous, sharp-tongued era of Sagittarius.
There’s truly nothing like them. They are quirky, mysterious and full of life. While they naturally grab the attention in the room, they feel most comfortable when they’re in their lonesome.
Sagittarius is the jack-of-trades sign; the sign that takes up space in every all industries — whether they be an actor, comedian or a bus driver — their versatility allows them to do it all. And that flexibility helps fuel their “I’ll try anything once” mindset. To them, what is life if you’re not living it to your fullest? The only thing you have to beware of is their slick mouth. Between Sagittarius, Virgo and Aries it’s hard to tell which sign is more brutally honest. Truly, to know Sagittarius is to love them. And if you don’t love…it doesn’t...
There’s truly nothing like them. They are quirky, mysterious and full of life. While they naturally grab the attention in the room, they feel most comfortable when they’re in their lonesome.
Sagittarius is the jack-of-trades sign; the sign that takes up space in every all industries — whether they be an actor, comedian or a bus driver — their versatility allows them to do it all. And that flexibility helps fuel their “I’ll try anything once” mindset. To them, what is life if you’re not living it to your fullest? The only thing you have to beware of is their slick mouth. Between Sagittarius, Virgo and Aries it’s hard to tell which sign is more brutally honest. Truly, to know Sagittarius is to love them. And if you don’t love…it doesn’t...
- 11/22/2023
- by Raquel 'Rocky' Harris
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Ethos Entertainment, the L.A.-based talent management company recently launched by Christina Gualazzi and Matt Goldman, has entered into a new joint venture with the NY-based production company Picture Farm, helmed by partners Ben Freedman, Chris Bren, and Dion Sapp.
Through the partnership, the companies will team on the development and production of a wide range of projects, including scripted and non-scripted TV series, as well as features, commercials, and digital content, the idea being that cross-collaboration and knowledge-sharing will unlock growth opportunities for all involved. The Jv stems from an earlier working relationship formed during production on Black Market with Michael K. Williams, the critically acclaimed Vice TV docuseries, produced by Freedman, Sapp, and Goldman, which won two Realscreen Awards.
Said Ethos Entertainment’s Gualazzi, “By joining forces with Picture Farm, we can offer our clients a wider range of excellence in not only talent management but...
Through the partnership, the companies will team on the development and production of a wide range of projects, including scripted and non-scripted TV series, as well as features, commercials, and digital content, the idea being that cross-collaboration and knowledge-sharing will unlock growth opportunities for all involved. The Jv stems from an earlier working relationship formed during production on Black Market with Michael K. Williams, the critically acclaimed Vice TV docuseries, produced by Freedman, Sapp, and Goldman, which won two Realscreen Awards.
Said Ethos Entertainment’s Gualazzi, “By joining forces with Picture Farm, we can offer our clients a wider range of excellence in not only talent management but...
- 11/6/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Prime Video is heading into the spookiest time of the year with all new treats for its subscribers. The streamer has added dozens of titles to its film library this October, ranging from a new time-traveling slasher comedy to a large collection of classic Bond.
In addition to the latest movie options, Prime Video members will also be able to watch several new documentaries and new seasons of hit series, including the fan-favorite sci-fi comedy “Upload” which premieres its third season on Friday, Oct. 20.
Find out The Streamable’s picks for the best of what’s new on Prime Video below!
30-Day Free Trial $8.99 / month amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Prime Video in October 2023? “Totally Killer” | Friday, Oct. 6
Fresh off its Fantastic Fest premiere, “Totally Killer” lands on Prime Video. The time-traveling comedy-horror slasher flick takes place 35 years after the shocking murders of three...
In addition to the latest movie options, Prime Video members will also be able to watch several new documentaries and new seasons of hit series, including the fan-favorite sci-fi comedy “Upload” which premieres its third season on Friday, Oct. 20.
Find out The Streamable’s picks for the best of what’s new on Prime Video below!
30-Day Free Trial $8.99 / month amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Prime Video in October 2023? “Totally Killer” | Friday, Oct. 6
Fresh off its Fantastic Fest premiere, “Totally Killer” lands on Prime Video. The time-traveling comedy-horror slasher flick takes place 35 years after the shocking murders of three...
- 10/3/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
The outrageous mind of Jeymes Samuel, who last brought us Netflix’s The Harder They Fall, is tackling blasphemous themes in his new biblical satire from TriStar Pictures and Legendary. The Book of Clarence sees Lakeith Stanfield doing the unthinkable — posing as humanity’s next lord and savior. Stanfield is joined by an all-star cast that features the acting talents of Omar Sy, Rj Cyler, Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy, Anna Diop, Teyana Taylor, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Additionally, the cast also includes Caleb McLaughlin, Babs Olusanmokun, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Nicholas Pinnock, Micheal Ward, Chase Dillon, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.
The synopsis reads, “Inspired by classic Hollywood epics set in biblical times, Legendary’s The Book of Clarence tells the tale of Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck denizen of Jerusalem embarking on a misguided attempt to capitalize on the rise of celebrity and influence of the Messiah for his own personal gain.
The synopsis reads, “Inspired by classic Hollywood epics set in biblical times, Legendary’s The Book of Clarence tells the tale of Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck denizen of Jerusalem embarking on a misguided attempt to capitalize on the rise of celebrity and influence of the Messiah for his own personal gain.
- 8/29/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
A drug dealer was sentenced to ten years in prison for the death of actor Michael K. Williams.
Irvin Cartagena was sentenced for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analog, according to a news release by the United States Attorney’s office. Cartagena was one of four men charged with being part of a drug trafficking ring that sold the fatal fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams.
Cartagena and the other three defendants, Hector Robles, Luis Cruz and Carlos Macci have been leading a drug operation since 2020, according to investigators.
Cartagena was the person who conducted the “hand-to-hand transaction” with Williams. Despite knowing that Williams’ had died likely from the fentanyl-laced heroin, he and his co-conspirators continued to sell the deadly heroin. Cartagena fled to Puerto Rico, where he was arrested in February 2022. Cartagena and Macci pleaded guilty, while the other two men, Robles and Cruz, pleaded not guilty.
Williams was...
Irvin Cartagena was sentenced for conspiring to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and fentanyl analog, according to a news release by the United States Attorney’s office. Cartagena was one of four men charged with being part of a drug trafficking ring that sold the fatal fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams.
Cartagena and the other three defendants, Hector Robles, Luis Cruz and Carlos Macci have been leading a drug operation since 2020, according to investigators.
Cartagena was the person who conducted the “hand-to-hand transaction” with Williams. Despite knowing that Williams’ had died likely from the fentanyl-laced heroin, he and his co-conspirators continued to sell the deadly heroin. Cartagena fled to Puerto Rico, where he was arrested in February 2022. Cartagena and Macci pleaded guilty, while the other two men, Robles and Cruz, pleaded not guilty.
Williams was...
- 8/22/2023
- by Zach Ament
- Uinterview
Drug dealer Irvin Cartagena has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling fentanyl-laced heroin to “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams, who died of an overdose in 2021.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams also made it clear that Cartagena and his cohorts knew about the actor’s death and continued with operations anyway. The attorney explained, “Michael K. Williams tragically lost his life after using the drugs sold to him by Cartagena. Although their product had already claimed one life, Cartagena and his co-conspirators continued to sell potentially lethal fentanyl-laced heroin.”
Cartagena is one of four men associated with the drug-trafficking ring that sold the substance. Cartagena, who is believed to be the person who physically sold the drugs to the actor, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and other drugs. He was arrested in Puerto Rico in February 2022.
In July of this year,...
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams also made it clear that Cartagena and his cohorts knew about the actor’s death and continued with operations anyway. The attorney explained, “Michael K. Williams tragically lost his life after using the drugs sold to him by Cartagena. Although their product had already claimed one life, Cartagena and his co-conspirators continued to sell potentially lethal fentanyl-laced heroin.”
Cartagena is one of four men associated with the drug-trafficking ring that sold the substance. Cartagena, who is believed to be the person who physically sold the drugs to the actor, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and other drugs. He was arrested in Puerto Rico in February 2022.
In July of this year,...
- 8/20/2023
- by Stephanie Kaloi
- The Wrap
The man who sold The Wire actor Michael K. Williams a fatal dose of heroin was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday, according to the New York Times.
Irvin Cartagena, 40, was part of a group of four men trafficking drugs out of a Williamsburg apartment, and was the one who sold the actor a bag of fentanyl-laced heroin on Sept. 5, 2021.
A previous release from the U.S. Attorney’s office included screengrabs of surveillance footage showing Williams and Cartagena allegedly “executing the hand-to-hand transaction” the day before the Red Sea actor’s death.
Irvin Cartagena, 40, was part of a group of four men trafficking drugs out of a Williamsburg apartment, and was the one who sold the actor a bag of fentanyl-laced heroin on Sept. 5, 2021.
A previous release from the U.S. Attorney’s office included screengrabs of surveillance footage showing Williams and Cartagena allegedly “executing the hand-to-hand transaction” the day before the Red Sea actor’s death.
- 8/19/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
The Wire creator David Simon has responded to a man being sentenced in the death of actor Michael K. Williams, who played Omar Little in HBO’s drug-war drama.
Carlos Macci, 72, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for being part of a four-man crew that sold a lethal bag of fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams in 2021. According to The New York Times, the judge said that “while she sympathized with Mr. Macci’s troubles, the deadly toll of fentanyl and his decision to keep selling heroin laced with it even after Mr. Williams died demanded accountability.”
Simon previously made headlines by writing a letter to a Manhattan judge arguing that Macci is a victim of the same addiction issues and circumstances that claimed Williams’ life. On Twitter, Simon responded to a user who posted a tabloid headline, saying that Macci was sentenced “despite” Simon “begging for leniency.”
“I wrote a letter,...
Carlos Macci, 72, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for being part of a four-man crew that sold a lethal bag of fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams in 2021. According to The New York Times, the judge said that “while she sympathized with Mr. Macci’s troubles, the deadly toll of fentanyl and his decision to keep selling heroin laced with it even after Mr. Williams died demanded accountability.”
Simon previously made headlines by writing a letter to a Manhattan judge arguing that Macci is a victim of the same addiction issues and circumstances that claimed Williams’ life. On Twitter, Simon responded to a user who posted a tabloid headline, saying that Macci was sentenced “despite” Simon “begging for leniency.”
“I wrote a letter,...
- 7/26/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A drug dealer linked to actor Michael K. Williams’ 2021 overdose death has been found guilty, with a sentence that will put him in prison for less than three years.
On Tuesday, a judge determined that a 71-year-old man “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing your freedom,” pointing to the dealer continuing to sell drugs even after news of Michael K. Williams’ overdose broke. However, the Associated Press noted that the man, Carlos Macci, was “not charged directly in the actor’s death.” Macci had nearly two dozen prior convictions.
Prior to the decision, David Simon – who created The Wire, in which Michael K. Williams starred as Omar Little and knew the late actor well – urged the judge to consider leniency in the sentencing related to the actor’s overdose death. “What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy…But I know that Michael would look...
On Tuesday, a judge determined that a 71-year-old man “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing your freedom,” pointing to the dealer continuing to sell drugs even after news of Michael K. Williams’ overdose broke. However, the Associated Press noted that the man, Carlos Macci, was “not charged directly in the actor’s death.” Macci had nearly two dozen prior convictions.
Prior to the decision, David Simon – who created The Wire, in which Michael K. Williams starred as Omar Little and knew the late actor well – urged the judge to consider leniency in the sentencing related to the actor’s overdose death. “What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy…But I know that Michael would look...
- 7/26/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
A 71-year-old man linked to a crew of drug dealers blamed in the fentanyl-laced heroin death of “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams was sentenced Tuesday to more than two years in prison at a proceeding in which the actor’s nephew recommended compassion for the defendant.
Carlos Macci was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who told Macci that selling heroin and fentanyl “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing your freedom,” in part because he did not stop selling drugs after Williams died.
Read More: Michael K. Williams’ Nephew Gets Candid About His Uncle’s Death From Fentanyl Overdose
Macci had pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute narcotics.
The judge noted that more than 3,000 fatal overdoses occurred in New York City last year, killing many who never understood the threat they faced from lethal doses of drugs whose components were unclear.
Carlos Macci was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who told Macci that selling heroin and fentanyl “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing your freedom,” in part because he did not stop selling drugs after Williams died.
Read More: Michael K. Williams’ Nephew Gets Candid About His Uncle’s Death From Fentanyl Overdose
Macci had pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess and distribute narcotics.
The judge noted that more than 3,000 fatal overdoses occurred in New York City last year, killing many who never understood the threat they faced from lethal doses of drugs whose components were unclear.
- 7/26/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
A drug dealer was sentenced to prison in connection with the death of actor Michael K. Williams.
Carlos Macci, the 72-year-old man that was arrested on drug trafficking charges was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
“I would like to say, your honor, I’m sorry for what has happened,” Macci said, according to AP.
Aside from the prison sentence, Macci would also have three years of supervised release with the first year as an inpatient in a drug treatment facility.
Macci had pleaded guilty to the charges that included distributing narcotics and conspiring to possess.
Williams was found dead in 2021 in his home in Brooklyn. The actor in shows like The Wire, Boardwalk Empire and Lovecraft Country, died of “acute intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, p-fluoro-fentanyl, heroin and cocaine,” according to the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
The Wire creator urged the Manhattan judge some leniency for...
Carlos Macci, the 72-year-old man that was arrested on drug trafficking charges was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.
“I would like to say, your honor, I’m sorry for what has happened,” Macci said, according to AP.
Aside from the prison sentence, Macci would also have three years of supervised release with the first year as an inpatient in a drug treatment facility.
Macci had pleaded guilty to the charges that included distributing narcotics and conspiring to possess.
Williams was found dead in 2021 in his home in Brooklyn. The actor in shows like The Wire, Boardwalk Empire and Lovecraft Country, died of “acute intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, p-fluoro-fentanyl, heroin and cocaine,” according to the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
The Wire creator urged the Manhattan judge some leniency for...
- 7/26/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Carlos Macci, a 72-year-old New Yorker who was one of 4 men linked to the fentanyl-laced drugs that killed actor Michael K. Williams in 2021, was on Tuesday sentenced to 30 months in prison.
“I would like to say, your honor, I’m sorry for what has happened,” Macci said before his sentence was read, according to NBC.
Along with the 2 1/2-year sentence, Macci receive three years of supervised release, the first of which to be spent in an inpatient drug treatment facility. Prosecutors had sought 10 years.
Williams died at age 54 on on Sept. 6, 2021 of an overdose due to a combination of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine. Macci, alongside Irvin Cartagena, Hector Robles and Luis Cruz were arrested in 2022 in connection to his death. All four pled guilty; Macci specifically pled guilty to possessing and distributing narcotics
Macci has been in jail since his arrest and his attorneys sought to have him sentenced to time served,...
“I would like to say, your honor, I’m sorry for what has happened,” Macci said before his sentence was read, according to NBC.
Along with the 2 1/2-year sentence, Macci receive three years of supervised release, the first of which to be spent in an inpatient drug treatment facility. Prosecutors had sought 10 years.
Williams died at age 54 on on Sept. 6, 2021 of an overdose due to a combination of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine. Macci, alongside Irvin Cartagena, Hector Robles and Luis Cruz were arrested in 2022 in connection to his death. All four pled guilty; Macci specifically pled guilty to possessing and distributing narcotics
Macci has been in jail since his arrest and his attorneys sought to have him sentenced to time served,...
- 7/26/2023
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Carlos Macci was sentenced on Tuesday to 30 months in prison in connection with the death of The Wire actor Michael K. Williams.
Macci, 72, was part of a group of four men selling drugs out of a Williamsburg apartment and was with the man who sold the actor a bag of fentanyl-laced heroin on Sept. 5, 2021, according to the New York Times.
Williams died of “acute intoxication” from the effects of fentanyl, heroin, p-fluorofentanyl, and cocaine, at his Brooklyn home on Sept. 6. He was 54. The actor was best known for his role...
Macci, 72, was part of a group of four men selling drugs out of a Williamsburg apartment and was with the man who sold the actor a bag of fentanyl-laced heroin on Sept. 5, 2021, according to the New York Times.
Williams died of “acute intoxication” from the effects of fentanyl, heroin, p-fluorofentanyl, and cocaine, at his Brooklyn home on Sept. 6. He was 54. The actor was best known for his role...
- 7/26/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: After being forced to halt production with the launch of the SAG-AFTRA strike, the crime drama King Ivory from writer-director John Swab (Ida Red) is back up and running once again, in and around Tulsa, Ok, having been named just recently as one of 39 productions that will benefit from a SAG Interim Agreement.
Previously unannounced actors who have been able to return to set, pursuant to the agreement, include James Badge Dale (The Departed), Ben Foster (Hell or High Water), Michael Mando (Better Call Saul), Rory Cochrane (Black Mass), Ritchie Coster (The Dark Knight), George Carroll (The Town), Sam Quartin (Candy Land), Academy Award nominee Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves) and Academy Award winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter).
While production on the majority of studio projects has been shuttered, amidst a dual strike by SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, the actors guild is offering interim agreements to the projects of “truly independent producers,...
Previously unannounced actors who have been able to return to set, pursuant to the agreement, include James Badge Dale (The Departed), Ben Foster (Hell or High Water), Michael Mando (Better Call Saul), Rory Cochrane (Black Mass), Ritchie Coster (The Dark Knight), George Carroll (The Town), Sam Quartin (Candy Land), Academy Award nominee Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves) and Academy Award winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter).
While production on the majority of studio projects has been shuttered, amidst a dual strike by SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, the actors guild is offering interim agreements to the projects of “truly independent producers,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
In a letter to a Manhattan judge, The Wire creator David Simon called the late Michael K. Williams “one of the finest actors with whom I have had the honor to collaborate and one of the most thoughtful, gracious and charitable souls I could ever call a friend.” But he also asks for leniency for a man charged in Williams’ death. Williams, who played stick-up man Omar Little on the HBO drama, died after overdosing on fentanyl-laced heroin in September 2021 at age 54. And Carlos Macci, 71, is one of four people who have been charged in connection with his death, according to The New York Times. According to a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York criminal complaint cited by TVLine, Macci and the three other men — Irvin Cartagena, 40, Hector Robles, 58, and Luiz Cruz, 57 — kept selling their drugs even after learning that Williams had died. Nicole Rivelli/HBO...
- 7/8/2023
- TV Insider
The Wire co-creator and producer David Simon is urging a Manhattan judge to show leniency in sentencing the 71-year-old man who sold the fentanyl that resulted in the 2021 death of Simon’s friend, the Wire actor Michael K. Williams.
In a three-page letter obtained by The New York Times, Simon asks Federal District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams to show mercy in the upcoming sentencing of Carlos Macci, one of four men who has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing the narcotics that took Williams’ life in September 2021.
Related: Michael K. Williams Dies: Star Of ‘The Wire’ And ‘Lovecraft Country’ Was 54
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote in the letter, according to The Times. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened.
In a three-page letter obtained by The New York Times, Simon asks Federal District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams to show mercy in the upcoming sentencing of Carlos Macci, one of four men who has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing the narcotics that took Williams’ life in September 2021.
Related: Michael K. Williams Dies: Star Of ‘The Wire’ And ‘Lovecraft Country’ Was 54
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote in the letter, according to The Times. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened.
- 7/7/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Wire co-creator David Simon has taken the unusual step of asking for mercy for a man who’s charged in connection with the death of Michael K. Williams, the late actor from Simon’s acclaimed HBO drama.
Williams, 54, played stick-up man Omar Little in the drug war series. He perished in 2021 from an overdose of fentanyl-laced heroin. Last year, four men were charged in a Manhattan federal court in association with his death.
Authorities said at the time that the men continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight amid apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan, even after knowing that Williams had died from one of their products. One of those men is Carlos Macci, 71, and now Simon is making a case that Macci should receive leniency.
According to The New York Times, Simon sent a three-page letter to a Manhattan judge arguing that Macci is a victim of...
Williams, 54, played stick-up man Omar Little in the drug war series. He perished in 2021 from an overdose of fentanyl-laced heroin. Last year, four men were charged in a Manhattan federal court in association with his death.
Authorities said at the time that the men continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight amid apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan, even after knowing that Williams had died from one of their products. One of those men is Carlos Macci, 71, and now Simon is making a case that Macci should receive leniency.
According to The New York Times, Simon sent a three-page letter to a Manhattan judge arguing that Macci is a victim of...
- 7/7/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
David Simon, the creator of “The Wire,” is advocating for leniency in the case of Carlos Macci, one of the men who sold actor Michael K. Williams the fentanyl-laced drugs that killed him. Simon noted that his relationship with the late Williams “convinces me that he would want me to write this letter.”
A three-page document was part of a filing submitted by the defendant’s lawyer to Federal District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams on Thursday, according to The New York Times.
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened.”
He then went on to add, “No possible good can come from incarcerating a 71-year-old soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction.
A three-page document was part of a filing submitted by the defendant’s lawyer to Federal District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams on Thursday, according to The New York Times.
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote. “But I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened.”
He then went on to add, “No possible good can come from incarcerating a 71-year-old soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction.
- 7/7/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
David Simon, co-creator of The Wire, has asked a Manhattan judge to grant leniency to a man being charged in connection with the 2021 drug overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams.
Carlos Macci, 71, is one of four men charged in connection with Williams’ death. All have pleaded guilty, with Macci’s sentencing scheduled for later this month. While Macci’s recommended sentence is 10 years, Simon sent a three-page letter on his behalf to Judge Ronnie Abrams, urging a shorter sentence.
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote,...
Carlos Macci, 71, is one of four men charged in connection with Williams’ death. All have pleaded guilty, with Macci’s sentencing scheduled for later this month. While Macci’s recommended sentence is 10 years, Simon sent a three-page letter on his behalf to Judge Ronnie Abrams, urging a shorter sentence.
“What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy,” Simon wrote,...
- 7/7/2023
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
Stars: Letitia Wright, Jamie Bell, Michael Kenneth Williams, Jeffrey Donovan, Kevin Wiggins, Brett Gelman | Written by Andrew Pagana, Justin Thomas | Directed by Anthony Mandler
Surrounded is the latest in a long line of black-themed Westerns that stretches from early efforts like The Bull-Dogger and Harlem on the Prairie through John Ford’s Sergeant Rutledge and Blazing Saddles. Blacksploitation star Fred Williamson had a string of horse operas, such as Take a Hard Ride and the provocatively titled Boss N*gger, one of three films he made to use that word in the title. More recently we’ve had Django Unchained and Murder at Yellowstone City, neither of which impressed me. Can this unhyped and unheralded entry in the genre deliver the goods?
Five years after the end of the Civil War former slave and Buffalo Soldier Moses “Mo” Washington is travelling west. Mo has a secret, two of them in fact,...
Surrounded is the latest in a long line of black-themed Westerns that stretches from early efforts like The Bull-Dogger and Harlem on the Prairie through John Ford’s Sergeant Rutledge and Blazing Saddles. Blacksploitation star Fred Williamson had a string of horse operas, such as Take a Hard Ride and the provocatively titled Boss N*gger, one of three films he made to use that word in the title. More recently we’ve had Django Unchained and Murder at Yellowstone City, neither of which impressed me. Can this unhyped and unheralded entry in the genre deliver the goods?
Five years after the end of the Civil War former slave and Buffalo Soldier Moses “Mo” Washington is travelling west. Mo has a secret, two of them in fact,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
And now for something completely different: After attracting attention and appreciation with his debut feature, “Monster,” a riveting contemporary drama about a Black high school honor student charged as an accessory to a fatal shooting in his Harlem neighborhood, director Anthony Mandler continues to impress with his sophomore effort, “Surrounded,” an exceptionally well-crafted Western that spins a gripping, racially charged tale of suspicion, deception and survival in post-Civil War New Mexico. Echoes of Sergio Leone, Budd Boetticher and John Ford abound throughout the sturdy screenplay by Andrew Pagana and Justin Thomas. But the movie is less a genre pastiche than a multifaceted character study in which perfectly cast lead players Letitia Wright (“Black Panther”) and Jamie Bell (“Snowpiercer”) do most of the narrative heavy lifting.
It’s 1870, and ex-slave Mo Washington (Wright) is determined to start a new life by journeying westward. Disguised as a man for her own protection,...
It’s 1870, and ex-slave Mo Washington (Wright) is determined to start a new life by journeying westward. Disguised as a man for her own protection,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
Since 2021, Giancarlo Esposito has held the distinction of being the most-recognized Black performer in the history of the Best Drama Supporting Actor Emmy category. After coming up short on all of his past nominations for “Breaking Bad” (2012), “Better Call Saul” (2019-2020) and “The Mandalorian” (2021), he now has a shot at finally triumphing on his potential third “Better Call Saul” bid. This would not only finally make the six-season AMC drama an Emmy-winning show, but would also make Esposito his category’s first Black winner.
Esposito’s appearance in the final season of “Better Call Saul” serves as the conclusion of a performance that had begun 13 years earlier on “Breaking Bad.” Although the newer series mainly functioned as a backstory for Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill (Bob Odenkirk), it naturally fleshed out many more featured “Breaking Bad” characters, including Esposito’s Gus Fring. In his last moments on screen, the narcotics kingpin...
Esposito’s appearance in the final season of “Better Call Saul” serves as the conclusion of a performance that had begun 13 years earlier on “Breaking Bad.” Although the newer series mainly functioned as a backstory for Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill (Bob Odenkirk), it naturally fleshed out many more featured “Breaking Bad” characters, including Esposito’s Gus Fring. In his last moments on screen, the narcotics kingpin...
- 5/16/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
"I had to learn as a Black woman living in this damn White world, that I gotta work 3 times as hard to get 1/5th of what I deserve." MGM Studios has revealed an official trailer for Surrounded, a western thriller from filmmaker Anthony Mandler. This is arriving to watch on VOD / digital for streaming in June this summer - it's skipping theaters unfortunately. I'd watch it on the big screen. The Wild West has never seen a force like Moses "Mo" Washington. Former Buffalo Soldier Mo Washington travels West to lay claim on a gold mine. After her stagecoach is ambushed, Mo is tasked with holding a dangerous outlaw captive and must survive the day when the bandit's gang tries to free him. Letitia Wright stars as "Mo" Washington, with Jamie Bell as Tommy Walsh ("the outlaw"), Michael K. Williams (in one of his final roles - filmed before he passed away in 2021), Jeffrey Donovan,...
- 5/11/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Months after his life was suddenly cut short, Emmy winner Leslie Jordan has a chance to receive more TV academy love for his final small screen performance as Phil on Fox’s “Call Me Kat.” If he does land in this year’s Best Comedy Supporting Actor lineup, he will join a group of 12 other comedy or drama series regulars who posthumously achieved Emmy recognition. If he scores his second victory, he will make history as the first deceased male actor to win an Emmy for a continuing program.
“Call Me Kat” was the first and only multi-season series on which Jordan played a regular role. In his last few episodes, his character, who worked as the head baker at a Kentucky cat cafe, finally found true love with drag performer Jalen, aka Queen Dicktoria (John Griffin). Following his final appearance, Phil was given a happy ending that involved him...
“Call Me Kat” was the first and only multi-season series on which Jordan played a regular role. In his last few episodes, his character, who worked as the head baker at a Kentucky cat cafe, finally found true love with drag performer Jalen, aka Queen Dicktoria (John Griffin). Following his final appearance, Phil was given a happy ending that involved him...
- 5/11/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
The full title of the George Foreman biopic provides a not-so-subtle clue as to the film’s prosaicness. The movie about Jake Lamotta vividly signaled the personality of its lead character with Raging Bull. The one about Rocky Graziano jauntily indicated its upbeat nature with Somebody Up There Likes Me. So what does Foreman merit? Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World. It sounds like the title of a biography for young readers, and that’s pretty much how the by-the-numbers film plays.
It’s not surprising that Affirm Films is one of the film’s producers, since Foreman famously underwent a religious epiphany and became a born-again Christian. He retired from boxing for many years and became a minister, preaching first on street corners before becoming working at a Houston church. He also opened a youth community center, and, as the film portrays it,...
It’s not surprising that Affirm Films is one of the film’s producers, since Foreman famously underwent a religious epiphany and became a born-again Christian. He retired from boxing for many years and became a minister, preaching first on street corners before becoming working at a Houston church. He also opened a youth community center, and, as the film portrays it,...
- 4/27/2023
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A drug dealer directly linked to the 2021 overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams has pleaded guilty, potentially facing up to four decades behind bars.
As per the Department of Justice press release, quoting U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, “Irvin Cartagena sold fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy. In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams.” The attorney elaborated on the effects, citing not just the tragic death of Williams, but the too-common instances of overdoses across the country. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison, exploit addiction, and cause senseless death in our community.” According to the National Safety Council, fentanyl-related deaths saw an increase of more than 25% in 2021 from 2020.
Also quoting from the DOJ’s statement, “Members of the [drug trafficking organization] sold Michael K. Williams heroin,...
As per the Department of Justice press release, quoting U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, “Irvin Cartagena sold fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy. In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams.” The attorney elaborated on the effects, citing not just the tragic death of Williams, but the too-common instances of overdoses across the country. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison, exploit addiction, and cause senseless death in our community.” According to the National Safety Council, fentanyl-related deaths saw an increase of more than 25% in 2021 from 2020.
Also quoting from the DOJ’s statement, “Members of the [drug trafficking organization] sold Michael K. Williams heroin,...
- 4/8/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
The drug dealer charged in the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday.
Irvin Cartagena, 39, was one of four men charged with selling fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams. Prosecutors claim Cartagena was the dealer who performed the “hand-to-hand transaction” with Williams before the actor died.
> 50 ‘Best’ Celebrity Mugshots – Famous People At Their Lowest
Williams was found dead in his New York City apartment in September 2021. Police also discovered a glassine bag that, according to lab testing, contained heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, lidocaine and caffeine.
The city Medical Examiner’s Officer ruled the death as an accidental overdose. Williams was 54.
Cartagena faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18.
According to New York police, Cartagena was a member of a Brooklyn-based drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl-laced heroin.
Carlos Macci, one of Cartagena’s codefendants,...
Irvin Cartagena, 39, was one of four men charged with selling fentanyl-laced heroin to Williams. Prosecutors claim Cartagena was the dealer who performed the “hand-to-hand transaction” with Williams before the actor died.
> 50 ‘Best’ Celebrity Mugshots – Famous People At Their Lowest
Williams was found dead in his New York City apartment in September 2021. Police also discovered a glassine bag that, according to lab testing, contained heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, lidocaine and caffeine.
The city Medical Examiner’s Officer ruled the death as an accidental overdose. Williams was 54.
Cartagena faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18.
According to New York police, Cartagena was a member of a Brooklyn-based drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl-laced heroin.
Carlos Macci, one of Cartagena’s codefendants,...
- 4/7/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
A Brooklyn drug dealer pleaded guilty Wednesday to providing “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death.
Irvin Cartagena’s plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and the possibility of as many as 40 years.
The famed actor, who also starred in films and other TV series including “Boardwalk Empire”, overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. Authorities said he died hours after buying the heroin from Cartagena on a Brooklyn sidewalk in a deal that was recorded by a security camera.
Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Williams resulted in his death. His lawyer, Sean Maher, declined comment.
Read More: Michael K.
Irvin Cartagena’s plea to a charge of conspiring to distribute drugs was entered in Manhattan federal court. Sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and the possibility of as many as 40 years.
The famed actor, who also starred in films and other TV series including “Boardwalk Empire”, overdosed in his Brooklyn penthouse apartment in September 2021. Authorities said he died hours after buying the heroin from Cartagena on a Brooklyn sidewalk in a deal that was recorded by a security camera.
Cartagena, 39, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors stipulating that the mix of heroin and fentanyl he sold Williams resulted in his death. His lawyer, Sean Maher, declined comment.
Read More: Michael K.
- 4/6/2023
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
A drug dealer who sold the deadly fentanyl-laced heroin packet to “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams pleaded guilty Wednesday in New York, according to multiple media reports.
Irvin Cartagena was accused of selling the drugs to Williams on Sept. 5, 2021, in Brooklyn. He appeared Wednesday and pleaded guilty to one count of “conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin.”
Cartagena will be sentenced later this year and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in state prison. He was arrested in February of last year after an extensive investigation that used camera footage and other forensic sources showing Cartagena and accomplices continued peddling of powders after hearing of Williams’ death.
Williams had been shooting “Lovecraft Country” for HBO when his body was discovered in his New York apartment. It was determined that he died from an accidental overdose from the combined effects of fentanyl,...
Irvin Cartagena was accused of selling the drugs to Williams on Sept. 5, 2021, in Brooklyn. He appeared Wednesday and pleaded guilty to one count of “conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin.”
Cartagena will be sentenced later this year and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in state prison. He was arrested in February of last year after an extensive investigation that used camera footage and other forensic sources showing Cartagena and accomplices continued peddling of powders after hearing of Williams’ death.
Williams had been shooting “Lovecraft Country” for HBO when his body was discovered in his New York apartment. It was determined that he died from an accidental overdose from the combined effects of fentanyl,...
- 4/6/2023
- by Josh Dickey
- The Wrap
A year and a half after Michael K. Williams’ death, the man who sold The Wire star the drugs that killed him has pleaded guilty.
“Irvin Cartagena sold fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York said Wednesday, regarding the the September 5, 2021 transaction in Brooklyn’s South Williamsburg neighborhood. “In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams.”
In front U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams earlier in the day, Cartagena pleaded guilty to “one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin.” That plea specifically cited the death of Williams as a consequence of Cartagena’s drug slinging. Set to be sentenced later this year, Cartagena, aka “Green Eyes,” faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years on the charges.
“Irvin Cartagena sold fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York said Wednesday, regarding the the September 5, 2021 transaction in Brooklyn’s South Williamsburg neighborhood. “In doing so, he dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K. Williams.”
In front U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams earlier in the day, Cartagena pleaded guilty to “one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin.” That plea specifically cited the death of Williams as a consequence of Cartagena’s drug slinging. Set to be sentenced later this year, Cartagena, aka “Green Eyes,” faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years on the charges.
- 4/6/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
A drug dealer who sold The Wire actor Michael K. Williams a fatal dose of fentanyl-laced heroin pled guilty to a narcotics conspiracy charge on Wednesday, the New York Times reports.
Irvin Cartagena’s sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams in Manhattan federal court for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face up to 40 years and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.
A previous release from the U.S. Attorney’s office included screengrabs of surveillance footage showing Williams and Cartagena allegedly “executing the hand-to-hand transaction...
Irvin Cartagena’s sentencing was set by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams in Manhattan federal court for Aug. 18, when Cartagena will face up to 40 years and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.
A previous release from the U.S. Attorney’s office included screengrabs of surveillance footage showing Williams and Cartagena allegedly “executing the hand-to-hand transaction...
- 4/5/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
John Boyega has teased that an "exciting" 'Attack the Block' sequel is taking shape.The 31-year-old star is set to reprise his role as Moses in the follow-up to the 2011 sci-fi movie about an alien invasion in South London and revealed that he has been working closely with director Joe Cornish on the new project.John told the Metro newspaper: "Joe is in the writing lab, cooking that, writing up something cool."We've penned ideas, brainstormed, we've been to London and met up, traced every character to where they've been."We've looked at London, how much has changed. We're very, very excited."Boyega plays the veteran US marine Brian Brown-Easley, who resorted to holding up a bank due to his dire financial situation, in his new movie 'Breaking' and discussed the "sense of responsibility" he felt in telling the former serviceman's story.The 'Star Wars' actor...
- 3/28/2023
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
To celebrate the release of Breaking, the new acclaimed drama/thriller released this week, we sat down with the film’s star/producer and director to find out more.
Living in a cheap motel in Atlanta and separated from his wife and child, former U.S. Marine veteran Brian Easley (John Boyega) is desperate. Driven to the brink by forces beyond his control, the soft-spoken, kind man decides to go into a bank and hold hostages with a bomb. As police, media, and family members descend on the bank and Brian, it becomes clear he’s not after money – he wants to tell his story and have what is rightfully his, even if it costs him his life.
Chatting to Boeyga, he tells about the lure of the project, both as a performer and as a producer, the power of Brian’s story and why the stories of veterans returning...
Living in a cheap motel in Atlanta and separated from his wife and child, former U.S. Marine veteran Brian Easley (John Boyega) is desperate. Driven to the brink by forces beyond his control, the soft-spoken, kind man decides to go into a bank and hold hostages with a bomb. As police, media, and family members descend on the bank and Brian, it becomes clear he’s not after money – he wants to tell his story and have what is rightfully his, even if it costs him his life.
Chatting to Boeyga, he tells about the lure of the project, both as a performer and as a producer, the power of Brian’s story and why the stories of veterans returning...
- 3/24/2023
- by Scott Davis
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Bank robberies are a staple of cinema. They usually go two ways. There’s the secretive, carefully planned out break-ins like in Rifiki or Ocean’s 11, or there’s the all-guns-blazing approach of Heat and Point Break. But when Brian Easley walked into Wells Fargo Bank in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2017, he took neither approach. An exceptionally mild-mannered man, he held up the bank with a homemade bomb in order to ransom the Veteran Affairs association for unpaid disability benefits. Honouring this story with a mixture of empathy and grace, as well as considerable dramatic flair, Abi Damaris Corbin’s Sundance Special Jury: Ensemble Cast award winning feature Breaking splits the difference between the two genres, providing a modern update of Dog Day Afternoon that incisively indicts a broken system. Ahead of the film’s digital release on March 27th, we talked to Corbin about working with both John Boyega and...
- 3/24/2023
- by Redmond Bacon
- Directors Notes
Deadline is reporting that Sony has tapped September 22 for the release date of Jeymes Samuel’s biblical epic, The Book of Clarence. Samuel had recently made The Harder They Fall and will be tackling religious themes in his new film. The movie sports an impressive ensemble of actors, which include Lakeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, Rj Cyler, Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy, Anna Diop, Teyana Taylor, David Oyelowo, Alfre Woodard, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Additionally, the cast also includes Caleb McLaughlin, Babs Olusanmokun, Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Nicholas Pinnock, Micheal Ward, Chase Dillon, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.
Although the film will deal with the subject of religion, Deadline reports that movie isn’t faith-based. The synopsis reads, “Inspired by classic Hollywood epics set in biblical times, Legendary’s The Book of Clarence tells the tale of Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck denizen of Jerusalem embarking on a misguided attempt to capitalize on the rise...
Although the film will deal with the subject of religion, Deadline reports that movie isn’t faith-based. The synopsis reads, “Inspired by classic Hollywood epics set in biblical times, Legendary’s The Book of Clarence tells the tale of Clarence (Lakeith Stanfield), a down-on-his-luck denizen of Jerusalem embarking on a misguided attempt to capitalize on the rise...
- 3/3/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
This post contains spoilers for "The Road."
Before the whole concept of TV zombies really took off, the cinematic end of the world looked a lot grayer and more human, courtesy of "The Road." For anyone familiar with author Cormac McCarthy's work, it should come as no surprise that the film adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel wasn't exactly the feel-good movie of 2009. Boosted by its selection for the Oprah Winfrey Book Club in 2007, "The Road" was already a literary sensation before director John Hillcoat set out to adapt it as the first follow-up to his critically acclaimed Australian Western "The Proposition."
The year after "The Road" hit theaters, viewers embraced a similar post-apocalyptic scenario on the small screen with AMC's "The Walking Dead." McCarthy wouldn't publish another book until late 2022, by which time there was a new zombie trailer in town—for HBO's "The Last of Us.
Before the whole concept of TV zombies really took off, the cinematic end of the world looked a lot grayer and more human, courtesy of "The Road." For anyone familiar with author Cormac McCarthy's work, it should come as no surprise that the film adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel wasn't exactly the feel-good movie of 2009. Boosted by its selection for the Oprah Winfrey Book Club in 2007, "The Road" was already a literary sensation before director John Hillcoat set out to adapt it as the first follow-up to his critically acclaimed Australian Western "The Proposition."
The year after "The Road" hit theaters, viewers embraced a similar post-apocalyptic scenario on the small screen with AMC's "The Walking Dead." McCarthy wouldn't publish another book until late 2022, by which time there was a new zombie trailer in town—for HBO's "The Last of Us.
- 2/26/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
It’s been five years since Alden Ehrenreich’s last film, Solo: A Star Wars Story, crash-landed in theaters.
The then-twenty-something Angeleno had beat out 3,000 actors — Miles Teller, Taron Egerton, Ansel Elgort, Rami Malek, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson among them — for the role of young Han Solo in the much-hyped origin story, only to have the production marred by infighting among its creative team. As the story goes, the film’s original directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (21 Jump Street), were fired and replaced by Ron Howard; its editor was...
The then-twenty-something Angeleno had beat out 3,000 actors — Miles Teller, Taron Egerton, Ansel Elgort, Rami Malek, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson among them — for the role of young Han Solo in the much-hyped origin story, only to have the production marred by infighting among its creative team. As the story goes, the film’s original directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (21 Jump Street), were fired and replaced by Ron Howard; its editor was...
- 2/23/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
Netflix has quite a few new movies and television shows joining its ranks this March. Some of these are exclusives or originals, such as the second season of "Shadow and Bone," while others like the "Riddick" trilogy are being acquired through licensing agreements. Needless to say, if you are subscribed to Netflix, the chances that you'll find something intriguing to watch that month are high.
Of course, when new programs are added, some have to leave. Netflix is certainly no stranger to having big-name titles come and go from their service, although the vast majority of its originals have retained their place. However, March will likely be the month where that exclusivity is tested. There aren't too many titles leaving Netflix that month, but the ones that are could set the stage for how the platform filters its so-called "content" moving forward. In the meantime, here are some of the...
Of course, when new programs are added, some have to leave. Netflix is certainly no stranger to having big-name titles come and go from their service, although the vast majority of its originals have retained their place. However, March will likely be the month where that exclusivity is tested. There aren't too many titles leaving Netflix that month, but the ones that are could set the stage for how the platform filters its so-called "content" moving forward. In the meantime, here are some of the...
- 2/22/2023
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
Jennifer Hudson, Trevor Noah and Viola Davis are among the winners from the second night of the NAACP Image Awards‘ non-televised ceremonies.
Hudson won for hosting her eponymous daytime talk show, while the Noah-hosted Daily Show won best variety or game show series or special and Davis, just a little over two weeks after achieving Egot status with her Grammy win, took home the award for best literary work, non-fiction for Finding Me.
Other high-profile winners Tuesday night, which featured literary, variety show, reality program and news information categories, include Michael K. Williams and Jon Sternfeld’s Scenes from My Life and Stacey Abrams for outstanding literary work – children for Stacey’s Remarkable Books, written with Kitt Thomas.
Additionally, Lizzo’s reality TV series Watch Out for the Big Grrrls added to its trophy collection, winning best reality program, competition or game show series. And Robin Roberts’ conversation with Michelle Obama...
Hudson won for hosting her eponymous daytime talk show, while the Noah-hosted Daily Show won best variety or game show series or special and Davis, just a little over two weeks after achieving Egot status with her Grammy win, took home the award for best literary work, non-fiction for Finding Me.
Other high-profile winners Tuesday night, which featured literary, variety show, reality program and news information categories, include Michael K. Williams and Jon Sternfeld’s Scenes from My Life and Stacey Abrams for outstanding literary work – children for Stacey’s Remarkable Books, written with Kitt Thomas.
Additionally, Lizzo’s reality TV series Watch Out for the Big Grrrls added to its trophy collection, winning best reality program, competition or game show series. And Robin Roberts’ conversation with Michelle Obama...
- 2/22/2023
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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