The movie poster for Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself is on the Internet and it features Taraji’s face in a rose (see above).  Not sure how I feel about this image – it reminds me of something from Glamour Shots in the ’90’s!  Here is the plot summary:

Plot summary: When Madea, America’s favorite pistol-packing grandma, catches sixteen-year-old Jennifer and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt April. Initially wanting nothing to do with the kids, April learns along the way that she can change her old ways and become a better person. But it takes a lot of work and the help of a handsome Mexican immigrant who moves in with April to push her to change.

I Can Do Bad All By Myself stars Taraji, Tyler Perry and Mary J. Blige in her first role since Prison Song.  The movie is in theatres September 11th, 2009.  I know you are looking forward to this movie but are you feeling this teaser image?

You may have heard rumblings of Will Smith doing a remake of the ’80’s classic The Karate Kid. Well, now it’s official – Taraji P. Henson told MTV that she is starring in the remake, along with Jaden Smith — Henson will play his mother. The original 1984 Karate Kid was a media sensation, making Ralph Macchio a star and grossing over 90 million at the box office.

Published reports claim the movie will be renamed The Kung Fu Kid. Here is what Henson told MTV:

A new actor has signed on to star alongside Smith’s son and she’s a red-hot Oscar nominee coming off “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”

“I’m off to Beijing [soon] to work on a film,” actress Taraji P. Henson revealed to us Sunday afternoon on the red carpet of the MTV Movie Awards. “They’re remaking ‘The Karate Kid.’”

Jackie Chan is also in talks to be part of the project.

Gotta love Taraji, she is steadily working. According to IMDB.com, she has several films in the works: Hurricane Season (Forest Whitaker, Lil’ Wayne), I Can Do Bad All by Myself (Tyler Perry, Mary J. Blige), Peep World (Sarah Silverman) and now The Karate Kid.

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In the photography world there is a difference between being “naked” and “nude.”  The image above of Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson is what you call “nude.”

The artsy picture is from InStyle Magazine for the sexy celebrity edition.  Congrats to the photographer — everything about the picture is beautiful, classy and elegant. Furthermore, (this is no insult to King, Maxim and other booty magazines), but isn’t it great to see a Black woman posing (versus sticking her butt out) in such a graceful manner?  Plus, it’s a black and white, you can see the angles of her body – wow!  Black women in the media are rarely presented in such a demur manner when it comes to their bodies.

Hooray for Taraji!  Oh -  she is 36 years old!  She is sitting down girls who are 20 years old.  Gotta love her!  We are all eagerly anticipating I Can Do Bad All By Myself and Hurricane.

What do you think of the image?

Check out the teaser trailer for Tyler Perry’s new film I Can Do Bad All By Myself,  which stars Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige and Brian White.

The plot summary:

When Madea, America’s favorite pistol-packing grandma, catches sixteen-year-old Jennifer and her two younger brothers looting her home, she decides to take matters into her own hands and delivers the young delinquents to the only relative they have: their aunt April. A heavy-drinking nightclub singer who lives off of Raymond, her married boyfriend, April wants nothing to do with the kids. But her attitude begins to change when Sandino, a handsome Mexican immigrant looking for work, moves into Apri’’s basement room. Making amends for his own troubled past, Sandino challenges April to open her heart. And April soon realizes she must make the biggest choice of her life: between her old ways with Raymond and the new possibilities of family, faith… and even true love.

The movie is due in theaters September 11, 2009.

The MTV Movie Award nominations are in and for the first time MTV let the people vote for the nominees. The final tally ended up with Twilight at seven and Slumdog Millionaire at six nominations — both are up for best picture.

Other nominations include Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious) for best male performance, Taraji P. Henson (Curious Case of Benjamin Button) for best female performance, Bobb’e J. Thompson (Role Models) for breakthrough performance male and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for best villain.  Of course The Dark Knight received nominations, including one for the late-great and Oscar winner Heath Ledger.

One surprise – no Will Smith for Hancock!

The 18th annual MTV Movie Awards airs Sunday, May 31st live at 9pm ET.  Eminem is confirmed as a performer and  Andy Samberg from Saturday Night Live will host the show.  Click here to vote!

The MTV Movie Awards is doing their first round of voting over at MTV.com for potential nominees. Out of thirty potentials, you vote for your fave to be the actual nominees, which will be announced on May 4th.

Taraji P. Henson is up for best actress in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Will Smith for Hancock and Vin Diesel for Fast & Furious are potentials for best actor.  Notorious is still getting love, Anthony Mackie and Jamal Woolard are both possibilities in the breakthrough performance male category — along with Brandon T. Jackson in Tropic Thunder. Plus, you can’t forget about Samuel L. Jackson, who is a three time MTV Movie Award nominee, can be voted for twice in the category of best villain for either Lakeview Terrace or The Spirit.

Click here to cast your vote!

The MTV Movie Awards airs Sunday, May 31st live at 9pm.

Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis are gracing the cover of Ebony Magazine for the May 2009 edition.  The two look amazing and it’s beautiful to see two Black actresses who are obviously happy they both achieved huge success this year.  Both Henson and Davis received Oscar nominations this year for best supporting actress.  Here is an excerpt from Ebony:

In an exclusive photo shoot for Ebony magazine’s May issue, Davis and Henson candidly talk about the challenges that continue to face Black actresses in Hollywood. “Black directors really don’t offer me movies,” says Davis, who takes no offense to this. “Most of the work I do is really in predominantly White films. That’s just how it works.”

That is awful to hear.  There aren’t many Black directors in Hollywood so which ones are turning down Viola Davis?  This issue of Ebony is on newstands Thursday, April 14th.

Check out the DVD releases for this week…

The award winning “Doubt” is on DVD today, which stars Meryl Streep and Viola Davis, who received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress.

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Keanu Reeves‘ end of the world thriller is available today.  Although bashed by critics, this DVD includes three discs, packed with bonus features.

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Mike Epps‘ stand up DVD, “Funny-Bidness,” hits the streets.  His raunchy but charismatic style is packed in this 90-minute special, which includes behind the scenes footage of Epps on the road.

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Written by T.D. Jakes, Not Easily Broken is officially available on DVD.  The movie stars Taraji P. Henson, Morris Chestnut and Jenifer Lewis.  Click here for our interviews with Chestnut and Lewis.

Despite a few appearances on television, Mary J. Blige has one acting credit to her name, which is 2001’s Prison Song. The movie starred Q-Tip, but tested poorly with audiences and eventually got a straight to DVD release. Now, according to Variety.com, Mary is an additional cast member to Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All by Myself, which stars Taraji P. Henson. The movie also includes Gladys Knight, Brian White and Madea is part of the cast.

Hopefully she’ll be on the soundtrack too!

You may not know Tristan Wilds’ name, but he is the lone Black dude on 90210. After a strong performance in The Secret Life of Bees the 19 year-old recently signed on to the World War II drama “Red Tails.” According to the Hollywood Reporter:

“Wilds will play Ray ‘Ray Gun’ Knight, a flyboy nearly blinded over Nazi-occupied Italy who becomes the wingman of his friend and cohort, Marty. The two face the prejudice of the U.S. military as much as the overseas enemy but end up establishing an unprecedented record.”

Tristan could be the next Will Smith!

Lionsgate is keeping the cash rolling in by signing on for two more Tyler Perry films, Why Did I Get Married Too and I Can Do Bad All by Myself.  Perry will write, direct and star in both of the films. In addition, Taraji P. Henson will star in I Can Do Bad All by Myself and everyone from the original cast of Why Did I Get Married? will join for the sequel — even Miss Janet. According to Variety, “Bad, which features Perry’s Madea character, is set for release Sept. 11. Why Did I Get Married Too, a sequel to 2007’s Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married, has been set for release on April 2, 2010, the start of next year’s Easter weekend.

Oscar nominee Angela Bassett is turning director in the movie United States, along with her husband Courtney Vance. According to the Hollywood Reporter, ‘The actress will make her directorial debut with United States, an indie feature she will also produce with her Bassett/ Vance Prods. partner and husband Courtney B. Vance.

States, based on the novel Erasure by Percival Everett, is a dramatic comedy about Monk Ellison, a prominent black literary figure who writes a faux autobiography from the perspective of a barely literate hoodlum to decry what is wrong with the glorification of ‘ghetto’ culture. But when the book is lauded as a possible contender for the National Book Award, he must choose between pride and fame.”

Congrats to Angela Bassett! It is good to hear about more women of color behind the scenes.