Social media is buzzing over Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo‘s mind-blowing transformation into the infamous Joe Jackson in a stunning reveal at the center of the highly anticipated new trailer for Michael.
In the now-viral first look, Domingo disappears under extraordinary prosthetics and makeup to become the famed Jackson patriarch whose controversial tactics helped his son ascend into his very own realm of superstardom.
Check out the trailer below:
Directed by Antoine Fuqua—the second highest grossing Black director of all-time, Michael stars MJ’s nephew Jaafar Jackson (Jermaine’s son) as the King of Pop in the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists in the history of forever.
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Bustling with a special kind of nostalgia, the film “tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world,” per the official synopsis.
Source: Lionsgate Pictures
Delving into his off-stage life between some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never seen before.
Source: Lionsgate Pictures
Naturally, social media erupted with starry-eyed reactions to the long-awaited biopic which trended worldwide in the midst of Grammy night hysteria.
At one point, the film was rumored to be FOUR HOURS long before later being teased as a potential 2-part event.
When asked by an analyst about part two of the film, Lionsgate Motion Picture Chair Adam Fogelson teased that “more Michael” could be announced right after the first film is released, per World of Reel.
“…we’ve had the great pleasure of seeing the director’s cut of the first film, and it is exceptional,” he said on a recent earnings call.
“While we’re not yet ready to confirm plans for a second film, I can tell you that the creative team is hard at work making sure that we’re in a position to deliver more Michael soon after we release the first film.”
What are you wearing to the theater on premiere weekend? Tell us down below and peep the social media hysteria over Colman’s stunning transformation on the flip.
Nia Long is moving on and setting the record straight about where she stands with her ex-partner Ime Udoka, three years after their public split.
Fresh off of reminding us all that the secret to her glowing beauty is “minding my business,” Long opened up about Udoka—with whom she shares son Kez, 13—and it seems to be mostly all good between the two of them.
“I don’t talk much about my personal life ’cause it’s no one’s business, but every now and then people speculate things on social media and it’s like me and Coach are good,” she told The Cut. “I hope he wins. He deserves to win.”
She continued,
“It was really beautiful because we’ve had a very public journey that has found its way to peace and understanding. And there’s a lot of mutual respect that we have for each other. The most important gift you can give your kids is to heal your trauma.”
Amen to that!
Long is preparing to drop her memoir, but it seems she’s letting people know that if they’re expecting mess, this won’t be the book for them.
“I’m not going to carry burdensome energy with me because that just transfers to my children and it transfers to everything else in my life. I’m proud of myself,” she said. “I think we’re proud of each other as the parents of Kez, that we’re able to make this an annual thing and commit to these last sweet years of him being in grade school and high school before he goes off to college.”
In the interview, she also discusses her take on motherhood.
“I talk about my kids a lot because they take up so much space in my life and in my heart,” she said. “Everything I do is for them. I’m not a perfect mother. I’ve made many mistakes, [and] my kids have seen me go through it. But that’s the type of mother I am, if I’m pissed, everyone knows. If I’m happy, everyone knows. Protect the innocence of your children, but allow them to see the truth in every situation.”
Ms. Long is also stepping into a new era as the first brand ambassador for Estée Lauder’s North American company. She announced the news via a post displaying her signature beauty with the caption,
“OMG pinch me! I’ve always admired Mrs. Estée Lauder’s belief that self-care isn’t reserved for special occasions—it’s an act of self-love. Her spirit as an entrepreneur, mother, and leader is something I deeply respect and connect with.”
And in her usual OG fashion, she left the girlies with a word of advice for how to manage their womanhood in their 30s and 40s.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a time in my life where I was willing to give up my life to be someone’s wife or girlfriend,” she said. “Ever. Period. I just wanna inspire women to trust the path, identify your purpose, understand the importance of sitting with yourself.”
The Black Coffee Company, an Atlanta-based coffee shop brand, has opened its second location on the campus of Morehouse College at 830 Westview Dr. SW. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
The Black Coffee Company, an Atlanta-based coffee shop brand, has opened its second location on the campus of Morehouse College at 830 Westview Dr. SW. Students, family, and friends attended the ribbon cutting Friday morning as music blasted and customers grabbed cups of specialty coffees with creative names that pay homage to Atlanta such as “Cash Money,” “Killer Mike,” and “The Dirty South.”
For the owners Christopher Bolden, Jamin Butler, Branden Cole, Gino Jones, and Leonard Lightfoot, opening a coffee shop on Morehouse’s campus is a dream that began with the ending of the movie “Boyz n the Hood” when Cuba Gooding Jr. and Nia Long’s characters go to Morehouse and Spelman College respectively. Bolden shared that a majority of the owners are California natives and the movie was their first introduction to the HBCU, so when Morehouse reached out with the opportunity to open a new location on its campus, they couldn’t pass up the full-circle moment.
“The five of us graduated from Xavier University, so HBCUs are close to our heart,” Bolden said. “To be able to open it at the prestigious Morehouse College just fills our hearts.”
Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
The group of friends launched The Black Coffee Company brand in 2018 and their flagship coffee shop Black Coffee ATL opened at the end of 2021. Since its inception, entrepreneurship, financial freedom, community empowerment, and education have been its core values. With the opening of a Black Coffee ATL on the HBCU campus, they hope to advance those values and create a safe space for students where they can study, listen to music, and congregate, continuing to foster the community hubs that Black-owned coffee shops provide.
“We’re only 2% represented in the coffee industry, so it was really important for us to capture the coffee business and the coffee industry, and then to be able to share it with the people that look like us.
“It’s just been amazing. We want to be a staple for the Morehouse campus. We want to employ the students here and then also allow expansion to other universities and colleges across the country.”
Nia Long is joining the Jackson family. The actor will star in Michael, the biopic of late pop star Michael Jackson. Long will portray Katherine Jackson, family matriarch to the Jackson musical family, Lionsgate announced Tuesday.
The film stars Jaafar Jackson, who is Michael Jackson’s nephew, as music star. Oscar nominee Colman Domingo is starring Joe Jackson, Michael’s father, while 9-year-old actor Juliano Krue is playing a young version of Michael.
Director Antoine Fuqua praised Long in statement, saying he was excited to “work alongside her as she pours all of that into Katherine Jackson: a woman who was the glue, the rock, and the heart of the Jackson family during its best and its most turbulent times.”
Long called Katherine Jackson “an incredible pillar of strength and grace for the entire Jackson family.” Long is known as the star of the Best Man franchise, and last year starred in You People, the Netflix feature also starring Jonah Hill, Lauren London and Eddie Murphy. She is also known for work in Friday and Boyz N the Hood.
Michael, due out April 18, 2025, is being made in cooperation with Jackson’s estate. Though the filmmakers say the film will tackle all aspects of Jackson’s life, it’s unclear if it will address accusations that he sexually abused children. Jackson’s estate previously defended him against these accusations, which were resurfaced in the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland.
Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King is producing Micahel, with John Branca and John McClain, the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate. Gladiator scribe John Logan penned the script.
Long is repped by Verve Talent and Literary Agency, Narrative and Meyer & Downs.
Nia Long was recently awarded $32,000 per month in child support from Ime Udoka, but the stunning star could have received more.
Source: Paul Archuleta / Getty
In court documents secured byThe Blast, the 53-year-old cut her former flame a break in the child support agreement for their son, Kez. Nia reportedly could have received an additional $24,000 from the Houston Rockets coach but agreed on a lower amount.
In the stellar settlement, led by acclaimed attorney Samantha Spector, documents state that the Ime’s disposable income is $465,804 per month and since their 12-year-old resides with Nia 95% of the time, the child support calculates to approximately $56,389.
Despite that, since Long is a high-earning actress, she decided to let her cheating ex off the hook and the pair mutually agreed on $32,500.
As head coach of the Rockets, The Blast reports that the 46-year-old has a hectic schedule that requires him to travel cross-country throughout the year. For the 2023-2024, the cheater spent less than 5% timeshare with their son, while the remaining time was spent with the Friday actress in Los Angeles.
Based on that, both parties will collaborate to schedule reasonable visitation for the NBA coach, taking into account Kez’s school and extracurricular schedule.
Ime is required to submit written notice to Long via email and plan for all visitations at least 10 days in advance.
Nia does not want this man playing with her or her son’s time, okay!
As previously reported, Long initially filed court documents seeking sole physical and legal custody of their son, allowing Udoka visitation rights. Additionally, she requested the successful coach to cover all attorney fees. Nia play of the hand likely sparked the custody battle and discussions about child support.
Udoka responded to Nia’s filing by requesting shared physical and legal custody of their kid, which included decisions concerning medical treatment, Kez’s religious practices, and any matters concerning his schooling. Ime noted his willingness to adhere to Nia’s visitation requests as he preferred for their son to remain with her to continue his educational arrangement.
The organization outed the head coach at the time for engaging in an “intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the Celtics’ staff” despite being engaged to Long since 2015.
Udoka would later issue a statement of remorse and the shocking news left Long reeling. After taking time to heal, she expressed that she withdrew their son from school early on the day of the announcement and said he was affected by the Celtics making “a very private situation public.”
The actress who has been beauty goals since the 90s says the ugly way in which the Celtics publicized Udoka’s workplace affair left her and their son “unprotected” and she told The Hollywood Reporter she was appalled that “no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK, It’s very disappointing.”
She would later go on to blast Udoka’s alleged mistress by name in an Instagram post wondering why a white woman’s tears hold more value than a Black woman’s.
“Where was this level of awareness a year ago @celtics ??? #kathleenlynch,” wrote the actress.
Source: Jason Miller / Getty
TheDailyMailreports that Kathleen Lynch is a married Mormon mom and a team liaison who arranged travel, lodging, and game tickets for Celtics family members at home and on the road. She allegedly did so for Nia herself before her alleged affair with Ime Udoka was exposed.
Udoka clearly wasn’t the “best man” for Nia but hopefully, he will focus on being the best father for Kez after this epic fumble.
Source: Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images
2023 was another Golden Corral buffet of premium shenanigans from Pound Town to Montgomery, Alabama where Ancestrally-Charged African-American Avengers dragged anglo-aggressors into the alabaster abyss during the now-infamous “Fade In The Water.”
Easily the greatest moment of 2023, the now-infamous “Riverboat Rumble” stirred up HILARIOUS jokes, memes, and commentary in yet another example of Black Twitter being the epicenter of entertainment.
It was a year of SkeeYees, super freaky pop-pops, shiny Renaissance fabrics, and the hoaxiest hoax of all hoaxes committed by Cheez-It-dusted viral villain Carlee Russell.
Source: Hoover Police Department
After days of confusion and public scrutiny, Russell admitted that she was not abducted after “stopping to check on a baby walking alone.”
There was no baby on Alabama’s Interstate I459 and the entire thing was described as an “elaborate” hoax
Russell’s attorney, Emory Anthony, sent a statement to Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis confirming that her kidnapping was a farce.
“Dear Chief Derzis, my client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf: There was no kidnapping on July 13, 2023. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road. My client did not leave the Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client did not have any help in this incident, but this was a single act done by herself,’’ Anthony wrote according to AL.com.
Russell was eventually found guilty of two misdemeanor crimes, false reporting to law enforcement authorities, and falsely reporting an incident with the judge recommending that she pay $18,000 in restitution and spend six months in jail per charge for a total of one year.
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Jeezy recently reflected on his split from TV personality Jeannie Mai, saying he was “disappointed” about their marriage ending.
The rapper told actor Nia Long in a sit-down conversation released Tuesday that parting ways with Mai has “not been an easy journey” — though he didn’t provide details about the reason for their breakup.
“I can tell you that I’m saddened, I can tell you that I’m disappointed, I can tell you that I’m uneasy,” he said about their split, adding that he’s focused on loving himself.
Although he did not reference the former co-host of “The Real” by name, Jeezy later shared that he went to therapy with Mai before deciding to call it quits.
Elsewhere in the video, the Atlanta rapper suggested that he had yet to experience unconditional love.
“As I sit here at 46 … I can’t honestly tell you that I’ve experienced love, especially not unconditional,” he said.
Jeannie Mai (left) and Jeezy are photographed during New York Fashion Week on Feb. 7, 2020, in New York City.
Gilbert Carrasquillo via Getty Images
Jeezy, whose real name is Jay Wayne Jenkins, filed for divorce from Mai in September after two years of marriage.
Jeezy released a statement about their pending divorce in October.
“The decision to end this chapter in my life was not made impulsively and comes with a heavy heart,” he said at the time. “Despite this, my love and respect for Jeannie remains and the time we spent together holds a cherished place in my heart.”
He later added that Monaco is the “best gift” from their relationship.
“If I love me the right way and the healthy way, I’ll not only know what healthy love looks like around me, but I’ll also know how to pour healthy love into the person that matters most in my life, which is … Monaco,” she said
The ESPN host addressed how the Celtics handled Ime Udoka’s suspension as head coach last fall and how their actions impacted his former partner, Long, in a video posted on his podcast, “Know Mercy with Stephen A. Smith,” on Friday.
“What about the sister, the Black woman named Nia Long, that was thrown to the wolves by having all of this publicized?” he said in the clip. “Did she deserve that?”
In September 2022, the Celtics suspended Udoka as head coach for what was reported to be an improper relationship with a team employee. The team held a press conference addressing the suspension that month.
Smith argued that the Celtics’ press conference inadvertently embroiled Long, a beloved actor, into a media circus. Udoka and Long had been together for 13 years and share a son, Kez, 11. They have since broken up.
“If you mention him and another woman, inevitably, she’s going to come up,” he said about Long. “How come they just left her out there standing on her own? I will always defend her. I will always defend her on this issue.”
He added, “To have a press conference and put his business, tacitly or otherwise, on front street, you didn’t think about Nia Long at all.”
The actor thanked Smith for “his support” in the comments section of an Instagram post where he shared the clip.
Smith called out the Celtics for hosting the press conference in another clip, charging that race played a role in the way the team treated Udoka, who is Black.
“I’ve been covering sports for 30 years, I have never seen a press conference to address somebody’s suspension, and everyone knew because of the leaks that preceded the press conference ― even though they didn’t say much in the press conference ― that it was about his sexual relationship,” he said.
During the team’s press conference in September, Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations, addressed speculation that was ramping up on Twitter at the time about which female staff member of the Celtics might have been involved in the scandal.
“We have a lot of talented women in our organization, and I thought yesterday was really hard on them,” he said. “Nobody can control Twitter speculation and rampant bullshit, but I do think that we as an organization have a responsibility to make sure we’re there to support them now. A lot of people were dragged unfairly into that.”
The team did not share details surrounding the circumstances of Udoka’s suspension at the time, but that he violated team policies.
Long has since criticized the Celtics for hosting the press conference. She also shared her disappointment that no one from the organization had reached out to her amid their public statements about supporting Celtics female staffers.
“If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK. It’s very disappointing,” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter in December.
“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” she added. “It was devastating, and it still is. He still has moments where it’s not easy for him.”
Udoka, now the head coach of the Houston Rockets, said during a news conference this week that he has since been in counseling with his son after news of the scandal broke to “help him improve the situation that I put him in.”
Nia Long is speaking out for the first time about her breakup with her partner of 13 years, Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, describing the recent, very public demise of their relationship as “a gut punch and then this red carpet of blessing.”
In a new cover story for The Cut, the actor explained, “For the last 22 years, I’ve been pouring out. But at a certain point, you’re like, ‘Woo, I’m looking a little tired.’ Even if I can’t see it, I can feel it. So I try to pour into myself and let everyone know this is a ‘do not disturb’ period.” In September 2022, the Celtics suspended Udoka over reports that he “had an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff,” per The Athletic. Long says she still doesn’t see why this very private matter had to be handled by the team so publicly. “The Celtics made a choice to make my family business public, and I don’t understand why. It could’ve all been handled internally,” she told the magazine. “I do understand why, but I can’t talk about it. Maybe one day I will. You know, fear drives stupidity, and I’ll leave that right there. I’ve learned that I’m stronger than I ever thought I was.”
The Boyz n the Hood star went on to explain that she’s been getting through this difficult time in her life by prioritizing her youngest son, 11-year-old Kez, from her relationship with Udoka. She revealed, “My only focus right now is my youngest son ’cause he’s having a really tough time. I’m sure I have some things that I’m suppressing, but I have to do that to take care of him first. That’s the giving. It’s natural. I’m sure I’ll have to circle back with myself several times to reconcile things. But the one thing I’m trying not to harbor is anger.” She added that she’s still just trying to figure out what happened between her and her ex “Because, you know, you’re with someone for 12, 13 years, you think you know them.”
Thankfully, following the cheating revelation, Long was met with a flood of support from the public which she says “saved my life.” The actor continued, “It saved my mental well-being because I felt uplifted by the community in a way that felt like my family was checking in and making sure I was okay. And that, I appreciated. I have that for people like Beyoncé. I look at her, and I’m so proud of her because I know how difficult it is to sustain and manage everything she has in her life. My life is probably a smaller version of that. Black women that are dynamic and famous and there to inspire are also required to be exceptional, and sometimes I just get tired of being strong. That’s my biggest thing: I don’t want to have to be strong. I would like to just have an experience that’s pleasant. But the difference comes down to race. Race matters and makes a difference in your experiences and the way people treat you, respect you, and regard you — and the way people protect you. Malcolm X said the least protected person in America is the Black woman. That quote resonates big time in my life right now.”
But while she may still be reeling from that breakup, don’t expect Long to shed any tears over the end of her 13-year relationship. “I don’t cry as much as I used to,” she confessed. “I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing, but I do check in with myself and let people know how I feel, for better or worse. ’Cause I’m not holding on to nonsense, and I’m also not passive-aggressive. I say it and sometimes it’s received, sometimes it’s not, but in any case, it’s my truth.”
Welcome to Look Back At It, a monthly column where some of the most iconic Black actresses in Hollywood reminisce and reflect on the roles that made them stars. For this month’s installment, Nia Long breaks down her career—from Love Jones and Friday to her most recent project, The Best Man: The Final Chapters.
“I don’t have a favorite character,” reflects Nia Long as we look back at her career. “It’s the collective representation of Black women that I am most proud of.”
Since the late ‘80s, Long has played characters who inhabit a wide range of complexities: women who were both charming and cunning, warm and witty. Boyz n the Hood, written and directed by the late John Singleton, was her first big feature film. Not a bad way to start your career. From there, she starred in classics like Friday, Soul Food, and my personal favorite, Love Jones opposite Larenz Tate. As she looks back, she credits being able to maintain a healthy work/life balance as one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
“I’ve really had the chance to live in between my work,” she says. “I’ve become a mother and I’ve traveled. I’ve grown and made mistakes. And I’ve been able to make changes to my life in order to honor myself. It’s so important. You don’t ever have to stay anywhere. You can move. That’s the freedom that we have on this planet. There’s nothing that says you have to do the same thing over and over again. And if you’re lucky enough to find a partner who has that same attitude about life, then you grow together.”
Below, Long takes us through her most iconic roles to share the lessons she’s learned, funny memories from set, and the performances that changed everything.
Brandi in Boyz n the Hood (1991)
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Boyz n the Hood (1991) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers
“I miss my friend John Singleton [the writer/director]. He was the first person to see something in me that no one else did. I think of him quite often. I also think of how long I’ve known Morris Chestnut and how we’ve never missed a step with one another. This movie is still so important to the culture.”
Debbie in Friday (1995)
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Friday (1995) Official Trailer – Ice Cube, Chris Tucker Comedy HD
“What I remember about Friday is Chris Tucker driving to work in a bucket. I had my cute little BMW and we were driving on the freeway and I turned to my right and there Chris was with a used pizza box in the window because his car window was broken. So he used the pizza box to stop the wind from coming into the car. I honked and I waved, and then he did Rush Hour and he no longer had that bucket. [Laughs] Life changes very quickly.”
Lisa in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1994-1995)
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Will Makes Fun Of Lisa | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | HBO Max
“I love Will Smith so much. I learned a lot about comedy from him. I learned a lot about working on a show where there are three cameras. I remember feeling terrified every Thursday or Friday night when we had to do the show in front of a live audience. It was a mixture of theater, television, and just being young and new. I was trying to figure it all out. And also, I was just looking at Lisa’s outfits the other day and everything she wore is now back in style. The crop tops and the jeans with a good belt? It makes me want to cut my hair short again.”
Nina in Love Jones (1997)
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“Love Jones set the tone for the rest of my career. I never wanted to repeat something that I had already done. I always wanted to make sure that if I did it once, I wasn’t going to do it twice. I wanted to make sure that I showed the different subcultures within our culture with every project that I’ve done. When I look at my body of work, there’s a little bit of everything in there for everybody. I’m really proud of that. Black love is probably one of the most powerful things that we can share. We’re passionate people. We’re loving. We’re kind. And we’ve had to fight to even be loved. So I’m grateful for the Love Jones experience. And I love me some Larenz Tate.”
Bird in Soul Food (1997)
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Soul Food 1997 Movie Trailer HQ – Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long
“Every time I think of Soul Food, I think of these dinner scenes that we had. We all had to sit at this long table and the camera had to go around to each one of us and we had to say the dialogue while eating. And the food was great. Whoever did the catering was amazing. But I could never have another Thanksgiving dinner again after this movie. It was so much soul food every single day. I was like, ‘Maybe [my character] Bird is just a vegetarian.’ [Laughs] I also remember being in awe of Vanessa Williams when she walked in the door. I thought, ‘Here’s a woman who personifies beauty and grace. She’s been through some things in her life and she’s still standing tall, unaffected.’ She’s been an inspiration to me and to Black women in general. I just love that she keeps it moving. Like, ‘I can marry you if I want, I can have children, and I can divorce you. Just keep it moving.’”
Myra in In Too Deep (1999)
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“I loved my hair in this movie. It was very different from anything I’d ever done. I remember being totally intimidated by LL Cool J. He’s approachable now, but back then, I was like, ‘Oh my god, that’s LL Cool J. Let me bust out my bamboo earrings.’”
Jordan in The Best Man (1999) and The Best Man Holiday (2013)
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“Someone said that we are lucky to be a part of such an amazing franchise, and I never thought of it in that way. I thought of it as, ‘Oh, we get to do this again. This is fun.’ But when you think about it, there really hasn’t been another Black franchise like this in history. And when you look at it that way and let that sink in, you allow yourself to understand its importance. You help to define the culture. It’s an honor to be able to do this. It’s a blessing.”
Rae in Held Up (1999)
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Held Up (1999) Official Trailer #1 – Jamie Foxx Movie HD
“Oh my god. I remember this wig was on a headband because the budget was so low. [Laughs] I was like, ‘They’re not even getting me a real wig?’ I also remember Jamie Foxx scrambling his eggs in the microwave. I’d never seen anyone do that before. We were shooting in Canada in a small place called Regina. I don’t even know if I’ve ever watched this whole movie.”
Sherry in Big Momma’s House 1 and 2 (2000 and 2006)
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“I love Martin Lawrence. I think he’s a comedic genius. We had so much fun filming these movies. All the prosthetics were hilarious. Having to play so naive to something that I knew wasn’t real was challenging and liberating as an actress. These movies are iconic.”
Lonette in Alfie (2004)
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Alfie (2004) Official Trailer #1 – Jude Law Movie HD
“I loved my makeup in this film. It was so pretty. You know, I miss when people actually took the time to light the artist. I look at light as another character in a film. The light is the thing that makes you feel seen. And if you don’t feel seen, how can you be subtle and delicate with a performance? This was probably one of the last films I did where we were on film and it was beautifully lit. I didn’t even have to say anything.”
Suzanne in Are We There Yet? (2005) and Are We Done Yet? (2007)
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Are We There Yet? (2005) Official Trailer 1 – Ice Cube Movie
“This was great. I loved the kids. I love [Ice] Cube. There were so many stunts and crazy things that I wasn’t a part of, but when I watched the movie, I was like, ‘Oh this actually funny.’ I think this is when moms really started to appreciate me. Like, ‘Finally something our Black children can see.’ It’s family-friendly, but still feels very real and tangible.”
May in The Single Mom’s Club (2014)
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Tyler Perry’s The Single Moms Club (2014) – Official Trailer #1
“This was a marathon. We shot this movie in 22 days. Tyler Perry doesn’t play. He’s like, ‘Ok we’re shooting this today’ and you’re like, ‘Wait, what?’ He taught me how much money is wasted in Hollywood. You can do it in 22 days. Also, my son plays my son in this film. That was great. Shoutout to Tyler Perry for changing the game.”
Ms. Peggy in Roxanne Roxanne (2017)
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“This is probably one of my most proud cinematic moments. Ms. Peggy represents a generation of hardworking Black women living in the projects. She’s trying to do her best, but she’s flawed. I just love this movie so much. That was a special one.”
Jordan in The Best Man: The Final Chapters (2022)
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The Best Man: The Final Chapters | Official Trailer | Peacock Original
“We wanted to all come together for this last installment because we felt like we owed it to the audience. And here we are. I’m grateful and thankful. The show is great and was so much fun. I don’t think it gets any better than this, to be able to go to work and just be on the beach all day? Come on. It was awesome. I’m just excited for people to see it.”
Juliana Ukiomogbe is the Assistant Editor at ELLE. Her work has previously appeared in Interview, i-D, Teen Vogue, Nylon, and more.
Long and Udoka had been engaged since 2015 when the news broke in September. The share an 11-year-old son.
“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” Long said. “It was devastating, and it still is. He still has moments where it’s not easy for him.”
“The Best Man” star said she took her son out of school at the time and declined to say whether she and Udoka are still together or discuss his alleged behavior.
The Celtics suspended Udoka for the entire 2022 to 2023 season.
“I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down,” Udoka said in a statement to ESPN at the time. “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.”
The woman he was alleged to have had the relationship with was not identified.
Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens got emotional at a press conference while defending the women in the organization who were targeted on social media as a result of the speculation as to the woman’s identity.
But Long, who also has an adult son from a prior relationship, said she did not feel supported.
“If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK,” she said. “It’s very disappointing.”
