Photo: Steven Klein/Interview
Jaden and Willow Smith both have plenty going for them. Willow recently surprise-released an album; Jaden is starring on Baz Luhrmann’s The Get Down. Willow teaches underground quantum-mechanics classes; Jaden is writing a book of philosophy that will cement his status as the heir to Galileo’s legacy. Willow is a Chanel ambassador and self-described “high-fashion nomad”; Jaden has his own system of grammar. You know, stuff like that. But in their new Interview magazine cover — their first cover as a duo — we finally have the answer to an age-old question, one that sages have pondered ever since the Smithlets emerged fully grown from Jada’s womb wearing matching Louis Vuitton kilts and offering benedictions in perfect Sanskrit: Which Smith kid is the best Smith kid?
It’s Willow, obviously.
“Willow’s always been better than me at everything,” Jaden explained to interviewer Pharrell.
JADEN: Willow started making music first. I was like, “My younger sister is, like, 4, and she’s making all these fire songs. What’s happening?” Willow was doing all these things, about to have record label deals at like the age of 6, and I was like, “I feel like I’m underachieving.” That was around the time that I was doing Karate Kid, and I could do flips, and I thought I was special because I could do flips. But Willow could do the flips, too! Willow naturally had it. Like, I was trying to do no-handed cartwheels. Willow had it. I was trying to get to the studio. Willow was in the studio. You know what I’m saying? Willow just didn’t have as big as a passion for acting as me. But if she did, she could do what I did.
Don’t shed a tear for Jaden, though. He’s going to be okay:
“It happened so that me and Willow were able to go through every level or different section of life that we wanted to. If we wanted to act, we could act. If we wanted to dance, we were dancing. And we could do it on the level that we wanted to do it.”
KERRY WASHINGTON
REGINA KING
NIECY NASH
JENIFER LEWIS
VIOLA DAVIS AND HUSBAND JULIUS TENNON
COURTNEY B. VANCE AND WIFE ANGELA BASSETT
JOHN TRAVOLTA AND STERLING K. BROWN
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
TARAJI P. HENSON
CHRIS ROCK AND GIRLFRIEND MEGALYN ECHIKUNWOKE
I KNOW THE EMMYS ARE OVER BUT I JUST LOVED LOOKING AT THE BEAUTIFUL STARS WHO CAME AND WON.
Her first Vogue US cover was July 2014. Her second October 2015. And now she's landed a third one - for October 2016. How does she do it???
For the latest issue of Vogue - Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, took the cameras back to her roots - down to her family home at her village in Kenya.
33-year-old Lupita is the second of six children from a prominent Kenyan family. Her mother manages the Africa Cancer Foundation. Her father is a senator, political activist, and former university lecturer. She and her siblings grew up in the public eye, negotiating visibility, privilege, and politics.
Speaking on her new movie role Queen of Katwe, and how it reflectas her life as an African woman, the gorgeous ebony skinned beauty says:
"To play a mother of four in Uganda, a formidable mother who has so much working against her, was so compelling to me. It wasn’t something I thought I’d be asked to do" — at least not by Hollywood.
"The fact that it was based on a true story, an uplifting story out of Africa...." - She inhales and shakes her head - "Oh, my goodness, all my dreams were coming true in that script."
Starring | Naomie Harris, André Holland, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, Trevante Rhodes, Alex R. Hibbert, Jaden Piner, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome
Written by | Barry Jenkins
Directed by | Barry Jenkins
MOONLIGHT is the tender, heartbreaking story of a young man's struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality.
Anchored by astonishing performances and the singular vision of filmmaker Barry Jenkins, MOONLIGHT is a groundbreaking exploration of masculinity-a sensual, intoxicating piece of cinema that uncovers deep truths about the moments that define us, the people who shape us most, and the ache of love that can last a lifetime.
The film is an Official Selection at Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival.
Behind the scenes of his MEN'S FITNESS shoot, Kevin Hart opened up about how he has so much energy, his number one piece of advice, and outdoing himself. Pick up the October issue of MEN'S FITNESS, featuring Kevin Hart, on newsstands 9/12
USHER IS ONE OF THE BEST SELLING ARTIST OF ALL TIME. RANKED BY THE RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (RIAA). HE HAS SOLD OVER 65 MILLION RECORDS, EARNED 8 GRAMMY AWARDS, AND HE WAS NAMED THE #1 HOT 100 ARTIST OF THE 2000 DECADE.
I WENT TO A SPECIAL SCREENING OF BIRTH OF A NATION AND IT IS A VERY POWERFUL AND EMOTIONAL FILM. THE ACTING IS TOP NOTCH. ALL I CAN SAY IS EVEN THOUGH IT'S SETTING IS SLAVERY VERY RELEVANT AND THOUGHT PROVOKING.
Nate Parker wrote, directed and also stars in the film, “The Birth of a Nation,” playing Nat Turner.
Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom.
Joining Parker in front of the camera are Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. and more.
Fox Searchlight has set an October 7, 2016 release date for “Birth” which is a film that’s on my 2017 Oscar predictions list.
The studio has premiered a new featurette titled “Nat Turner: American Revolutionary,” which takes audiences behind-the-scenes of the production, in an effort to help contextualize Turner’s story. It also features a little footage not seen in the trailer
SO SORRY I DON'T WANT THE SUMMER TO END. I'M ENJOYING THE VERY LAST FRAGMENT UNTIL NEXT SUMMER. ALREADY MAKING PLANS THAT WILL MAKE ME ONE WITH THE BEACH AGAIN.
Just last week, ahead of the much-anticipated premiere of her first series with the premium cable TV network (“Insecure”), Issa Rae inked a 2-year first-look production deal with HBO which will see Ms. Rae develop new programming for all of HBO’s platforms, with an emphasis on diverse voices.
This is certainly wonderful news, as it maybe suggests how high HBO’s expectations are for “Insecure” which premieres on Sunday, October 9, at 10:30pm, exclusively on HBO.
Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, the comedy series launches its eight-episode first season, starring Issa and Yvonne Orji as 2 friends (who also happen to be black women, which could be a first for HBO – a series centered around the lives of 2 young black women) navigating relationships, uncomfortable experiences and racy tribulations.
Over the course of the season, Issa attempts to figure out what she wants out of life and how to take control of it, while fumbling her way through this journey. Molly (Orji), a corporate attorney who appears to have everything together professionally, struggles inside as she looks for external ways to fix her life. Meanwhile, Issa’s boyfriend, Lawrence (Jay Ellis), who has fallen victim to complacency, works to get his own act together. Frieda (Lisa Joyce), Issa’s overeager white co-worker, whose enthusiasm is both annoying and endearing, is at the crux of Issa’s racial frustrations at work.
Created and executive produced by Issa Rae, this series is also executive produced by Prentice Penny, Melina Matsoukas, Michael Rotenberg, Dave Beck, Jonathan Berry, and Larry Wilmore as a consultant.
I’m looking forward to seeing what comes out of this new 2-year/first-look relationship with HBO.
I know when November comes and the President and First Lady leave the White House I will truly cry tears of sadness. After eight years I have gown close to this beautiful family and their two daughters who made history as the first black family in the white house. I am uncertain by what will happen next as to whom will take their place. I doubt that the excitement and the swagger of President and the fashion sense of First Lady no one will ever duplicate ever. The covers are both beautiful. May their legacy live on.
President and Michelle Obama cover the October issue of ESSENCE magazine, in which they talk about their life in the White House, the state of the nation and the legacy they hope to leave behind.
“…I can unequivocally say that America is better off now than we were when we came into office. By almost every economic measure, we’re better off,” President Obama said. “But having said that, we still have a lot of work to do.”
Purchase both copies when they hit the newsstand.
Photo: Steven Klein/Interview
Jaden and Willow Smith both have plenty going for them. Willow recently surprise-released an album; Jaden is starring on Baz Luhrmann’s The Get Down. Willow teaches underground quantum-mechanics classes; Jaden is writing a book of philosophy that will cement his status as the heir to Galileo’s legacy. Willow is a Chanel ambassador and self-described “high-fashion nomad”; Jaden has his own system of grammar. You know, stuff like that. But in their new Interview magazine cover — their first cover as a duo — we finally have the answer to an age-old question, one that sages have pondered ever since the Smithlets emerged fully grown from Jada’s womb wearing matching Louis Vuitton kilts and offering benedictions in perfect Sanskrit: Which Smith kid is the best Smith kid?
It’s Willow, obviously.
“Willow’s always been better than me at everything,” Jaden explained to interviewer Pharrell.
JADEN: Willow started making music first. I was like, “My younger sister is, like, 4, and she’s making all these fire songs. What’s happening?” Willow was doing all these things, about to have record label deals at like the age of 6, and I was like, “I feel like I’m underachieving.” That was around the time that I was doing Karate Kid, and I could do flips, and I thought I was special because I could do flips. But Willow could do the flips, too! Willow naturally had it. Like, I was trying to do no-handed cartwheels. Willow had it. I was trying to get to the studio. Willow was in the studio. You know what I’m saying? Willow just didn’t have as big as a passion for acting as me. But if she did, she could do what I did.
Don’t shed a tear for Jaden, though. He’s going to be okay:
“It happened so that me and Willow were able to go through every level or different section of life that we wanted to. If we wanted to act, we could act. If we wanted to dance, we were dancing. And we could do it on the level that we wanted to do it.”
