OSCAR® WINNERS BLANCHETT, LETO, MCCONAUGHEY AND NYONG’O TO RETURN AS PRESENTERS AT 87TH OSCARS®

Posted on February 4, 2015 by blackchickmedia

February 4, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OSCAR® WINNERS BLANCHETT, LETO, MCCONAUGHEY AND NYONG’O
TO RETURN AS PRESENTERS AT 87TH OSCARS®

LOS ANGELES, CA — Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey and Lupita Nyong’o, last year’s Oscar winners in the leading actress, supporting actor and supporting actress categories, will return to present at this year’s Oscars, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. The Oscars, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, will air on Sunday, February 22, live on ABC.

“The great tradition of having the previous year’s Oscar-winning best actors and actresses in all 4 categories happily continues this year with the amazing quartet of Cate, Jared, Matthew and Lupita. We’re thrilled to have them back,” says Zadan and Meron.

Blanchett has been nominated for six Oscars and has won two, including last year’s award for “Blue Jasmine.” Her previous win was for Actress in a Supporting Role for the 2004 film “The Aviator.” Blanchett also received leading actress nominations for “Elizabeth” (1998) and “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2007), and supporting actress nominations for “Notes on a Scandal” (2006) and “I’m Not There” (2007).

Last year, Leto won the Oscar for Actor in a Supporting Role and McConaughey for Actor in a Leading Role, both for “Dallas Buyer’s Club.” Nyong’o took home the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role for “12 Years a Slave.”

The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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Your Dreams Are Valid

Posted on March 11, 2014 by snicoleharper

What or who defines your validity? Why did the stunning Lupita use such a simple yet, soul searching word?

“I want to be a __________ when I grow up.” These are the blissfully flown words that fall from the lips of our innocence. We dream big; without fear, without care of what others think; with the simply laid plan, that all you need is that pink tutu engraved with lace ruffles, as you twirl to hearts content. The little girl we use to be becomes a woman. The flame of our fairytale is quickly quenched by the reality of our first broken heart, capitalism, false beauty, low socially constructed moral price tags, childbirth…you name it…life happens! The fortunate ones find a way to not allow for the flame to completely go out, but struggle to find a way to chase after it with the fervor they use to possess.
The night of the Oscars my Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook flooded with the pride and matched excitement that so radiantly overflowed from Lupita. Lupita’s words shined just as bright as her powder blue Prada dress against her Kenyan sun blessed skin. We watched with smiles gracing our faces as she accepted her award, realizing that Patsey stood there also. Out of her pain manifested triumph. Her winning in that very moment, again gave us as Black Women, the innocence and optimism toward the old cliché that “dreams do come true”. Not only do they come true, they mean something. Our dreams, when achieved, leave a legacy to soothe the souls and motivate the woman of color who think their flame has flickered out. My sister…you, your dreams, your thoughts, your everyday grind towards excellence is VALID!

S. Nicole Harper

Image by Vogue via http://www.nexus2africa.com/oscar-buzz-for-5-african-actors/

The Lupita Hate Must Cease

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Cynfinite

Lupita Nyong’o receiving her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress
(photo via x)

Too many people who are disliked on social media for being trollers/haters get excited when there is something new the world is unfolding for.

That just happens to be Lupita.

Lupita Nyong’o, the 31-year old Yale grad, has been turning heads and giving seizures in the form of “YAAAAAAS, HUNTY! SLAY!” since her portrayal of Patsey in Steve McQueen’s 2013 hit film, “12 Years A Slave.” From her performance in the film that was truly nothing less than superb, to her plethora of colorful and captivating red carpet and television appearance looks that has her on the top of the radar on every style magazine, blog, and television special around, Lupita is WINNING. Add her absolute humbleness, her adorable demeanor, and the public speeches she’s made about beauty and validation of dreams, she’s a bonafide badass.

But unfortunately, many people don’t like this. They don’t like this sudden advocacy for Lupita and what she stands for, which is a woman from the motherland who came to America, attended one of the top schools in the United States, did superb in her first film, and won a crapload of awards, including the most prestigious film award out there: an Oscar, all while having very little to no hair (against the ideas of femininity) and being dark skinned (a shade automatically considered ugly). Lupita is winning against the norm, and that is rattling chains. Men and women, black and white, have tried to compare Lupi to men, have tried to get us to confess that she’s not that cute, and that we’re just hyping her up, have tried to say that we, as People of Color, haven’t won through her and the cast/crew of “12 Years A Slave,” because white people get off on seeing slavery films… The list combats the Great Wall of China in longest shit ever.

But why are you mad?

Lupita has done nothing but educate herself in her craft, done her research, show up to work on set and SLAY, remain humble and adorable during interviews, waltzing onto red carpets in garments blessed by The Lord and SLAYING, and inspiring dark skin black girls (especially), and everyone else who has a dream they think they can’t conquer, that you and those dreams are valid.

Lupita is living in her truth. She is succeeding, which is more than I can say for the rest of you who feel compelled to attempt degradation for your own insecurities. She works hard to be praised to oblivion. She works hard for recognition. She works hard, man. Those who work hard and who live with an open mind and heart deserve the world.

And she’s gonna get it.

You don’t HAVE to find her beautiful, and you didn’t HAVE to cry in the scene everyone knows oh too well that had us biting at our fists, trying to hold back the rivers of empathy that strolled down our eyes. If you don’t care for her, that’s fine. This is for the people that don’t care for her and want to make it KNOWN. The ones who find tweets and posts of people who care deeply for her and who make rude, unnecessary, and ignorant comments to have their mentions filled with response. For those who want to start an uproar, who want to disagree with the majority, and who, at the end of the day, sign out of twitter/facebook/tumblr feeling empty because this is their only means of attention.

So if you wanna waste your time trying to blow our, and Lupita’s, high because your life is in shambles and you don’t know how to fix it except to make others feel shitty so you’re not the only one, you can keep on dreaming.

Lupita is out here trying to tell us (ladies especially) that folks are gonna try and knock our crowns off, but wear that beacon like a halo, and you’re salty because you can’t take that advice and do something with your life other than to troll?

Goodbye.

It’s Officially Official, Awards Season is Upon Us

Posted on January 19, 2014 by blackchickmedia

…And how! With all the flurry and buzz of award shows lately, I’ve been negligent in my posting, and for that, I apologize. But I hope you’ve been live tweeting with BCM during the ceremonies! Personally, we think that’s more entertaining than the actual show…

Last week were the Globes, of the Golden variety, followed by the SAG-AFTRA awards last night (Congrats to Rita Moreno on her Lifetime Achievement Award! Her acceptance speech made me cry). Truth be told, the SAG’s are my favorite–there’s something about being nominated by your peers that just feels…Right. It’s not as hoity-toity as the Oscar’s and not as relaxed as the Globes. It feels less stuffy than the Critics’ Choice, and definitely more important than the People’s Choice (no but really, does anyone watch those?). While I would like nothing more than to enter into some rant and rave and endless diatribe about who should have won (Chiwetel Ejiofor & Lupita Nyong’o should have won every nomination. Come to that, we are SO happy Lupita won the Critics’ Choice & SAG, but yes, she should have grabbed that Globe), who was robbed (Judi Dench, ALWAYS. Philomena was undoubtedly the best film this season. And no one, not one person, can act better than the Dench, as far I’m concerned. Well, unless you throw in Meryl, whom we also adore and would love to see win. And then Idris Elba of course.), whose win perhaps should have been questioned (Jennifer Lawrence & American Hustle for numerous reasons…), and so on and so forth. The list is endless. While everyone can’t be a winner all of the time, most people we root for are never winners, any of the time. But, then again, as Oprah said (and you all know we have to live by what Oprah says), “We don’t do movies to win awards, we do movies to move people.”

While there are very important issues to discuss RE awards season (SEE: the lack of diversity and representation of people of color [I hate that term, I think it’s so problematic], (dis)ability and women–both in general and the notion of ageism), I’m not going into that today. Not this post. Not right now. Because what I’d really like to talk about is the FASHION! (I know, not where you thought I was going with this) With the (for the most part) quite sad, drab and dull looks at the Globes, I was happy to see Hollywood et al stepped it up in a gigantic way for the SAG’s.

For me, there was a three-way tie for best dressed: Lupita Nyong’o in Gucci, Phyllis Logan in Libby Lulu & Helen Mirren in Escada.

Our second runners up were Cate Blanchett in a pretty pink Givenchy number, and a very preggers Kerry Washington in Prada.

Honorable mentions include Amy Adams, Camila Alves and Emma Thompson because she wore flats (and that rocks).

On the men’s side, Matt Damon was rather scrumptious (Did I really just?…) in a Dolce&Gabbana tux, and Christian Louboutin shoes. And Chiwetel Ejiofor in menswear label Rake and Prada shoes.

(OK so, I’m sorry we only have HALF of his body here. His girlfriend, Sari Mercer, was hanging all over him, all locked up in a tight grip as if someone was going to spirit him away…We had to cut her out…)

Best rock-star vibe and acceptance speech goes to Rita Moreno because, she’s Rita Moreno and RESPECT, but also because she sang twice, which brought tears to my eyes.

Also in this category is Lupita Nyong’o because her speech was heartfelt and true, “…Thank you for taking a flashlight & shining it underneath the floor boards of this nation and reminding us what it is we stand on.”

And because I like a good time as much as the next person (basically I just want to party with these two), best photobomb of the night goes to both Emma Thompson & Phyllis Logan.

Awards seasons always fascinate me (in a good & bad way). 2014 has been rather disappointing so far, award & fashion wise (No win for Downton Abbey? I’m not so upset about the show, just that Phyllis was unable to give an acceptance speech, and as we saw from last year, she gives the BEST acceptance speeches #ShuttheFrenchWindows. And wait, WHAT?! Did I just hear correctly? She doesn’t have a SAG card?! Someone rectify this STAT. I suppose she should be my next film…I’m just saying), but let’s see what the Oscar’s give us, shall we?

Love

BCM