It’s been a tremendous year for African-American films and performers. “12 Years a Slave” is the current frontrunner for Best Picture of the Year and star Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lupita Nyong’o are top acting contenders. “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” has grossed $116 million and could see stars Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey walk the Oscars red carpet in March. Whitaker’s year has also included roles in “Black Nativity” and “Out of the Furnace”.
The baseball biopic “42”, starring Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson, was a surprise hit this spring and led to Boseman picking-up starring roles in the upcoming sports drama “Draft Day” and the James Brown biography “Get On Up”.
Barkhad Abdi’s stunning performance as the pirate captain alongside Tom Hanks in “Captain Phillips” will likely earn him numerous Supporting Actor nominations throughout Awards Season. “Fruitvale Station” and “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” feature notable work from Octavia Spencer and Idris Elba, respectively.
Morgan Freeman’s career has hit a new high this year thanks to hits “Olympus Has Fallen” and CBS Films’ highest-grossing release to date, the ensemble comedy, “Last Vegas”. Halle Berry’s “The Call” exceeded box office expectations in March. The romantic comedy “The Best Man Holiday” nearly took down “Thor: The Dark
World” when it opened in theaters a few weeks ago. Star Terrence Howard also gave a great performance (with co-star Viola Davis) in the drama, “Prisoners”.
Still to come, Tyler Perry’s second 2013 release, “A Madea Christmas”, which could give “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” a run for its money. Comedian Kevin Hart’s documentary “Let Me Explain” performed nicely over 4th of July weekend. His upcoming comedy, “Grudge Match”, with Stallone and De Niro, should be a knockout over Christmas.
In all there have been nearly 40 2013 films written, directed and/or produced by black filmmakers and so many standout acting performances that they’re too numerous to list. And audiences everywhere have enjoyed and embraced these movies.
The Broadcast Film Critics Association, of which I am a proud member, will be hosting a “Celebration of Black Cinema” on January 7th in Hollywood. BFCA President Joey Berlin said, “Our membership…believes that this special level of accomplishment deserves to be acknowledged and saluted.”
Many of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Beyonce, Chris Rock, Zoe Saldana, along with several of the actors listed above (Elba, Freeman, Perry, Spencer, Whitaker, Winfrey) are expected to attend this landmark event, which will take place at The House of Blue in West Hollywood on Jan. 9, just nine days before the 19th Annual Critics Choice Movie Awards. No doubt many of those celebrated that night will also be hearing their name called at the CCMAs on Jan. 16. I know they’ll be on my ballot.