Click here to read the full article.
Lifetime has released the trailer for Surviving R. Kelly: The Final Chapter, a two-night event that will see several survivors detail their experiences during the singer and convicted sex trafficker’s trial earlier this year, and the fear and intimidation they faced around their public testimonies.
Set to debut in two parts starting Jan. 2 followed by a second night Jan. 3, part three of the docuseries will also explore the fallout of the former R&b superstar’s three decades of crimes as he faces multiple federal and state trials.
The three-and-a-half-minute trailer touches on the experiences of the doc’s more than 60 voices and testimonials discussing Kelly’s inner circle and their potential role in covering up his crimes; the deadly threats his various survivors faced while still being abused by the artist and then when trying to come forward; how survivors’ parents...
Lifetime has released the trailer for Surviving R. Kelly: The Final Chapter, a two-night event that will see several survivors detail their experiences during the singer and convicted sex trafficker’s trial earlier this year, and the fear and intimidation they faced around their public testimonies.
Set to debut in two parts starting Jan. 2 followed by a second night Jan. 3, part three of the docuseries will also explore the fallout of the former R&b superstar’s three decades of crimes as he faces multiple federal and state trials.
The three-and-a-half-minute trailer touches on the experiences of the doc’s more than 60 voices and testimonials discussing Kelly’s inner circle and their potential role in covering up his crimes; the deadly threats his various survivors faced while still being abused by the artist and then when trying to come forward; how survivors’ parents...
- 12/14/2022
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Wednesday, December 14, 2022.
Continuing with Lifetime’s mission to provide a platform for unheard voices, the network announces the conclusion of the documentary series Surviving R. Kelly: The Final Chapter, debuting as a two-night event on January 2nd and 3rd at 9 pm Et/Pt.
The two-night event focuses on the fallout of the former R&b superstar’s crimes as he faces multiple federal and state trials.
The groundbreaking, Peabody award-winning, Emmy-nominated documentary series Surviving R. Kelly concludes with the final installment following the former R&b superstar as he faces multiple federal and state trials.
While millions have read the headlines, the final chapter connects the shocking fine print with unspeakable details never shared with the public, culminating in the verdict heard around the world.
Night one follows Angelo Clary’s recount of Azriel Clary’s journey...
Continuing with Lifetime’s mission to provide a platform for unheard voices, the network announces the conclusion of the documentary series Surviving R. Kelly: The Final Chapter, debuting as a two-night event on January 2nd and 3rd at 9 pm Et/Pt.
The two-night event focuses on the fallout of the former R&b superstar’s crimes as he faces multiple federal and state trials.
The groundbreaking, Peabody award-winning, Emmy-nominated documentary series Surviving R. Kelly concludes with the final installment following the former R&b superstar as he faces multiple federal and state trials.
While millions have read the headlines, the final chapter connects the shocking fine print with unspeakable details never shared with the public, culminating in the verdict heard around the world.
Night one follows Angelo Clary’s recount of Azriel Clary’s journey...
- 12/14/2022
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
The epic conclusion to Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly” docuseries is officially set to premiere in January.
“Surviving R. Kelly Part III: The Final Chapter” will air as a two-night event on Jan. 2 and 3 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt, focusing on the fallout of the former R&b superstar’s crimes as he faces multiple federal and state trials. The series features over 60 voices and testimonials.
“While millions have read the headlines, the final chapter connects the shocking fine print with unspeakable details never shared with the public, culminating in the verdict heard around the world,” the cable channel said in a statement.
Also Read:
R. Kelly Convicted on 6 Child Sex Abuse and Child Pornography Counts in Chicago
The first night will follow the court testimonial of Azriel Clary’s journey as its revealed she was instructed to lie in the infamous R. Kelly interview with Gayle King. Clary shares...
“Surviving R. Kelly Part III: The Final Chapter” will air as a two-night event on Jan. 2 and 3 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt, focusing on the fallout of the former R&b superstar’s crimes as he faces multiple federal and state trials. The series features over 60 voices and testimonials.
“While millions have read the headlines, the final chapter connects the shocking fine print with unspeakable details never shared with the public, culminating in the verdict heard around the world,” the cable channel said in a statement.
Also Read:
R. Kelly Convicted on 6 Child Sex Abuse and Child Pornography Counts in Chicago
The first night will follow the court testimonial of Azriel Clary’s journey as its revealed she was instructed to lie in the infamous R. Kelly interview with Gayle King. Clary shares...
- 12/14/2022
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
The final chapter of Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly is set to air on January 2 and 3 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt. A trailer for the conclusion can be found above.
The two-night event focuses on the fallout of the former R&b superstar’s crimes as he faces multiple federal and state trials.
The first night will tackle the court testimonial of Azriel Clary who revealed she was instructed to lie in the infamous R. Kelly interview with Gayle King. She also shares details of the abuse on the witness stand. Additionally, her family gives insight into the intimidation tactics launched at the family by the singer’s supporters while legal experts and journalists provide insight into racketeering charges Kelly faces.
Night two will focus on Jane Doe #1 and the revelation of John Does who take the stand as new survivors also emerge. The series concludes with the survivors sharing...
The two-night event focuses on the fallout of the former R&b superstar’s crimes as he faces multiple federal and state trials.
The first night will tackle the court testimonial of Azriel Clary who revealed she was instructed to lie in the infamous R. Kelly interview with Gayle King. She also shares details of the abuse on the witness stand. Additionally, her family gives insight into the intimidation tactics launched at the family by the singer’s supporters while legal experts and journalists provide insight into racketeering charges Kelly faces.
Night two will focus on Jane Doe #1 and the revelation of John Does who take the stand as new survivors also emerge. The series concludes with the survivors sharing...
- 12/14/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Haymaker Content — the production company behind Bravo’s Southern Charm and Amazon Prime’s Forever Summer: Hamptons on Amazon Prime Video — is relaunching as Haymaker East.
A new management team has been put in place as a result. Founder Aaron Rothman is now the sole owner and CEO, while Josh Halpert will continue his role as Head of Production. Jessica Chesler (Southern Charm Seasons 1-8, Ladies Of London, Southern Charm: Savannah, Forever Summer: Hamptons), who has been the showrunner and Executive Producer of Southern Charm since its inaugural season, has been named Head of Current, and will now oversee all Haymaker East shows in production. Jesse Light (Forever Summer: Hamptons, Southern Hospitality, Our 2 Moms) has also been named Head of Development and will create and develop new ideas for all platforms.
“I am incredibly lucky to be able to work with Josh, Jessica, Jesse, and Tamra, as well as...
A new management team has been put in place as a result. Founder Aaron Rothman is now the sole owner and CEO, while Josh Halpert will continue his role as Head of Production. Jessica Chesler (Southern Charm Seasons 1-8, Ladies Of London, Southern Charm: Savannah, Forever Summer: Hamptons), who has been the showrunner and Executive Producer of Southern Charm since its inaugural season, has been named Head of Current, and will now oversee all Haymaker East shows in production. Jesse Light (Forever Summer: Hamptons, Southern Hospitality, Our 2 Moms) has also been named Head of Development and will create and develop new ideas for all platforms.
“I am incredibly lucky to be able to work with Josh, Jessica, Jesse, and Tamra, as well as...
- 12/12/2022
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
This month, Peacock is revisiting one of the most notorious trials of the 2010s with “Where the Truth Lies,” a limited series exploring the 2011 trial of Casey Anthony. The streamer released the first trailer for the three-part docuseries, which premieres November 29.
In 2008, police arrested Anthony for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, who was reported missing by her grandmother. Shortly after, Caylee’s remains were found inside a laundry bag in the woods near the Anthonys’ house. After a widely publicized trial where Anthony chose not to testify, a jury found her not guilty in 2011, prompting widespread backlash and outrage in the media.
“Where the Truth Lies” features extensive sitdowns with Anthony, speaking on the record for the first time. The interviews will explore Anthony’s account of the investigation, the trial and its aftermath. The series also features never-before-seen footage from the trial and insights into the defense’s evidence.
In 2008, police arrested Anthony for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, who was reported missing by her grandmother. Shortly after, Caylee’s remains were found inside a laundry bag in the woods near the Anthonys’ house. After a widely publicized trial where Anthony chose not to testify, a jury found her not guilty in 2011, prompting widespread backlash and outrage in the media.
“Where the Truth Lies” features extensive sitdowns with Anthony, speaking on the record for the first time. The interviews will explore Anthony’s account of the investigation, the trial and its aftermath. The series also features never-before-seen footage from the trial and insights into the defense’s evidence.
- 11/8/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Peacock has announced “Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies,” a limited docuseries featuring interviews with Anthony about the investigation, trial and media spectacle regarding accusations that she murdered her daughter, Caylee Anthony.
“Why talk to me now when you’re not getting creative control?” an interviewer asks Anthony in the trailer. The brief footage concludes with the intertitle, “Casey Anthony Speaks.”
“Where the Truth Lies” will debut on Peacock on Nov. 29. The three-part limited series, helmed by director and showrunner Alexandra Dean, features material from Casey’s own archive and behind-the-scenes footage.
“Since her acquittal in 2011, public opinion of Casey Anthony has been largely shaped by the media convinced of her guilt,” Dean said in a statement. “What emerges over the course of multiple interviews recorded over six months is a startling psychological portrait of Casey Anthony and a complete narrative of what she says happened to her daughter weighed...
“Why talk to me now when you’re not getting creative control?” an interviewer asks Anthony in the trailer. The brief footage concludes with the intertitle, “Casey Anthony Speaks.”
“Where the Truth Lies” will debut on Peacock on Nov. 29. The three-part limited series, helmed by director and showrunner Alexandra Dean, features material from Casey’s own archive and behind-the-scenes footage.
“Since her acquittal in 2011, public opinion of Casey Anthony has been largely shaped by the media convinced of her guilt,” Dean said in a statement. “What emerges over the course of multiple interviews recorded over six months is a startling psychological portrait of Casey Anthony and a complete narrative of what she says happened to her daughter weighed...
- 11/8/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Dream Hampton, executive producer of Surviving R. Kelly, may not hold much stock in the U.S. criminal justice system, but still hopes R. Kelly being sentenced to 30 years in prison will bring some closure for survivors of his sexual abuse and predation.
“I’m hoping, for the survivors, that this feels a little bit like justice,” Hampton tells The Hollywood Reporter. R. Kelly was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison for using his fame to sexually abuse young fans in a systematic scheme that spanned decades.
The sentence caps a slow-motion fall for Kelly, which was accelerated due to Hampton’s Emmy-nominated Lifetime miniseries Surviving R. Kelly breaking ratings records and setting in motion criminal investigations that resulted in the the R&b singer being convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking.
Hampton, who executive produced Surviving R. Kelly with Brie Miranda Bryant and Tamra Simmons,...
Dream Hampton, executive producer of Surviving R. Kelly, may not hold much stock in the U.S. criminal justice system, but still hopes R. Kelly being sentenced to 30 years in prison will bring some closure for survivors of his sexual abuse and predation.
“I’m hoping, for the survivors, that this feels a little bit like justice,” Hampton tells The Hollywood Reporter. R. Kelly was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison for using his fame to sexually abuse young fans in a systematic scheme that spanned decades.
The sentence caps a slow-motion fall for Kelly, which was accelerated due to Hampton’s Emmy-nominated Lifetime miniseries Surviving R. Kelly breaking ratings records and setting in motion criminal investigations that resulted in the the R&b singer being convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking.
Hampton, who executive produced Surviving R. Kelly with Brie Miranda Bryant and Tamra Simmons,...
- 7/1/2022
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This week, R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The singer, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was convicted of racketeering and eight counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for prostitution.
R. Kelly still faces charges in Chicago for child pornography and obstruction of justice, as well as additional charges in state courts in Illinois and Minnesota. The musician, who was found guilty on all nine counts against him during a six-week trial last September, lured his fans and aspiring musicians into sexually abusive and controlling situations, including hostage-like conditions of locking them up in rooms without food or access to a bathroom for days.
A monumental moment in the continuous fight to hold abusers in power accountable for their behavior, the turn of events for R. Kelly marks a staggering fall from grace for one of the biggest hitmakers in...
R. Kelly still faces charges in Chicago for child pornography and obstruction of justice, as well as additional charges in state courts in Illinois and Minnesota. The musician, who was found guilty on all nine counts against him during a six-week trial last September, lured his fans and aspiring musicians into sexually abusive and controlling situations, including hostage-like conditions of locking them up in rooms without food or access to a bathroom for days.
A monumental moment in the continuous fight to hold abusers in power accountable for their behavior, the turn of events for R. Kelly marks a staggering fall from grace for one of the biggest hitmakers in...
- 7/1/2022
- by Elizabeth Wagmeister
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu released a trailer for the third and final season of “Shrill,” which premieres on May 7.
The third season finds Annie (played by Aidy Bryant) energized by new momentum at work and her breakup with dud boyfriend Ryan. In the trailer, Annie goes on dates and new adventures while finding her voice. The series stars Bryant, Lolly Adefope, Ian Owens, John Cameron Mitchell, E.R. Fightmaster and Patti Harrison.
“Shrill” is executive produced by Ali Rushfield, who also serves as showrunner, Aidy Bryant, Lindy West, Rob Klein, Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman, Lorne Michaels and Andrew Singer. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television, Broadway Video, and Brownstone Productions. Warner Bros. Television serves as the international distributor.
Also in today’s TV news roundup:
Dates
Apple TV Plus announced that “Lisey’s Story,” the limited thriller series based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, will debut on June...
The third season finds Annie (played by Aidy Bryant) energized by new momentum at work and her breakup with dud boyfriend Ryan. In the trailer, Annie goes on dates and new adventures while finding her voice. The series stars Bryant, Lolly Adefope, Ian Owens, John Cameron Mitchell, E.R. Fightmaster and Patti Harrison.
“Shrill” is executive produced by Ali Rushfield, who also serves as showrunner, Aidy Bryant, Lindy West, Rob Klein, Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman, Lorne Michaels and Andrew Singer. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television, Broadway Video, and Brownstone Productions. Warner Bros. Television serves as the international distributor.
Also in today’s TV news roundup:
Dates
Apple TV Plus announced that “Lisey’s Story,” the limited thriller series based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, will debut on June...
- 4/13/2021
- by Antonio Ferme and Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Tamra Simmons, an executive producer behind the Emmy-nominated docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, has signed a development deal with Blue And Studios to identify and develop a slate of unscripted projects.
The partnership builds on Blue Ant’s expanding U.S. production business and comes is the latest in the series of development initiatives that seek to champion women-led content. Under the new deal, the LA Productions executive producer and CEO of Atlanta-based firm The Tamra Simmons Brand Agency will work with Blue Ant to produce unscripted projects that explore a range of perspective sand experiences. Her credits include Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning, Growing Up Hip Hop, Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta, Mary Mary and Words of Wisdom: Faith & Forgiveness.
“The content we consume shapes our minds, drives our decisions and informs our outlook on the world. It is imperative that our content options provoke our thoughts...
The partnership builds on Blue Ant’s expanding U.S. production business and comes is the latest in the series of development initiatives that seek to champion women-led content. Under the new deal, the LA Productions executive producer and CEO of Atlanta-based firm The Tamra Simmons Brand Agency will work with Blue Ant to produce unscripted projects that explore a range of perspective sand experiences. Her credits include Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning, Growing Up Hip Hop, Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta, Mary Mary and Words of Wisdom: Faith & Forgiveness.
“The content we consume shapes our minds, drives our decisions and informs our outlook on the world. It is imperative that our content options provoke our thoughts...
- 4/13/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Former Paradigm agents Julie Choi and Sean Zeid have moved to Apa as Vice Presidents in the agency’s Alternative & Factual Programming division. The announcement was made today by Apa Executive Vice President, Partner and Department Head, Hayden K. Meyer, to whom they report.
“Apa and our division are proud to have Julie and Sean join our team,” said Meyer in making the announcement. “Their individual and collective passion, creativity, experience and relationships make them must-hires. They fit perfectly into Apa’s team-oriented culture, and together we’ll continue to accomplish great things for all our clients.”
A seasoned entertainment executive who built her agency career on her background as a producer and network executive, Choi’s clients include tWitch (The Ellen DeGeneres Show), Ross Mathews, Kimberly Goodman, Jen Morton, and Michael Levitt.
Before pivoting to agent, Choi was Executive Director of Development and Programming at Gsn where she served as point person on hit series such as Skin Wars, Fresh Paint, Minute to Win It, Window Warriors, and Divided. Prior to Gsn, Choi was a producer on numerous unscripted series, including Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, The Biggest Loser and Parental Control, and served as a creative development consultant for FremantleMedia, Bet and CW. She holds a Juris Doctor and a BA in Political Science from UCLA.
Zeid, an alum of Variety’s Reality Television Impact Report, most recently served as Senior Agent, Alternative Television at Paradigm. His clients include Gayle Gawlowski (Nailed It!), Will Spjut (Stay Here), Tamra Simmons (Surviving R. Kelly), Leslie Garvin (Secret Millionaire), Andrea Richter (Ink Master) and Melissa Haizlip, and Painless Productions (The Holzer Files). Zeid also has packaged numerous projects for his clients, including Believer, the HBO documentary from Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds.
Prior to Paradigm, Zeid spent seven years leading the reality division at Kaplan Stahler Agency, and began his agency career at Endeavor.
“Apa and our division are proud to have Julie and Sean join our team,” said Meyer in making the announcement. “Their individual and collective passion, creativity, experience and relationships make them must-hires. They fit perfectly into Apa’s team-oriented culture, and together we’ll continue to accomplish great things for all our clients.”
A seasoned entertainment executive who built her agency career on her background as a producer and network executive, Choi’s clients include tWitch (The Ellen DeGeneres Show), Ross Mathews, Kimberly Goodman, Jen Morton, and Michael Levitt.
Before pivoting to agent, Choi was Executive Director of Development and Programming at Gsn where she served as point person on hit series such as Skin Wars, Fresh Paint, Minute to Win It, Window Warriors, and Divided. Prior to Gsn, Choi was a producer on numerous unscripted series, including Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, The Biggest Loser and Parental Control, and served as a creative development consultant for FremantleMedia, Bet and CW. She holds a Juris Doctor and a BA in Political Science from UCLA.
Zeid, an alum of Variety’s Reality Television Impact Report, most recently served as Senior Agent, Alternative Television at Paradigm. His clients include Gayle Gawlowski (Nailed It!), Will Spjut (Stay Here), Tamra Simmons (Surviving R. Kelly), Leslie Garvin (Secret Millionaire), Andrea Richter (Ink Master) and Melissa Haizlip, and Painless Productions (The Holzer Files). Zeid also has packaged numerous projects for his clients, including Believer, the HBO documentary from Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds.
Prior to Paradigm, Zeid spent seven years leading the reality division at Kaplan Stahler Agency, and began his agency career at Endeavor.
- 1/7/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Lifetime has set a premiere date and released a trailer for its sequel documentary series Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning: The follow-up to the much-watched, Emmy-nominated Surviving R. Kelly series debuts January 2 and will air on three consecutive nights.
Part II: The Reckoning will feature interviews with new survivors, supporters, psychologists and cultural and legal experts. Lifetime also promises “more insights into the ever-growing saga of the R&b singer, who is currently facing federal and state charges.”
The three-night event will include new stories and details, exploring “why the voices of the girls that spoke up decades ago are only now being heard.”
Lifetime will air a six-hour marathon of Part 1, in its entirety, starting at 3 p.m. January 2. The marathon leads up to the two-hour premiere of Part II at 9 p.m. The two-hour second episode of Part II begins at 9 p.m. January 3, with the 90-minute conclusion set for 8 p.
Part II: The Reckoning will feature interviews with new survivors, supporters, psychologists and cultural and legal experts. Lifetime also promises “more insights into the ever-growing saga of the R&b singer, who is currently facing federal and state charges.”
The three-night event will include new stories and details, exploring “why the voices of the girls that spoke up decades ago are only now being heard.”
Lifetime will air a six-hour marathon of Part 1, in its entirety, starting at 3 p.m. January 2. The marathon leads up to the two-hour premiere of Part II at 9 p.m. The two-hour second episode of Part II begins at 9 p.m. January 3, with the 90-minute conclusion set for 8 p.
- 12/11/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Without overstating the case, it’s hard to imagine that R. Kelly would not be in jail today if not for “Surviving R. Kelly.” While many of the details and accusers featured in the Lifetime docuseries were new, the primary facts have been known for many years — and yet the series, more than any of the news reports over the decade since he was acquitted on child-pornography charges in 2008, put all of the facts into a single powerful context. And the fact that there was a gun threat at the docuseries’ first screening in New York only amplified the air of criminality around it.
Almost exactly one year later, “Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning” takes a look at the events of the past year that led to multiple new charges and accusations against the singer, the demise of his empire and his current indefinite incarceration as he awaits trial in three states.
Almost exactly one year later, “Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning” takes a look at the events of the past year that led to multiple new charges and accusations against the singer, the demise of his empire and his current indefinite incarceration as he awaits trial in three states.
- 12/11/2019
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety Film + TV
Lifetime has released the trailer and premiere date for its three-part “Surviving R. Kelly” follow up, now titled “The Reckoning.”
The new docuseries, which will air over three nights between Jan. 2-4, 2020, will feature interviews from a variety of perspectives including with new survivors, supporters, psychologists and cultural and legal experts, and will provide more insights into the ever-growing saga of the R&b singer, who is currently facing federal and state charges.
New interviewees include Michael Avenatti, Dame Dash, Michael Knowles, Gloria Allred and longtime music reporter Jim DeRogatis, who was one of the first reporters to look into Kelly’s behavior, more than 20 years ago.
Also Read: R Kelly Bribed Government Employee to Obtain Fake ID for Aaliyah (Report)
In February, Kelly was indicted on 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, based on accusations from four different accusers. In May, 11 additional felony counts were filed against him, including...
The new docuseries, which will air over three nights between Jan. 2-4, 2020, will feature interviews from a variety of perspectives including with new survivors, supporters, psychologists and cultural and legal experts, and will provide more insights into the ever-growing saga of the R&b singer, who is currently facing federal and state charges.
New interviewees include Michael Avenatti, Dame Dash, Michael Knowles, Gloria Allred and longtime music reporter Jim DeRogatis, who was one of the first reporters to look into Kelly’s behavior, more than 20 years ago.
Also Read: R Kelly Bribed Government Employee to Obtain Fake ID for Aaliyah (Report)
In February, Kelly was indicted on 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, based on accusations from four different accusers. In May, 11 additional felony counts were filed against him, including...
- 12/11/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Twenty women of color from the film and TV sectors have formed The Reel Divas, a group that aims to promote black writers, producers and directors and increase awareness of Atlanta as a production hub.
Among the women spearheading the group are actresses Jasmine Guy (A Different World) and Terri J. Vaughn (The Steve Harvey Show), writer-producer Cas Sigers-Beedles (Hamlet & Hutch), producers Tamra Simmons (Surviving R. Kelly) and Wanda Shelley (Being Bobby Brown), and writer-director Rhonda Baraka (Pride & Prejudice: Atlanta). (See the full list of members below.)
“With our brother-in-film, Tyler Perry, getting so much acclaim for opening his 330-acre lot here in Atlanta, we feel that the time is now,” said Sigers-Beedles, co-creator of the group. “Atlanta has already served as the home base and mecca for a lot of TV and film projects, so we are doing our part to continue pushing this narrative to the masses.
Among the women spearheading the group are actresses Jasmine Guy (A Different World) and Terri J. Vaughn (The Steve Harvey Show), writer-producer Cas Sigers-Beedles (Hamlet & Hutch), producers Tamra Simmons (Surviving R. Kelly) and Wanda Shelley (Being Bobby Brown), and writer-director Rhonda Baraka (Pride & Prejudice: Atlanta). (See the full list of members below.)
“With our brother-in-film, Tyler Perry, getting so much acclaim for opening his 330-acre lot here in Atlanta, we feel that the time is now,” said Sigers-Beedles, co-creator of the group. “Atlanta has already served as the home base and mecca for a lot of TV and film projects, so we are doing our part to continue pushing this narrative to the masses.
- 10/16/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Few documentaries have triggered a real-world impact on the order of Surviving R. Kelly.
Before the six-part series aired on Lifetime, the titular R&b singer-songwriter had managed to avoid significant harm to his recording career, despite allegations going back decades that he had sexually abused numerous teenage girls, some of them minors. But since the show’s broadcast, Kelly’s life and career have utterly imploded.
“Because of the series everyone’s eyes were opened,” Tamra Simmons, one of the executive producers of Surviving R. Kelly, tells Deadline. “The public can’t turn a blind eye anymore.”
Perhaps just as importantly, record company executives and law enforcement officials could no longer look the other way either. Within weeks of Surviving R. Kelly’s debut last January, the artist’s label, RCA Records, cut ties with him. In February prosecutors in Cook County, Illinois filed multiple charges against Kelly, accusing...
Before the six-part series aired on Lifetime, the titular R&b singer-songwriter had managed to avoid significant harm to his recording career, despite allegations going back decades that he had sexually abused numerous teenage girls, some of them minors. But since the show’s broadcast, Kelly’s life and career have utterly imploded.
“Because of the series everyone’s eyes were opened,” Tamra Simmons, one of the executive producers of Surviving R. Kelly, tells Deadline. “The public can’t turn a blind eye anymore.”
Perhaps just as importantly, record company executives and law enforcement officials could no longer look the other way either. Within weeks of Surviving R. Kelly’s debut last January, the artist’s label, RCA Records, cut ties with him. In February prosecutors in Cook County, Illinois filed multiple charges against Kelly, accusing...
- 8/23/2019
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Lifetime is prepping a new docuseries about convicted sexual predator and wealthy hedge fund manager, Jeffrey Epstein, as well as a follow-up to its bombshell docuseries Surviving R. Kelly.
A+E Networks president of programming Rob Sharenow announced the two series at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Tuesday. Sharenow offered a few details about each series, though he did not say when either of them would premiere, Variety reports.
Surviving Jeffrey Epstein will offer a deep dive into Epstein’s story in the wake of his recent arrest...
A+E Networks president of programming Rob Sharenow announced the two series at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Tuesday. Sharenow offered a few details about each series, though he did not say when either of them would premiere, Variety reports.
Surviving Jeffrey Epstein will offer a deep dive into Epstein’s story in the wake of his recent arrest...
- 7/24/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Lifetime is making a followup documentary to “Surviving R. Kelly,” as well a new docuseries on Jeffrey Epstein called “Surviving Jeffrey Epstein.”
“Surviving Jeffrey Epstein” will center on the billionaire New York financier, who was arrested earlier this month. He was charged with sex trafficking by federal prosecutors, who said that Epstein sexually abused dozens of underage girls and paid many of them to recruit others. He was denied bail last week.
Since Epstein’s arrest, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta resigned after defending the plea deal he struck with Epstein as a federal prosecutor. Over a decade ago, Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting a minor for prostitution. He served 13 months of an 18-month sentence and was released in 2009.
Also Read: Viceland Pro-Wrestling Docuseries 'Dark Side of the Ring' Renewed for Supersized Season 2
“Surviving Jeffrey Epstein” is being developed by Robert Friedman’s Bungalow Media + Entertainment in association...
“Surviving Jeffrey Epstein” will center on the billionaire New York financier, who was arrested earlier this month. He was charged with sex trafficking by federal prosecutors, who said that Epstein sexually abused dozens of underage girls and paid many of them to recruit others. He was denied bail last week.
Since Epstein’s arrest, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta resigned after defending the plea deal he struck with Epstein as a federal prosecutor. Over a decade ago, Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting a minor for prostitution. He served 13 months of an 18-month sentence and was released in 2009.
Also Read: Viceland Pro-Wrestling Docuseries 'Dark Side of the Ring' Renewed for Supersized Season 2
“Surviving Jeffrey Epstein” is being developed by Robert Friedman’s Bungalow Media + Entertainment in association...
- 7/23/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly” ignited a wave of activism, and the network will explore the wide-reaching effects of the doc in a follow-up two-hour special, “Surviving R. Kelly: The Impact.” It will be hosted by journalist Soledad O’Brien and is set to debut Saturday, May 4 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt.
The special will examine the impact the documentary has had on culture globally and how it has elevated the dialogue around sexual violence and being a survivor. Kelly has been accused by numerous women and their families of sexual abuse, and the January docuseries detailed decades of allegations, through interviews with survivors and associates.
Following the release of “Surviving R. Kelly,” hashtags like #MuteRKelly surged on social media and activists called for a boycott of the R&B singer. The public outrage led Sony to drop the artist from its record label and seven weeks after the special’s debut,...
The special will examine the impact the documentary has had on culture globally and how it has elevated the dialogue around sexual violence and being a survivor. Kelly has been accused by numerous women and their families of sexual abuse, and the January docuseries detailed decades of allegations, through interviews with survivors and associates.
Following the release of “Surviving R. Kelly,” hashtags like #MuteRKelly surged on social media and activists called for a boycott of the R&B singer. The public outrage led Sony to drop the artist from its record label and seven weeks after the special’s debut,...
- 4/26/2019
- by Rachel Yang
- Variety Film + TV
Lifetime is following up on the documentary special that changed the conversation around disgraced singer R. Kelly. Journalist Soledad O’Brien will host “Surviving R. Kelly: The Impact,” a new installment that highlights the impact the original documentary had on culture globally, how it has elevated the conversation on sexual violence and what it means to be a survivor.
Immediately following the debut of “Surviving R. Kelly” in January, which has now been seen by 26 million viewers, a public outcry from social media demanded survivors be heard. Activists campaigning to #MuteRKelly successfully convinced his long-time record label, Sony’s RCA Records, to drop him as a client. And weeks later, the Cook County attorney’s office indicted Kelly on 10 felony counts of aggravated sexual assault, for which he was later arrested.
Featuring footage from “Surviving R. Kelly,” interviews with journalists, legal experts, non-profit organizations and psychologists, the new special offers...
Immediately following the debut of “Surviving R. Kelly” in January, which has now been seen by 26 million viewers, a public outcry from social media demanded survivors be heard. Activists campaigning to #MuteRKelly successfully convinced his long-time record label, Sony’s RCA Records, to drop him as a client. And weeks later, the Cook County attorney’s office indicted Kelly on 10 felony counts of aggravated sexual assault, for which he was later arrested.
Featuring footage from “Surviving R. Kelly,” interviews with journalists, legal experts, non-profit organizations and psychologists, the new special offers...
- 4/26/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Lifetime’s explosive docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, which chronicled sexual abuse allegations against singer Robert R. Kelly, changed the Kelly conversation. Now the network has set a two-hour follow-up special. Hosted by award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien, Surviving R. Kelly: The Impact highlights the impact the documentary has had on our culture globally, how it has elevated the conversation on sexual violence and what it means to be a survivor. It’s set to premiere Saturday May 4 at 10 Pm Et/Pt on Lifetime. Watch a promo below the story.
In the days following the January debut of the docuseries, vital conversations erupted throughout the country. Calls to sexual assault hotlines increased by 35%, and #MuteRKelly activists were galvanized to protest for R. Kelly’s record label to drop him. Public outcry ensured the survivors would not be ignored and more women came forward with allegations of abuse. Seven weeks after the debut of the docuseries,...
In the days following the January debut of the docuseries, vital conversations erupted throughout the country. Calls to sexual assault hotlines increased by 35%, and #MuteRKelly activists were galvanized to protest for R. Kelly’s record label to drop him. Public outcry ensured the survivors would not be ignored and more women came forward with allegations of abuse. Seven weeks after the debut of the docuseries,...
- 4/26/2019
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
The Lifetime documentary series Surviving R. Kelly, which traces R. Kelly's history of alleged abuse of young girls, sparked record ratings for the cable network, an avalanche of online and cable news conversations, and criminal investigations that resulted in the sex-crimes case now surrounding the R&B singer.
The series' executive producers Brie Miranda Bryant, Dream Hampton and Tamra Simmons withstood pushback and denials from the singer after they revealed accusations that he had systematically assaulted, brainwashed and degraded both teenage girls and adult women throughout his career. Kelly has since been charged with sexually abusing four people, including three underage girls,...
The series' executive producers Brie Miranda Bryant, Dream Hampton and Tamra Simmons withstood pushback and denials from the singer after they revealed accusations that he had systematically assaulted, brainwashed and degraded both teenage girls and adult women throughout his career. Kelly has since been charged with sexually abusing four people, including three underage girls,...
Phylicia Rashad; upcoming series “David Makes Man,” “The Terror: Infamy” and “Los Espookys”; and some panels dedicated to female storytelling have joined the eighth annual Atx Television Festival.
Rashad will be honored with this year’s “Award in Television eXcellence” and will take part in a Q&A discussion around the event. This award celebrates her iconic roles on “The Cosby Show,” “Empire,” “This is Us” and “David Makes Man.”
Speaking of “David Makes Man,” the upcoming Own drama will host a pilot screening at the festival, followed by a panel discussion with showrunner Dee Harris-Lawrence and cast members Rashad and Akili McDowell. The show centers on a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty.
Atx will also feature a premiere screening and panel for HBO’s upcoming primarily Spanish-language comedy “Los Espookys.
Rashad will be honored with this year’s “Award in Television eXcellence” and will take part in a Q&A discussion around the event. This award celebrates her iconic roles on “The Cosby Show,” “Empire,” “This is Us” and “David Makes Man.”
Speaking of “David Makes Man,” the upcoming Own drama will host a pilot screening at the festival, followed by a panel discussion with showrunner Dee Harris-Lawrence and cast members Rashad and Akili McDowell. The show centers on a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty.
Atx will also feature a premiere screening and panel for HBO’s upcoming primarily Spanish-language comedy “Los Espookys.
- 3/22/2019
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Lifetime’s buzzy six-part docuseries Surviving R. Kelly continued its solid ratings showing to the end, averaging 2.1 million viewers in Live+same day. In key demos, it averaged 1.2 million among adults 25-54 and adults 18-49, 858,000 in women 25-54 and 798,000 among women 18-49.
The docuseries was Lifetime’s strongest non-fiction series in seven years among adults 25-54 (1.2 million) and women 25-54, making it the No. 1 non-fiction series on cable since October 1, 2018 in those demos and the No. 2 overall cable series, behind AMC’s The Walking Dead, according to the network and Nielsen.
Its January 6 finale helped boost the docuseries to the No. 1 entertainment telecast across cable for the week beginning 12/31 among A25-54, W25-54, A18-49, and W18-49. It also was the No. 1 most social primetime program across broadcast and cable for three consecutive nights (excluding sports), delivering 1.4 million total interactions across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to become Lifetime...
The docuseries was Lifetime’s strongest non-fiction series in seven years among adults 25-54 (1.2 million) and women 25-54, making it the No. 1 non-fiction series on cable since October 1, 2018 in those demos and the No. 2 overall cable series, behind AMC’s The Walking Dead, according to the network and Nielsen.
Its January 6 finale helped boost the docuseries to the No. 1 entertainment telecast across cable for the week beginning 12/31 among A25-54, W25-54, A18-49, and W18-49. It also was the No. 1 most social primetime program across broadcast and cable for three consecutive nights (excluding sports), delivering 1.4 million total interactions across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to become Lifetime...
- 1/8/2019
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
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