Tag Archives: Kerry Washington

Talent And Nominees Are Announced For BET Awards ’13

Chris+Tucker+Celebs+BET+Awards+Press+Conference+uFrGFQ4msjnxNominees were recently announced at the official BET Awards ’13 press conference in Los Angeles, by BET’s President of Music Programming and Specials, Stephen G. Hill ; this year’s BET Awards ’13 host, blockbuster movie star and comedian Chris Tucker ; R&B artist Chris Brown ; hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar; and singer and television personality Tamar Braxton .

Leading the pack of A-list nominees include, hip hop artist Drake, with an impressive 12 nominations including Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Video of the Year; close behind is breakthrough hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar and rapper 2 Chainz tied with 8 nominations; A$AP Rocky with 5 nominations; while Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Miguel face off with 4 nominations each in the categories of Best Collaboration, Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award and Video of the Year.

In what is sure to be a showdown of epic proportions, this year’s Video of the Year Award has a phenomenal line-up of 10 nominees including Kanye West , Justin Timberlake , Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, 2 Chainz, A$AP Rocky, Miguel and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis , all vying to get their hands on the sought-after trophy.

During the press conference, Chris Brown was exclusively announced as the first confirmed performer.  As an added bonus, R. Kelly is closing the BET Awards ’13 and will head over to the Staples Center immediately after to open the BET Experience concert. In addition, a living legend, Charlie Wilson was announced as the recipient of the prestigious Cadillac Lifetime Achievement Award, to honor his four decades in the entertainment industry.

The nominees for the BET Awards ’13 include:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyonce
Tamar Braxton
Alicia Keys
Rihanna
Elle Varner

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Chris Brown
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Justin Timberlake
Usher

Best Group
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Mary Mary
Mindless Behavior
Slaughterhouse
The Throne (Kanye West & Jay-Z)

Best Collaboration
2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
French Montana f/ Rick Ross, Drake and Lil Wayne – Pop That
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake – Poetic Justice
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie
Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – Mercy

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
2 Chainz
A$AP Rocky
Drake
Future
Kendrick Lamar

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Azealia Banks
Eve
Nicki Minaj
Rasheeda
Rye Rye

Video of the Year
2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
Drake – Started From The Bottom
Drake f/ Lil Wayne – HYFR
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake – Poetic Justice
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/ Wanz – Thrift Shop
Miguel – Adorn
Rihanna – Diamonds
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie
Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – Mercy

Video Director of the Year
A$AP Rocky & Sam Lecca
Benny Boom
Director X
Dre Films
Hype Williams

Best New Artist
Azealia Banks
Joey Bada$$
Kendrick Lamar
Trinidad Jame$
The Weeknd

Best Gospel Artist
Deitrick Haddon
Lecrae
Tamela Mann
Mary Mary
Marvin Sapp

Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Halle Berry
Taraji P. Henson
Gabrielle Union
Kerry Washington

Best Actor
Don Cheadle
Common
Jamie Foxx
Samuel L. Jackson
Denzel Washington

YoungStars Award
Gabrielle Douglas
Jacob Latimore
Keke Palmer
Jaden Smith
Quvenzhane Wallis

Best Movie
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Sparkle
Think Like A Man

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Gabrielle Douglas
Brittney Griner
Candace Parker
Serena Williams
Venus Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year
Victor Cruz
Kevin Durant
Robert Griffin III
LeBron James
Ray Lewis

Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
Drake – Started From The Bottom
Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
Miguel – Adorn
Rihanna – Diamonds
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie

Centric Award
Tamar Braxton – Love and War
Fantasia – Lose To Win
Miguel – Adorn
Nas – Daughters
Charlie Wilson – My Love Is All I Have

Best International Act: Africa
2Face Idibia (Nigeria)
Toya Delazy (South Africa)
Donald (South Africa)
Ice Prince (Nigeria)
R2Bees (Ghana)
Radio and Weasel (Uganda)

Best International Act: UK
Marsha Ambrosius
Estelle
Labrinth
Rita Ora
Emeli Sande
Wiley

This year for the first time, the general public can purchase tickets to the BET Awards with a BET Experience VIP Package, which also includes 3-day tickets to nightly concerts at the Staples Center.

Join the conversation on social media by following BET’s multiple social media platforms, dedicated to the BET Awards:

Follow on Twitter & Instagram : @BETAwards, Use hashtag: #BETAwards
On Facebook: facebook.com/TheBETAwards
On Tumblr: betawards.tumblr.com
*All times are ET/PT

The BET AWARDS ’13 will premiere Sunday, June 30, 2013 at 8:00PM BST across BET’s international platforms in the UK and Africa.

Talent And Nominees Are Announced For BET Awards ’13

Chris+Tucker+Celebs+BET+Awards+Press+Conference+uFrGFQ4msjnxNominees were recently announced at the official BET Awards ’13 press conference in Los Angeles, by BET’s President of Music Programming and Specials, Stephen G. Hill ; this year’s BET Awards ’13 host, blockbuster movie star and comedian Chris Tucker ; R&B artist Chris Brown ; hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar; and singer and television personality Tamar Braxton .

Leading the pack of A-list nominees include, hip hop artist Drake, with an impressive 12 nominations including Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Video of the Year; close behind is breakthrough hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar and rapper 2 Chainz tied with 8 nominations; A$AP Rocky with 5 nominations; while Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Miguel face off with 4 nominations each in the categories of Best Collaboration, Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award and Video of the Year.

In what is sure to be a showdown of epic proportions, this year’s Video of the Year Award has a phenomenal line-up of 10 nominees including Kanye West , Justin Timberlake , Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, 2 Chainz, A$AP Rocky, Miguel and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis , all vying to get their hands on the sought-after trophy.

During the press conference, Chris Brown was exclusively announced as the first confirmed performer.  As an added bonus, R. Kelly is closing the BET Awards ’13 and will head over to the Staples Center immediately after to open the BET Experience concert. In addition, a living legend, Charlie Wilson was announced as the recipient of the prestigious Cadillac Lifetime Achievement Award, to honor his four decades in the entertainment industry.

The nominees for the BET Awards ’13 include:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyonce
Tamar Braxton
Alicia Keys
Rihanna
Elle Varner

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Chris Brown
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Justin Timberlake
Usher

Best Group
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Mary Mary
Mindless Behavior
Slaughterhouse
The Throne (Kanye West & Jay-Z)

Best Collaboration
2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
French Montana f/ Rick Ross, Drake and Lil Wayne – Pop That
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake – Poetic Justice
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie
Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – Mercy

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
2 Chainz
A$AP Rocky
Drake
Future
Kendrick Lamar

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Azealia Banks
Eve
Nicki Minaj
Rasheeda
Rye Rye

Video of the Year
2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
Drake – Started From The Bottom
Drake f/ Lil Wayne – HYFR
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake – Poetic Justice
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/ Wanz – Thrift Shop
Miguel – Adorn
Rihanna – Diamonds
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie
Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – Mercy

Video Director of the Year
A$AP Rocky & Sam Lecca
Benny Boom
Director X
Dre Films
Hype Williams

Best New Artist
Azealia Banks
Joey Bada$$
Kendrick Lamar
Trinidad Jame$
The Weeknd

Best Gospel Artist
Deitrick Haddon
Lecrae
Tamela Mann
Mary Mary
Marvin Sapp

Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Halle Berry
Taraji P. Henson
Gabrielle Union
Kerry Washington

Best Actor
Don Cheadle
Common
Jamie Foxx
Samuel L. Jackson
Denzel Washington

YoungStars Award
Gabrielle Douglas
Jacob Latimore
Keke Palmer
Jaden Smith
Quvenzhane Wallis

Best Movie
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Sparkle
Think Like A Man

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Gabrielle Douglas
Brittney Griner
Candace Parker
Serena Williams
Venus Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year
Victor Cruz
Kevin Durant
Robert Griffin III
LeBron James
Ray Lewis

Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
Drake – Started From The Bottom
Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
Miguel – Adorn
Rihanna – Diamonds
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie

Centric Award
Tamar Braxton – Love and War
Fantasia – Lose To Win
Miguel – Adorn
Nas – Daughters
Charlie Wilson – My Love Is All I Have

Best International Act: Africa
2Face Idibia (Nigeria)
Toya Delazy (South Africa)
Donald (South Africa)
Ice Prince (Nigeria)
R2Bees (Ghana)
Radio and Weasel (Uganda)

Best International Act: UK
Marsha Ambrosius
Estelle
Labrinth
Rita Ora
Emeli Sande
Wiley

This year for the first time, the general public can purchase tickets to the BET Awards with a BET Experience VIP Package, which also includes 3-day tickets to nightly concerts at the Staples Center.

Join the conversation on social media by following BET’s multiple social media platforms, dedicated to the BET Awards:

Follow on Twitter & Instagram : @BETAwards, Use hashtag: #BETAwards
On Facebook: facebook.com/TheBETAwards
On Tumblr: betawards.tumblr.com
*All times are ET/PT

The BET AWARDS ’13 will premiere Sunday, June 30, 2013 at 8:00PM BST across BET’s international platforms in the UK and Africa.

Django UnChained among nominees for the 2013 MTV Movie Awards

Django Unchained movie stillMTV announced the categories and nominees for the “2013 MTV Movie Awards“ live today on MTV and MTV.com honoring the actors and films that enthralled and electrified audiences this year. Leading the pack with seven nominations each are Quentin Tarantino’s sweeping American slavery Western Django Unchained and Seth MacFarlane’s bromantic comedy Ted , followed by the critically acclaimed Silver Linings Playbook with six nods and the epic blockbuster conclusion to the Batman trilogy The Dark Knight Rises with five. Rounding out the most nominated films are The Avengers , The Perks of Being a Wallflower , Pitch Perfect and Skyfall with four each. Fans will have the “Power of the Popcorn” in their hands as voting begins today, Tuesday, March 5 at MovieAwards.MTV.com through Saturday, April 13.  

Airing live on Sunday, April 14 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT from the Sony Pictures Studios Lot in Culver City, CA, the “2013 MTV Movie Awards” will serve as the official kick off to the Summer Blockbuster season with its trademark irreverent celebration of the movies, actors and music that audiences love. Previously announced, rising superstar Rebel Wilson, nominated for “Best Female Performance” and “Breakthrough Performance” as Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect, will star as host and be joined by MTV’s Inaugural “Comedic Genius Award” recipient Will Ferrell , who is nominated for “Best On-Screen Duo” with Zach Galifianakis for The Campaign .

Keeping with the show’s tradition of celebrating current cultural memes, this year’s telecast will introduce two new categories. Abdominally blessed nominees Channing Tatum (Magic Mike), Taylor Lautner (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2), Daniel Craig (Skyfall) and Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Rises) will sweat it out against fan-favorite stuffed bear Seth MacFarlane as Ted for the crown of “Best Shirtless Performance,” while unforgettable moments from Les Misérables , Magic Mike , Pitch Perfect, Silver Linings Playbook and The Perks of Being a Wallflower will compete to win the inaugural “Best Musical Moment” award.

Leading lady and recent Academy Award® winner Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook and House at the End of the Street ) joins fellow female front-runners Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect), Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) and Mila Kunis (Ted) for the chance to take home the most Golden Popcorns. At the head of the pack for the men are Seth MacFarlane as Ted (Ted), Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained), Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) and Channing Tatum (Magic Mike). As in previous years, the category of “Movie of the Year” will remain an ongoing battle throughout the 22nd annual “2013 MTV Movie Awards” telecast. Additional presenters, performers and special award recipients will be announced at a later date.

Nominees for the “2013 MTV Movie Awards” are as follows (*denotes new category):

MOVIE OF THE YEAR (Voting stays live throughout the 2013 Movie Awards Telecast)

— Django Unchained (The Weinstein Company)
Producers: Reginald Hudlin, Pilar Savone, Stacey Sher
Director: Quentin Tarantino

— Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)
Producers: Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon
Director: David O. Russell

— TED (Universal Pictures)
Producers: Jason Clark, John Jacobs, Seth MacFarlane, Scott Stuber
Director: Seth MacFarlane

— The Avengers (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Producer: Kevin Feige
Director: Joss Whedon

— The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Producers: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas
Director: Christopher Nolan

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE

  • Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables (Universal Pictures)
  • Mila Kunis – TED (Universal Pictures)
  • Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)
  • Emma Watson – The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Summit Entertainment, LLC)
  • Rebel Wilson – Pitch Perfect (Universal Pictures)

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE

  • Ben Affleck – Argo (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  • Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)
  • Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
  • Jamie Foxx – Django Unchained (The Weinstein Company)
  • Channing Tatum – Magic Mike (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

  • Ezra Miller – The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Summit Entertainment, LLC)
  • Eddie Redmayne – Les Miserables (Universal Pictures)
  • Suraj Sharma – Life of Pi (20th Century Fox)
  • Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
  • Rebel Wilson – Pitch Perfect (Universal Pictures)

BEST SCARED-AS-S**T PERFORMANCE

  • Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty (Sony Pictures)
  • Alexandra Daddario – Texas Chainsaw 3D (Lionsgate)
  • Martin Freeman – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  • Jennifer Lawrence – House at the End of the Street (Relativity Media)
  • Suraj Sharma – Life of Pi (20th Century Fox)

BEST ON-SCREEN DUO

  • Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson – Django Unchained (The Weinstein Company)
  • Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)
  • Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane as Ted – Ted (Universal Pictures)
  • Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo – The Avengers (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
  • Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis – The Campaign (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST SHIRTLESS PERFORMANCE*

  • Christian Bale – The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  • Daniel Craig – Skyfall (Sony Pictures)
  • Taylor Lautner – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (Summit Entertainment, LLC)
  • Seth MacFarlane as Ted – Ted (Universal Pictures)
  • Channing Tatum – Magic Mike (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST FIGHT

  • Jamie Foxx vs. Candieland Henchmen – Django Unchained (The Weinstein Company)
  • Daniel Craig vs. Ola Rapace – Skyfall (Sony Pictures)
  • Mark Wahlberg vs. Seth MacFarlane as Ted – Ted (Universal Pictures)
  • Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner vs. Tom Hiddleston – The Avengers (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
  • Christian Bale vs. Tom Hardy – The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST KISS

  • Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx – Django Unchained (The Weinstein Company)
  • Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman – Moonrise Kingdom (Focus Features)
  • Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)
  • Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg – Ted (Universal Pictures)
  • Emma Watson and Logan Lerman – The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Summit Entertainment, LLC)

BEST WTF MOMENT

  • Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson – “Candieland Gets Smoked” in Django Unchained
    (The Weinstein Company)
  • Denzel Washington – “Final Descent” in Flight (Paramount Pictures)
  • Anna Camp – “Hack-Appella” in Pitch Perfect (Universal Pictures)
  • Javier Bardem – “Oops… There Goes His Face” in Skyfall (Sony Pictures)
  • Seth MacFarlane as Ted – “Ted Gets Saucy” in Ted (Universal Pictures)

BEST VILLAIN

  • Javier Bardem – Skyfall (Sony Pictures)
  • Leonardo DiCaprio – Django Unchained (The Weinstein Company)
  • Marion Cotillard – The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  • Tom Hardy – The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  • Tom Hiddleston – The Avengers (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

BEST MUSICAL MOMENT*

  • Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables (Universal Pictures)
  • Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash and Adam Rodriguez – Magic Mike (Warner Bros. Pictures)
  • Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean and Hana Mae Lee – Pitch Perfect (Universal Pictures)
  • Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)
  • Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller – The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Summit Entertainment, LLC)

Power to the People…Or Is It?

By Wendy Simmons

Landmark Century Theater on Chicago’s vibrant north side was filled with people this week eager to see the new film Night Catches Us, starring two phenomenal actors…Kerry Washington of the critically acclaimed film Ray and Anthony Mackie ( The Hurt Locker).
 
If the audience was like me, they were clueless as to what was in store.  I had no prior knowledge of the film and wanted to enter the theater with a blind eye of sorts. I was hoping to be entertained by the next great love story, but I was taken into an entirely different direction.
 
At first glimpse Night Catches Usis a recollection of the struggles that African Americans endured during the 70s that caused great anguish and rage; just out of the Civil Rights movement and the Black Panther revolution and at the cusp of the blaxploitation and crack eras arising.
 
Set in the heart of Philadelphia in 1976 we witness what happened to the fist raising, fight the power screaming, strong men and women that wore their Black Panther buttons with pride but were forced to tear away from that identity; some because of death, others because of controversy. Now lies the time where older men are trying move away from revolutionary tactics, and young men are ready to take on a war that they are not equipped to handle. But that’s not the entire purpose of the film, just the initial introduction to a story that encompasses more than the audience may expect.

Kerry Washington is Patty, a widowed mother that finds it hard to discuss the facts of her husband’s death, therefore leaving her daughter in the dark on how his beliefs ultimately lead to his downfall.

Patty and Mackie’s character Marcus hold a secret between them that help to nourish their hidden desire for one another but also causes them to conflict on the changing times. It’s is no longer the days of screaming fight the power, but Patty’s loyalty to uplifting the community shadows her desire to hold love dear. Continue reading →