Actress Jane Fonda Hosts 'Sing Sing' Screening

Colman Domingo and Jane Fonda

Hosted by Jane Fonda



From the film: Writer-director-producer Greg Kwedar and cast Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin, and musician Abraham Alexander ("Like a Bird," Sing Sing Original Soundtrack)

Additional guests: Ariana DeBose, Rosario Dawson, Ron Perlman, Eric Roberts, Saffron Burrows, Cheri Oteri and others

WINNER - NATIONAL SOCIETY OF FILM CRITICS

Best Actor - Colman Domingo

WINNER - GOTHAM AWARDS

Outstanding Lead Performance - Colman Domingo

Outstanding Supporting Performance - Clarence Maclin

2024 Gotham Social Justice Tribute

NOMINEE - GOLDEN GLOBES

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama - Colman Domingo

NOMINEE - 5 CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble, Best Adapted Screenplay

Synopsis:

Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men, including a wary newcomer (Clarence Maclin), in this stirring true story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art, starring an unforgettable ensemble cast of formerly incarcerated actors. 

Directed by Greg Kwedar

Written by Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

Based on “The Sing Sing Follies” by John H. Richardson and “Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code” by Brent Buell 

Produced by Monique Walton, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar

Starring Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San Jose, Paul Raci, Sean "Dino" Johnson

 

In Memoriam

By Darlene Donloe

Many noteworthy people closed their eyes for the last time in 2024. They were writers, actors, directors, musicians, publicists, entertainment executives, activists, community leaders, and politicians. All were influential in their own way. Before leaving the planet, they made their mark and touched many lives. This column remembers their legacies and pays tribute to those who passed this way. Respect! 

JANUARY

Jan. 5 – Lucius ”Tal/Tawl” Ross,  guitarist of Funkadelic.  He was 75. 

Jan. 9 – Reggie Wells, makeup artist who worked on Michelle Obama, Oprah, Beyonce, Whitney Houston and more. He was 76. 

Jan. 12 – Josephine Wright resisted the development of the family’s Gullah land on Hilton Head Island. She was 94. 

Jan. 12 – Diane Larche, Larche Communications LLC's publicist, president, and CEO. She was 65. 

Jan. 15 - Ronald Powell, former NFL player. He was 32. 

Marlena Shaw

Jan. 19 – Marlena Shaw, singer (California Soul, Woman of the Ghetto). She was 81. 

Jan. 30 - Chita Rivera, the singer and actress who leaped to stardom in Broadway’s production of “West Side Story.” She was 91. 

Jan. 30 - Hinton Battle, Tony Award-winning actor. He was 67.

 

FEBRUARY

Feb. 1 – Joe Madison, civil rights and radio legend.  He was 74. 

Carl Weather

Feb. 2 – Carl Weathers, actor – Rocky, Predator, and Mandalorian. He was 76. 

Feb. 7 – Henry Fambrough, the last original member of The Spinners. He was 85. 

Feb. 21 – Hydeia Broadbent, HIV/AIDS activist. She was 39.

Feb. 28 – Michael Jones, former pro wrestler – best known as “Virgil.”  He was 61.

 

MARCH

March 4 - Anthony “Baby Gap” Walker, a former member of The Gap Band. He was 60. 

March 8 – Ernie Fields, Jr., musician and music contractor. He was 89.

March 9 – Julie Robinson Belafonte, wife of Harry Belafonte. She was 95. 

March 11 – Everett Collins, Isley Brothers drummer in the 70s. 

March 11 - Bo$$, a rapper best known for her album Born Gangstaz and for being the first female rapper to sign with Def Jam. She was 52. 

March 17 – Sandra Crouch, gospel singer. She was 81. 

March 18 – Kevin Toney, The Blackbyrds, pianist and composer. He was 70. 

Louis Gossett Jr.

March 29 – Louis Gossett Jr. is the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He was 87.

 

APRIL

April 2 – Casey Benjamin, saxophonist. He was 45.

April 5—Rev. Cecil Murray, civil rights activist and former pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles died at the age of 94.

April 10 – O.J. Simpson. He was 76.

April 10 – Mister Cee, New York radio personality. He was 57. 

April 13 - Rico Wade co-wrote and produced TLC’s 1995 hit “Waterfalls.” He was 52.

April 17 - Arthur “Pooch” Tavares, founding member of the legendary group Tavares. He was 74. 

Mandisa

April 18 – Mandisa, American Idol, Grammy-winning Christian singer. She was 47. 

April 23 – Terry Carter, actor on Battlestar Galactica, McCloud and Foxy Brown. He was 95.

 

MAY

May 4 – Darius Morris, former Los Angeles Lakers guard. He was 33. 

May 12 – Sherif Lawal, boxer. He was 29. 

May 13 - Samm-Art Williams, playwright, screenwriter, and actor. He was 77.

Peggy Blu

May 19 – Peggy Blu, soul singer. She was 77.

May 31 – Drew Gordon, former NBA player. He was 33.

 

JUNE

June 3 – Brother Marquis, a rapper known for being a core member of 2 Live Crew.

June 9 - Rev. James Lawson Jr., Civil Rights Giant. He was 95.

June 12, Ron Simons, actor, and four-time Tony-winning producer. He was 63. 

June 13 – Angela Bofill, singer. She was 70.

June 16 - Cedric Napoleon, Pieces of a Dream co-founder, Fo Fi Fo singer. 

Willie Mays

June 18 – Willie Mays, the Say Hey Kid, baseball legend (Giants) and Hall of Famer. He was 93. 

June 20 - Taylor Wily, actor (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Hawaii Five-O), a former sumo wrestler. He was 56. 

June 23 – Pat Colbert, actress on Dallas. She was 77. 

June 23—Julio Foolio, a Florida rapper, was born Charles Jones. He is known for “Crooks” and “Reach The Top.”  He was 26. 

June 25 – Sika Anoa’i, WWE Hall of Famer and father of fellow pro wrestling star Roman Reigns. He was 79.

June 26 – Bill Cobb, actor, The Bodyguard, The Brother from Another Planet, Night at the Museum, and Oz the Great and Powerful. He was 90. 

June 26 - Renauld White, actor/model. The first African American to appear on the cover of GQ Magazine. He was 80. 

June 26 - Dr. Doris Yvonne Wilkinson, the first African American female appointed to a full-time position at the University of Kentucky in 1967. She was 88.

 

JULY

July 2 – KeKe Jabbar, cast member of the OWN reality show, Love and Marriage: Huntsville. She was 42.

July 6 - Khyree Jackson, Minnesota Vikings rookie. He was 24. 

July 14 – Jacoby Rashi’d Jones, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver. He was 40.

July 15 – Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, former Philadelphia 76er NBA player and father of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. He was 69.

July 17—Bernice Johnson Reagon was a civil rights activist who co-founded The Freedom Singers and later started the African American a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock. She was 81. 

July 18 – Gail Lumet Buckley, daughter of Lena Horne. She was 86.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

July 19 – Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, former Democratic Congresswoman. She was 74. 

July 21—Evelyn Thomas, disco singer best known for her hit track “High Energy." She was 70.

July 21 – Ron Charles, Basketball player. He was a member of Michigan State University’s 1979 national championship team and played professionally in many leagues, including Italy’s Lea Baset Serie A. He was 65. 

July 22 – Abdul “Duke” Fakir, original Four Tops member. He was 88.

July 27 – Rapper DJ Polo. He was 56.

July 28 – Alma Powell, civic leader and wife of Secretary of State Gen. Colin L. Powell. She was 86.

July 28 – Rapper Chino XL. He was 50. 

July 29 – Erica Ash, actress, Survivor’s Remorse, TV One original movie, Miss Me This Christmas, Scary Movie. She was 46.

July 29 - Reyes Moronta, former Dodgers pitcher. He was 31. 

July 29 - Oba Adefunmi II: King of the Yorubas in the United States, son of Oba Oseijiman Adefunmi,  founder of Oyotunji Afrikan Village and “pioneer” of Afrikan Traditional Religion (ATR) in the U.S. 

July 30 - Winzell Kelly, member of The Dramatics since 1994. He was 71.

AUGUST                                                       

Aug. 2 – Ellis Gordon, Jr., financial executive, and community advocate. 

Aug. 6 – Connie Chiume, “Black Panther” actress. She was 72. 

Aug. 6 – Maurice Williams, legendary “Stay” singer. He was 86. 

Aug. 14 – Wally “Famous Amos” Amos, creator of Famous Amos Cookies. He was 88. 

Aug. 20 – Al Attles, Warrior Hall of Famer. Among NBA’s first Black head coaches. He was 87. 

John Amos

Aug. 21 – John Amos, ‘Good Times,’ ‘Roots,’ ‘Coming to America,’ ‘Die Hard 2,’ ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ actor. He was 84.

Aug. 27 – Betty Bridges, actress and director. Also, the mother of actor Todd Bridges. She was 83. 

Aug. 30 – Fatman Scoop, rapper and hype man. He was 53 or 56.

Aug. 31 – Obi Ndefo, known as Bodie on Dawson’s Creek. He was 51.

 

SEPTEMBER 

Sept. 5 - Boris ‘Bo’ Ricks, CSU-Northridge Educator. 

Sept. 5 - Rich Homie Quan, rapper.  He was 34. 

Sept. 8 - James Earl Jones, legendary actor. He was 93. 

Sept. 10 - Michaela Mabinty DePrince, a ballerina from war-torn Sierra Leone. She was 29. 

Sept. 11 - Antoinette Russell, Los Angeles Black radio personality (KJLH, KACE, KOST). 

Sept. 11 - Legendary R&B singer Frankie Beverly of Frankie Beverly and Maze. He was 77. 

Sept. 11 - Tina McElroy Ansa, noted novelist. She was 74. 

Tito Jackson

Sept. 15 –  Toriano Adaryll ‘Tito’ Jackson, member of The Jackson 5, The Jacksons, and the brother of Michael Jackson. He was 70. 

Sept. 21 - Bennie Golson, saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He composed the soundtrack for Room 222, Mash, Mission Impossible, and more. In 2009, he was inducted into the International Academy of Jazz Hall of Fame. He was 95. 

Sept. 27 – Warren Wilson, Los Angeles broadcaster and KTLA reporter. He was 90.

Sept. 30 – Dikembe Mutombo, Hall of Fame – NBA player. He was 58.

 

OCTOBER 

Cissy Houston

Oct. 7 – Cissy Houston, Grammy-winning singer and mother of Whitney Houston. She was 91.

 

NOVEMBER

Quincy Jones

Nov. 3 – Quincy “Q” Jones, legendary musician, producer, and composer. He was 91. 

Nov. 6 - Tony Todd, ‘Candy Man’ and ‘Final Destination’ actor. He was 69. 

Nov. 9 - Ella Jenkins, American singer/songwriter and children’s singer. She was 100.

Nov. 9 – Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey dancer and choreographer. She was 81. 

Nov. 12 – Roy Haynes, pioneering modern jazz drummer. He was. 99. 

Nov. 19 – Sir Lady Java, Trans Nightlife Legend (actress, singer, dancer, and comedian) and transgender rights activist. She was 82. 

Nov. 22 – Harry Williams, the last original member of Bloodstone. 

Nov. 24 - Nancy Cheryll Davis-Bellamy, Townstreet Theatre co-founder and artistic producing director. 

Nov. 28 – Solomon Herbert II, assistant editor at Black Meetings & Tourism magazine. He was 44. 

Nov. 29 – Hildreth (Hal) Walker, Jr., laser scientist and professor. He was 91.

 

DECEMBER

Dec. 5—Robin Ayers, host of KBLA Talk 1580 and writer/reporter for EURweb.com. She was 54.

Dec. 5 - Dominique Brown, Disney influencer. She was 34. 

Nikki Giovanni

Dec. 9 – Nikki Giovanni, poet and Virginia Tech professor. She was 81. 

Dec. 17 – Alfa Anderson, founding member of Chic. She was 77.

Dec. 21- Rickey Henderson, MLB’s all-time stolen base king. He was 65.

Dec. 22 – Ryan Levert, daughter of Eddie LeVert (The O’Jays). She was 22.

Dec. 21 – Art Evans, veteran actor (A Soldier's Story, Die Hard 2). He was 82.

Dec. 25 - Bill Speed, pioneering music veteran. He was the first Black Editor at Radio and Records. Also helped create BET's Video Soul. He was 75.

Dec. 26 – Richard Parsons, former Time Warner CEO. He was 76.

Dec. 27 – Greg Gumbel, CBS sports broadcaster. He was 78.

 

 

Celebs Reveal What Holiday Tradition They Can Do Without

                 By Darlene Donloe

It’s the holiday season! 

It’s that time of year again when a bunch of holidays are happening within weeks of each other. 

The holiday season begins annually in November and ends in January. Several holidays fall within those months, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's. 

Many traditions occur during that time, including families and friends getting together for Thanksgiving to consume lots of turkey and sweet potato pie while watching football. At Christmas, gifts are exchanged, letters are written to Santa, ugly sweaters are worn, carols, parades, lots of get-togethers, families gather, bake cookies, decorate trees and over-eating.  Hanukkah sees the lighting of the menorah each evening, prayers, games, food, songs, eating treats fried in oil, giving children gifts of money, and playing a game with a four-sided top. Kwanzaa traditions include sharing a feast, celebrating Black culture, honoring ancestors, African drumming, candle lighting, and reciting original poetry. New Year’s consists of a midnight kiss, singing Auld Lang Syne, parties, watching the ball drop, making a toast, making New Year’s resolutions, counting down to the New Year, football, and parades. It is usually a colossal celebration of families and friends participating in many traditions.

With so many customs to uphold, I asked several celebrities to name one-holiday tradition they could do without.

Cedric the Entertainer

CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER 

I’m a big holiday fan. It’s hard to think of kicking any holiday stuff to the curb. It’s gotten a little expensive. I’d say, in general – the friend groups need presents... uh…. I take care of my kids and my wife. Now you gotta think about whether this is really my best friend this year. I got these employees. Then there are the guys who come over every week.  It’s so much. I can’t stress over that. I want to return to when Christmas was about kids – and that was it. All you grown folks – scoot back.

Tichina Arnold 

TICHINA ARNOLD – (The Neighborhood) 

I can do without all of the holidays. They cost so much money, and America bastardizes everything. Every year, I have a Halloween party. I invite the crew—everybody on the show. It’s the one time we get to be together off the set.

  

Mickey Stevenson

MICKEY STEVENSON (Motown legendary songwriter): I can’t think of anything. Maybe the giving of gifts. Every day is special.

 

RICK BRAUN (trumpeter) For 25 years, I was on a Christmas tour. I would say goodbye to my kids on Thanksgiving. I’d get home on Christmas Eve. I did that for 25 years. It was a rigorous tour.

 

Jay Will

JAY WILL: (Rob Peace/Tulsa King) I will turn that around. I can’t do without; I need momma’s yams and cornbread for Thanksgiving. I’m good without having a Christmas. I don’t need it as much. It wouldn’t break my heart.

Dave Koz

DAVE KOZ (jazz trumpeter) – We can do away with excessive gift-giving. We need to do something meaningful. The gift-giving has gotten carried away. There are other ways to show your love. I love Thanksgiving. I’m always on the road because we start our tour the next night. Everyone on the show is together.

Dulce Sloan

DULCE SLOAN – (Comedy Central)

Santa Claus! What’s the point? Your parents work hard every year to buy you toys. Santa has nothing to do with the birth of Christ. He’s pointless.

Jay Ellis 

JAY ELLIS: (Insecure/Top Gun Maverick) People giving out fruitcakes.

 

Sheaun McKinney

SHEAUN MCKINNEY (The Neighborhood) - That’s a good question. You can get rid of the fruitcake. We’re not going caroling. I don’t like snow. I’m from Miami. I love giving gifts. I don’t know.

 

James Anthony Tyler

JAMES ANTHONY TYLER (playwright): The gift giving. The commercialization of Christmas.

Christian Sands

CHRISTIAN SANDS (jazz pianist): Every tradition is necessary.

Michael Sumuel 

MICHAEL SUMUEL: (opera singer)

I can see getting rid of the White Elephant. The abundance of gifts. The older I’ve gotten, the simpler things make me happy.

 

Marcel Spears

MARCEL SPEARS (Marty Butler on ‘The Neighborhood’): I like all of them. Now that I’m an adult and just had a baby, I used to wake up early on Christmas morning. It would be top of the morning. I would instead not do that now. As my daughter gets a little older, I see her joy and energy, and I’m like -----uh, No!  I feel so bad for my parents because I was up at 6 a.m., not knowing they were probably wrapping presents until 2. I’m going to see if I can eliminate the waking up early.  My grandma, who has passed now, would give us all scratchers and put them in our stockings with apples, candy, and stuff. We have decided to keep that tradition going. Somebody wins $5 or $10, and we share. We do stockings. My dad is a pastor, so we must attend church – no matter what.  When I was younger, I didn't appreciate it all.  Now I do.

Vocalist Penni Layne Releases 'Warm in December'

BOSTON, Mass. - In the oppressive midsummer heat of New York City last July, jazz vocalist Penni Layne and her quartet entered iconic Sear Sound to record “Warm in December,” the just-released Upside ten-track set of seasonal standards and an original tune that she wrote with her coproducer Larry Jackson. Despite the stifling temperatures and humidity outside, Layne and her ensemble summoned memories of Christmases past to bring this cozy collection of classics presented as acoustic jazz rhythms and melodies to life.      

The “Warm in December” seeds were sown last Christmas as Layne and Jackson began rifling through holiday songbooks to select material to record. Her mission was to record “a holiday album that is the product of childhood memories, magic, and traditions passed onto our children. The album is a love letter to my husband, my family, past and present, and to anyone who believes in miracles.” 

Many of the selections on “Warm in December” are timeless perennials - “Winter Wonderland,” “The Christmas Song,” “Let It Snow,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and “Sleigh Ride” – shared in imaginative new arrangements. A few cuts – the title track, “I Love The Winter Weather,” and “A Christmas Love Song” – are lesser-known gems given a fresh sheen rendered with the hope that they become new favorites of the album’s listeners.

Then there is the tender original, “At The First Snowfall.” Layne and Jackson composed it during Christmas in the pandemic, penning a song to conjure family connectedness despite the prevalent feelings of isolation and loneliness. The married partners tapped into fond memories and gratitude to tell a story to evoke happiness during the sacred season, a hard-pressed season not to be impacted by the worry, sadness, and fear that gripped the globe at the time. The heartfelt number plays like a gift to be opened each Christmas, like the entire album.

Throughout “Warm in December,” Layne plies her soothing voice, beaming joy, grace, elegance, fervor, and gentility. Her cohorts – pianist Michael Kanan, bassist Neal Miner, guitarist Greg Ruggiero, and drummer Keith Balla – astutely construct swinging jazz cadences and romantic ballad backdrops, settings from which Layne’s inviting vocals leap to the fore, taking powerful command of the spotlight. 

The Boston-based Layne will celebrate the season and the album release with a concert at Regattabar in Boston this Friday (December 13). Performing a setlist featuring songs from “Warm in December,” Layne will be accompanied by Jackson on bass, GRAMMY-winning trumpeter Bijon Watson, keyboardist Ryan Claunch, and drummer Steve Bankuti.

Layne and Jackson are a prolific pair that create a wide array of music projects – from jazz to R&B and electronic dance music. 2025 will see them issuing a jazz album comprised of standards and originals titled “Every Day I Fall in Love” (release date TBA). Their busy release slate includes an album, “The Art of Love and Poetry,” from their eight-piece R&B band, Penni Layne & The Wonder Boys. They plan to release six singles – one every six weeks – with the first to arrive at a soon-to-be-announced date. Teaming with producer Andrija Gavrilovic to create high-energy remixes under the PLM moniker, Layne eyes dropping six to eight singles from a yet-to-be-titled album beginning in February or March. 

For more information, visit https://pennilayne.com.

L.A. Theatre Works Releases Four Tennessee Williams Audio Plays

LOS ANGELES (December 10, 2024) — L.A. Theatre Works is excited to announce the availability, beginning today, of four audio theater productions of classic plays by Tennessee Williams. The company’s Tennessee Williams Collection launches with the release of The Glass Menagerie today, December 10, followed by three titles in 2025: A Streetcar Named Desire on March 11, The Rose Tattoo on April 8, and Summer and Smoke on May 6. Listeners can find each recording online at latw.org, as well as at retailers and libraries everywhere.

A co-production with NPR affiliate KCRW 89.9 FM and the BBC, the L.A. Theatre Works audio production of The Glass Menagerie, Williams’ autobiographical “memory play” that launched his career, reunited the cast of the Roundabout Theatre’s celebrated revival: Julie Harris, Calista Flockhart (in her Broadway debut), Kevin Kilner and Zeljko Ivanek, and features John Goodman as the narrator. Set in 1935 and based on Williams’ family, the play centers on the Wingfield family, who live together in a cramped St. Louis flat, forced to wrestle with unrealized dreams and painful memories.

Glenne Headly, Vincent D'Onofrio, Amy Brenneman, and David Selby headline the cast of A Streetcar Named Desire, an L.A. Theatre Works co-production with the BBC and CBC. In Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Blanche DuBois, once a well-heeled Southern belle but now alcoholic and destitute, arrives in New Orleans to stay with her sister Stella and her brutish brother-in-law Stanley. As Stanley terrorizes the fragile Blanche, reality slips slowly away from her.

Mercedes Ruehl and Anthony LaPaglia, who starred in the 1995 Broadway production of The Rose Tattoo that earned a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play and Drama Desk Awards for both actors, reunited to record the play for L.A. Theatre Works in front of a live audience at L.A.’s Skirball Cultural Center. The story of an Italian-American widow in Louisiana who has allowed herself to withdraw from the world after her husband's death; the large cast also includes Emily Bergl, Marieclare Costello, Tim DeKay, Brent Hinkley, Carol Locatell, Kate Mulligan, Antonia Ray, Peggy Roeder, Vincent Schiavelli and Claudette Sutherland.

Finally, Summer and Smoke’s Alma Winemiller is a shy, religious young woman who grew up pining for the boy next door. He’s grown up to become a doctor with a penchant for sexual conquest, so when he returns to their Mississippi town to start a medical practice, their strange attraction sets them on a path of turmoil and heartbreak. Also recorded before a live audience at the Skirball, the L.A. Theatre Works audio production stars Ann Gee Byrd, Kristen Frazier, Mark Kudisch, Carlos Lacamara, Gabriel Olds, Tina Sánchez, David Selby, Tegan West, Armin Shimerman, Kitty Swink and Sarah Zimmerman.

Domingo To Receive Award at 40th SBIFF

 

Colman Domingo

SANTA BARBARA, CA - The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honored to announce that cinema icon Colman Domingo will receive the Montecito Award at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Domingo will receive the prestigious award on Friday, February 14. The evening will highlight his powerhouse performance in Greg Kwedar’s SING SING, where Domingo’s portrayal of Divine G brings an incredible mix of vulnerability, charisma, and resilience to the big screen. This recognition comes from Domingo's win at last night’s Gotham Awards, where he took home the honor for Outstanding Lead Performance.

“ Colman is such a committed performer and of the most extraordinary talents on the small screen, in theatre, and in film, and he makes it all seem effortless.  His work in SING SING is unforgettable,” remarked SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling.

Colman Domingo has been nominated for an Oscar, BAFTA, Tony® Award, Critics Choice Award, Independent Spirit, Gotham Awards, Lawrence Olivier, Drama Desk, Drama League, NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award. He has also won an Emmy, Astra, AAFCA, NAACP Image, and Black Reel Award.

In 2023, Domingo starred as Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin in Netflix and Higher Ground’s film “Rustin," for which he received an Academy Award Nomination, Golden Globes, BAFTA, and SAG nomination. He can also be seen as “Mister” in the Warner Bros production of "The Color Purple," which received a SAG Ensemble nomination.  Domingo's executive produced and starred in Greg Kwedar’s film “Sing Sing,” which was purchased for distribution by A24 and had its theatrical release in the summer of 2024. He also executive produced "It's What's Inside”, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was released on NETFLIX in October 2024.

Domingo is well known for his Emmy Award-winning role as “Ali” in HBO’s “Euphoria” as well as his roles in “Zola,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” ‘Selma,’ “Candyman,” and many more. 

He is currently seen in the Netflix limited series "The Madness" created by Clement Virgo. He also recently wrapped production on ‘Michael’ playing Joe Jackson, directed by Antoine Fuqua. Lionsgate will release the film on October 3, 2025. Additionally, Domingo will voice Norman Osborn in the upcoming Disney+ animated series “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.” Domingo is currently in production on NETFLIX’s “The Four Seasons” alongside Tina Fey and Steve Carrell.

The Montecito Award is named after one of Santa Barbara's most beautiful and stylish areas. Past recipients include Jeffrey Wright, Angela Bassett, Penélope Cruz, Amanda Seyfried, Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, and Javier Bardem.

The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will occur LIVE February 4 - February 15, 2025. Official events, including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held at SBIFF’s Riviera Theatre and its new Film Center, plus the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes for the 2025 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.

Last year, the festival featured 200+ films from over 48 countries, with honorary awards given to Robert Downey Jr., Bradley Cooper, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Giamatti, America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew Scott, Martin Scorsese, Justine Triet, Billie Eilish, and Ludwig Göransson.

A-list and industry guests will once again ascend to Santa Barbara, making it a must-stop location on the awards circuit and delivering a record number of films with many World and U.S. premieres. The film lineup and schedule will be announced in January 2025.

About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 39 years, SBIFF has become one of the top 10 film festivals in the United States, attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes, and symposiums. SBIFF fulfills its mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.

SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community through many free educational programs and events. SBIFF’s programs support over 18,000 kids, students, and families in our local community by introducing film as an art form to young children with programs like AppleBox and Mike’s field trip to the Movies; teaching film analysis to high school and college students with programs like Rosebud and the Film Studies Program; and teaching the craft of screenwriting and filmmaking with Film Camp and 10-10-10 Mentorship programs. Most importantly, SBIFF’s programs are always directed toward the under-represented and under-served communities within Santa Barbara County.

More recently, SBIFF secured a long-term lease for the iconic multi-plex at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. This landmark acquisition paves the way for creating a state-of-the-art film center. This vibrant, year-round destination will be a central hub for cinema enthusiasts and the heart of SBIFF’s renowned Film Festival. Building on the success of the Riviera Theatre revitalization in 2016 and the opening of its own Education Center in 2019 in the downtown area, SBIFF continues to strengthen its commitment to the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara.

Disneyland Opens First Black-Themed Park Ride

Disneyland courtesy photo

By Darlene Donloe 

 Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the first Black-themed ride in Disneyland’s history, finally opened to enormous fanfare on Friday, Nov. 15. 

The long-awaited new amusement park ride is the first time Disneyland’s diverse fan base has been able to see itself mirrored in one of the park’s rides. 

 The day before the opening, a host of Disney executives, fans, and celebrities, including Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), who voices Mama Odie, Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls), who voices Princess Tiana, and Michael-Leon Wooley (AJ and the Queen), who voices ‘Louis,’ on the ride, were all on hand to christen Disney’s latest attraction and the next chapter of ‘The Princess and the Frog’. 

Lewis called the opening, ‘historic,’ while Rose called it ‘phenomenal,’ and ‘amazing.’ Charita Carter, executive creative producer of Tiana’s Bayou, and Carmen Smith, sr. v.p., creative development, Walt Disney Experiences, who both oversaw the development of the attraction, were on hand and called the ride a ‘fantastical journey.’ 

Tiana's Bayou Adventure is a log flume attraction at Magic Kingdom in Florida, and Disneyland in California. It is based on Disney's 2009 film, ‘The Princess and the Frog.’ 

The experience begins with an outdoor float-through that leads to indoor dark ride segments, with a climactic steep drop followed by an indoor finale. The drop is 52.5 feet (16.0 meters). 

The attraction, which replaced Splash Mountain, opened on June 28, 2024, at Magic Kingdom and on November 15, 2024, at Disneyland. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is set in New Orleans, circa 1927, as Tiana, who is now a restaurateur (Tiana’s Foods) is preparing to throw a Mardi Gras party. 

The water attraction has Tiana and her alligator friend, Louis, going into the bayou to find a band for the celebration. Tiana and Louis need help finding the new crew. Guests meet 19 new critters along the way, including a turtle, raccoon, bears, and more. They also run into Mama Odie and her pet snake Juju. 

The attraction, which has a carefree, cheerful feel, takes place in a land called Critter Country and takes riders on a musical journey through the Bayou with Tiana and her friends. It reportedly serves as a celebration, boasting a statement about the communal power of music and a narrative that serves as an American success story. 

One of the opening scenes has Tiana welcoming guests to the bayou while Louis plays the trumpet, frogs croak, and a band of critters plays zydeco music on various objects. Lighting up the scene are water lilies and fireflies. 

The ride features multiple songs from The Princess and the Frog, including “Down in New Orleans,” “Almost There,” “Gonna Take You There,” and “Dig a Little Deeper.” 

True to the Louisiana culture, the music, food, spirit, and flair of New Orleans are proudly on display, including murals by Louisiana artist Malaika Favorite on the building outside of the ride. While ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’ is an incredible experience, the real magic comes from seeing a Black Disney Princess as the star of her own Disney Parks attraction for the first time. 

For some, that truly makes it ‘The Happiest Place On Earth’.