Sunday, June 23, 2013

Ella Joyce - Movie



(C) 2013 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.

Ella Joyce - Movie

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist 
By Rych McCain, www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook




Ella Joyce

Viewpoints From The For Real Side!


Photos Courtesy of Lionsgate


    
   
 From the moment you enter her presence, you can detect a since of fun, laughter and free spirit but you also pick up a no nonsense demeanor that keeps it all balanced and real. Ella Joyce is a veteran actress who has been there – done that in showbiz which has made her a solid beacon of an example to the younger generations of actors coming behind her. 


   
Ella Joyce as Sarah
 





  




       The Chicago native works extensively in Regional Theatre and is the recipient of the Jefferson Award and the Black Theatre Alliance Award (BTAA) from the Goodman Theatre for Lynne Nottage’s “Crumbs From Table Of Joy.” Joyce is an in-demand Voiceover artist and has spent the last five years touring her own one-woman play “A Rose Among Thorns,” a tribute to the late civil rights icon Rosa Parks.
  


  
Ella Joyce
 

     In her latest TV series, she plays Gladys Crawford on TV One’s “Belle’s.” She was also a regular as Jasmine Scott on ABC-TV’s “My Wife and Kids,” but may best be known as Eleanor Emerson on the very popular Fox-TV show “Roc.” In her latest film, Tyler Perry’s “Temptation: Confessions Of A Marriage Counselor,” Joyce portrays Sarah, the super religious mom of Judith, played by Jurnee Smollett-Bell. In discussing her views on various subjects, Joyce is solidly opinionated about the film’s message and how it should help people.



Brice (Lance Gross) Judith (Jurnee Smollett-Bell)
      


  When Joyce got the script for Temptation, the role of Sarah was very typical of super religious moms from the South, so was that a no-brainer for her to play?  Joyce laughs, “I really related to her character because as African-Americans, we are heavy into the church. I love the fact that she was using the foundation of her convictions and her beliefs to try to rear her child.


Judith (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) Harley (Robbie Jones)
    There’s some sort of inference in there that perhaps momma may have lived the kind of life where she’s talking from experience. We kind of think Where did Judith come from? There’s no father there. And like so many people, they grab into the church. So that was her foundation in trying to help her daughter. And I think it all works out good in the end because in the very end we’ve go a “Ah-Ha” moment. I think what happens is that it’s easy to go over one’s head. But if I had a chance to re-name the movie, I would call it “Saved” instead of confession because in the very end, we think it is a bad ending but after everything she went through, where is she going? She’s going to church.”

     

 
Brice (Lance Gross) Melinda (Brandy Norwood)
 
     When looking at the affect that Judith’s testimony had on her client, Joyce observed, “She’s saving souls. That little girl walked out of that office and didn’t have that affair. You never know how the Lord is going to use you, how he’s is going to use you through the mistakes that you’ve made in life. And now she is a marriage councilor but she’s a marriage councilor maybe not the way she thought she was going to get there, she’s there with the Lord using her. In the very end, she helped that other child. And she’s helping a whole lot of people; stopping them from making the mistake that she made and she didn’t have to choose to do that. That’s because of her religious understanding and the spirituality of knowing that we are here to serve.”





© 2013 Rych McCain Media/Syndication tm 
(You DID Hear It From Me!) 
Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook


Rych As A Zombie - Film Promo


(C) 2013 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.


Rych As A Zombie - Film Promo

By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist
By Rych McCain, www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook





Zombie Rych McCain

     What can I say? I didn't run fast enough or fight hard enough and got bitten by one of Brad Pitt's movie zombies.

     Actually, Paramount Pictures wanted me to participate in their "World War Z" promotion so they zombiefied me!

     If you would like to participate, I can't say that you will have the pleasure of being Zombiefied as well but if you are one of the first 5 readers of this blog to send me a screen shot of the twitter hashtag

#WWZRUPREPARED, 

to rychwoodbd@sbcglobal.net, I will send you a free "World War Z" promo gift bag stuffed with goodies from the movie.




© 2013 Rych McCain Media/Syndication tm 
(You DID Hear It From Me!) 
Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Harry Lennix - Movie


(C) 2013 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.


Harry Lennix - Movie


By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist
By Rych McCain, www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook






Photos Courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures


Harry Lennix

Takes Command In “Man Of Steel!”

Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures



Harry Lennix as Gen. Swanwick
 

     There have been many versions of the original superhero Superman made for the big screen. Whereas resent film versions did suffice in getting the story told, the Superman movie franchise as a whole has never really taken off box office wise like the other superheroes namely the main three men i.e., “Bat,” “Spider,” and “Iron.” However, this latest installment of the man from the planet Krypton has changed all of that. 


    “Man Of Steel” finally hits the nail on the head with a record setting opening box office weekend of 125 million! Aside from great story telling from writers David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan (the writers and film makers of the last four “Batman” blockbusters), the film is brilliantly directed by Zack Snyder. One of the things that will surprise and be a highlight to African-American audiences is the fact that two Black actors play very powerful positions and they don’t get killed!  




Lawrence Fishburne as Perry White









    Lawrence Fishburne plays the Daily Planet Editor Perry White (a role that has been “White” (pardon the pun) forever. 



 
Harry Lennix as Gen. Swanwick
 





 While Harry Lennix is Army General Swanwick who has command over the entire operation to quell the attacking aliens from space. 




    



 The placing of Black men in those power positions speaks volumes and gives a hats-off salute to the writers, producers, director and studio bosses for making it happen in an era where actors of color are still denied the simple right to make a living playing typically American roles that actually need no racial or color definition. 



   


This begs the question that could the casting of these two Black men with powerful roles be some kind of a turning point for Hollywood? Lennix responds, “Well I hope so. I mean there is no way to know. Experience is the best teacher so we will have to see if this is something that can be done again. Very rarely at any level of production does two authority figures of color in a Hollywood endeavor ever really takes place. One of them is usually a criminal or wearing a dress or something like that but in this cast you have two real men who are playing important, significant parts in a major Hollywood film and I would love for it to become a precedent. I think it remains to be seen but it would be great if this is the start of something big.” 



   
Henry Cavill as Cal-El, Clark Kent and Superman
 



 “Man Of Steel” will take a prominent place not only in Hollywood history but civil rights history as well, partly because the casting was brilliant regardless of race and historically note worthy because of race. 
Who shares the credit for making this aspect happen? Lennix lights up, “The first contact that I had with anybody from the film was the director Zack Snyder. I got the vision that he wanted to work with the actors that he wanted to work with. I don’t think that he let race at all determine whether or not you could have one or two strong Black characters. He was just looking for the actors that he sought for those parts. From that extent I would say Zack Snyder but certainly the producers and studio allowed it. So I think at every level it should be something that should be applauded.”




   How did Lennix feel when he knew he had the role? He explains, “Well this was one of those circumstances where the role was offered to me without any real knowledge of the script or what the process was. Zack called and said that he wanted to use me in the film. I was completely excited but it came out of the blue so it wasn’t something that I was waiting around to hear about as in the case of an audition. But none the less, it felt like a victory. I felt like something had been won. It was really something of a surprise even to me.”


© 2013 Rych McCain Media/Syndication tm 
(You DID Hear It From Me!) 
Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook







Monday, June 10, 2013

Kierra "KiKi" Sheard - Music


(C) 2013 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws.


Kierra "KiKi" Sheard - Music


By Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist
By Rych McCain, www.twitter.com/rychmccain and Facebook







Kierra “Kiki” Sheard

An Artist With A Clear Direction Ahead!


 
    The evening was growing late at “The 3100 Club On The Rooftop” on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles where a birthday celebration for gospel singer Deitrick Haddon was in progress. The press was told to check-in by 7: PM and Haddon didn’t make his way into the door until almost 10: PM. 

  
Kierra "KiKi" Sheard
 



The highlight of the entire night for this columnist was the chance to chat with superstar gospel singer Kierra “KiKi” Sheard who was on hand to sing happy birthday to Haddon. 





   
The Late, Great Dr. Mattie-Moss Clark
 








  



 With all of the mega star power pedigree that the entire Clark family has built beginning with Sheard’s grandmother, master choir director, arranger, musician, song writer, composer and choir organizer; the late, great Dr. Mattie-Moss Clark whom many consider the Godmother of modern choir directing and vocal arranging. 






    
The original Clark Sisters
 


Not to mention Dr. Clark’s five famous daughters, “The Clark Sisters” i.e., Denise Clark Bradford, Jacky Clark Chisholm, Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark Terrell, Dorinda Clark-Cole and Karen Clark Sheard who have sold more hit records than any female gospel group in history. Not only have they sold records in the millions that have crossed over mainstream into dance music, pop and R&B; they are considered one of the true pioneers of contemporary gospel with composer, arranger, musician and producer “Twinkie” at the helm.


   
  


Sheard has a BA degree in English with a minor in Psychology from Wayne State in Detroit and has four albums out since becoming pro at age ten when she won a Stellar Award for “Best Children’s Performance” by appearing on her mom’s solo LP debut “Finally Karen” in 1977. That was followed with singing background for her aunties. 


  
Sheard’s sophomore album “This Is Me” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel chart. Her biggest hit to date is “God In Me” with “Mary Mary” on their album “The sound.” 


   
The Sheard's L-R: Karen, J Drew II, Bishop, Pastor J Drew Sr., Kierra
The family has a reality TV show on BET called “The Sheards” which airs on Sunday’s 8PST/7CST. 



    
   What can we expect next from this young lady who knows where she is headed? Sheard smiles and says, “Actually, I just got off of a tour, “The United Is One” tour with James Fortune, VaShawn Mitchell and Zacardi Cortez. The Lord blessed us tremendously. It was an absolute amazing experience. Right now I’m working on a new record and its going really good. I’m excited to release the new music. It’s bigger and you can definitely hear my own journey of evolution through my music so I’m really excited.” 




    What kind of pressure (if any) was there coming up in a family that is so famous and has been for three generations? I also had to add if she has been taunted to out sing her aunties, a daunting task indeed? Sheard quickly snaps back, “Never, never and never will I try. I will never try to out sing them. But I think it is a responsibility and I take it as a challenge to be able to take the legacy outside of what they’ve done and of course to make God proud #1 but to also to make my aunts proud, to let them know that them sharing their platforms with me wasn’t done in vain and I would like to bring a smile to their faces. But my #1 priority is God. I just count it a blessing because it’s a lot of things I was able to learn without having to bump my head because I had people who had already bumped their heads for me. So I thank God for my family.” 

     I mentioned to Sheard that having been a devoted follower of her late grandmother and current family, I would love to see a dedication event to honor her legacy. I'm sure thousands of others will agree.


 © 2013 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 
(You DID Hear It From Me!) 
Twitter@rychmccain and Facebook