AP Breakthrough Entertainer: Danielle Deadwyler goes all in
NEW YORK — (AP) — Just the idea of playing Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, was enough to make Danielle Deadwyler pause to consider the toll such a role might take. Just the scene Deadwyler would audition with — when Mamie first sees her son's brutalized corpse — was wrenching. In Chinonye Chukwu's "Till," Deadwyler gives one of the most powerful and intensely expressive performances of the year, charting Till-Mobley's profound metamorphosis into civil-rights leader. When Till-Mobley memorably takes the stand in her son's Mississippi trial, the camera stays rooted to Deadwyler. She said talking about Emmett, talking about her experience was healing for her,” says Deadwyler.
wftv.comFor Whoopi Goldberg, 'Till' release comes after long wait
LOS ANGELES — (AP) — When Whoopi Goldberg was invited to help produce an Emmett Till project, the actor thought she knew all about the Black teenager's 1955 kidnapping and lynching — until she learned about the surprising elements behind the historic tragedy. After Goldberg dove deep into Till's backstory, she and her production teammates Barbara Broccoli and Fred Zollo eagerly pitched movie ideas to several major studios. Goldberg said that's when MGM's Orion Pictures stepped up to financially support the development of "Till," which opens in theaters Friday. She said Floyd's death struck a chord throughout the U.S. the same way Till's lynching created public uproar 60-plus years ago. His 2005 documentary "The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till" played a major role in the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to reopen the Till investigation.
wftv.comNew this week: 'Clemency,' BET Awards, HAIM, 'Doctor Sleep'
(Neon via AP)Heres a collection curated by The Associated Press entertainment journalists of whats arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. Written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu, Clemency was well-reviewed but got unjustly overshadowed by some of the higher profile awards contenders when it was released in December. Doctor Sleep: The Directors Cut: This Danny Torrance-focused sequel to The Shining was a little divisive upon release, which wasnt all that surprising. Film Writer Lindsey BahrMUSICGrey Daze: Fans of the late Grammy-winning screeching rock singer Chester Bennington will get a chance to hear him one more time. HAIM: Its been three years since sister trio HAIM have released a new album.