actors – The Double Scoop

Insecure Season 1 Review

Authors: The Double Scoop

If you don’t know who Issa Rae is by now, it will only be a matter of time before you do. The rising actress, writer, director, and producer is turning heads and gaining attention in the film world.

We became fans of Issa after watching her web series Awkward Black Girl back in 2011. The series was very successful and it really established her fan base. Since the series Issa has produced and been apart of several projects; she even started her own media company called Issa Rae Productions. Her work caught the eye of HBO executives which landed her a deal to create her own successful show on the network called Insecure which she stars in and produces. The 8 episode first season recently ended and HBO has already given the green light for a second season. Talk about some serious BLACK GIRL MAGIC 😉

Since we don’t have HBO luckily we were able to binge watch and stream the first season using the HBONow app (Thank goodness for 30 day free trials). The first episode was very reminiscent of her web series Awkward Black Girl and even included some of the characters from the show. It’s almost like a spinoff but broader because it addresses more life topics and gives viewers a more in depth look into the lives of the other characters like Issa’s long term boyfriend Lawrence and her best friend Molly.

Insecure follows Issa and her best friend Molly as they navigate life in their late 20s. In the first episode Issa celebrates her 29th birthday and it makes her begin to question the direction of her life. The show highlights the experiences that many young black millennial woman face: a dissatisfying job, the pressure that comes along with leaving your 20’s behind, infidelity, love, friendships, and finding yourself. The series also addresses more serious topics like racial stereotypes and sexual double standards among men and women. The topics are nothing new but Issa’s wit, humor, and perspective gives the show a refreshing modern day touch. Being millennial women ourselves, the show is very relatable. It’s raw, authentic, hilarious and a little ratchet. Who doesn’t love a little ratchet?! 😉 And the show’s soundtrack never disappoints; the music really complements the show. One thing we like is that you become invested and attached to the characters. The characters are very relatable and they remind you of people you may know in your own life.

The season finale left viewers on edge with the status of Issa and Lawrence’s relationship. It’s going to be a long wait before we get to see what changes are going to take place in the character’s lives next season. It’s all good though because we know Issa and her creative team are behind the scenes creating magic. We are sure the wait will be well worth it!

It has been amazing watching Issa’s career grow over the years and we can’t wait to see how far it will continue to go.

Jamie Foxx Will Produce Marvin Gaye TV SERIES

Author: Amy Nicole

Over the last three decades many attempts have been made to produce a Marvin Gaye biopic, but none have been successful due to disapproval from the late singer’s family.

The 2013 film “Sexual Healing” was the last attempt at producing a Marvin Gaye biopic. Lenny Kravitz was originally cast to star in the film but was later replaced by actor Jesse L. Martin. Due to lack of funds and family lawsuits, the movie stopped production three weeks before completion. Check out the trailer for that unreleased film here.

Jamie Foxx recently managed to gain the family’s approval and is set to executive produce a tv series about the singer’s life. Suzanne de Passe of Passe Jones Entertainment and Marvin Gaye III (Marvin Gaye’s son) will also serve as executive producers for the series. The film is said to be a powerful and defining telling of Marvin Gaye’s life.

The late singer is best known for his hit singles What’s Going On, Let’s Get It On, and Sexual Healing. In 1984 he was fatally shot by his father at age 44.

I’m a huge fan of music biopics so I’m excited to see this series! Jamie Foxx is very talented so I’m sure he won’t disappoint! What do you guys think about the upcoming series?

Almost Christmas Movie Premiere

Author: Amy Nicole

Last weekend I covered the Almost Christmas movie premiere in Charlotte, North Carolina which was held at the Studio Movie Grill. The event was hosted by “Elevate The Way You Indulge,” a local event planning company.

The premiere kicked off with an upscale red carpet entrance, and afterwards guests were able to socialize and eat in the studio lounge while the dj spinned. The attendees (including myself) got a chance to participate in the internet viral mannequin challenge LOL! After the red carpet affair guests watched a private screening of the film. The night ended on a LIT note with a closing after-party.

The premiere was a celebration of local actor Keon Mitchell who made his film debut in the movie. Keon portrays the younger version of Danny Glover’s character Walter. I was able to speak with Keon about his experience being in the film.

I had a great time covering the event! Check out some of the event footage below:

BET SERIES “THE QUAD” GIVES VIEWERS THE EPIC HBCU EXPERIENCE!

Author: Amy Nicole

The last television series that centered around HBCU college life was the show “A Different World” which was popular back in the late 80s and early 90s.

Many people are referring to the the upcoming collegiate series “The Quad” as a modern day version of A Different World. The show will focus on the experiences of several students attending fictional school Georgia A&M University. Actress Anika Noni Rose will portray newly hired university president Dr. Eva Fletcher who is hit with the tough task of bringing the university out of financial difficulty.

From looking at the trailer the series seems to be a mixture of the films Stomp The Yard and Drumline. The show will touch on topics like band hazing and college student promiscuity.

The cast includes Jasmine Guy and Ruben Santiago-Hudson. It also features upcoming actors Zoe Renee, Jazz Raycole and Peyton Alex Smith. The series was created by Felicia D. Henderson (Soul Food) and Charles Holland (New York Undercover). Director Will Packer will also serve as one of the co-executive producers for the show.

The Quad will premiere January 31, 2017 on BET.

Check out the trailer and share your thoughts below!

loving-movie-pic — Photo Credit: Daily News SF

Author: Amy Nicole

Interracial marriages are so common these days that you forget at one point in time they were actually illegal.

The film Loving is based on the true story of interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving who were married in 1958. The couple spent nine years fighting for their right to live as a family in the state of Virginia. Richard Loving was arrested and sentenced to a year in prison because their marriage was a violation of the Racial Integrity Act of 1924, which prohibited marriage between black and white people. The Supreme Court eventually declared the prohibition to be unconstitutional, ending all race based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States.

The film stars Joel Edgerton as Richard Loving and Ruth Negga as Mildred Loving. Loving was written and directed by Jeff Nichols; It will open in select theaters on November 04, 2016.

It’s hard to believe that people were denied the right to love simply because of their skin color! I’m really looking forward to seeing this movie!

Check out the trailer below:

Check out this interview 1967 interview from Richard and Mildred Loving.

Author: Amy Nicole

Power has become one of my favorite shows on television. The show is so unpredictable and it’s packed with suspense, action, and drama! When season two ended viewers were left with several cliffhangers. Ghost and Tommy seemed to have ended their friendship and the biggest surprise of the season was the revelation that Kanan had survived the basement fire.

In season 3 Ghost and Angela decide to take their relationship to the next level by moving in together but they both struggle with trusting one another because of their lifestyle differences. Ghosts’ relationship with Angela causes a riff in his family which creates tension between him and Tasha. It also causes his son Tariq to develop animosity towards him. Because of Ghosts’ absence in the household Tariq begins to act out at school and is disrespectful towards Tasha.

Kanan takes advantage of Ghosts’ damaged relationship with Tariq by stepping into his life as a sort of father figure and exposing him to criminal behavior. The return of Kanan puts Dre in a tough situation because he works for Ghost but Kenan still demands his loyalty.

(Sidebar) As much as I would love to see Ghost work things out with Tasha I think she deserves better than him. What woman would be eager to take back a husband who left his family to pursue a relationship with his high school sweetheart!? But on the other hand I try to keep in mind that Tasha was not supportive of Ghost getting out of the drug business.

I think the biggest question on everyone’s mind for season 3 was whether or not Tommy and Ghost would be able to reconcile their friendship. Tommy doesn’t want to let the drug business go but Ghost is adamant about leaving the game for good which causes major conflict in their relationship.

After Tommy discovered that Ghost tried to pay Holly off to leave town it seems as though their friendship would totally be destroyed. The loyalty of their friendship was tested when Lobos ordered Tommy to kill Ghost. Tommy however when presented with the opportunity to kill him couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger on a childhood friend that he considers to be a brother.

Because of Tommy’s slow response to getting the job done Holly takes action into her own hands by paying someone else to kill him. When Tommy discovers what Holly has done he chokes her to death in a fit of rage without knowing that she was carrying his child. Ghost helps Tommy get rid of her body reconciling their friendship and the two decide to work together to take down Lobos.

Ghost finds out the transportation route for Lobos which allows him and Tommy the opportunity to take him out. The murder of Lobos causes an investigation into the police taskforce where Angela works prompting an internal search by detectives to discover who in the company leaked Lobos’ whereabouts.

Agent Greg Knox spends the majority of the season compiling evidence to incriminate Angela as the leak and Ghost as the killer. After Greg has all the evidence to convict Ghost he arranges a meeting with Agent Mike Sandoval to share his new found knowledge about the Lobos case. During their meeting Greg receives a phone call from Mexican county authorities which makes him realize that agent Sandoval is actually the leak. Greg confronts Sandoval about being the leak which ends in Greg being shot and killed. (Dang I was annoyed by Greg’s interference in the case but I hated to see him go out like that!)

It looked as if Ghost would finally be able to get out of the drug game until he realizes that his security guard Milan is a drug dealer for a Serbian gang. Milan coerces Tommy and Ghost to sell drugs for him otherwise he threatens to harm their families. (Although I love the bad boy drug-dealing side of Ghost I also sympathize with him because I know how badly he wants to live a life free from crime).

Fortunately with the help of Dre, Ghost and Tommy are able to take out Milan and his crew freeing them of his control. However little does Ghost know Tommy is secretly taking over the Serbian drug supply and plans to sell drugs in his club.

Things seem to be smooth sailing for Ghost by this point; his upscale event for Truth is a success and he manages to reclaim the club partnership with Karen. It looks like Ghost will get his opportunity to start a brand new life until Angela shows up at the club and surprises him with handcuffs and charges him for the murder of Greg.

One huge mystery this season left us with is the whereabouts of Keisha! The season ended without any kind of indication of what happened to her. Tasha convinced Keisha to work with her so she could help expand her hair salon as a way to bring in more of a profit for the both them. In actuality,Tasha was using the salon as a way to clean Ghost and Tommy’s “dirty money” from the drug business; similar to how they used the laundromats. After overhearing a conversation between Tasha and Milan, Keisha finds out the truth and feels hurt and betrayed that her best friend Tasha would lie and involve her into that type of situation. Milan tells Tommy that Keisha needs to go “bye bye” and the last we saw of her was Tommy walking into her empty salon at the end of the night. It left viewers wondering did Tommy cancel Christmas on Keisha or did he pay her off to leave the area.

The season ends with Tasha receiving a photo of Tariq unconscious with Kanans’ burned arm around him. Obviously this is a warning sign to Ghost that Kenan is back with a vengeance. Season 3 was definitely epic! The writing is amazing and I’m so looking forward to what season 4 has in store! What did you guys think of the season 3 finale?

Greenleaf Season1 Review

Author: Amy Nicole

When I first saw the preview for Greenleaf I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was certainly intrigued by the storyline. A mega church in the south becomes disrupted by family scandal, secrets and lies. You hear about church scandals all the time so I was excited to see how a script would play out on television. Religion is such a sensitive topic for most people so I think it’s good to have a show that doesn’t sugarcoat the topic.

The show centers around the Greenleaf family; a prestigious, wealthy, black family in Memphis Tennessee. Bishop James Greenleaf(Keith David) is the patriarch of the family and Lady Mae (Lynn Whitfield) is his devoted wife. They are the pastor and first lady of Calvary Church. The show also follows the lives of their three adult children: Jacob, Charity, and Grace. Oprah Winfrey has a recurring role on the show as Lady Mae’s sister but they have an estranged relationship which can at times get volatile.

Each family member has their own unique story which unravels more secrets and scandals.

Just to give you an idea Charity discovers that her husband is struggling with his sexuality and Jacob is having an affair with an employee of the church. (Yasss honey it gets real LOL!)

Grace is the central character in the show. She returns home to Memphis with her teenage daughter Sophia after being gone for over 20 years to attend the funeral of her sister Faith. After coming back home she makes the decision to stay and return to the ministry. Grace no longer considers herself a very religious person but she does have a relationship with God. I can relate a lot to Grace in this aspect because I don’t consider myself to be religious anymore. I definitely have a strong relationship with God, but I don’t feel like I need a title to define that relationship. As the show progresses you learn what turned Grace away from the church and her family.

I grew up in Mississippi which is a huge Bible belt state, and I think the depiction of the southern church and congregation is very accurate! From the women wearing the big church hats to the overzealous pastors it was very on point .

I think the biggest issue with the the church is the fixation with church leaders. Most people that attend church look up to church leaders as if they are perfect when in fact they are far from it. They make mistakes just like everyone else which the show depicts. The biggest scandal on the show this season is when the family discovers that Lady Mae’s brother, Mac McCready had been sexually assaulting young girls in the church for years including Bishop Greenleaf and Lady Mae’s deceased daughter Faith.

The season concludes with Mac arriving at the Greenleaf mansion escorted by police officers. Mac kisses Lady Mae on the cheek before entering the house to confront the bishop which in my opinion signified an act of betrayal like when Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek before he betrayed him in the Bible.

Some people might get offended by the series and say that it is disrespectful to the Christian religion but I would definitely disagree. The show is real and it highlights relatable issues. Growing up I was taught to just pray about my problems and everything would be okay but as I became an adult I realized that life was not that simple. Greenleaf exposes the reality of the church. Going to church doesn’t erase your problems and it doesn’t make you any better than anyone else. The show focuses on flawed human beings who are all trying to figure out and navigate through life the best way they can by having faith.

I really enjoyed Greenleaf and I’m very excited to see what type of drama season two will bring!

Photo Credit: Variety

Photo Credit: GreenLeafOwnTV

Empire Season 2 Review

Author: Amy Nicole

To be quite honest I had completely lost interest in Empire after watching the first half of season two. The storylines were all over the place and I felt that the series was starting to lose its authenticity. My interest for the show returned after I watched the winter finale last December. The finale ended with a pregnant Rhonda getting pushed down the stairs.

When Empire resumed last month it was revealed that Rhonda had lost her baby. In a very emotional scene the whole family is crying and comforting Andre after he learns the devastating news that his child died. This scene in my opinion definitely shifted the tone of the show. I felt the series started to become more authentic again like it was in season one. Although the Lyons are a dysfunctional family, their love for one another is undeniable. I especially love the relationship that Cookie has with her sons.

The second half of the season touches on real and relatable issues. Rhonda struggles with her faith in God after she loses the baby which causes conflict between her and Andre. I thought this was a great topic to address because so many people deal with similar issues. People try to sugarcoat religious topics so it was great that Lee Daniels provoked this type of conversation.

Mental illness is also addressed more in this season. Andre suffers from bipolar disorder and he discovers that his grandmother had the same disorder. For years the family thought that Lucious’ mom Leah Walker was dead but they later find out she is still alive and that Lucious had been secretly paying to keep her confined in a mental health institution. Andre is outraged and has his grandmother released from the facility in hopes that they will be able to establish some type of bond due to the fact that they have the same mental illness.

What the family doesn’t know is that Leah has a more severe form of bipolar disorder. As a child Lucious was physically and mentally abused by her which sheds light on why he has the type of personality that he does. Lucious can come off as uncaring and flat out evil at times so by introducing his mother to the show you find yourself having more empathy towards his character.

I’m glad mental health was addressed more this season because in the black community we tend to overlook the severity of the disease and fail to seek professional help.

Although this season touched on some heavy topics there was still plenty of drama to keep fans in suspense. Anika reveals to the family that she is pregnant by Hakeem and Rhonda realizes that Anika is the one that pushed her down the stairs.

The finale leaves viewers with plenty of cliffhangers. Hakeem is left at the altar by Laura, and Lucious and Anika get married to prevent Anika from having to testify against him in court. Although this is only a business arrangement to help protect the family Cookie lets it be known that she is done with Luscious for good. The biggest cliffhanger happens at the very end of the episode. Rhonda attacks Anika while she is standing outside on the roof of a high building. As they wrestle back and forth hanging over the balcony the camera cuts to Andre as he runs out and screams with a look of horror on his face letting viewers know that one of the women have fallen to their death……. (Now that’s what you call a season finale)!

I definitely like the new direction the show seems to be going in for season three and I’m looking forward to tuning in when it returns in the fall!

Qulanda Moore

The chances of making a good living as a filmmaker or director are very slim since the entertainment industry is already over saturated with so many. This can be very discouraging for aspiring screenwriters or directors struggling to make it in the industry. My sister and I would eventually like to expand our writing careers to include film but we often times question whether or not we would be successful being that the industry is already overpopulated and because we don’t have any prior film experience. I recently came across a web documentary series called “The Indie Girls Project” which follows six female indie filmmakers in Atlanta, Georgia. After watching some of the documentary I discovered the profile of Qulanda Moore, a young writer, director and producer.

At only 28 years old Qulanda has quite an impressive resume. She has directed a feature film, started her own media production company, produced a web series, and served as a technical director for a Broadway play in New York. This year she and two business partners launched the YouTube channel MOQtv, which is an online distribution network that features original content from independent Film/TV/Web producers.

Because of my interest in film I decided to reach out to Qulanda to get some advice about entering the film industry. Check out her interview below.

Amy Nicole: What inspired you to pursue a career in film?

Qulanda: My love for reading started it all. Growing up, I ALWAYS had my nose in a book. I also always loved watching movies. So at some point I combined the two, and began writing poetry and short stories which soon grew into scriptwriting. There’s something on the inside of me that genuinely loves being able to see words on paper come to life on the screen.

Amy Nicole: You mentioned in your bio that after finishing school you had difficulty finding employment in the media/entertainment industry due to the competitiveness of the field. What advice would you give to aspiring film makers/writers who are facing similar challenges?

Qulanda: I would say find a way to surround yourself around people who are doing what you want to be doing. If you are an aspiring filmmaker, connect with other filmmakers who are working on projects. Volunteer to do PA (production assistant) work. You have to start somewhere, and a lot of times in this industry, that means starting from the bottom. I would also say use any downtime you may have to do what you love. If you are a writer, then write! Nobody can stop you from doing that. Eventually, opportunities will come, which are typically based on linking up with the right person/people at the right time. You just have to make sure that you have already been busy and not just sitting around waiting for someone to give you a job.

Amy Nicole: You recently rebranded your production company ChelleStar Production to QRMedia Productions LLC which focuses more on creative media. What are some of the benefits to having your own production company and what are some of the challenges if any.

Qulanda: Benefits would be having creative control of what you put out. There is a lot of content out there, and when you have your own production company, you ultimately have the say-so in what your brand produces. So if I want to tell certain stories, or inspire people, I can do that in my own way (which is always right! LOL) One of the main challenges is finance. When you do video SERVICE work, it’s easier to get a steady paycheck in for your work. However, when creating original content for entertainment, it can sometimes be challenging to actually profit from that.

Amy Nicole: Your web series “The Single Life” which is the first project under the new brand is very popular among fans. I recently watched the first season and I love the show! What inspired you to write the series?

Qulanda: Actually living the single life! One of the things that bothered me about a lot of shows and movies that claimed to “represent” what it was like to be a single woman, was that I couldn’t really relate to them. As most women do, I often get together with girlfriends and we share dating (or lack of) stories among each other, and it’s very entertaining! Our stories never really had the fairy tell ending, things didn’t always work out, and the truth is dating is not always cut and dry. So I wanted to create a show that told the ugly truth that a lot of single women face in their mid to late 20s, in 2015. I also wanted to be very careful to make sure that it wasn’t a man-bashing show. As women, we are often at fault for a lot of the negative things we experience in dating as well.

Amy Nicole: Do you have any upcoming projects?

Qulanda: We’ve actually just wrapped Season 2 of “The Single Life” this past summer. Our editor is finishing up the post production work, so the new season is slated to be released early 2016. In addition to that, I am also featured on a pretty cool web series called “The Indie Girls Project” which is a reality/vlog style show that follows 6 of us female filmmakers as we go through our day to day, some of the obstacles we face, how we uplift each other, etc. Our youtube channel, MOQtv will also have some new shows that I’ve worked as a producer on coming out 2016 in addition to the 2nd season of The Single Life.

Amy Nicole: How can people contact you?

Qulanda: I’m on Facebook under my name Qulanda Moore and on Instagram as @qstar7. They can also email me atqrmedia@icloud.com.

It was great getting to know more about Qulanda and I hope her success as a writer and filmmaker inspires others to keep pursuing their dreams!

Tag: actors

Insecure Season 1 Review

Jamie Foxx Will Produce Marvin Gaye TV SERIES

Almost Christmas Movie Premiere

BET SERIES “THE QUAD” GIVES VIEWERS THE EPIC HBCU EXPERIENCE!

“Loving” Tells The Story Of Forbidden Love

POWER SEASON 3 Review

Greenleaf Season1 Review

Qulanda Moore