Movies

Jafar and Iago in Disney's Aladdin. Brown man in black and red turban and tunic grimaces as red bird sits on shoulder in front of blue and gold and brown background

Sameer Rao Oct 10, 2018 4:02PM EDT

REPORT: 100 Years of Hollywood Islamophobia

A new report from the Pop Culture Collaborative details depictions of Muslims on screen—what the entertainment industry must do to uplift Muslim narratives that don’t damage the community.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Black man with grey goatee smiles while wearing brown shirt and blue and black checkered blazer in front of orange and black background

Sameer Rao Oct 10, 2018 3:08PM EDT

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Leads John Henry Movie for Netflix

Johnson calls the folk hero his childhood favorite, but some are upset that a darker actor isn’t playing the part.

Barry Jenkins. Black man in blue sweater and light blue dress shirt and brown glasses in front of yellow background and black woman in blue blouse

Sameer Rao Oct 4, 2018 12:41PM EDT

Angela Flournoy on Barry Jenkins: 3 Must-Read Passages

The celebrated novelist profiled the Oscar-winning filmmaker ahead of the November release of his upcoming film, “If Beale Street Could Talk.”

Pair of red velvet ropes in front of orange background with white text and white background with orange text

Sameer Rao Sep 27, 2018 1:01PM EDT

Moving Film Criticism Beyond the Velvet Rope of #CriticsSoWhite

Journalist Bilal Qureshi visits the Code Switch podcast to talk about the importance of entertainment media diversity initiatives.

Jesse Williams. Black man with blue eyes in black shirt and gold necklace smiles in front of purple wall

Sameer Rao Sep 24, 2018 5:08PM EDT

Jesse Williams Directs Mamie and Emmett Till Film

The film is based on the story of Mamie Mobley Till, whose decision to give her son Emmett an open-casket funeral drew worldwide attention to White supremacist violence in America.

Stephan James and KiKi Layne. Black man in brown jacket and shirt holds Black woman in yellow sweater and light blue dress in front of brown wall and blue store lights

Sameer Rao Sep 20, 2018 3:17PM EDT

Gorgeous New 'If Beale Street Could Talk' Trailer Celebrates Black Families

The latest look at Barry Jenkins’ upcoming film illuminates how Baldwin’s characters build community while navigating uncertainty and trauma.

Harriet Tubman, Cynthia Erivo. Two Black women. One in black in white, wearing a dark-colored dress with a white collar. The other in color wearing a gauzy peach shirt over a multicolored dress

Kenrya Rankin Sep 14, 2018 11:55AM EDT

Cynthia Erivo to Play Harriet Tubman in New Biopic

Kasi Lemmons will direct the film, which follows the life and work of the legendary abolitionist.

"Crazy Rich Asians" cast and author in multicolored clothing on black chairs and stools on grey floor and in front of blue wall with white text

Sameer Rao Aug 23, 2018 11:26AM EDT

'Crazy Rich Asians' Team Returns for Sequel

The movie will draw from “China Rich Girlfriend,” the second book in Kevin Kwan’s trilogy about wealth in Asia.

Split image. In one, brown man Spike Lee wears clear glasses frames and black and white clothing on cover of red-framed Time magazine. In second, a brown man wears a white hood that covers his face, brown leather jacket and holds an Afro pick.

Kenrya Rankin Aug 9, 2018 12:30PM EDT

READ: Spike Lee On Revisionist History and the Death of the Dog Whistle

The director talks about the relevance of his new film, “BlacKkKlansman,” whose release marks the one-year anniversary of the deadly Unite the Right march in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Tessa Thompson with black dreadlocks in red blouse in front of dark grey wall with white and gold text; Ruth Negga with black cropped hair in black dress in front of black wall with yellow text

Sameer Rao Aug 7, 2018 3:00PM EDT

Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga Star in 'Passing' Adaptation

The actresses will star as a pair of childhood friends who wrestle with the fallout of one friend passing as White.

Cast of "Hamilton" in multicolored costumes stands and applauds behind Lin-Manuel Miranda in blue blazer and grey tie and black pants on brown stage

Sameer Rao Jul 25, 2018 12:08PM EDT

'Hamilton' Could Hit a Movie Theater Near You

A recorded performance of the hit musical reportedly sparked a bidding war among Hollywood film studios.

Melina Matsoukas in white shirt and dark navy pants smiles next to Lena Waithe in black sunglasses and t-shirt with white text and raised fist and green hat

Sameer Rao Jul 20, 2018 3:55PM EDT

Melina Matsoukas and Lena Waithe Reunite for 'Queen & Slim'

The “Insecure” director adapts the Emmy winner’s script about a Black couple that kills a police officer in self-defense.

Daveed Diggs with black dreadlocks and beard in navy moving company uniform next to Rafael Casal with brown hair in navy moving company uniform in front of brown building

Sameer Rao Jul 20, 2018 3:45PM EDT

Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal Break Down Their Film 'Blindspotting'

The creators and stars of the new movie, which follows two friends after one sees a police officer kill a Black man, talk to Colorlines about the film’s development and themes.

Black and Brown women and men stand with protest signs in front of white policemen

Sameer Rao Jul 3, 2018 3:31PM EDT

Government Tries to Exterminate People of Color in 'The First Purge'

The latest film in the horror franchise explores the origins of The Purge and reveals a racist and classist smokescreen for violence against the marginalized.