Happy Black History Month: The 15 Best Black Biopics
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While Hollywood has been abuzz lately with Black films such as Lee Daniel’s The Butler, there are other Black biopics that have always been favorites.
What’s Love Got To Do With It
Angela Bassett started her film career in the mid-80’s but it wasn’t until she played legendary singer Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It that she finally became noticed by Hollywood. Playing opposite Laurence Fishburn as Ike Turner, the film focused on singer’s rise to fame as well as her tumultuous and violent marriage. Both Bassett and Fishburne were nominated for Academy awards for Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively. Bassett also won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her portrayal in the 1993 film.
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42
On April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color line in the major leagues by taking the field as part of the Brooklyn Dodgers team. Sixty-six years later that historic day would be the basis for the film 42. Relative newcomer Chadwick Boseman played Robinson in the film and his harrowing portrayal helped shine a light on the incessant and vitriol racism the first baseman was forced to endure. 42 raked in over $27 million at the box office during opening weekend making it the best debut for a baseball-themed movie in film history.
- Nia Long Isn’t Happy With How The Boston Celtics Handled Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal
- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Actress/singer Dorothy Dandridge was the first Black woman to be nominated for an Academy award for Best Actress but her life was cut short from an overdose in 1965. More than 30 years after her death, Dandridge’s life was brought to the small screen in the HBO biopic Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. Halle Berry was tapped to play the lead role and for her depiction of Dandridge, she earned critical acclaim and numerous awards including an Emmy and a Golden Globe.
- Nia Long Isn’t Happy With How The Boston Celtics Handled Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal
- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
Ray
Comedian Jamie Foxx was used to bringing his audience to tears with laughter but he had to step out of his comfort zone in order to play legendary musician Ray Charles. The 2004 film covered the span of over 30 years of Charles’ life. Kerry Washington, Regina King and Larenz Tate also starred in the film. Charles was slated to attend the opening of the film but passed away from liver disease several months before Ray was released. Foxx won the coveted Oscar gold for Best Actor for his portrayal of “Georgia On My Mind” singer.
- Nia Long Isn’t Happy With How The Boston Celtics Handled Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal
- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
The Jacksons: An American Dream
When the story of the Jackson family was ready to be brought to the small screen, producers of the miniseries realized they needed more than just two hours to tell the whole story. Based on Katherine Jackson’s autobiography My Family, The Jacksons: An American Dream focused on one of the most successful musical families in history and the massive success of the group The Jackson 5. With an all-star cast that included Vanessa Williams, Holly Robinson Peete, Billy Dee Williams, Angela Bassett and Terrence Howard, the miniseries remains one of the most popular musical biopics of all time.
- Nia Long Isn’t Happy With How The Boston Celtics Handled Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal
- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
The Josephine Baker Story
Dancer/singer Josephine Baker was the first Black woman to star in a major motion film and become a world famous entertainer but her contributions to the Civil Rights movement were just as important as her work on the stage. In 1991, HBO brought Baker’s life to its audience in The Josephine Baker Story with Lynn Whitfield playing the lead actress. Unlike most biographical films, this one dug deep into Baker’s personal life as much as her public one. Lou Gossett, Jr. and Craig T. Nelson also rounded out the cast.
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- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
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- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
Malcolm X
Only filmmaker Spike Lee could bring Civil Right leader Malcolm X to the big screen. Denzel Washington played the iconic leader in the three-hour movie. Chronicling his life from his incarceration to his conversion to Islam and his rise and subsequent fallout with the Nation of Islam and his assassination, Lee recruited Angela Bassett to play his stoic wife Betty Shabazz. Washington was nominated for an Academy award but after he lost Best Actor to Al Pacino, Lee was vocal about his criticism and insisted that he was robbed.
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- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
Basquiat
Rappers like Jay Z and Swizz Beatz have helped bring Jean-Michel Basquiat back in the popular eye lately but before the Brooklyn-born painter’s name was dropped in numerous rap songs, his life was the basis of a 1996 biopic. Actor Jeffrey Wright plays the title role in Basquiat with David Bowie as his friend Andy Warhol. Tragically, Basquiat died at the age of 27 in 1988 becoming part of the small group of celebrities who died from an overdose at the same age.
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- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
Ali
Actor Will Smith had to buff up to play the convincing role of Muhammed Ali in his 2001 biopic. Ali covered ten years of the champion boxer’s life from winning the title from Sonny Liston and converting to Islam to his return from banishment to fight Joe Frazier and reclaiming the title from George Foreman in 1974. Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett-Smith joined her husband in the film and played Ali’s first wife Sonji Roi. Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight and Mario Van Peebles rounded out the cast.
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- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
The Rosa Parks Story
Angela Bassett is used to portraying real-life people for the silver screen. In 2002, CBS aired The Rosa Parks Story, which focused on the woman who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger and helped kick the Civil Rights movement into high gear with the Montgomery bus boycott. It also delved into her past and highlighted the segregation in the South, particularly in Alabama. Cicely Tyson played Parks mother in the television biopic. Bassett won an NAACP Image Award for her portrayal of Parks.
- Nia Long Isn’t Happy With How The Boston Celtics Handled Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal
- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story
During the mid 90’s, there was no bigger musical act than TLC. T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli dominated the airwaves, sold millions of records and sparked the trend of wearing baggy clothes backwards but the group shocked the world when they announced they were flat broke. CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story followed the girl group’s rise to fame, subsequent bankruptcy, friction within the group and the death of Left Eye. More than 4.5 million viewers tuned in to watch their story making it the highest rated film television premiere of the year.
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- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
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Lady Sings The Blues
Diva Diana Ross is a legendary singer in her own right but in 1972 she played another famous singer in Lady Sings The Blues. The film was loosely based on jazz singer Billie Holiday’s autobiography. Battling with a drug addiction and several arrests, the film ends with Holiday’s triumphant return to the stage with the sold-out show at the iconic Carnegie Hall. Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor also co-starred in the movie which made over $19 million at the box office.
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- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
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Why Do Fools Fall In Love
Frankie Lymon had a hit song in the 60’s but he was also a hit with the ladies. In the movie Why Do Fools Fall In Love, Larenz Tate plays Lymon and although he was the lead singer of Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers for one year, his legacy was marred after his death when three women came forward and claimed to be his wife. Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox and Lela Rochon played Lymon’s love interests while Little Richard made a cameo appearance as himself.
- Nia Long Isn’t Happy With How The Boston Celtics Handled Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal
- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
Hotel Rwanda
In 1994 the Rwandan genocide made international headlines and ten years later it was the basis for the historical film Hotel Rwanda. Actor Don Cheadle played hotelier Paul Rusesabagina who risked his life to help his family and more than a thousand other refugees by using his hotel as shelter. The film also exposed the political corruption and the repercussions of violence from the genocide. Hotel Rwanda was nominated for numerous awards including Best Actor for Cheadle.
- Nia Long Isn’t Happy With How The Boston Celtics Handled Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal
- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
Antwone Fisher
Someone’s past doesn’t necessarily dictate his or her future and that is the underlying premise for the film Antwone Fisher. Derek Luke is the lead character, who came into the U.S Navy with a violent history and was ordered to seek psychiatric treatment and eventually opens up to Dr. Jerome Davenport, played by Denzel Washington. Fisher learns to forgive others for his past and finally finds the family he’s been looking for. Based on the autobiography Finding Fish, the film marks Washington’s directorial debut.
- Nia Long Isn’t Happy With How The Boston Celtics Handled Ime Udoka’s Cheating Scandal
- Tyler Perry And Byron Allen Are In Talks To Acquire BET From Paramount
- A Bathroom Emergency, A Baby Name Reveal — A$AP Rocky Had The Busiest Week Ever
- Lenny Kravitz Maintains Rock God Status With Bubble Bath Thirst Trap And A Phone Call From Denzel Washington During Performance
- Georgia Judge Prohibits Tiffany Haddish From Drinking And Ingesting Illegal Substances
