After announcing in 2019 that he was retiring Madea, Tyler Perry is back with A Madea Homecoming, debuting February 25 on Netflix.
Perry says the pandemic and racial tension from the Black Lives Matter movement inspired him to bring the hilarious character out of retirement.
“Everything we have been through during the last few years I thought, you know, ‘I just really want to laugh. What do I have that can make people laugh?’ And it is totally Madea,” the actor/producer/director/writer told Entertainment Tonight. The film adaptation of Perry’s stage production Madea’s Farewell Play follows Madea planning a celebratory dinner for her great-grandson’s graduation, but family secrets threaten to ruin the event.
In other news, Ava DuVernay is joining the Spotify boycott. Following India.Arie, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and other recording artists who pulled their music from the streaming platform, the Emmy-winning director will no longer produce podcasts for the company, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Last year, DuVernay signed a multiyear contract to produce scripted and unscripted podcasts with Gimlet, the studio owned by Spotify. The boycott is in response to Spotify podcaster Joe Rogan being accused of using racist language, and spreading false information about COVID-19.
Finally, The Hollywood Reporter also announced that Amazon Studios has renewed the series Harlem, starring Megan Good, for a second season. Pharrell Williams joined the cast members on Instagram to celebrate the news.
“When I walked into a bar in Harlem and overheard folks excitedly discussing the show, I knew we had a hit,” said creator and executive producer Tracy Oliver. “Harlem has resonated with so many people, and I’m beyond grateful to Amazon for giving it a second season. Most of all, I’m excited to reunite with the beautiful cast.
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