Latest news with #UPN
Los Angeles Times
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Girlfriends' celebrates its 25-year anniversary with a free art exhibit in L.A.
Twenty-five years ago on Sept. 11, 2000, UPN debuted a comedy called 'Girlfriends' that followed the lives of four Black women living in Los Angeles. The show's creator, Mara Brock Akil, who'd gotten her start writing on shows like 'South Central,' 'Moesha' and 'The Jamie Foxx Show,' was tired of seeing out-of-touch depictions of Black women on screen. She wanted to raise a mirror to Black women and showcase them in their fullness as fleshed out characters who are ambitious, creative, messy at times and most importantly nuanced. For eight seasons until the show was abruptly canceled in 2008, viewers tuned in to watch the tight-knit friend group that included Joan (Tracee Ellis Ross), Toni (Jill Marie Jones), Lynn (Persia White) and Maya (Golden Brooks) navigate relationships, sexism at work, beauty, classism, sexuality and everything in between. Today, 'Girlfriends,' which was added to Netflix's catalog in 2020, is widely considered one of the most influential TV shows to affect Black culture. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of 'Girlfriends,' DCDG & Co., an L.A.-based fine arts agency, has teamed up with the cast and Loren LaRosa of iHeartRadio's 'The Breakfast Club' to independently curate an art exhibition that pays homage to the groundbreaking series. The showcase, which explores the show's core themes including sisterhood, ambition and self-discovery through photography, sculpture, paintings, an installation and more, will be on display from Friday through Sunday at the Line Hotel in Koreatown. Each artwork featured in the all Black women exhibition was selected by the 'Girlfriends' cast and LaRosa — all of whom are first time art curators. The three-day event will also feature an artist talk led by DCDG & Co. co-founder Delaney George on Saturday, which is open to the public. '[This] show deserves to be celebrated and if we in the culture don't do it, then we're just waiting for the powers that be or networks that are transitioning to a digital space,' says David Colbert Jr., co-founder of DCDG & Co. 'These moments might get passed up on.' 'Girlfriends: A Visual Tribute' is part of DCDG & Co.'s ongoing curatorial series called Iconic Visions, which invites individuals in various creative spaces like TV, film, music, fashion and sports to step into the role of curator. When Colbert brought the idea about doing the exhibit to his friend Brooks — whom he met at Frieze a couple of years ago — her response was an immediate yes. 'I always want to do something special for [these milestones] because it is a bookmark of everything that 'Girlfriends' has done,' says Brooks. 'We are still uplifting communities. We are still entertaining and empowering the daughters of the mothers who watch the show, so we're kind of raising generations of young women.' Brooks, who has been a longtime supporter of the L.A. arts community, says having an art exhibition to celebrate the anniversary was the perfect way to blend both of her passions. 'We are wearable art. We are visual art in the space of a TV show,' she says. 'This also inspired artists to celebrate how they see us as women of color, as women in a space of unity and connection, and what better way to be the springboard and the catalyst to celebrate what sisterhood looks like?' White, who's been drawing and painting since she was a child, had a similar reaction to being a part of the exhibit. 'When they sent me the links to the art, I literally got tears in my eyes,' she says. 'I was just really touched by the women and [their] different experiences.' 'Girlfriends: A Visual Tribute' also features a solo exhibition put together by DCDG & Co. cultural curator Erika Conner, which is a collection of photos of iconic Black women including Rihanna, Lil Kim and Naomi Campbell, taken by renowned photographer Cheryl Fox. While the main exhibition pays tribute to 'Girlfriends,' there's only one artwork — a mixed media piece by Jillian Thompson that uses acrylic, thread and collage — that displays the beloved friends group's actual faces. All of the other artwork draws inspiration from the show's aesthetic, style and themes. Among the artwork, which was made by artists from around the nation, there are multiple L.A.-based artists featured in the show including Brittany Byrd, McKayla Chandler, Tiffany 'Just Rock' Brown, Asari Aibangbee and Tumi Adeleye. McKayla Chandler, a multidisciplinary artist based in L.A., created an interactive installation for the exhibit called 'Mama's Hands Only.' The installation mimics a living room and features a couch, rug, an entertainment center with family photos sprinkled on top and an old school TV that displays episodes of 'Girlfriends.' The focal point of the installation, which hangs on a wall above the couch, is a large portrait of Chandler's mother braiding her hair as she's done since she was a little girl. 'To me it feels like connection. Any young, Black woman or Black kid in general can relate to sitting in their mom's lap and getting their hair braided,' says Chandler. '[The show] is really about these friends going through life together, going through different relationships and even bickering with each other, [then] coming back together. It's a very special bond that they have with each other, so [with] me thinking about showing my mom here and having this place for you to sit down, look through someone's old photographs and watch 'Girlfriends,' it lends to the nostalgic feeling of it all.' Although Tiffany 'Just Rock' Brown, a photographer based in L.A., primarily takes photos of men, particularly male rappers, she decided to submit a few images for the 'Girlfriends' exhibit because she grew up watching the show with her family. Her photo, titled 'In This Light,' that was selected for the show depicts two Black women embracing while on the set of Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' music video, which was shot in Nickerson Gardens. 'These girls are the epitome of what you see when you come to these areas, but they're also the inspiration for high fashion, for all those things that don't get acknowleged,' she says. It reminded her of the void that 'Girlfriends' filled when it debuted. 'I think there's beautiful representation of what [Black people] have done and what we've accomplished, and 'Girlfriends' is a true representation of that,' says Brown. 'Women that were dressed flawlessly. They were beautiful. They were successful. They were just living life and trying to find love, just regular stories. It's very much still a space that's missing [in television], but I think it should definitely be celebrated.' Like Brown, Brittany Byrd, a multidisciplinary artist from L.A., was also introduced to 'Girlfriends' at a young age. 'It was just always on in my house,' says Byrd. 'I just remember seeing Tracee Ellis Ross and I was like, 'Damn, she's beautiful!'' For the exhibit, Byrd created a piece titled 'Episode 17,' which is inspired by an episode in Season 4 titled 'Love, Peace and Hair Grease.' 'It's mostly about Lynn and her exploring her hair through her identity as a Black woman, but whether you're mixed or all Black, hair is something that is at the top of our minds,' says Byrd, who was still putting the final touches on her 6-foot painting. 'Whether it's done or if we're polished, we're always just kind of seeking those questions of validity through societal beauty standards when it's like we're as beautiful as we feel. So I want my piece to just evoke emotion.' As she prepares for opening night of the exhibit, Brooks says she's most excited to meet all of the artists and to see how all of the artwork comes together. One of her favorite pieces in the exhibit is a massive, hyperrealism painting by Alé Reviere. Fittingly titled 'See Through You,' it depicts a young woman's face, staring intensely back at the viewer. 'All of her features were just so us,' says Brooks. 'The texture of her hair and the expression on her face. There was a pain. There was a sadness, but there's also sort of this freedom and unapologetic look in her eyes.' She adds, 'Pieces like that just move me.'
CBS News
25-04-2025
- CBS News
Metra UP-N trains running with residual delays after fatal crash involving pedestrian
Inbound and outbound Metra train UP-N trains are running with extensive delays after a pedestrian was fatally hit by a train Friday afternoon on the North Side. According to Metra, the pedestrian was hit just before 1 p.m. by a #627 train, which caused a stoppage near Clybourn. It is unclear what led to the crash. Further information about the pedestrian was not released. UPN inbound and outbound trains began moving just before 2 p.m. and are operating 15 to 20 minutes behind schedule. Riders can use the Metra Tracker to find the direction of their train. CBS News Chicago will continue to update.
Buzz Feed
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Rachel True From "The Craft" Called Out Pay Disparities For Women Of Color In Hollywood, And It's Frustrating
If you're a true '90s fan, you know Rachel True from The Craft and Half Baked. On March 20, she posted a series of X posts regarding pay disparities in Hollywood, and it was really eye-opening. Age, race, and gender pay gaps are widespread across most industries. But as it's known how much money goes into filmmaking, the conversation around how actors are paid, especially when they're not white men, has been a necessary hot topic. Rachel posted, "On my acting gigs I got paid about 1/2 what my anglo peers did, but tell me again about' meritocracy' lol," alongside a gif from the 1996 movie The Craft, which also starred Neve Campbell, Fairuza Balk, and Robin Tunney. Rachel portrayed Rochelle Zimmerman, one of the four teenagers who discover their power as witches. In a follow-up X post, Rachel wrote, "I was # 1 on the call sheet every wk on Half & Half & got paid 1/2 what Anglo peers got paid. Obvs Black Americans are underpaid in lots of fields Cause mericrapocy." Rachel starred in the TV show Half & Half from 2002 - 2006 alongside Essence Atkins, Tela Hopkins, and Valarie Pettiford. UPN When people suggested that perhaps it was because she wasn't a lead character, she responded, "& For those saying I wasn't a lead on the Craft I'm on the poster & you're not. Suck it up." When an X user asked Rachel if things would be different if the movie were made now, she responded, "Before this admin maybe. Social media changed a lot. But now, nope. On the craft the money people told my agents Take it or leave it we have another black girl we can cast. Btw They fucking didnt." Many actors like Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, and Zoe Saladaña have addressed their concerns over pay disparities for actors who are not white men. In 2023, Taraji P. Henson opened up about the realities of working in Hollywood as a Black woman and the challenges she faced fighting for equal pay. "I'm just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, [and] getting paid a fraction of the cost," she said. "I'm tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired." "I hear people go, 'You work a lot.' Well, I have to. The math ain't math-ing. When you start working a lot, you have a team. Big bills come with what we do. We don't do this alone. It's a whole team behind us. They have to get paid." What do you think about Rachel's claims? Let me know your thoughts!
NBC News
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Sarah Michelle Gellar confirms 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' reboot is in the works
Sarah Michelle Gellar is officially ready to return to Sunnydale. After reports circulated that a 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' reboot was in the works with the actor returning, Gellar confirmed to fans on Instagram that she is involved in a revival of the show. 'So….. you might have heard some news this week, but I realize you haven't heard from me,' Gellar, 47, wrote on Thursday, alongside a photo of herself as Buffy and the character's memorable quote, 'If the apocalypse comes, beep me.' Gellar shared details about why she decided to return to her slayer days, almost 22 years since the show ended. It all started three years ago with a phone call from her 'dear friend and mentor,' producer and executive Gail Berman. 'She told me that she wanted me to sit down with Chloé Zhao to hear her take on a potential 'Buffy' revival,' Gellar wrote. 'I was blown away that Chloé even knew who I was, but, as I've always done, I told Gail that I just didn't see a way for the show to exist again.' However, Gellar explained how this time it was different and she agreed to go meet with the 'Nomadland' director, 'mainly just to meet Chloé.' 'And our twenty minute coffee quickly turned into a four hour adventure. We laughed, we cried, but mostly we both talked about how much this show means to us,' she wrote, adding that at the time she didn't agree to continuing Buffy's story. But she did 'shock' herself by agreeing to continue the conversation. 'These conversations did, in fact, continue over the next few years and eventually we added the incredible Nora and Lilla Zuckerman to our little tribe until ultimately, one day, we landed on an idea.' Gellar wrote that she has always listened to the fans and heard their desires to revisit 'Buffy' and her world. 'But it was not something I could do unless I was sure we would get it right. This has been a long process, and it's not over yet,' she wrote. 'I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right. And I will tell you that we are on the path there.' She added that she feels lucky to be on this journey with the 'four unbelievably talented women, all of whom love 'Buffy' as much as I do. And as much as you do. Thank you to all the fans who never stopped asking for this. This will be for you.' 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' premiered on The WB on March 10, 1997. It ran for seven seasons, airing its finale episode on May 20, 2003, on UPN. The series followed California teenager Buffy Summers, the 'Chosen One' foretold to defeat evil beings in her town of Sunnydale — and eventually the world. Several outlets Back in December while on 'The Drew Barrymore Show,' Gellar said she might be up for the idea of picking up Mister Pointy again (Buffy's favorite stake). 'It's funny. I always used to say no, because ('Buffy') is in its bubble and it's so perfect,' Gellar said. 'But watching 'Sex and the City' and seeing 'Dexter,' and realizing there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, 'Well, maybe.''
