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‘Two Distant Strangers’ and the Reality Black Americans Face Every Day

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Written by Betti Halsell
Interview by Tiara Taylor

Creatives have been no stranger to using art as a medium for controversial context. Writer and co-director Travon Free has done just that with the creation of his short film Two Distant Strangers. When his heart was convicted by the racial uprisings that took place last summer, the cycle of grief and anger became a recognizable pattern that Free painted. He partnered with director Martin Desmond Roe to bring forth a film that is sure to leave a life-long impression amongst viewers.

Diving deeper into the intentions of the project, Free unpacked the nature of his idea and the meaning he intends for the the short film to carry. Two Distant Strangers follows a cartoonist Carter James (played by Joey Bada$$) who enters into a dimension of his day on a looped cycle, reliving his worst nightmare.

“This story came from just the raw feeling that I felt around last summer when I was internalizing all the stories you kept seeing and hearing about,” the filmmaker reflected on the inspiration behind the film’s conception. Free referred to the despair that overshadowed the country when the video of George Floyd’s murder was released.

There are so many stories similar to Floyd’s – the murder of Breonna Taylor, Ahmuad Arbery, Stephon Clark, Philando Castille, and others. For Free, it was like reliving the same horrendous day – “…You go through this cycle of emotions, processing each one. You’re angry and you’re sad. You’re hopeless and then you find a way to accept it, and get yourself back to life.”He continued, “It happened so frequently, you go through that cycle so close together that you find those cycles overlapping.”

Two Distant Strangers ingeniously projects what is happening within the Black community, as the same story of police brutality repeating itself. He describes it as “living in the worst version of groundhog’s day”. Building off that concept, the project was conceived and moved forward into production. The filmmaker depicts the feeling of no escape from the horrific account of brutality that lives within the community, by having the main character live through the same torturous hours over and over again.

The intention of the film is not only to relinquish the shared experience of anguish that comes over people of color, but to also bring attention to the conformity that works as a callous to the insensitivity towards Black people – an entire community must move forward without proper healing or corrective resolve. The community instead orbits a plaguing realm that there is no true escape from.

In regards to the power that lies behind the message of the short film, Free said, “I really wanted that to be a big part of what the film represented. For Black people, it’s not something that you don’t already know– it’s supposed to represent to the world how we feel.”

The short offers insight to the affliction that people of color feel when news of injustice revisits their doorsteps. Two Distant Strangers is not just 28 minutes of submersion into an encounter between a white cop and a Black man. It’s also 28 minutes of narrative exploration and the humanizing of lives that often aren’t seen as valuable.

Touching on the supporting role of Perri (played by Zaria), Free likened Carter to many young men in the world-exploring love interest. However, Perri doesn’t just serve as a love interest. She also emulates a model reprensentation of the type of support that someone can provide in situations as these.

Free has been a writer for late-night television for over five years. He started his career doing stand-up comedy. His experience in tackling heavy topics while keeping the audience engaged resonates throughtout the short. The film follows a tragic cycle with pockets of comic relief to ease the weight of the subject matter.

Free’s depiction of police brutality is masterfully crafted, making a solid statement of the juxtaposition between people of color and law enforcement. Two Distant Strangers will live as a film presented to bring awareness to those who seek a better understanding of the injustices against black people. Through Free’s conviction, he created a conversation piece and a time capsule that can live as a reminder to never stop fighting for the much-needed change.

The credited cast of Two Distant Strangers includes rapper Joey Bada$$, Andrew Howard, and Zaria. The film is co-directed by Martin Desmond Roe with music by James Poyser.

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Taylour Paige Is Pregnant! Expecting First Baby with Husband Rivington Angulo

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Taylour

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.”

Taylour
Taylour Paige and Rivington Angulo/ Instagram

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!

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Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors Tie the Knot in Secret LA Wedding

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Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors

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.

Tyra Wardlow-Doyle, Meagan Good, Jonathan Majors and Terri Anderson-Mays at the LA screening of ‘Magazine Dreams’ on March 17. Eric Charbonneau/Briarcliff Entertainment / Getty Images

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.

Jonathan Majors and Meagan Goods engagement announcement at the Ebony Power 100 event on November 17, 2024/ Richart Shotwell. AP

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.

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‘With Love, Meghan’ Renewed For a Second Season

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With Love, Meghan

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
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Mindy Kaling in episode 102 of With Love, Meghan. Justin Coit/Netflix

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
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry in the final episode of With Love, Meghan/Netflix

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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