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‘Judas and The Black Messiah’ Review: Exploring the Intricate Parts of the Black Panther Movement
By Betti Halsell
There is a preconceived notion about the Black Panther Party in the 1960s. They are shown as being aggressive, mass media has labeled them as radical and domestic terrorists. In the prime of their revolutionary movement, they are seen holding guns with a stoic look of no remorse, and hatred in their eyes.
Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah explores the intricate parts of the organization, painting a picture of the day-to-day lifestyle of an activist. King focused on Chairman Fred Hampton played by Daniel Kaluuya, and how he balanced radical change while supporting an underrepresented community. He also uncovers a story of betrayal among the ranks in the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party.
Lakeith Stanfield plays William O’Neal, a man who seemed to have a deep fear of anyone having too much power. Heavily invested in the movement, O’Neal worked his way up to being the Black Panther security captain, but his alliance begins to fade as he became an FBI informant. His actions disrupted the Black Panther movement in the Illinois chapter, as O’Neal provided intel to FBI agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons).
O’Neal is tasked with getting close to the Illinois Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton. What becomes apparent is the internal battle O’Neal suffered, knowing that life as a Black man is unfair, is the very reason he may be inclined to join forces with federal organizations to cover himself. It’s a paradox he never escapes from.
King included all angles of being an activist in the film, highlighting the human side. There are scenes in the trailer, showing panthers not wearing black or holding guns, but in bright colors, feeding the community and teaching the youth about their power. The director also follows Chairman Fred Hampton, as he falls in love with fellow revolutionary mind, Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback).
The Black Panther organization grew out of the Bay area and spread throughout the nation. There were parts of the Black Panther Movement that were unearthed in the film that included: administration, housing and education, and community building.
If one did not dig deeper into their history, mass media would depict a picture that leaves one to fear this organization. King broke through the negative mold of who the Black Panther members were and showed them in a different light.
The Judas And the Black Messiah press summit dissected the narration of this story, hosted by entertainment journalist, Gia Peppers, explored parts of the Black Panther narrative from the eyes of the Hampton household. Viewers heard from the original Deborah Johnson, who went by Mother Akua.
She confirmed that Fishback captured her essence as a fighter, but also as a strong woman that stood behind a great man. In reflection of Fishback’s portrayal of her, Mother Akua stated, “When I saw Daniel and Dominique in that movie, I hadn’t realized how much I missed the love and camaraderie. They had real chemistry …”
This two-hour historical drama and biography was written by Will Berson and produced by Ryan Coogler and Charles D. King. In addition to directing the film, Shaka King was a part of writing and producing as well. The streaming release is set for February 12, depicting the authentic story of the Black Panther Movement. Showing that even within the fight for equality as a group, the misguided representation will live in the crevasses of the collective community. One can watch the unfiltered truth of the revolution on HBO Max.
Taylour Paige-Angulo shared that she is expecting her first child with her husband, fashion designer Rivington Angulo, earlier today.
The announcement, made official through a captionless Instagram post, featured Paige-Angulo in a white dress that beautifully highlighted her baby bump. This milestone comes after a deeply personal journey, including a decades-long battle with endometriosis, which the ‘Zola’ actress openly discussed on social media.
Paige-Angulo’s pregnancy reveal follows her first public hint at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards on February 27, where she debuted her (hidden) baby bump in a chic brown dress. A TikTok video captured her chatting with fellow actors Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors.
Behind Taylour’s joyful announcement lies a challenging history with endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, often causing severe pain and fertility issues. The actress has been candid about her struggle, which went undiagnosed for 20 years. In an emotional Instagram post on March 4, 2025, during Endometriosis Awareness Month, she described it as a “lifelong journey of healing” and a “really violent illness” that brought “agony and turmoil.” She recounted debilitating symptoms—pain so intense it made her “see stars,” monthly vomiting, and times she couldn’t drive.
In fall 2023, Paige-Angulo underwent a four-hour surgery to remove endometrial tissue. Reflecting on the experience, she wrote, “So many women are going THROUGH it okay. Be gentle with us.”
The Angulos tied the knot on October 5, 2022, on Paige’s 32nd birthday. Their intimate ceremony unfolded at the Wattles Mansion in Los Angeles. The couple’s romance had blossomed quickly after meeting during the pandemic at a party hosted by a mutual friend. Paige-Angulo later recalled how Angulo’s energy felt like “home” from the start. For the occasion, she wore a custom sheer white gown designed by her then-fiance. The event was attended by close friends, including a notable appearance by Rihanna, adding a touch of star power to the heartfelt affair. Paige-Angulo described the day on Instagram as “the greatest day of my life.”
Congratulations to the happy couple!
Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have officially become husband and wife. The couple, whose relationship has been public since they were first linked in May 2023, exchanged vows in an intimate, secret ceremony at their Los Angeles home on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Majors himself confirmed the news during an emotional appearance on the Sherri show earlier this week.
The wedding was a deeply personal affair, attended only by their mothers. Majors revealed that his mother, a pastor from Dallas, officiated the ceremony. “My mother came from Dallas, where I’m from,” Majors shared with host Sherri Shepherd. “She came to the L.A. screening [of Magazine Dreams], and we had told her, ‘Hey, we’re gonna do this thing.’ And we did. My mother married us yesterday. Her mother was there.” Good’s mother served as a witness, making it a gathering of just four people.
The timing of the wedding coincided with a significant professional moment for Majors, as it took place just days before the special showing of his new film, Magazine Dreams. The couple had attended the movie screening the night before their nuptials.
Majors, 35, teared up on Sherri as he told Good, 43, “Today might be the happiest day of my life.” He added, “I love that woman so much.” For Majors, the wedding was “always the plan,” a culmination of a love story that began two years earlier at the EBONY Power 100 Gala, where they first met in a unisex bathroom—a quirky detail Good shared with a laugh during their engagement announcement in November 2024.
Their journey to the altar has been anything but conventional. The couple’s romance ensued amid Majors’ highly publicized legal troubles, which began with his arrest in March 2023 following an alleged domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Good stood by his side throughout the ordeal, attending court hearings and offering unwavering support as Majors was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and harassment in December 2023. Sentenced to a year-long batterers’ intervention program in April 2024, Majors has credited Good with being his rock, once comparing her to Coretta Scott King for her strength and loyalty. Good, previously married to pastor DeVon Franklin until their 2022 divorce, has spoken of her and Majors’ “instant chemistry” and her determination to stand by him, telling PEOPLE in July 2024, “The things that I’ve been through gave me the bandwidth to love other people, regardless.”
As they step into married life, Majors and Good continue to defy expectations and loud public opinions. With Majors hinting at future plans for “a couple kids” in a recent Hollywood Reporter interview, we hope to see their love story unveil more chapters of joy, happiness, and success.
Netflix’s newest lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, is set to air season two this fall, per Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s Instagram. The short post follows the release of the show’s first eight episodes this past Tuesday.
“If you’re loving Season 1, just wait until you see the fun we cooked up on Season 2!” the caption reads. “Thanks for joining the party, and an endless thanks to the amazing team and crew who helped bring it all to life!”
The lifestyle series revolves around the actress turned dutchess’ cooking and entertaining all who visit, producing engaging tutorials and conversations. This season featured various guests, including actress and producer Mindy Kaling, former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, makeup artist Daniel Martin, and skin care entrepreneur Vicky Tsai.
With Love, Meghan, where Sussex is listed as an executive producer, is filmed in Montecito, California, where she and her family live full-time. For privacy reasons, however, the set used for filming is a nearby rental, not Sussex’s actual home.
Although the show majorly centers around the Los Angeles native’s hosting and cooking skills, her husband, Prince Harry, makes an appearance during an intimate brunch co-hosted by chef and restaurateur Alice Waters in the series’ final episode. Markle’s royal spouse, “H” as she calls him, is often mentioned throughout the season, along with their children, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie, whose faces are never revealed in the episodes.
With Love, Meghan is revered as Sussex’s first major independent project since she and Prince Harry resigned as senior members of Britain’s royal family in 2020 and moved back to her home state of California. Before meeting and marrying into the royal family in 2018, Markle had a lifestyle blog titled Tig, which inspired the Netflix show.
In addition to the series, the 43-year-old announced that she is rebranding her fledging lifestyle company to As Ever after originally naming it American Riviera. The company’s site went live with eight products available for purchase this spring, the same day as With Love, Meghan debuted on the streamer.
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