Posts tagged with "actress"

HALLE BERRY – THE PEOPLE’S ICON

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Academy Award-Winning Actress, Director, and Producer Halle Berry to Receive The People’s Icon Award at The 2021 People’s Choice Awards

Cardi B to Present Berry with the Award at the Ceremony Live on NBC and E! on Tuesday, December 7 at 9PM ET/PT

Today, NBC and E! announced that Academy Award-winning actress, director, and producer Halle Berry will receive “The People’s Icon” award at the 2021 “People’s Choice Awards.” Grammy Award-winning artist Cardi B will present the award to Berry at the ceremony. The PCA Award-winner and seven-time nominee will be honored for her contributions in TV and film, including her directorial debut in the highly anticipated film “Bruised,” which will be in select theatres on November 17 and arrives on Netflix on November 24. Cardi B and Berry teamed up to executive produce the film’s soundtrack, which features six original songs by award-winning and multi-platinum female artists, including a song by Cardi B. The 2021 “People’s Choice Awards” will air simultaneously on both NBC and E! on Tuesday, December 7 at 9pm ET/PT from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA.

“Throughout her career, Halle Berry has broken down barriers, directed and starred in diverse roles that have paved the way for others in the industry,” said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Entertainment Live Events, Specials & E! News, NBCUniversal Entertainment Television and Streaming. “In addition to her filmography accolades and trendsetting ethos, Berry is known for her philanthropic work with women, children and underserved communities. She is an icon of our time and for all these reasons and more, we are honored to present her with ‘The People’s Icon’ award.”

As an actor, producer, director, activist, philanthropist, and fashion icon, Berry has made history on multiple accounts. Highlights include her performance in “Monster’s Ball,” which earned her the Academy Award for “Best Actress,” making her the first Black woman to receive that honor, as well as being nominated for a Golden Globe for “Best Actress” for her role in “Frankie and Alice.” Berry also earned an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG and NAACP Image Award for her extraordinary performance in HBO’s telefilm, “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” which she also produced.

Most recently, Berry filmed Netflix’s “The Mothership,” which she stars in and executive produced, and will be seen in Roland Emmerich-helmed sci-fi epic “Moonfall” for Lionsgate, which is due in theaters February 2022. In 2020, Berry made her highly anticipated directorial debut in new film “Bruised,” in which she also stars.

Outside of her filmography success, Berry is an active supporter of the Jenesse Center in Los Angeles, which supports victims of domestic violence and aims to change the pattern of abuse in the lives of women and children. Further, Berry joined forces with Novo Nordisk and the Entertainment Industry Foundation to launch the Diabetes Aware Campaign and has supported a vast number of charities and organizations such as Afghanistan Relief Organization, Black Lives Matter, Clothes Off Our Back, Love Our Children USA, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Stand Up to Cancer, Revlon Run/Walk, and United Nations World Food Programme.

Berry also founded rē•spin, a platform created to provide broader access to health and wellness content and products through inclusivity and conversation. Rooted in discovery and learning, the heart of rē•spin is its global community connected around the core belief of a holistic mind, body, and soul approach to wellness. 

The 2021 “People’s Choice Awards” will air simultaneously on both NBC and E! for the first time on Tuesday, December 7 at 9:00pm ET/PT from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA. “Live from E!: The 2021 People’s Choice Awards” will kick off the night with a red carpet special at 7:00pm ET/PT on E!. The “People’s Choice Awards” and “Live from E!: The 2021 People’s Choice Awards” are both produced by Den of Thieves with Executive Producers Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski.

See the full list of all 40 categories and nominees online.

SPOTLIGHT: CARSON MACCORMAC

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While chasing his dreams of becoming an actor, Canadian actor Carson MacCormac has established himself in the industry, and has plans to only expand his career as we head into 2022.

Carson can be found starring in East of the Middle West in the role of “Chris.” The film follows “Chris” as he navigates his life following his involvement in a fatal accident that leaves a mother and child dead. Through his interpretation of “Chris” in the film, Carson has been honored with the Best Actor award at the Montreal Independent Film Festival. Moreover, East of the Middle West was the closing film at the Chelsea Film Festival and won Best American Indie at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival.

Carson additionally joined the cast of the withstanding Netflix series Locke and Key for both Season 2 and 3. The series follows the three Locke siblings as they work through their father’s peculiar murder. The siblings seek refuge in their mother’s ancestral home, also known as Keyhouse. Carson takes on the role of “Benjamin Locke,” a vague ancestor of the siblings, whose storyline is set in the 1700s. Season 2 of Locke and Key premiered in October 2021, and Season 3 premieres TBD in 2022.

Notorious for his role in DC Comics superhero movie SHAZAM!, Carson plays “Brett Breyer.” Carson can soon be found in the upcoming Netflix and Lionsgate thriller, Luckiest Girl Alive. 360 MAGAZINE had the opportunity to chat with Carson about his acting career, and what we can expect to see for the future of his career.

When did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in acting?

Before I realized how much work it would take to become one. When I was a kid, I would sit and watch movies and think “I could totally do that.” Little did I know just how much training goes into becoming an actor with even a basic level of competency. However, I knew I would pursue it for a living near the end of high school. Interestingly enough, it was once I started having to seriously work at the craft that I fell I became obsessed. A career is a kind way of putting what I lovingly refer to as an addiction. Once I fell in love with the work my course was kind of set for me.

What is the process that you go through to prep for a new role?

A lot of writing initially. I have a 5-page cheat sheet I made to ensure I always flesh out my characters, but that is only usually the initial prep. The fun work comes in the imagining of who my character is and why. Writing I find helps me organize my thoughts. It also ensures that any fleeting ideas I have to add depth to a role are jotted down for me to refer to later. Physicality is an important one for me, getting a character into my body as at the end of the day, that physical work is the majority of what the camera picks up. When I get my head around a character, get my body into the role and get my lines down, I just let it all go and have fun with it.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned from the acting world?

One of my personal favorites is the reminder to stay curious and imaginative through all assets of life. Curiosity of self, of others and of things is, in my opinion, one of the purest forms of purpose humans can have. Acting has forced me to question everything, oftentimes myself included, and plunge into characters with circumstances and motives far removed from my own. That curiosity I find is a stream to the more pleasant qualities of people such as empathy, perspective, and self-reflection.

What is a bucket list goal that you want to accomplish in your career?

I would love to star in something that I wrote. It would have to come down the line, as I still have a lot to learn as a writer, but to take a page out of Good Will Hunting, I think the chance to build-a-bear a role that I could then portray would be incredibly enjoyable. That, to me, is also one of the most terrifying tasks I can think of for myself, which is why I think it excites me so much.

What is your #1 piece of advice for aspiring actors/ actresses?

Number one is to always ask why. Ask it about everything, as curiosity and a questioning mind is what I found helped me grow the most as an actor. Another important one that I found helped me a lot is to not take yourself too seriously. Actors are asked to play make believe for a living, oftentimes in highly emotional situations. The industry and the world is going to be hard enough on you, and so I find it important to be forgiving and understanding with yourself if the industry starts to wear you down. Your instrument will grow much faster in a healthy mindset than in one that is self-deprecating or judgmental.

What was the biggest takeaway from being a part of “East of Middle West?”

Externally, a lot of friends. I wish I could have taken that whole cast and crew home with me back to Canada but alas, airlines have a baggage limit. Personally, East of Middle West helped me learn to trust myself. Our shooting schedule was incredibly fast paced, with emotional scenes and high stakes. With such little prep time, a large part of my process became just letting go and flowing within scenes and seeing what would happen. It was at first, terrifying, but as filming went along, I found it to be an incredibly freeing experience. It forced me to trust myself as our timing constraints allowed for no other choice.

How was your experience joining a withstanding show/ team on “Locke and Key?”

It helped that I could watch season 1 and get a sense for how I fit into the cast but more than anything, I noticed the benefits in how efficiently everything was running. Even with the added pressure that COVID put on the production, the whole set was one giant, well-oiled machine. Outside of the whole ‘acting; part of my job, I find that being on set can often feel like being a toddler sitting at the parents’ dinner table: don’t interject in the adult conversations you barely understand and make sure you stay in your spot and listen carefully to your parents’ direction. Locke and Key made me feel as if that internal child was being spoiled rotten at every step of the way. It was truly a joy to be part of such a talented team.

What role, would you say, pushed you out of your comfort zone the most thus far?

Maybe because it’s still fresh in my memory, but my upcoming role in Luckiest Girl Alive. It is such a far cry from anything I have played before, with stakes higher and more brutal than a lot of my previous work. Not to mention the director, Mike Barker, was incredibly gracious in allowing me to experiment with improvisation in my scenes. Scary at first, but with time thinking about ‘what can I throw into this scene?’ became something I looked forward to every day.

What can we expect from Carson MacCormac in the future?

Luckiest Girl Alive, as I mentioned, is coming out sometime in 2022 and I couldn’t be more excited for audiences to see it. I think this film is necessary, timely, and pushes the industry as a whole in an important direction. It also just happens to be one entertaining ride. I worked on a show premiering in January called Astrid and Lily Save the World and boy oh boy, is it crazy. The show is outrageous, wild, and I’m thrilled to be part of it. I have a few projects coming out in 2022 that I can’t quite talk about just yet… and another feature film being released in 2023 that I am very excited to share…. Stay tuned!

Halle Berry – GirlTrek

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Academy Award-Winning Actress Halle Berry to Serve as 2021 National Race Captain for GirlTrek’s Black Family 5K

Back for the fifth year, GirlTrek’s Black Family 5K encourages families – blood or chosen – to get out in nature and take a Thanksgiving walk or hike. The Black Family 5K is a hallmark end-of-year celebration in the GirlTrek movement celebrating fitness, family, and fun. This year, Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry will serve as the Black Family 5K National Race Captain.

Watch Halle Berry’s video announcement here .

“GirlTrek is honored to have Halle Berry join the Black Family 5K. As one of the fittest celebrities in Hollywood, she constantly raises the bar for Black women’s health and wellness,” said jewel bush, GirlTrek’s Vice President of Communications and Public Relations. “She’s proof that Black women can unapologetically practice self-care, healing and that taking care of our bodies is an obtainable lifestyle. We grew up being motivated by Halle Berry’s inner and outer beauty. She models our very mission to create a revolution centered on self-love by mobilizing Black women everywhere to put ourselves first by practicing radical self-care through moving of our bodies and spending transformative time in the outdoors.”

With a career spanning three decades (DIE ANOTHER DAY, JUNGLE FEVER, LOSING ISAIAH, BULWORTH, SWORDFISH), Berry continues to break down barriers acting in a multitude of critically acclaimed, diverse roles and most recently adding the title of director to her already impressive filmography. She is set to make her highly anticipated directorial debut in her new film, BRUISED, in which she also stars. The plot follows a disgraced MMA fighter who must fight a rising MMA star, while journeying to become the mother her child deserves. The film first debuted at the 2020 Toronto Film Festival and was acquired by Netflix and is set to release on the streaming platform on November 24, 2021.

Berry has garnered praise not only for her roles on-screen, but for her philanthropic work with a range of organizations focusing on women and children and underserved communities. She is an active supporter and chair member of the Jenesse Center in Los Angeles. The Jenesse Center was founded in 1980 and assists victims of domestic violence and aims to change the pattern of abuse in the lives of women and children. She previously partnered with Michael Kors’ Watch Hunger Stop campaign and the United Nations World Food Programme to raise awareness for building a world with zero hunger. Berry has supported a vast amount of charities and organizations such as, Revlon Run/Walk, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Afghanistan Relief Organization, Stand Up to Cancer, Love Our Children USA and Clothes Off Our Back and Black Lives Matter.

In 2020, Berry founded rē•spin which is a platform created to provide broader access to health and wellness content and products through inclusivity and conversation. Rooted in discovery and learning, the heart of rē•spin is its global community connected around the core belief of a holistic mind, body, and soul approach to wellness.

WHO: With 1.5 million members and growing every day, GirlTrek is the largest public health movement and nonprofit for Black women and girls in the United States. GirlTrek inspires and supports Black women to live their healthiest, most fulfilled lives through radical self-care and daily walking.

WHAT: Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry will serve as GirlTrek’s Black Family 5K National Race Captain.

WHEN: Thanksgiving weekend: Most walks will happen on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day and others on Friday and Saturday morning.

HOW: Register at blackfamily5k.com . The Black Family 5K is supported by Release the Pressure, a diverse coalition of health care organizations and heart health experts including the American Medical Association (AMA), AMA Foundation, American Heart Association, Association of Black Cardiologists, National Medical Association and Minority Health Institute who are dedicated to partnering with the Black community to improve heart health.

Hosting a Black Family 5K walk is simple and free. Register at blackfamily5k.com to create an official race kit for your family complete with official T-shirts, customizable race bibs, victory medals and more. Don’t let distance stop you. If your family doesn’t live near you, you can still participate by planning a virtual Black Family 5K. Hop on a phone call, FaceTime or send pictures to the group chat while everyone goes for a walk.

Laura Dreyfuss – Nose to Nose

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Award-winning actress/singer/songwriter Laura Dreyfuss releases her new single “Nose To Nose” via BMG. “Nose To Nose” is the first single from her upcoming Peaks EP set for release this November.

Including previously released tracks and two new cuts, the Peaks EP reflects Dreyfuss’ evolution as an artist. The single integrates acoustic strumming and handclaps into a warm electronic soundscape punctuated by shimmering keys and a guitar solo. Overwhelmed with a rush of happiness, she celebrates her three-year-old dog Banjo with playful lyrics about “tug-of-war” and “chasing you in circles just to kiss your face” before a heartfelt hook.

“With ‘Nose To Nose’, I wanted to capture the purest form of love, and I felt like a fun way to express that was writing about my dog Banjo. She’s such a presence in my life,” says Dreyfuss. “The lyrics seem like they’re about a person though! Musically, it’s the joy of having this unconditional love from an innocent animal. It’s a celebration of that.”

Audiences have certainly seen Dreyfuss everywhere from the Tony® Award-winning Once and Broadway phenomenon Dear Evan Hansen to Glee, Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and NETFLIX’s The Politician. Now with the release of her solo debut EP they’ll finally get to know the singer, songwriter, and actress like never before. Taking the reins, she presents her most unfiltered vision yet through engaging electronic-inflected indie pop anthems rooted in candid lyricism and uplifted by dynamic vocals.

Working with producer Michel Heyaca, she introduced herself as an artist with singles such as “Be Great” [feat. Jeremy Pope], “Better Drugs,” and “Sidelines.” Beyond generating millions of streams and views, she attracted tastemaker praise from Complex, Nylon, and more.

In 2020, Laura had initially planned to maintain this momentum with more music, but she found herself stuck in South Africa for six months at the onset of the Global Pandemic after traveling there for a wedding.

Peaks Track List

Nose To Nose
Sidelines
Better Drugs
Be Great (feat. Jeremy Pope)
Pillow

About Laura Dreyfuss

Dreyfuss has quietly emerged as a rare multi-hyphenate whose undeniable presence on stage and on-screen belies identifiable vulnerability. Growing up, she learned piano and studied at Boston Conservatory. Establishing herself across theater and television, she went from a standout turn in Once to two years in Dear Evan Hansen. Along the way, she garnered various honors, including a 2018 GRAMMY® Award in the category of “Best Musical Theatre Album” for the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Dear Evan Hansen and a Daytime Creative EMMY® Award in the category of “Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program” for “You Will Be Found” as performed on The Today Show.

Lana Love – Loaded Gun

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Upcoming alt-pop sensation Lana Love has shared her newest single and music video “Loaded Gun.” Backed by a choir of electric and acoustic guitars, Lana’s single underscores the internal battle she faces within herself, as the different sides of her identity are at odds with each other. Fans can watch the music video for “Loaded Gun,” premiering now on Aesthetic Magazine, HERE.

On the new single, Lana shares, “If Post Malone and Lady Gaga (Joanne era) had a song baby, she would be “Loaded Gun”. Production-wise, every element was live recorded from analog to digital. The trap beat was created with trigger pulls, spinning spurs, a 1960s saloon piano, Post Malone inspired 808s, an anti-chorus ear-gasm, and original background vocals we kept in from the demo I recorded in my bedroom. I truly believe Matt Genovese is the only producer who could’ve accomplished this sound in the way he did.”

She continues, “This song is about shooting yourself in the foot just when things start to get good. We all have a dark side that gets to us sometimes—a classic self-sabotage story. The lyrics shine a light on that self-defeating behavior pattern in faith that we have power to change the narrative of who wins.”

The music video for “Loaded Gun” conjures up images of classic western films with a space age twist, finding Lana as a lone ranger in a desert and battling a dark hologram of herself.

“The music video was heavily inspired by my pandemic-induced Star Wars/Mandalorian binge,” Lana admits.

Fans can pre-save “Loaded Gun” ahead of its release tomorrow HERE.

Lana Love has announced that her self-titled EP will be released on October 1. Completely self-owned, this EP will share the story of Lana’s turbulent experience in the music industry featuring a plethora of genre shifts, fervent heartbreak, and medical stress.

Every once in a blue moon an artist emerges with an undeniable arsenal of talents and embarrassment of riches, and such is the case with contemporary pop artist Lana Love. The Atlanta-born juggernaut fully embodies the spirit of being multifaceted as a singer, songwriter, classically trained pianist/musician, trained dancer, actor and burgeoning entrepreneur.

About Lana Love

The genesis for Lana‘s musical journey started in Naples, Florida as a precocious 4-year old who was obsessed with Andrew Lloyd Weber’s iconic “Phantom of The Opera” and started playing the song, “Music of the Night,” by ear on piano in her living room. From that auspicious beginning, Lana has been immersed in honing and expressing her artistry in every medium available. By age 7, she had written her first song. She later studied music at the University of Florida and the American Music Theater and Dramatic Academy in New York.

In her late teens, she was featured in several musical productions as a singer/actor/dancer produced by Disney and Nickelodeon that were presented internationally in over 20 countries throughout Europe. Back in the US she has amassed a number of television credits on programs that were broadcast by HBO, Warner Brothers, Discovery Channel, YouTube and Telemundo. She has also opened for mega rappers like Snoop Dogg and Wu Tang Clan, among others, dabbled in EDM and been a featured guest artist on RAF MC’s Latin dance track, “Baila.”

Currently, Lana is the epitome of a female entrepreneur in a male-dominated field. Between finally owning 100% of her masters and joining the ranks alongside the few women that have broken the digital currency barrier with an NFT venture on the horizon, Lana is a lyricist for the Netflix documentary Malinche, written by Nacho Cano and orchestrated by Hans Zimmer.

An entrepreneur and businesswoman at heart, Lana Love’s story continues to exponentially blossom. She is spreading the one message she holds most dearly: everything, absolutely everything, is LOVE.

DOLLY: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION

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SHE’S DAZZLING, SHE’S DELIGHTFUL, SHE’S DOLLY!

THIS SEPTEMBER, TIME LIFE DELIVERS A SPECTACULAR DVD COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTING THE INCREDIBLE CAREER OF THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY

AVAILABLE AT RETAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!

Street Date: September 21, 2021

DVD SRP: $49.99

Available at Walmart and Select Retailers, Some of the Greatest Moments from Dolly’s Rags-to-Rhinestones Career are Highlighted in This Carefully Crafted 6-Disc Collection Packed with Unforgettable Moments, Including a Special Christmas Disc Featuring A Down Home Country Christmas!

You can call her The Queen of Country, an award-winning songwriter, actress, television star, philanthropist, business mogul, icon and American treasure – but to her millions of fans, she’s known simply as Dolly. From the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to international super-stardom, Dolly Parton has spent the last 50 years singing and laughing her way into our hearts. And now, for the first time ever at retail, the greatest video highlights from Dolly’s iconic, unforgettable career are together in one singular 6-disc collection available at Walmart and other select retailers!

From her start out of Nashville in the ‘60s through her own spectacular variety shows in the ‘70s and ‘80s and beyond, Dolly has done it all – and in 6 inch heels! DOLLY: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION includes some of the greatest star-studded episodes from her fan-favorite 80’s variety show, a special Christmas disc, Dolly’s unforgettable 2009 “Live from London” concert, and more!

Across 6 DVDs, Dolly’s passionate fans will thrill to:

11 star-studded episodes of Dolly’s variety show from the ’80s with guest appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Willie Nelson, The Smothers Brothers, and more!
A special Christmas disc featuring A Down Home Country Christmas with Mac Davis and Burl Ives, and Bob Hope’s Jolly Christmas Show
Dolly’s unforgettable Live From London concert
Plus the 2019 BBC documentary Dolly Parton: Here I Am

Time Life invites home audiences to join them for the journey of a lifetime with DOLLY: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, available nationally in Walmart and select retailers.

About Time Life

Time Life is one of the world’s pre-eminent creators and direct marketers of unique music and video/DVD products, specializing in distinctive multi-media collections that evoke memories of yesterday, capture the spirit of today, and can be enjoyed for a lifetime. TIME LIFE and the TIME LIFE logo are registered trademarks of Time Warner Inc. and affiliated companies used under license by Direct Holdings Americas Inc., which is not affiliated with Time Warner Inc. or Time Inc.

About Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton is the most honored and revered female country singer-songwriter of all time. Achieving 25 RIAA-certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards, she has had 26 songs reach #1 on the Billboard country charts, a record for a female artist. Recently, Parton reached #1 on the Billboard Christian Airplay Chart for the first time for her duet with Grammy award-winning Zach Williams of “There Was Jesus,” for which they won a Grammy this year. She received her first Dove Award for short form video for her collaboration with for King & Country on the song “God Only Knows.” Parton is the first artist to have topped the Billboard’s Adult Contemporary, Christian AC Songs, Hot Country Songs, Christian Airplay, Country Airplay and Dance/Mix Show Airplay radio charts. Parton recently became the first country artist honored as Grammy MusiCares Person of the Year given out by NARAS. She has 44 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and 110 career-charted singles over the past 40 years. In 2014 the RIAA recognized her impact on recorded music with a plaque commemorating more than 100 million units sold worldwide. Her 2016 #1 album, “Pure & Simple,” which topped the Billboard Top Country Albums and Americana/Folk Albums charts and debuted at No. 1 in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia, added to that massive tally. She has garnered eleven Grammy Awards and 50 nominations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and a 2020 win with for KING & COUNTRY for their collaboration on “God Only Knows”; 10 Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year; five Academy of Country Music Awards, also including a nod for Entertainer of the Year; four People’s Choice Awards; and three American Music Awards. In 1999, Parton was inducted as a member of the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame. Parton has donated over 161 million books to children around the world with her Imagination Library. Her children’s book, Coat of Many Colors, was dedicated to the Library of Congress to honor the Imagination Library’s 100 millionth book donation. From her “Coat of Many Colors” while working “9 to 5,”no dream is too big and no mountain too high for the country girl who turned the world into her stage.

LAUREN JENKINS EP – MILES ON ME PART 1

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“I will always be proud of my first record,” says Lauren Jenkins, “but MILES ON ME is what I hoped NO SAINT could be from start to finish.” MILES ON ME (told in three parts) picks up where NO SAINT left off, telling the unapologetic, brutally honest next chapter of Jenkins’ story.

In 2020 Jenkins and her then-record label parted ways, giving her an independence that she hadn’t had in nearly seven years. “I finally had the freedom to write, record, produce and tell my story exactly the way I wanted to,” she says. “It’s strange to hear your own voice and realize you’ve been whispering for a long time. With this realization, the sparks ignited. I called on my friends and collaborators to make this record with me, and it’s been one of the most beautiful processes of my life.”

Jenkins has been a touring artist since she was 15 years old. The Texas-born, Carolina-raised artist chose a life that would fit perfectly in the songs she writes: across countless smoky bars, fake IDs, and endless miles on the road, music has been her one constant companion. Named an “Artist to Watch” by the New York Times, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Pandora, and many more, she was also chosen as a member of the “Class of 2019” by influential radio DJ Bobby Bones, and made her TODAY Show debut as Elvis Duran’s Artist of the Month. An accomplished actress and filmmaker, Lauren wrote, produced, and starred in an original short film titled Running Out of Road that accompanied the release of her critically-acclaimed debut album, NO SAINT, on Big Machine Records. In May of 2020, she released “Ain’t That Hard,” her first song as a fully independent artist.

MILES ON ME, PART 1

Track Listing

LIKE YOU FOUND ME
SHE’S A STAR
MILES ON ME (FEAT. DAVID RAMIREZ)
MY OWN ADVICE

Tara Reid Opens Up

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Tara Reid burst onto the scene as the flawless blue-eyed babe of the iconic 1999 camp comedy American Pie, a Fast Times at Ridgemont High for twenty-something Gen-Xers and precocious Millennials. Her flawless all-American looks led to films from cult favorite The Big Lebowski, to Urban Legend, Van Wilder, Josie and the Pussycats, Dr. T & the Women and My Boss’s Daughter. She starred and held her own alongside Ryan Reynolds, Ashton Kutcher, Rosario Dawson, Kate Hudson, Richard Gere and other movie heavyweights.

And then… something happened. Reid was young, stunning and famous; and the media began taking more of an interest in her after-hours role as Hollywood’s resident party girl.

A painful public breakup with then-fiancé Carson Daly and a bout with botched plastic surgery further spun Reid’s public narrative out of control. She recently told E! news, “They almost make a cartoon character out of you, and they keep going with it,” referring to the rampant tabloid journalism of the 2000s.

The experience sent Reid reeling, and into a self-imposed exile where she learned to reflect, regroup, and re-emerge focused on her craft, and with a healthy sense of humor as she displays in her willingness to embrace the camp genre with the Sharknado film series. In addition to working in front of the camera, she’s added film producer to her resume, with an upcoming slate of releases under her production banner, Hi Happy Films.

The following are excerpts from internationally syndicated columnist Allison Kugel’s latest interview, featuring Tara Reid. The interview is available for re-publication in its entirety, or in select quotable excerpts.

On working with the late DMX on his last film:
“It’s a movie called Doggmen. It’s his last film and it was really interesting, because he didn’t get to finish the whole film. They had to do what they did with Paul Walker (in his last Fast & Furious role). They make these facial sculptures and they put it on a face, and it looks exactly like him. It’s crazy. The last couple of scenes that he has to film, that will be what they are doing. It’s incredible and it looks so real. So, that is how they are going to film his last scenes, and I’ll be in those scenes with him. I think everyone was absolutely broken by DMX’s [death]. He wasn’t just a great rapper, but he was a poet. I think he was one of the best rappers of our time, and this movie explains that. The last person that really did that was Tupac. I think it will be a great film. He’s a great actor, he’s a voice, and that mattered a lot to him. I think he will be really happy about how this movie comes out and looks. It’s DMX, and just to be a part of that history with him is pretty much incredible.”

On forgiving the tabloid media for how they treated her in the past:
“I didn’t [for a long time], and I was upset about it when I was younger. But I realized the only way I was going to grow and get out of that situation was to grow as a woman. So therefore, I do forgive them now. I have moved on, and my press has changed. I’m not angry about it anymore. When you finally let something go, it goes. It’s like taking a balloon and putting it up in the air, and it’s gone. I’m 45 years old and I’m not a child anymore. I’m not the little girl from American Pie.”

On one historical event she would love to witness if she could time travel:
“I wouldn’t want to change anything, but if I were to go back in time to a historical event that was fun, I would have loved to have been Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday” to the president [John F. Kennedy] (laugh). It was such a legendary moment.”

On freezing her eggs for a maybe baby:
“Will I have kids? Let’s see what is in store for me. It’s not a no, and it’s not a yes. I have gotten my eggs frozen so there is definitely the potential of that. If it is meant to be, it will happen. If not, I’m very comfortable where I’m at.”

How prayer and listening to Deepak Chopra changed her life:
“I do pray, and who I pray to depends on what situation I am in. I pray to Jesus, but I also pray to my parents all the time. They are probably my number one. And I pray to my guardian angels; I pray to St. Jude, St. John, or St. Christopher. They have different meanings depending upon what you are in need of. I also listen to tapes by Deepak Chopra which has helped me tremendously. His tapes help you break down, ‘Who am I close to? Who am I? What do I want? What do I not want?’ And you really have to write it out in a diary form. My life started changing. A lot of us don’t know how to direct that positive energy, and I think that he is someone that really knows how to give that to you.”

Town & Country 8th Philanthropy Summit – Marlo Thomas × Phil Donahue

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The 8th annual Town & Country Philanthropy Summit continued today with a wonderful conversation between Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue, moderated by Editor in Chief Stellene Volandes. This is the first time that Phil has interviewed Marlo since they first met on the Donahue show decades ago.

Please see below for highlights from the panel as well as a link to view the interview in its entirety:

Marlo on visiting St. Jude following her father’s death:

“After my father died, it was just a terrible shock to us. It was stunning because he hadn’t been sick, so it was very sudden. He was adored by us. We all loved him, and he was our funny, loving perfect daddy so it was very, very hard. We all decided that you know, we’d go to St. Jude and let them know that we were here if they needed us and so I went to St. Jude, a couple of months later. I drove up and there was a sixteen feet statue of St. Jude right at the entrance, and I started to cry because I’ve been there so many times with my dad. I pulled myself together because I didn’t want to cry in front of the parents, they have enough heartache of their own. I went inside and, in the lobby, there was this party going on. All of these little kids running around with party hats, balloons, confetti, ice cream, and cake. I said to the nurse, ‘Well whose birthday, is it?’ She said, ‘Oh it’s not a birthday party, it’s an off-chemo party.’ Well, I’ll tell you, I just gasped, to see these children celebrating one of their turns for the better. All of these moms and dads and grandparents standing around with tears in their eyes because they felt that if this child made it, maybe their beloved child would too. It was really a stunning moment for me. And then, just as I was standing there, this mom came over with a little girl about four years old, all dressed in pink. She had little pink ribbons jauntily tied around her little bald head and the mother said to her, ‘do you know who’s this lady’s daddy is?’ and the little girl shyly answered, ‘yes’ the mother said ‘who?’ She [little girl] proudly said, ‘St. Jude.’ I just fell in love with her. I fell in love with all of those kids in the off-chemo party. I fell in love with this place. And I realized for the first time, just what all of this hope and love and promise and the future of a second chance for children meant to my father. It really helped me to see myself as a part of it.”

Marlo on what she learned from her father:

“Well, what I learned from dad, really is that he had a lot of sayings, and one of them was there’s two kinds of people in the world: those who stop on an accident to see if they can help or those who just drive by. He was literally the kind that would stop and help. I remember one time, we were driving by down Sunset Blvd. we saw these boys beating up on another little boy. And my father stopped the car and jumped out. He pulled the boys apart and gave them a big talking to. I was sitting in the car, terrified, I was eight years old. He got back in the car. He brought the little boy that’ve been bullied with him. We were going to drop him off at home and as my dad started the car, he said, ‘I hate a bully.’ And I think to him, cancer in children was a bully. A bully that he wanted to defeat. The thing about my dad too is that he really was a citizen of the world, that we all are citizens of the world…He saw himself as part of the neighborhood as a part of a community wherever he was, he was a part of that community. I think that was a great lesson for my sister, my brother, and I.”

Phil Donahue on his first visit to St. Jude and how that impacted him:

“My first visit to St. Jude, I picked up a little bald-headed kid. I said, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up, big guy?’ This still makes me cry. The kid said, ‘I just don’t want to be sick anymore.’ Well, my god, I grabbed this kid. You know, for a very brief moment, I kind of felt how parents feel when they take a child to St. Jude. How scary it must be and how I didn’t want that child to see my eyes get moist. So, it’s a real learning experience at St. Jude. It changed me forever. I do wish everybody could visit the hospital. It’s a life-changing experience and when you see the parents arrive with a child. You see the real fear on their faces, terror sometimes. Then you see them leaving and they’re better. It’s like a godsent – the change they feel, and that their children feel.”

Marlo on being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and her version of the American Dream:

“One of the things that happened in my life that was really big a great deal, because of my work with St. Jude, is that I received the Medal of Freedom from President Obama. My husband and I went, and my brother came, and the head of St. Jude came. The interesting thing about it, is when you are growing up, especially as an actress, you dream of getting an Emmy or an Oscar or a Tony, but I don’t think anybody grows up dreaming about the Medal of Freedom. It just comes as a shock when you’re told you will be receiving this at the White House. And I remember I was stunned. Remember we discussed that I wasn’t going to cry? So, I’m not going to cry, but I did because at the moment President Obama was clasping the medal around my neck, I thought of my grandparents. My grandparents were immigrants who came to this country from Lebanon to find a better way of life, to raise their family and their children. And I saw them in my mind’s eye, I could see my grandparents with all their belongings and cloth bags. And here, their granddaughter just two generations later were in the White House receiving the Medal of Freedom from the President of the United States. I mean, that is the American Dream. I’m so proud of the fact that my grandparents made a life in this country.”

Marlo on how celebrity involvement has helped the foundation:

“That’s a very interesting thing because just as in our generation, we brought in Jennifer Aniston and Robin Williams and all of those wonderful people. My dad did that, that’s how he built the hospital. He used to say this hospital was built with laughter George Burns and the Bob Hope and all of the funny guys—Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, all of the men and women that were on the night club circuit with my dad helped build St. Jude. In fact, Frank Sinatra did so many benefits that we actually have a whole wing that’s called the Frank Sinatra wing. Their generosity really built the hospital.”

Watch the full summit here.

The T&C Summit continues tomorrow with Stacy-Marie Ishmael speaking to Taraji P. Henson and Jamie Raskin, and Stellene Volandes in conversation with Andreas Dracopoulos. If you are interested in attending register directly here.

Katlyn Nichol – Liar

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**BLACK-ISH STAR KATLYN NICHOL REVEALS MUSIC VIDEO FOR LIAR, WATCH HERE, LISTEN HERE**

Asserting herself as a dynamic presence beyond standout turns on television shows such as American Soul and Black-ish, North Carolina-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, actress, and performer Katlyn Nichol unveils the sultry music video for her debut single Liar today via CMNTY Culture RCRDS/Republic Records.

Watch Liar HERE

Listen to Liar HERE

The video, which premiered on Refinery29 today, spotlights her undeniable charisma and show-stopping star power. She commands the camera’s attention with impressive dance moves and palpable energy. The visual moves in sync seamlessly with the song’s genre-defiant upbeat bounce.

Liar arrived to instant critical acclaim. SoulBounce urged us to get used to hearing her name, and Rated R&B fittingly described it as breezy.

Liar not only introduces Katlyn as a dynamic all-around entertainer, but it also hints at much more to come.

For as much as Katlyn Nichol flourishes in front of the camera as an actress, she really thrives the moment she picks up a microphone. The North Carolina-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, actress, and performer can hit steeple-size vocal peaks, get sassy on a beat, and dazzle with charisma and charm all within the span of the same song. At the age of two, Katlyn would sing from her car seat, belting out gospel runs along with the radio. Soon, she found herself recording backup vocals and melodies for her dad’s recordings and decided to devote her life to music at that young age. Relocating to New Jersey, she gained her first industry experience by working with various management companies in between attending the prestigious Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts. By 12-years-old, Mary J. Blige personally signed her to Matriarch/Def Jam Records. The legend often invited Katlyn to make guest appearances on stage. All of these moves contributed to her evolution as an artist and all-around entertainer. She nailed an audition for BET’S American Soul and captivated millions as Simone Clark, acting, singing, and dancing for the run of the show. In 2020, she joined the cast of Black-ish as Olivia Lockhart and will be returning for the upcoming final season. However, she never stopped writing, recording, and singing. During early 2021, she caught the attention of CMNTY Culture RCRDS and Republic Records and landed a deal with the label.

Follow Katlyn Nichol via her Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.