Rosario Dawson Earns Two Black Reel TV Awards Nominations

Rosario Dawson is reeling in the recognition…

The Black Reel TV Awards nominations have been revealed, with the 43-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actress and activist earning two nods.

Rosario DawsonDawson is nominated in the Outstanding Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series category for her performance in HBO Max’s limited series DMZ.

She is also nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series category for her performance in Hulu’s limited series Dopesick.

Colman Domingo is nominated in the Outstanding Guest Actor, Drama Series category.

The 52-year-old Guatemalan American actor earned the callout for his work on HBO’s Euphoria.

 

Nadine Velazquez and Kasseem Swizz Beatz Dean earned a nod in the Outstanding Original Song category for their single “Nasty Girls,” from the ABC series Queens.

Velazquez, a  Puerto Rican actress/singer, earned the nod as a performer, while Swizz Beatz, a half-Puerto Rican recording artist, music producer and entrepreneur, co-wrote the single.

Latina music supervisor Mary Ramos earned a nod in the Outstanding Music Supervision category for her work on the Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Saga.

The Black Reel Awards annually recognize the excellence of African Americans, as well as the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora, in the global film and television industry.

“This is a big transitional year for Black television,” said Black Reel Awards founder Tim Gordon. “With the conclusion of perennial Black Reel favorites like This Is Us, Insecure and Black-ish and more, it is wonderful to see that there are so many new shows, new stories and outlets willing to add these refreshing and new stories to their programming.”

Here’s a look at the nominees:

COMEDY

Outstanding Comedy Series

  • “Abbott Elementary” | Quinta Brunson, showrunner (ABC)
  • “Atlanta” | Stephen Glover, showrunner (FX)
  • “Black-ish” | Courtney Lilly, showrunner (ABC)
  • “Insecure” | Prentice Penny, showrunner (HBO)
  • “South Side” | Bashir Salahuddin & Diallo Riddle, showrunners (HBO Max)

Outstanding Actor, Comedy Series

  • Anthony Anderson | “black-ish” (ABC)
  • Don Cheadle | “Black Monday” (Showtime)
  • Donald Glover | “Atlanta” (FX)
  • Keegan-Michael Key | “Schmigadoon!” (Apple TV+)
  • Lamorne Morris | “Woke” (HULU)

Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series

  • Quinta Brunson | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • Regina Hall | “Black Monday” (Showtime)
  • Issa Rae | “Insecure” (HBO)
  • Tracee Ellis Ross | “black-ish” (ABC)
  • Robin Thede | “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Comedy Series

  • Jay Ellis | “Insecure” (HBO)
  • Brian Tyree Henry | “Atlanta” (FX)
  • Dulé Hill | “The Wonder Years” (ABC)
  • LaKeith Stanfield | “Atlanta” (FX)
  • Tyler James Williams | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Comedy Series

  • Zazie Beetz | “Atlanta” (FX)
  • Janelle James | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • Yvonne Orji | “Insecure” (HBO)
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • Natasha Rothwell | “Insecure” (HBO)

Outstanding Directing, Comedy Series

  • “Abbott Elementary” (“Ava v. The Superintendent”) | Matthew A. Cherry, director (ABC)
  • “Atlanta” (“Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga”) | Donald Glover, director (FX)
  • “Atlanta” (“Tarrare”) | Donald Glover, director (FX)
  • “The Flight Attendant” (“Drowning Women”) | Pete Chatmon, director (HBO Max)
  • The Wonder Years (“Love & War”) | Numa Perrier, director (ABC)

Outstanding Writing, Comedy Series

  • “Abbott Elementary” (“Pilot”) | Quinta Brunson, writer (ABC)
  • “Atlanta” (“Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga”) | Donald Glover, writer (FX)
  • “Atlanta” (“Three Slaps”) | Stephen Glover, writer (FX)
  • “Insecure” (“Out, Okay?”) | Issa Rae, writer (HBO)
  • “Ted Lasso” (“Do the Right-est Thing”) | Ashley Nicole Black, writer (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Guest Actor, Comedy Series

  • Reggie Hayes | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • Lil Rel Howery | “South Side” (HBO Max)
  • Orlando Jones | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
  • Sam Richardson | “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+)
  • Kofi Siriboe | “Insecure” (HBO)

Outstanding Guest Actress, Comedy Series

  • Quinta Brunson | “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)
  • Lizzo | “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
  • Michelle Obama | “black-ish” (ABC)
  • Adriyan Rae | “Atlanta” (FX)
  • Da’Vine Joy Randolph | “Only Murders in the Building” (HULU)

DRAMA

Outstanding Drama Series

  • “Bel-Air” | Morgan Cooper, showrunner (Peacock)
  • “Euphoria” | Sam Levinson, showrunner (HBO)
  • “Lupin” | George Kay, showrunner (Netflix)
  • “This Is Us” | Dan Fogelman, showrunner (NBC)
  • “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” | Max Borenstein, showrunner (HBO)

Outstanding Actor, Drama Series

  • Sterling K. Brown | “This Is Us” (NBC)
  • Chiwetel Ejiofor | “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (Showtime)
  • Damson Idris | “Snowfall” (FX)
  • Omar Sy | “Lupin” (Netflix)
  • Forest Whitaker | “Godfather of Harlem” (EPIX)

Outstanding Actress, Drama Series

  • Tawny Cypress | “Yellowjackets” (Showtime)
  • Naomie Harris | “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (Showtime)
  • Queen Latifah | “The Equalizer” (CBS)
  • Patina Miller | “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” (Starz)
  • Zendaya | “Euphoria” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Drama Series

  • Giancarlo Esposito | “Better Call Saul” (AMC)
  • Wood Harris | “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (HBO)
  • Adrian Holmes | “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
  • Clarke Peters | “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (Showtime)
  • Olly Sholotan | “Bel-Air” (Peacock)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series

  • Adjoa Andoh | “Bridgerton” (Netflix)
  • Coco Jones | “Bel-Air” (Peacock)
  • Audra McDonald | “The Gilded Age” (HBO)
  • Lorraine Toussaint | “The Equalizer” (CBS)
  • Susan Kelechi Watson | “This Is Us” (NBC)

Outstanding Directing, Drama Series

  • “Bel-Air” (Dreams and Nightmares”) | Morgan Cooper, director (Peacock)
  • “Better Call Saul” (“Axe and Grind”) | Giancarlo Esposito, director (AMC)
  • “Bridgerton” (“The Viscount Who Loved Me”) | Cheryl Dunye, director (Netflix)
  • “This Is Us” (“Our Little Island Girl: Part Two”) | Kevin Hooks, director (NBC)
  • “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (“Pieces of a Man”) | Tanya Hamilton, director (HBO)

Outstanding Writing, Drama Series

  • “Bel-Air” (“Dreams and Nightmares”) | Malcolm Spellman, Morgan Cooper, TJ Brady & Rasheed Newsome, writers (Peacock)
  • “Snowfall” (“Celebration”) | Walter Mosley, writer (FX)
  • “This Is Us” (“Every Version of You”) | Kay Oyegun, writer (NBC)
  • “This Is Us” (“Our Little Island Girl”) | Eboni Freeman & Susan Kelechi Watson, writers (NBC)
  • “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” (“Acceptable Loss”) | Rodney Barnes & Max Borenstein, writers (HBO)

Outstanding Guest Actor, Drama Series

  • Colman Domingo | “Euphoria” (HBO)
  • Ron Cephas Jones | “This Is Us” (NBC)
  • Delroy Lindo | “The Good Fight” (Paramount +)
  • Jonathan Majors | “Loki” (Disney+)
  • Rob Morgan | “Stranger Things” (Netflix)

Outstanding Guest Actress, Drama Series

  • Rosario Dawson | “The Book of Boba Fett” (Disney+)
  • Whoopi Goldberg | “Star Trek: Picard” (Paramount+)
  • Cush Jumbo | “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)
  • Sanaa Lathan | “Succession” (HBO)
  • CCH Pounder | “The Good Fight” (Paramount+)

TV Movie or Limited Series

Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series

  • “Colin in Black & White” | Michael Starrbury, showrunner (Netflix)
  • “DMZ” | Roberto Patino, showrunner (HBO Max)
  • “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” | Diane Houslin, showrunner (Apple TV+)
  • “True Story” | Eric Newman, showrunner (Netflix)
  • “We Own This City” | George Pelecanos, showrunner (HBO)

Outstanding Actor,TV Movie/Limited Series

  • William Jackson Harper | “Love Life” (HBO Max)
  • Kevin Hart | “True Story” (Netflix)
  • Derek Luke | American Refugee (EPIX)
  • Samuel L. Jackson | “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (Apple TV+)
  • Jaden Michael | “Colin in Black & White” (Netflix)

Outstanding Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series

  • Viola Davis | “The First Lady” (Showtime)
  • Rosario Dawson | “DMZ” (HBO Max)
  • Cynthia Erivo | “Roar” (Apple TV+)
  • Zoe Kravitz | Kimi (HBO Max)
  • Wunmi Mosaku | “We Own This City” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie/Limited Series

  • Michael Ealy | “The Woman Who in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window” (Netflix)
  • Jamie Hector | “We Own This City” (HBO)
  • David Oyelowo | “The Girl Before” (HBO Max)
  • Wesley Snipes | “True Story” (Netflix)
  • Glynn Turman | “Women of the Movement” (ABC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series

  • Rosario Dawson | “Dopesick” (HULU)
  • Dominique Fishback | “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (Apple TV+)
  • Regina Hall | “Nine Perfect Stranger” (HULU)
  • Moses Ingram | “Obi-Wan Kenobi” (Disney+)
  • Natasha Rothwell | “The White Lotus” (HBO)

Outstanding Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series

  • “Colin in Black & White” (“Cornrows”) | Ava DuVernay, director (Netflix)
  • “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (“Ptolemy”) | Hanelle C. Culpepper, director (Apple TV+)
  • “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (“Robyn”) | Debbie Allen, director (Apple TV+)
  • “We Own This City” | Reinaldo Marcus Green, director (HBO)
  • “Women of the Movement” (“Mother and Son”) | Gina Prince-Bythewood, director (ABC)

Outstanding Writing, TV Movie/Limited Series

  • “Colin in Black & White” (“Cornrows”) | Michael Starrbury, writer (Netflix)
  • “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (”Ptolemy”) | Walter Mosley, writer (Apple TV+)
  • “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (”Robyn”) | Walter Mosley & Jerome Hairston, writer (Apple TV+)
  • “Maid” (“Sea Glass”) | Marcus Gardley, writer (Netflix)
  • “We Own This City” (“Part Three”) | D. Watkins, writer (HBO)

DOCUMENTARY

Outstanding Documentary

  • “Biography: Bobby Brown” | J. Kevin Swain, director (A&E)
  • “Black and Missing” | Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha M. Knowles, Yoruba Richen & Nadia Hallgren, directors (HBO)
  • “JANET JACKSON” | Benjamin Hirsch, director (A&E)
  • “They Call Me Magic” | Rick Famuyiwa, director (Apple TV+)
  • “We Need to Talk About Cosby” | W. Kamau Bell, director (Showtime)

VARIETY / TALK / SKETCH – Series or Special

Outstanding Talk/Sketch/Variety Series or Special

  • “The Amber Ruffin Show” | Jason Carden, Jennifer Sochko, Zoie Mancino, producers (Peacock)
  • “A Black Lady Sketch Show” | Robin Thede, showrunner (HBO)
  • Dave Chappelle: The Closer | Sina Sadighi, producer (Netflix)
  • Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel | Bo Burnham, Jerrod Carmichael, Eli Bush, Josh Senior, Matthew Vaughn, executive producers (HBO)
  • “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” | Jen Flanz, showrunner (Comedy Central)

MUSIC

Outstanding Music Supervision

  • “Atlanta” (FX) | Jen Malone, music supervisor
  • “Bridgerton” (Netflix) | Alexandra Patsavas, music supervisor
  • “Euphoria” (HBO) | Jen Malone, music supervisor
  • “Insecure” (HBO) | Kier Lehman, music supervisor
  • “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” (HULU) | Mary Ramos, music supervisor

Outstanding Musical Score

  • “Bridgerton” | Kris Bowers, composer (Netflix)
  • “Euphoria” | Labrinth, composer (HBO)
  • “Insecure” | Raphael Saadiq, composer (HBO)
  • “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” | Nicholas Britell & Robert Glasper (HBO)
  • “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” | RZA, composer (HULU)

Outstanding Original Song

  • “All I Know” (The Wonder Years) | Scotty Grand, performer; Scotty Grand, Jacob Yoffee & Roahn Hylton, writers – ABC
  • “Change” (We the People) | H.E.R. performer; Flippa, Max Moore, Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, H.E.R. & Swagg R’Celious, writers – Netflix
  • “Get It Girl” (Insecure) | Saweetie & Raedio, performers; Fresh Kid Ice, Luther Campbell, Lil’ Jon, David Hobbs, Liana Banks & Saweetie, writers – HBO
  • “I’m Tired” (Euphoria) | Labrinth & Zendaya, performers; Labrinth, Zendaya & Sam Levinson, writers – HBO
  • “Nasty Girl” (Queens) | Brandy, Eve, Naturi Naughton, Nadine Velazquez, performers; Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges & Algernod “Piles” Lanier Washington, writers – ABC

Veronica Rodriguez Signs with Verve

Veronica Rodriguez has new representation…

The Mexican American writer, director and producer has signed with Verve.

Veronica RodriguezRodriguez’s feature directorial debut, the television movie Let’s Get Merried for VH1 and MTV, followed a hard-partying, down-on-her-luck holiday-hater who decided to get married at a Christmas-themed adventure park to a man she hadn’t yet met, netting her an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Directing.

She’s currently a co-producer on Netflix’s comedy series Freeridge, and previously staffed on Disney’s Gabby Duran & The Unsittables, also directing an episode of that series before staffing on HBO’s Betty. She also directed the short film Shoot, which was produced by and starred Insecure’s Jay Ellis.

The Bay Area native is a graduate of USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program who got her start working at Funny or Die, producing and directing original content for the platform including the viral hit, How To Become Legally Recognized As A F*ckboi. During her time at that company in 2018, she participated in the Sundance New Voices Lab, then being recognized as a Sundance Institute Latinx Fellow for 2019.

Rodriguez was also a part of the 2019 Viacom ViewFinder Director Program, and Refinery 29’s Shatterbox initiative. She continues to be represented by Writ Large.

Paramount+ Gives 10-Episode Series Order to “The Game” Reboot, Starring Original Cast Member Hosea Chanchez

Hosea Chanchez is getting back in the game

Paramount+ has given a 10-episode series order to its reboot of The CW and BET dramedy The Game, with the 47-year-old Dominican American actor and fellow original cast member Wendy Raquel Robinson reprising their roles.

Hosea Chanchez,

Robinson, who also stars in Insecure, will return as sports agent Tasha Mack, and Chanchez, who stars in Black Lightning, returns as footballer Malik Wright with several other legacy cast members making special appearances.

The series, which was created by Mara Brock Akil, originally launched as a half-hour comedy on The CW and ran for three seasons on the broadcast network. It subsequently moved to BET for six further seasons, breaking cable records, and became an hour-long dramedy.

The reboot, which was initially unveiled at Paramount+’s investor presentation, will be a half-hour series and will see American Soul’s Devon Greggory as showrunner and writer

The new series will relocate from San Diego to Las Vegas and will see new players offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football. The team will tackle racism, sexism, classism and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect and love—all while trying to maintain their souls as they each play The Game.

The 10-episode series is produced by CBS Studios, Akil Productions and Grammnet NH Productions.

“Fifteen years ago, I created The Game and am so proud of the success we had, and that I was able to create characters and stories that resonated with so many people,” said Mara Brock Akil. “I couldn’t be happier about leaving my beloved characters like Tasha Mack and Malik Wright in the hands of Devon, Wendy and Hosea, who I know will build off of the rich foundation the show has.”

“From the moment it debuted, The Game was a groundbreaking series that used humor, heart and memorable characters to explore real issues involving race, gender and, of course, football,” added Julie McNamara, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, Paramount+. “What better time for Devon and the whole team to reunite for a fresh look at a world that has only become more at-the-center of the cultural conversation today.”

The Game is a show I faithfully watched, with characters I grew to love, and now I have the honor of guiding them into the future,” said Greggory. “I’m simply thrilled to be hand-selected by Mara, Julie and CBS Studios to take over the creative reins of such an iconic and culturally significant series.”

“I love this show,” added Grammer. “I am very excited to see this new turn in its life and excited to wave the Paramount+ banner, as well. Grammnet NH Productions has been in business a long time and proudly explored diverse and inclusive material for decades. I am really looking forward to seeing this show on the air.”

La La Anthony to Executive Produce the Horror Comedy “Juju”

La La Anthony is dealing with some bad Juju

The 39-year-old Puerto Rican television personality, actress and entrepreneur has teamed up with Issa Rae for Juju.

La La Anthony

Anthony and Rae will executive produce the upcoming horror comedy for Universal Pictures, according to Deadline.com.

The project will be based on an original concept by Angelica Nwandu, founder of Instagram-based info hub The Shade Room and a Sundance fellow, who will write the script.

Juju will be the studio feature directorial debut for Thembi Banks, a Sundance alum who has been a director on Rae’s Insecure and Frankie Shaw’s SMILF.

Anthony to prominence as an MTV VJ on Total Request Live. She hosted several VH1 reality television reunion shows, including Flavor of Love and I Love New York.

 

Her acting credits include You Got Served, Think Like a Man and Starz’s Power series.

Gloria Calderón Kellett Teams Up with Natasha Rothwell for the HBO Max Film “We Were There, Too”

Gloria Calderón Kellett is There

The 45-year-old Latina television writer/producer, the co-creator and showrunner of Pop TV’s One Day at a Time has joined forces with Natasha Rothwell for We Were There, Too, a coming of age feature for HBO Max.

Gloria Calderón Kellett

Rothwell, a writer and star on HBO’s Insecure, co-wrote the screenplay with Calderón Kellett. 

They’ll produce the project with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter.

The film is a classic 80’s coming of age story set in John Hughes’ Chicago, but in this story the Brat Pack is in the background, and for the first time the focus is on the Brown kids, the LGBTQ kids, the Black kids, the real outsiders, because they were there, too.

Calderón Kellett currently serves as co-creator, co-showrunner, executive producer, director and actress on the critically acclaimed One Day At A Time, the reimagining of the classic 1970s sitcom from Norman Lear that moved from Netflix to Pop TV this season. She recently began a major overall deal with Amazon Studios.