The UAE’s First Female Film Director: How Nayla Al Khaja Is Breaking Into Hollywood As An Emirati Woman By Charlotte Burney Nayla Al Khaja knows that movies and storytelling could stand to be a whole lot more diverse. Because of this, she became the first female film writer, director and producer in the United Arab Emirates. Being the first anything…
ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood To Honor Sheryl Lee Ralph, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Danielle Deadwyler, Tara Duncan, And Dominique Thorne By Rivea Ruff ESSENCE will once again honor Black women who are groundbreakers and pioneers in the film and television industry at our 16th annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon. This year’s event will highlight the contributions and accomplishments of actresses Sheryl Lee Ralph,…
ESSENCE’S 9TH ANNUAL BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD EVENT IS SET TO HONOR DEBBIE ALLEN, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS AND POWER LAWYER, NINA SHAW. IT WILL AIR AS A TELEVISED SPECIAL ON OWN ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27. ESSENCE is gearing up to honor and celebrate three bright talents in entertainment for our 9th annual Black Women in Hollywood event. Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross…
Margot Robbie, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janelle Monáe Present $1M in College Scholarships to High School Seniors at THR’s Women in Entertainment Gala By Lexy Perez Jamie Lee Curtis, Janelle Monáe, Margot Robbie, Gracie Abrams and Addison Rae on Wednesday presented $1 million in university scholarships to high school seniors from underserved communities across Los Angeles with full-ride college scholarships. The announcement was made at The Hollywood…
Angela Bassett To Young Black Women: ‘When You Walk In The Room, Know That You Have Everything They’re Looking For’ By Rachaell Davis Angela Bassett has consistently set a shining example for women in Hollywood throughout the course of her career and she has a few words of advice for those who may be aiming to follow in her footsteps. Speaking…
Issa Rae’s Best Career Advice: Don’t Be Afraid of Being Labeled a ‘Difficult’ Person to Work With By Morgan Smith Issa Rae has built the kind of entertainment career people dream of: co-creating, co-writing and starring in a hit HBO series; landing a multi-million dollar film and TV deal; and building her own media company. But the 37-year-old actor, writer…
Zendaya Becomes Youngest Two-Time Emmy Winner in History Zendaya Becomes Youngest Two-Time Emmy Winner in History With ‘Euphoria’ Lead Actress Win By BreAnna Bell, Ellise Shafer Zendaya made history — once again — by winning the Emmy award for lead actress in a drama series for her performance in “Euphoria.” She became the youngest lead actress in a drama winner with her…
Denée Benton: Tony Award Nominee to HBO Star By Yulia Lolo Florida native actress Denée Benton turned 30 on December 31, 2021, and her personal New Year kicked off with a role that will most surely change the entire trajectory of her acting career. Playing Ms. Peggy Scott of The Gilded Age, an ambitious young Black writer who faces off against a…
Latino Legends Helped Pave the Way in Hollywood By Mandalit del Barco Latinos have been a part of Hollywood since the silent movie era. But they continue to be underrepresented in front of and behind the cameras. USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and UCLA’s latest Hollywood Diversity Report show that Latino actors get just 7% of film leads. In the early days of cinema and…
Staying True To Yourself: The Brand That Is Taylor Swift Taylor Swift has carefully crafted a humble and accessible brand identity that’s helped her sell 16 million albums. The branding takeaways from what she’s doing right. By Shawn Parr Taylor Swift is an excellent example of how humility can lead to success. She’s genuine. She connects and relates to her…
