Celebrity News
‘Dinner Party’: Imani Hakim On Co-Producing and Starring in New Thought-Provoking Drama
Best known for starring in 00’s classic ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ and most recently Apple TV+’s ‘Mythic Quest’, Imani Hakim had taken on a new role as a producer (while continuing to act) in her latest feature film ‘Dinner Party‘.
The project is a collaboration between the 28-year-old Cleveland native and her partner Chris Lee. It centers around a group of childhood friends who get together for a reunion dinner accompanied by their significant others. Hakim plays Izzie, whose boyfriend Cal (played by Lee) is one of the seven reunited friends.
The dinner takes place while a verdict is incoming on a controversial sexual assault court case that has captured the nation’s attention. But, as the evening progresses, alcohol flows, and conversations occur, the group soon realizes that- they have changed just as much as the social climate around them has.
Shot in Los Angeles in just four days, ‘Dinner Party’ is a powerful visual conversation starter. The film is currently making festival rounds.
HM: First of all, how did you get involved in this project?
IH: My partner Chris came up with this concept of this film, and next thing you know he started writing it. I read the script, and I fell in love. The subject matter was something I felt very passionate about, so I wanted to be a part of it. So, you know, I joined on as an actress and a co-producer.
HM: And how was that experience like?
IH: Chris and I did short films together, and this is my first feature film producing. I learned so much about being behind the camera while balancing being in front of the camera. I wouldn’t have it any other way. From the inception of the idea all the way to the end. Casting, table reads, finding locations, finances, answering questions that actors have. Also, from the creative standpoint, it’s something that I never got to exercise before. It was a challenge.
HM: I felt that Dinner Party is one long uncomfortable conversation that had to be had. In a nutshell, tell us what the movie is about?
IH: The ‘Dinner Party’ is about a group of friends who are getting together after ten years of not seeing each other. The basic premise is – “if you met your friends today, would you still f*ck with them?” Over the course of this dinner, they realize they had changed as much as their social climate has changed. So things are coming to hay during the course of this dinner party. It’s like a slow burner – so much underlying tension – from microaggression to sexual assault. We get to really watch this group of millennials navigate this very difficult conversation. The challenging part that these friends are facing is to communicate that they are new versions of themselves.
HM: How does your character Izzie play into this whole story?
Izzie is bearing witness to the dynamic. She’s like the fly on the wall witnessing the fallout. She is important because she is the only Black person in the room and has this intuitive spirit. There is a lot happening under the surface, and she has to figure out what’s going on.
HM: The conversations in this diverse group during the dinner party are around racism, classism, sexism, sexual assault. All very relevant topics in our world today. Was the goal to create a visual debate and highlight different opinions and points of view?
IH: Ultimately yes. We are covering many taboo subjects and there is no way you can watch this film and not want to check in with yourself or check in with people around you. This film for us is a conversational starter. We love the fact that this makes people uncomfortable and we also love the fact that it inspires people to reach out to their family members or their friends about [things] they swept under the rug. So if we can do that, we’re doing our job.
Ryan Coogler, the acclaimed director of Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has confirmed that Hollywood legend Denzel Washington will join the cast of Black Panther 3. This announcement came during Coogler’s appearance on the 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony podcast, where he revealed that he has written a role specifically for the two-time Oscar winner, whom he regards as “the greatest living actor.”
Washington first hinted at his involvement in the Marvel project during a November 2024 interview on the Today show in Australia, generating excitement among fans. Coogler, who has long admired Washington, expressed his enthusiasm about their upcoming collaboration, noting their close relationship and Washington’s cultural significance. “Denzel is family at this point,” he said in the interview.
Although Marvel Studios has not officially announced Black Panther 3, the franchise’s success, having grossed over $2 billion globally from its first two films, makes a third installment a logical step. The film is still in early development, and while there is no confirmed release date, Coogler hinted that it’s “not long” away, potentially targeting a 2028 release following Avengers: Secret Wars.
Speculation about Washington’s role is abundant, with fans suggesting he could portray a new Wakandan character, a historical figure like Bashenga, or even a multiverse variant of T’Challa or T’Chaka. The emotional connection to the late Chadwick Boseman, who credited Washington’s mentorship for his career, adds significant weight to this casting choice.
Halle Berry and Van Hunt went public with their relationship in September 2020. After five years of dating, Hunt, a Grammy-winning musician, proposed to the Oscar-winning actress, but Berry has not yet accepted.
Berry’s decision to decline Hunt’s proposal, at least for now, stems primarily from her history with marriage. The actress has been married three times previously—to former MLB player David Justice (1993–1997), singer Eric Benét (2001–2005), and actor Olivier Martinez (2013–2016). She also shares a daughter, Nahla, 17, with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, and a son, Maceo, 11, with Martinez. Hunt has been married once and has a teenage son, Drake.
During the Today interview, Berry explained, “Well, I’ve been married three times. Van has been married once, and so no, we don’t feel like we have to get married to validate our love in any way. We don’t.”
While Berry has not accepted Hunt’s proposal, she has not ruled out marriage entirely. In the same interview, she expressed that she believes Hunt is the right partner for her, stating, “I think we will get married just because, out of the people I’ve been married to, this is the person I should have married.” She added that any future marriage would be a choice made out of desire for expression, not obligation, and hinted at a potential wedding “soon.”
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