Jordin Sparks to the VMAs: Promise Rings Rock!

Not only can Jordin Sparks sing, she's bold enough to stand up for what she believes in, even when she's in front of millions of viewers at the MTV Music Videos Awards. Throughout the program British host Russell Brand poked fun of the Jonas Brothers and their symbols of chastity, but that was until Sparks said this:

"I just have one thing to say about promise rings. It's not bad to wear a promise ring because not everybody, guy or girl, wants to be a slut."

I would have worded the latter part a little differently but she gets major kudos for her fierceness.

Anyone else rock a promise ring? Sound off in the comments section.

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Disney Channel Stars Record New Audio Bible For Tweens

Countless prayers of tweens from across the nation have been answered. They'll get to share their Bible study time with Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) and Cody Linley (Hannah Montana). And all the tween girls shouted amen!

Tiger Beat's Blog Girl recently reported that: "Cody Linley told me he just recorded an audio version of the Bible. He’s the voice of Jesus. Corbin Bleu, Emily Osment, Annasophia Robb, Alyson Stoner and Jesse McCartney are also in it."

If you have any tweens in your family then you'll know that those names are as big as Madonna in their realm.

Linley told the Pantagraph that, "Playing the role of Jesus is the most important role I could ever get. I'm never going to get a project that has a stronger message than this." That's a pretty cool thing for an 18-year-old Hollywood heartthrob to say.

And now you have the perfect gift idea for your little nieces and nephews.

The 2008 Asian Excellence Awards

Last night I watched the 2008 Asian Excellence Awards on E! and the show was so good I wish it lasted longed. Here's my recap:

Sharon Leal won the award for Outstanding Film Actress in This Christmas. She gave a nice acceptance speech thanking her Filipina mother and appreciated the acknowledgement of her work and mixed heritage. Sonja Sohn, of Korean descent, who won the award for Supporting Television Actress in The Wire had similar sentiments. That was really cool.

Kristi Yamaguchi was presented with a special Inspiration Award for profound work in Olympic Ice Skating and for being an encouraging role model for young Asian-Americans. She definitely rocks. I remember watching her when I was little and she was one of my favorites.

Tia Carrere sang a song off her Grammy-nominated album Hawaiiana. You may remember her best from Wayne's World or True Lies. She's done a bunch of things and I'm glad she's still pressing on in Hollywood's tough industry. It would really like to see her star in a quirky drama i.e. something like Juno that could be a hit at all the major film festivals.

America's Best Dance Crew winners the JabbaWockeeZ performed alongside KABA Modern for the opening number. They were undeniably cool.

Lindsay Price gave a teary-eyed speech when she won for Outstanding Television Actress for her role in Lipstick Jungle. I've been a fan of Price's since she was on one of my soap-operas back in the day so it was fun to see her get recognized for her work.

My favorite Dancing With the Stars instructor Cheryl Burke won for Favorite TV personality. She looked fabulous.

Carrie Ann Inaba (Dancing With the Stars judge) and Bobby Lee (MADtv) did a great job hosting the show. Sometimes Lee was a little off with his jokes but he had some real funny ones too.

All in all, the show was a blast. I'm really glad award shows like this exist because celebrating diversity is totally worth it. Congratulations to all nominees and winners. I'm already excited to what new talent will emerge for next year's presentation.

[Hat tip Angry Asian Man]

Tia Mowry Married

With all the bad news that makes the headlines it's pleasant to hear something that makes you smile. Case in point: Tia Mowry got married over the weekend.

You probably remember her best as the "brainy" twin from Sister, Sister. Re-runs of that show still play daily and it's nice to catch an episode when I can. She's still one of my favorite actresses.

Mowry married a fellow actor, Cory Hardict, from ABC Family's Lincoln Heights. She looks beautiful in her wedding gown and I wish her all the best in her marriage and career.

Lastly, I'll leave you with a quote by Mowry from a 2005 Today's Christian interview:

"Jesus Christ wants everybody to see that whether you're rich or poor, a doctor or a janitor, God sees us all the same and looks at our heart."

[Hat tip to MySpace Celebrity]

Fantasy Moguls

Think you can pick which movies are going to do well in theaters? Then play Ultimate Movie Moguls with me.

FantasyMoguls.com "lets you create your own fantasy movie studio with a slate of real-life movies! As those movies perform well in the real world, so does your fantasy studio...It's like fantasy baseball or football, except for movies!"

I started a league called Christian Filmmakers so hurry up and join because the next film season begins on Friday.

Leave a comment to let me know you're playing along.

[Hat tip to Savarino.net for the picture]

Miley Cyrus in talks to star in film adaptation of Christian novel

Radio Disney is one of my favorite stations to listen to while I'm in the car. The music is fun, upbeat, and full of positive lyrics that encourage listeners to follow their dreams. Sure, it's geared towards tweens and teens but I know I'm not the only adult who enjoys singing along to the High School Musical soundtracks. What I like most about Radio Disney is that it has created a family-friendly atmosphere where young Christians like Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Aly & AJ and Corbin Bleu can share their music on a national platform and show kids that they don't have to be wild and raunchy to be successful in the entertainment industry.

That's why I was really excited to find out that one of my favorite Christian authors, Karen Kingsbury, is hoping to team up with Miley Cyrus in a film adaptation. Kingsbury's March 20th newsletter said this:

"Again, I can’t tell you many details . . . but I can say that our purpose in meeting up with Miley was to discuss her deep interest in starring in one of the upcoming movies based on my books. Miley loves Jesus very much. Please continue to pray for her and her family."

Now that you've heard the news, let's get to praying!

Paula Patton on Essence Cover

Paula Patton isn't a household name yet but if you're someone who values emerging talent then you'll want to keep an eye on her career.

Patton made a favorable impression on me with a small part in Hitch alongside Will Smith. She was the "It Girl" at the bar and even though her lines were limited she had an amazing presence. After that I had to find out who she was because I knew some casting director was thinking the same thing I was: potential. Shortly after that she was cast as the lead in Idlewild, a musical set in the South opposite Andre Benjamin of Outkast and "Hey Ya!" fame. But what really put her on the Hollywood radar was her performance as Claire Kuchever in the sci-fi thriller Deju Vu where she shared the screen with Denzel Washington. It wasn't a major box-office hit but anything with Denzel is going to get peoples' attention. I've watched the movie about five times when I rented it because the premise was so cool.

In a brief period of time Patton has become one of my favorite actresses and it would be a dream come true if I got to work with her on a project or even better yet have her star in one of my films. When I saw Patton on the cover of Essence's March issue I had to buy it because A.) I couldn't help but be happy for her success and B.) I collect magazines. Hopefully in a few years time Patton's resume will be full of critically acclaimed roles and plenty of magazine cover shoots.

Lastly, check out Patton and her R&B singer husband Robin Thicke in his music video "Lost Without You". Don't they look cute together?

[Hat tip to Urban Hoopla for the photo]

Jurnee, Denzel and Forest--Oh My!!!

Oprah is having a big show tomorrow featuring the cast of the highly-anticipated film The Great Debaters.

Academy Award winners Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker lead this emotionally charged slice of American history tale.

Set in the backdrop of pre-Civil Rights, The Great Debaters tells the story of a black professor's hard fought battle to lead a team of black college students to a debate against the prestigious all-white Harvard University debate team. The Great Debaters marks Denzel Washington's second directorial effort after his critically acclaimed debut Antwon Fisher.

Kimberly Elise (Diary of a Mad Black Women, John Q) and Jurnee Smollett (Eve's Bayou, Roll Bounce) also star. You may remember Smollett as Michelle Tanner's spunky bestfriend on Full House. (At least that's when I became a fan). Here's to hoping that she nabs an Oscar for her role and this movie propels her career to a whole new plateau.

The Great Debaters opens nationwide in theaters on Dec. 25th.



[Update 11/26/07] - I just watched the show and it was AMAZING seeing all those talented black actors sitting together on Oprah's stage!!! They showed an extended clip from the movie where Jurnee was giving her speech about how black students and white students should be equally educated and it was break-taking, poignant and brilliant all wrapped in one. I can't wait to see this movie! And even better yet, I can't wait to see the young actors' careers emerge and blossom.

I'll leave you with these inspiring words that Denzel Washington imparted to the younger actors:

"Man gives the awards, but God gives the rewards."

Natalie Portman Cranks That Soulja Boy

Can this dance get anymore popular???

Natalie Portman was on TRL today doing that Soulja Boy dance. We all knew she had some Hip-Hop flavor in her after she did that SNL rap skit.

Do I detect a film in her future with say, Nick Cannon as her leading man? I can imagine her taking on the role of some foster kid who grew up in the tough streets of L.A. or something. She's practically done almost ever other type of character. Her acting resume is so versatile and her performances are so rich in quality. But enough about me gushing over my favorite actress.

[Update 11-15-07] - I just found a video of Natalie "cranking dat Soulja Boy". (Hat tip to Sanrioboy)

New Mat Kearney Video Features "Pocahontas"

First off, it's nice to see a young lady of color in a music video where she isn't dressed scantily and shaking her butt alongside some rapper. It's even nicer to see Christian music artists showcase more diversity because the role of "pretty girl" could have easily been cast to someone with a little less melanin in her skin.

So who is Mat Kearney anyways? I'm glad you asked.

His acoustic rap/rock style was made popular by the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack, or so people say. I've never watched more than 10 minutes of the show but it supposedly features wicked cool music in pivotal emotional scenes. I first heard of Kearney before all that Grey's hype when I was hosting my radio show in college. Later on, I went to one of his live concerts and the guy's talent was...undeniable.

Anyhow, back to the point of this post, Q'Orianka Kilcher, who is best known for her role as Pocahontas in The New World, is in Kearney's video for his latest single called "Breathe In, Breathe Out". The song is simple yet touching and the video matches its tone.

Watch it and tell me what you think.

Interesting fact: Q'Orianka Kilcher is Jewel's cousin.

Hilary Duff Dates a Black Dude...

That is, in her upcoming movie: Greta.

The Duffster teams up with Evan Ross (ATL, Pride) in a romantic comedy about inter-racial dating.

Here is IMDb's official synposis:

A waitress falls for an ambitious cook at a restaurant where they work. But as their love blossoms, she has to overcome concerns of her grandparents who are worried about the mixed-race relationship and her boyfriends criminal past.

It sounds perfect until it gets to the "criminal past" line. Why did they have to go there? It's oh-so-stereotypical and just lazy on the screenwriter's part. There are so many other creative and intriguing storylines they could have explored. Not all black men have criminal records. I wish Hollywood (and America) would finally get that.

Anyhow, I'm still excited to see this movie. I'm a big Hilary Duff fan. I can't even tell you how many times I've watched A Cinderella Story and Raise Your Voice. Plus, I'm delighted to see Evan Ross in a romantic comedy. He was so geeky cute in Pride.

Oh, and for those of you who have never heard of Ross before, he's actually biracial. He's Diane Ross' son and Tracee Ellis Ross' (Girlfriends) little brother.

(Hat tip to Invisible Woman...Black Cinema At Large)

Black Hollywood - Will Smith, Corbin Bleu, Tyler Perry and More

It's good to see black men making postive strides in Hollywood. It's tough enough getting quality stories produced. It's even tougher getting ones made with brown-skinned leads. Halle Berry had something to say about this issue at a Things We Lost in the Fire press conference.

But like the Bible says in Philippians 4, let's think on the good things:

1. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? is #1 at the box office. (He's a professing Christian and very open about his beliefs)

2. Will Smith is developing a sitcom based off his hit movie Hitch through his production company. And he's to star in the highly anticipated action/thriller I Am Legend.

3. Corbin Bleu of High School Musical fame is pumping up his producing chops for an upcoming movie. (I really hope he becomes the next big thing. Plus, he's a Christian too)

4. Two promising movies are coming out this winter featuring stories about black families: Pefect Holiday starring Gabrielle Union and Morris Chesnut and This Christmas starring Chris Brown, Loretta Divine and a plethora of other notable black actors.

Pretty good, huh?

Things may not be where we want them to be when it comes to diversity on the silver screen but we have to keep pressing on. Future generations will reap the benefits.

Hat tip to Young, Black & Fabulous and Blackarazzi.com.

Entertainment News: Kirk Franklin and Halle Berry develop projects

Here are a couple of news items that I thought you might enjoy.

Kirk Franklin: April 4, 2007 - Variety.com reported that Gospel star Kirk Franklin has a inked a development deal with Lionsgate to star in a film inspired by his life story called Church Boy. For all the details visit Lionsgate.com

Halle Berry: In Ebony's May 2007 issue, Halle Berry is featured on the cover and the article makes note of her producing a TV show called "Mixed, about a mixed-race woman".

Why is this cool? Because A.) That's one more Christian story told through Hollywood and B.) As a woman of a multi-ethnic background, I'm so glad that a TV show about a mixed woman is being produced by one.