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Natasha Rothwell in the Spotlight for Her New Hulu Series — Andscape

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2 months ago

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Writer and actress Natasha Rothwell, who rose to fame for her supporting role as Kelli on Issa Rae’s HBO series, steps into the lead role of her latest series on Friday, debuts on Hulu. It’s the first show she’s created, produced and starred in along with her latest production company, Big Hattie Production.

Rothwell told Andscape that working on the series “confirmed that I was following my destiny. It solidified my drive, my existence, my passion, and my voice.”

In the film, Rothwell plays Melissa, nicknamed Mel, a lonely, underpaid, debt-ridden airport trolley driver who’s petrified of flying, love and her potential. After spending her lonely thirty fifth birthday eating crab rangoon and assembling IKEA furniture, Mel has a near-death experience.

Mel wakes up alone in the hospital, with no emergency contact to choose her up, and finds a lonely older black woman in the hospital bed next to her, who gives her some sage advice. “Stop caring what other people think and start doing something that scares you.”

Mel takes the advice, decides to imagine she deserves good things and changes her life. She makes more friends, tries to get a promotion at work and tries to seek out love and herself. “(The show) is an invitation to start living now. Ordinary can be extraordinary. Your adventure can start now,” Rothwell said.

As a black woman, Rothwell finds it radical to seek out herself. “There are days when I do it really well. And there are days when I do it really badly, but I think there’s glory in trying.” One of her inspirations is a book by Sonya Renee Taylor “Sonya is incredible. She’s about the act of radical self-acceptance and dismantling the systems of oppression that have kept us from accepting ourselves fully.”

Mel’s body isn’t the focus of the show’s plot. “Mel’s body isn’t a topic of conversation. It’s just there,” Rothwell said. She embraces body neutrality, which “encourages us to understand ourselves and others as whole human beings, and to frame our concept of worth, value, and identity around a person’s inner self, rather than their outer self.” — Jessi Kneelandwrote for the magazine in 2023.

How to die alone tells the story of Mel (Natasha Rothwell), who has never been in love and has forgotten easy methods to dream, until a probability encounter with death throws her on a journey where she must take to the air and begin living in any respect costs.

Ian Watson/Hulu

Rothwell said that is why she chooses her words fastidiously in the context of the show. “That’s why I use the word fat. She’s a fat, black employee at JFK Airport who can’t fly. That’s in the logline. Putting the word fat there is to disabuse people of the idea that it’s a pejorative. It’s a description. It’s a fact. So welcome. Meet Mel. That’s who she is. Let’s keep it going.”

The show’s concentrate on body neutrality gives Mel a platform to shine. Fat black women are sometimes relegated to the role of funny best friend, comic relief, and therapist on sitcoms. But Rothwell puts herself and Mel at the center of all the characters’ messy, nuanced, imperfect selves—in other words, whole people. We all have to see someone who looks like us attempting to determine life.

She’s a large number, she wants to enhance, but she shows that she’ll do some morally gray things to get there. The whole show is not an inspiring montage of a heroine changing her life in the best way possible, but of a girl growing up, doing it systematically, if not all the time neatly.

In the past, coming-of-age stories have focused on teenagers and people in their 20s and 25s. But those stories don’t reflect the reality of so many millennials who’re in their late 40s or early 40s and still fighting funds, family, and love. Financial stability is elusive, dating is harder than ever, and the world seems bleak. With Melissa Rothwell, she brings to life the experiences of so many in this generation.

And for romance lovers, the series incorporates a tender, juicy, and realistic love triangle. But romantic love isn’t Mel’s only goal. Above all, she desires to live a life that, like all of our lives, might be satisfying to her after it ends.

“Societally, we often put romantic love on the line,” Rothwell said. “I grew up on romantic comedies and anything Disney princess-related. In a heteronormative sense, I was supposed to find my knight in shining armor on a white horse.”

It wasn’t until Rothwell began therapy in her early 20s that she began to unlearn the concept that happiness was only possible through romance. “For me, there’s a difference between being alone and being lonely.”

“I spent most of my 20s afraid of bad things. Because dying alone isn’t scary. It’s dying alone,” Rothwell said. In order to avoid being alone, Rothwell needed to learn to just accept love from the places she found it in her life. “I’m a person who recovers from being a people pleaser, and the result of that was being this unnecessary weirdo who didn’t want to ask for help or even feel like I needed it,” she said. “Luckily, I moved away from that POV, and my friends were there for me when I needed them. I love the connection, people just checking in on me and not wanting anything. It’s a really beautiful thing.”

Rothwell’s acceptance of platonic love into her life, her thrust back on romantic love, and her journey of self-discovery has been healing. “That’s not to say I don’t want romantic love, but I know my happiness doesn’t depend on it.”

can also be a workplace comedy, nevertheless it’s unique in that it’s set in an airport, which is all the time a spot of change, forks in the road, decisions, paths taken and roads not taken. The setting allows us to know Mel’s journey in limbo. She’s trapped, but additionally — literally and figuratively — one flight away from changing her life. All she has to do is gather the courage to get on board.

Rothwell selected the location because “I wanted to follow the fear and explore something that was really terrifying to me at the time, which was the idea of ​​dying alone. This theme gave me the opportunity to pick a really interesting location where you can be in a crowd of people but still feel lonely.”

Mel (Natasha Rothwell, left) stars in this workplace comedy set at an airport.

Disney/John Medland

There’s also the limbo that society imposes on singles, the expectation that life doesn’t begin until you’ve a partner, a really perfect that Rothwell also needed to shatter in her own head. “When I first moved to New York in my 20s, I wanted to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. I put it off because I wanted to do it for a date,” she said. “I thought it would be so cool, so romantic, to walk across the bridge and then go to Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. I was holding my breath for that.”

But after starting therapy, she realized she didn’t should freeze herself for anyone. “I thought, ‘You know what? I don’t want to leave these experiences for someone who’s not here. Here. I can live, I can have these experiences.’ So I got my ass over the bridge, ate pizza by myself, and watched the sunset. It was amazing.”

In some ways, Melissa’s leap of religion right into a latest life mirrors this new edition of Rothwell’s profession, taking over her own projects and pursuing larger-scale projects. Rothwell shows her range in , along with her signature comedic genius, but she also gives us intensely emotional scenes, including moments that show a darker side of Mel, which are enjoyable to look at. Her character in Stolen Hearts , nevertheless, was often one-dimensional. Here, we see Rothwell in her entirety, the whole person, a mirrored image we desperately need.

When I asked Rothwell where she thought the art world was headed for black women, she was thoughtful. “Because having an original show directed by someone who looks like me premiering without delay is a radical act of riot.

“We tell the industry that our stories matter and that they are worthy and valuable. A lot of the industry is bound by a fiduciary responsibility. I understand that, but I think by not focusing on our voices, you’re saying that our voices aren’t valuable and that we don’t matter, when in fact we do and we do.”

Rothwell believes that for things to alter, for stories to change into more diverse, “the many white cis-straight men at the center of many of these organizations in the city need to talk openly and honestly about the homogeneity of their content.”

Rothwell has made it his business to dismantle that homogeneity. “All the directors on my show were women because I intended to be women. There was a 50-50 gender split on set—in a binary sense—because I intentionally decided to do that. None of this just happens by magic. It’s not like sand eroding away on a beach over time. You have to bulldoze in and build what you need.”
is a show that so many individuals can relate to. Sometimes it takes the most terrifying thing we will imagine—like dying alone—to push us to beat our fear and at last live. What if we modify and hate it? What if we try to alter and fail? And perhaps the biggest, most unspoken fear of all… what if we succeed?

Nylah Iqbal Muhammad is a James Beard Award-nominated author whose work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Vogue, and New York Magazine. Her work explores culture, politics, food, and their intersections, with a concentrate on North American indigenous, African diaspora, and South Asian foodways.


This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Entertainment

Anthony Edwards’ love child mother threatens to hit hospital with lawsuit over revealing shocking pregnancy news as NBA star awaits paternity results

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1 hour ago

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November 13, 2024

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Social media bombshell Ayesha Howard is the mother of two children: one with rapper Lil Baby and a newborn daughter she says has NBA star Anthony “Ant-Man” Edwards.

Over the past month, Howard, who goes by the name Little.Ms.Golden on Instagram, has made headlines over a paternity case involving the Minnesota Timberwolves player, in search of confirmation that he’s the daddy of her newborn child.

Now the 38-year-old influencer has gone further and announced that she plans to sue the hospital for allegedly revealing details of her pregnancy and delivery to the general public.

The mother of Lil Baby’s son, Ayesha Howard, says she plans to sue the hospital for Anthony Edwards allegedly sharing details about her pregnancy online. (Photos: Anthony Edwards photo: Tom Weller/VOIGT/GettyImages; Ayesha Howard @little.ms.golden/Instagram).

In her Instagram story, which she shared 629,000 times. followers, Howard invited fans to ask questions, prompting one to ask, “Are you suing your doctor’s office for telling the Internet about your pregnancy?”

She replied confidently, “Yes! I also demand the prison sentence resulting from the violation.”

The post was then picked up by MyMixtapez and posted to Twitter on X. Followers of the hip-hop site have expressed some speculation a few potential windfall financial gain for Howard.

One tweet he stated“The minimum HIPPA penalty is $250,000…Sister will be paid soon! He can easily sue the nursing staff, doctors, EHR system, etc.”

When someone asked if the hospital actually disclosed the leak, the identical person did he replied“Yes, she said neither she nor he disclosed this information. I do know people do not like her, but giving people information is crazy.”

Another supporter supported the cash-out concept, noticing“Lmao, they’re about to lose their license.”

Meanwhile, some were skeptical in regards to the situation, with one user humorously suggesting that Howard might need asked the query herself. Others suggested that Howard’s claim was false, saying they were informed of the pregnancy after it was reported that Anthony Edwards had taken Howard to court.

Edwards, 23, is currently taking Howard to court to determine the child’s paternity.

The baller, 15 years her junior, filed an application to establish paternity and alimony in Georgia in September, asking for genetic testing to confirm whether he’s the daddy.

According to court documents accessed by Page Six: “If genetic testing establishes that petitioner is the father, petitioner requests an order declaring paternity of the minor child.”

However, Ayesha Howard claims that details about her pregnancy was leaked online long before the Page Six report was published.

In the comment left It’s thereon Instagram, Howard tried to dispel the speculation.

“Someone at the clinic I attended blogged to confirm that I attended their clinic for prenatal care and confirmed my pregnancy before I could even tell my mom I was expecting my second child,” Howard wrote on November 11. “The office worker also confirmed my due date and the gender of my baby before my sister could gather my family for the gender reveal! I literally found out about what I was going through through the blog! This violation of the hippy rules occurred very early in my pregnancy!”

Several commenters shared that rumors about Howard’s pregnancy had surfaced on the Instagram blog @urfavsbeforeig long before news of Edwards’ paternity suit hit the mainstream media.

“Urfavs said before IG that she was pregnant, I don’t know about the gender and everything,” we read in certainly one of the comments.

Another person stated: “An worker of the place she went to took a photograph of her and sent it to urfavsbeforeig. I do not know in regards to the gender, but they definitely exposed it.

A 3rd person agreed, adding: “It was exposed and the worker form of admitted to being an worker… He just didn’t know who the daddy was. They thought it was a football player she was dealing with.

A fourth commenter referred to Howard’s sequence of events.

“Ayesha is lying. “The first time someone reported on the blog that she was pregnant was because they saw her at her niece’s graduation ceremony,” they wrote. “Then another patient visited her. There were also rumors that she was expecting a boy, so no one really knew his gender. He won’t get anything because there was no violation of hipaa rules. She revealed her gender, but Alexia didn’t post it. Her mother, Gina, also knew she was pregnant as soon as Ayesha found out. She is actually on this app and lying to all of you.”

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act protects patients’ health information and offers them control over who can access it. Generally, health care providers and record keepers cannot share this information without the patient’s written consent.

According to the American Medical Association, breaking these rules may lead to, amongst others: result punishable by fines of up to $50,000 and up to 1 yr in prison. If someone uses false information to gain access, the penalty may very well be up to a $100,000 fantastic and 5 years in prison.

A paternity status conference for Anthony Edwards and Ayesha Howard is scheduled for November 13.

If the DNA test confirms Edwards is the daddy, it’s going to mean his second daughter; he already shares one with his girlfriend, Shannon Jackson.

The couple recently welcomed daughter Aislynn on March 2, 2024, and starred together within the Netflix docuseries “Starting 5.”

Most recently, Ayesha Howard revealed birth of a daughter, her second child, on October 14.

But Edwards’ fatherhood situation doesn’t end there.

Rumors suggest he could have two more children: a boy named Amir, born three months before Aislynn, and a lady named Ally D, who has publicly criticized him, calling him an absentee father.

Another rumor concerns a daughter named Aris, who was allegedly born in September 2023 to a lady named Daja. Called “Little Miss Perfect”, Daja published an entry in regards to the girl’s first birthday on October 1 on social media.

As the November 13 trial date approaches, all eyes are on Howard and Edwards to see if the court proceedings will confirm that Edwards is the daddy of Howard’s child.

Meanwhile, Howard’s hospital lawsuit could set a precedent, drawing attention to patients’ privacy rights and hospital liability within the age of social media.

For now, the world of social media stays within the realm of speculation as to the consequence of those complex personal and legal battles. As one follower he wrote“This is a violation of HIPPA. I hope she wins.”

Whether Howard prevails in court or not, this drama highlights the challenges of navigating privacy and parenting in the general public eye.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Will one of Denzel Washington’s last films be “Black Panther 3”?

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4 hours ago

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November 12, 2024

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Denzel Washington, Gladiator II, Black Panther 3, Black Hollywood, Black actors, theGrio.com

Denzel Washington, who has been acting for the reason that late Seventies, is looking forward to retirement, but not before he fulfills his acting bucket list, so to talk.

Promoting his latest film “Gladiator II” on Australian television “Today’s show”, the 69-year-old actor said that one of his last roles will be the one that Ryan Coogler will give you for “Black Panther 3”.

“I do not understand how many more films I’m going to make. There are probably not that many,” he explained. “I want to do things I haven’t done. I played Othello at the age of 22; “I’m going to play Othello when I’m 70,” he said in reference to the upcoming Broadway production of Shakespeare’s “Othello,” during which he’ll star alongside Jake Gyllenhaal.

He continued: “Then I play Hannibal. Then I talked to Steve McQueen concerning the movie. Then Ryan Coogler is writing a job for me in the subsequent “Black Panther.”

Washington added that he plans to play King Lear and star in a movie version of Othello after “Black Panther” after which “I’ll Retire.”

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The two-time Oscar winner noted that at his age – and after greater than 40 years within the industry – he has reached the purpose where he can be picky about his projects.

“For me, it’s about the filmmaker. “Especially at this stage of my career, I am only interested in working with the best,” he said.

Although Marvel Studios has not officially announced the third installment of the “Black Panther” franchise, Washington already has ties to the film. Washington didn’t have the chance to work on screen with the late Chadwick Boseman, who first brought Black Panther hero T’Challa to life in the unique film adaptation released in 2018. However, Washington once sponsored Boseman and several other of his Howard University classmates to attend a summer acting program on the University of Oxford in England.

“There’s no ‘Black Panther’ without Denzel Washington,” Boseman once said presenting Washington with the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Washington first appeared on the acting scene in 1977 within the Wilma Rudolph TV biopic “Wilma.” He then became a daily on the hit Eighties TV series “St. Elsewhere.” Since then, he won his first Oscar in 1990 for “Glory” and again in 2002 for “Training Day,” making Washington probably the most successful Black Academy Award winner to this present day.

His legacy includes films akin to “Malcolm X”, “The Preacher’s Wife”, “Mo Better Blues”, “The Bone Collector” and lots of others.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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MAGA chaos breaks out as Trump supporters turn on each other to rush to Kamala Harris’ defense after election loss

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7 hours ago

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November 12, 2024

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Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election, but she didn’t lose her smile.

On social media platforms, legions of supporters of the Democratic vp have spent the following 4 years struggling under the load of disappointment and, for some, fatigue in a rustic led by Donald Trump, her Republican opponent.

His inauguration on January 20, 2025 will mark an unprecedented return, provided that the last 4 years since he left the White House in 2016 have been marked by lawsuits and criminal convictions.

In her November 6 concession speech, Kamala admitted that the end result of the race was not what she expected, but she never seemed dismayed by the political turmoil, only much more invigorated to fight for the soul of America and its democracy.

Fans now know that she took the defeat in stride and wasn’t even in a rush to reunite along with her family after three months of an arduous campaign. On November 10, Meena Harris, Kamala’s niece, shared two shutter showing a public official having fun with a game night along with her great-grandchildren Amara and Leela, Meena’s daughters.

Kamala Harris defended by Donald Trump supporters after critics focused on her while drinking a glass of wine during family game night. (Photo / s: Meena/Instagram.)

“Back to where it began just a number of months ago. My everlasting gratitude to everyone who showed up. We love her very much,” wrote the author of “The Truth About Mrs. Claus” within the caption. The post received hundreds of likes and countless comments.

One follower graciously wrote, “Hold her for us, hug her for us, THANK HER FOR US. We are all very proud.” And one other said: “It’s so bittersweet, but I’m so glad he can experience that kind of love and joy again.”

The photos were also distributed on X, where they managed to construct a following of fans sparring between Harris and Trump, something neither candidate had managed to do with their message of a united country.

In the photos, the previous district attorney wore a Howard University sweatshirt and black pants, and her signature silk press was clipped into her hair. She laughed open-mouthed as she sat on the ground and played Connect Four along with her nieces.

But on the app run by Elon Musk, people zoomed in and noticed that Kamala had a glass of white wine next to her. The tech billionaire bought Twitter in 2022 and has since modified its name to X. The platform has turn into a hotbed of controversial support for Trump, with Musk being one in every of the struggling politician’s leading supporters.

The MAGA-affiliated coverage apparently tried to use the drink to discredit Kamala. They wrote, “OF COURSE,” as the red arrow drew attention to otherwise unnoticed glass on the ground.

But as an alternative of triggering a flood of replies demeaning Kamala, it prompted users to defend her despite their political beliefs.

“Seriously, this is giving Republicans a bad name. It’s not bad for someone to have a glass of wine” – person he tweeted. Second commentator he said“I voted for Trump. This looks like a fun game night. Why is a glass of wine bad?” And a 3rd voter supporting Trump he wrote“Trump fan here. Do you know how much most of us drink?”

Several other responses indicated a shared belief that it was time to stop insulting her. Once upon a time like this tweet read: “I wish we could let go now. There isn’t any need to keep delving into it. It isn’t any longer a part of our lives. Let her drink. She has nothing to do with us anymore.

Harris lost after garnering 71 million votes and 226 Electoral College votes compared to Trump’s support of 74 million votes and 312 electoral votes, which included each swing state.

Vice President and President Joe Biden have said there can be a peaceful transition of power despite circulating conspiracy theories.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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