Melanin excellence ensued this week when celebs swarmed Atlanta’s iPic Theater for a special screening of Tyler Perry’s latest project.
Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Netflix
On Monday, Netflix hosted a special screening of Beauty In Black streaming on Thursday, October 24.
Source: Beauty In Black / Netflix
As the creator, director, writer, and executive producer of the series, Tyler Perry introduced the screening, celebrating the cast and crew while also teasing exciting developments in the upcoming 16-episode series.
Source: Beauty In Black / Netflix
“This town, this city, this state has been really, really good to me, to us at Tyler Perry Studios, to the film industry, so I’m grateful that you all are here to watch the two first episodes that are going to be available on Netflix on October 24,” said Perry at the screening. “This is my crazy mind running, right? This is me writing a show that I just wanted to just let go and let crazy people live in my head and tell the story. This is about entertainment, this is about suspending yourself from our day-to-day lives and looking into some crazy people’s lives so we don’t have to deal with our own s*** every day. Sometimes you just want to just get a break. Well, this is that this is that break thatand hoping, that’ll just let you be able to release all of the stuff and fall in love with these characters.”
Source: Beauty In Black / Netflix
He also praised the series’ leads Taylor Polidore Williams (Kimmie) and Crystle Stewart (Mallory) and his talented team at Tyler Perry Studios.
“What I want everybody to know you [is] when you have people like Crystle and Taylor and all these incredible young, beautiful actors who come and they put their gifts and their time in your hands, and for somebody like me, I know that I have to honor that—you can’t take advantage of it, you can’t misuse it,” said Perry.
Taylor Polidore Williams, Tyler Perry, Crystle Stewart, Source: Paras Griffin / Getty Images for Netflix
“I couldn’t sleep at night if I did something like that. So to have these incredible people come with their dreams and in their hands and say, ‘Okay, help me’ and to see this, not only for Beauty In Black but for the hundreds of other people on all of these shows from Sistas to The Oval—to see people have their dreams come true, I‘m grateful for that.”
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Netflix’s Beauty In Black Cast Detail Their Characters To BOSSIP
On the carpet, the cast detailed their characters to BOSSIP and shared a potential theme song that encapsulates their Beauty In Black story arc.
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Taylor Polidore Williams shared that Kimmie will take watchers on a wild ride in the must-watch series and Beyoncé’s “16 Carriages” defines her journey.
Source: Beauty In Black / Netflix
“She’s on a long journey to get to where she’s gonna go, but she’s gonna get there.”
Similarly, Crystle Stewart, said that her character Mallory should hear the tune of another Beyoncé song; “Alien Superstar”, which ties into her superstar status
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
“She has two sides to her, b*** and b***er,” said the actress. “She has this public persona that she’s carefully crafted, she’s really nice, friendly in public, people love her; behind closed doors she’s a conniving b***.”
For TS Madison, her character Daga is so conniving that she only has one thing on her mind.
“Oooh, it’s something bad,” said TS while singing along to Rihanna’s “B*** Better Have My Money.” “When Mr. Perry calle dme and said, ‘You’re too pretty for this part!’ I said, ‘No, I can do this. I know this cahracter. I’m excited to see how it comes to life. I’m very excited and nervous because I don’t know what the audience outlook is gonna be.”
Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Netflix
Richard Lawson who plays Norman, one patriarchs in the series, shared that the character’s theme songs could include “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and Smokey Robinson’s “Ooo Baby Baby” with lyrics from Sly & The Family Stone’s “Are You Ready.”
“Don’t hate the black, don’t hate the white If you get bit, just hate the bite,” said Lawson.
Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Netflix
Bryan Tanaka shared that his character Officer Alex is all about his money, so Future’s “F**k Up Some Commas” would be most appropriate…
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
while Ursula O. Robinson said West Coast poet laureate Too Short has the perfect theme song for Delinda.
“Blow the whistle, that’s her theme song,” said Robinson.
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Following the screening, Netflix treated guests to a post-reception at Serena, where the conversation buzzed about Perry’s new venture and what’s to come in the groundbreaking series.
Source: Beauty In Black / Netflix
Notable attendees included Debbi Morgan, Xavier Smalls, Julian Horton, Steven G. Norfleet, Charles Malik Whitfield, Ts Madison, Amber Reign Smith, Terrell Carter, Shannon Wallace, Ricco Ross, Ashley Versher, Bryan Tanaka, Joy Rovaris, Ursula O Robinson, George Middlebrook, Tamera “Tee” Kissen, Jivanta Roberts, Ralph Pittman (Real Housewives of Atlanta), Tamika Scott (actress/singer-songwriter), Jalyn Hall (actor), Eva Marcille (actress/model), Lala Ahari (TV personality), Blue Kimble (actor), and Tiny Harris (singer-songwriter).
Source: Beauty In Black / Netflix
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
About Beauty In Black:
Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black explores the lives of two women, Kimmie (Taylor Polidore Williams), who is struggling after being kicked out by her mother, and Mallory (Crystle Stewart), who runs a successful business. Their lives become unexpectedly intertwined as the series delves into their personal journeys.
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The cast features Taylor Polidore Williams as Kimmie, Crystle Stewart as Mallory, Amber Reign Smith as Rain, Ricco Ross as Horace, Debbi Morgan as Olivia, Richard Lawson as Norman, Steven G. Norfleet as Charles, Julian Horton as Roy, Terrell Carter as Varney, Shannon Wallace as Calvin, Bryan Tanaka as Officer Alex, Joy Rovaris as Gillian, Xavier Smalls as Angel, Charles Malik Whitfield as Jules, Tamera “Tee” Kissen as Body, Ursula O. Robinson as Delinda, Ashley Versher as Lena, George Middlebrook as Officer Trackson.
Tyler Perry is creator, director, writer and executive producer. Beauty in Black is a Tyler Perry Studios production. The producers include Will Areu, Angi Bones and Tony L. Strickland for Tyler Perry Studios. Hair Department Head is Shornell Young. Make-Up Department Head is Syretta Bell. Costume Designer is Raiyonda Vereen. Music by Wow Jones & JimiJame$.