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Zendaya Makes History as the Highest-Paid Black TV Actress

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Zendaya

Zendaya has solidified her status as a trailblazer by becoming the highest-paid Black actress in TV, earning $1 million per episode for the upcoming third season of HBO’s Euphoria. The 28-year-old Emmy winner renegotiated her contract with the network, surpassing previous records and setting a new benchmark for Black actresses in the industry.

Zendaya, who started on the Disney channel, landed her role as Rue Bennett on Euphoria in 2019. Her raw, captivating performance in the gritty drama that explores addiction, identity, and youth culture has earned her two Emmy Awards, making her the youngest woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2020 and again in 2022.

Zendaya
Zendaya as Rue/ Euphoria. HBO

This $1 million-per-episode salary places Zendaya ahead of previous high-earning Black TV actresses like Kerry Washington, who reportedly earned $1.1 million per episode for Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere (though this included her role as executive producer), and Angela Bassett, who made history in 2021 with $450,000 per episode for Fox’s 9-1-1. Zendaya’s deal reportedly reflects her pay for acting alone, with additional earnings likely from her producing role on Euphoria. The California native’s net worth, estimated at $20 million to $30 million, continues to climb, fueled by her TV success, film roles in blockbusters like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Dune, and many lucrative fashion endorsements.

When compared to the highest-paid female actresses overall, Zendaya’s achievement stands out, though it also reveals the broader pay landscape in Hollywood. In 2024, Forbes crowned Nicole Kidman the world’s highest-paid actress, raking in $31 million net ($41 million gross) annually, largely from TV miniseries like The Perfect Couple and Lioness, where she earned $1 million per episode across multiple projects. Sofia Vergara, topping Forbes’ 2020 list with $43 million, earned $500,000 per episode for Modern Family and at least $10 million per season as a judge on America’s Got Talent. Ellen Pompeo peaked at $575,000 per episode for Grey’s Anatomy, totaling over $20 million annually with producing credits.

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Film & TV

Keke Palmer Is A Criminal Mastermind in ‘The Pickup’ Starring Eddie Murphy & Pete Davidson (Trailer)

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The Pickup

Amazon MGM Studios has released the official trailer for The Pickup, an upcoming action-comedy film starring Keke Palmer, Eddie Murphy, and Pete Davidson. The trailer offers a glimpse into a high-stakes heist story. Directed by Tim Story, the film will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on August 6, 2025.

The trailer introduces a fast-paced narrative centered on a routine cash delivery gone awry. Murphy plays Russell, a seasoned armored truck driver, and Davidson portrays Travis, his less-experienced colleague. Their ordinary workday takes a dramatic turn when they are ambushed by a group of criminals led by Zoe, played by Palmer, who is described as a savvy mastermind with plans extending beyond the cash cargo. The clip reveals that Zoe’s scheme involves a $60 million casino heist, and she leverages personal connections—Travis’s recent one-night stand with her and a threat to Russell’s wife, played by Eva Longoria—to force the duo’s cooperation.

The Pickup poster

Helmed by Story, known for Barbershop, Ride Along, and The Blackening, The Pickup is produced by Story’s The Story Company, alongside John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment, and Eddie Murphy and Charisse Hewitt-Webster via Eddie Murphy Productions. The screenplay is written by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider (The Package). Executive producers include Vicky Mara Story, Jeremy Stein, Kevin Burrows, Ross Fanger, and Matt Mider.

Principal photography took place in Atlanta beginning in April 2024, though an on-set accident during second-unit filming of an action scene resulted in injuries to crew members, as previously reported.

Watch the trailer for The Pickup below.

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Disneyland Launches 70th Anniversary Celebrations, Brings Even More Fun & Joy To The Most Magical Place On Earth

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Disneyland

Last Friday, May 16, Disneyland launched their 70th Anniversary celebrations and we had to check out all the fun. After arriving and settling in at the Disneyland Hotel, we headed straight to the welcome center, which was set up at Disney’s Grand Californian. The welcome center served as a one-stop shop to grab our credentials and tons of great merch – then it was off to California Adventure Park for the new Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!

Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration
“Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, Calif. (Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)

This parade featured many of our favorite characters from Luca, Turning Red, Up, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc, Coco and Toy Story. After the parade we had a few hours until our dinner plans so we headed to Guardians of the Galaxy Breakout ride — which is definitely something you want to do on an empty stomach. The ride features some pretty serious drops, so anyone with motion sickness should be forewarned. That said — we had a ball and are now adding this one to the list of rides we’ll be returning to over and over again for every Disneyland/ California Adventure park trip.

Next stop was the Incredicoaster — which is one of our favorite rollercoasters at ANY park. So much fun and the view of the park from the top is amazing. Pixar Pier is such an incredible feature — but honestly California Adventure Park is just a vibe all its own anyway.

Never ending fun at the Most Magical Place On Earth

After such satisfying thrills, we were starving so we headed to Downtown Disney District for a quick dinner at Naples Ristorante. The Caesar salad and shrimp penne hit the spot, along with a spicy margarita style cocktail. We’d packed in so much fun already, but there was no time for a nap. Next we headed to check out the Disney Junior: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! Show. This one is designed for the kiddos and there is a big carpet where everyone sits as Mickey and Minnie go looking for their friends Goofy and Pluto and bust out some dance moves along the way. There are also some special treats like bubbles and fake snow that make for great entertainment for the little ones in the audience. This was so much fun, but the fun wasn’t done!

“Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!,” at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, Calif. (Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)

There’s nothing like Pixar Pier at night — and we had the perfect viewing spot facing the Mickey Ferris Wheel to watch the new World of Happiness show featuring an intro by the Muppets and appearances from the Inside Out characters. The colorful projection and light show plays out over the bay at the pier, with lights dancing on top of the water and projecting out into the sky. There’s some amazing effects with smoke and fireworks and it’s the perfect way to close out the night.

“World of Color Happiness!” at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, Calif., (Sean Teegarden/Disneyland Resort)

The following day we had lunch in Downtown Disney at the Vista Parkside Market. We tried so much good food, but the chicken sandwich from GG’s Chicken Shop and the beef dumplings from Seoul Sister were my favorite. We also sampled a butterfly pea flower coconut vanilla slushie called The Monarch from Sip + Sonder, the Black woman owned coffee café there that serves lattes, fresh treats, frozen drinks and Caribbean-inspired bites at Parkside Market. Co-founders Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas were on site answering questions.

“It’s been cool to see the expansion in a space that has such a wide variety of visitors,” Nicholas told Hollywood Melanin about bringing Sip + Sonder to the Downtown Disney District. The venue is their third, with other locations in Inglewood and Downtown Los Angeles.

“It’s a place of joy and that’s so centered in the company’s ethos,” Nicholas added. “Having joy, sharing joys even when there are difficult times, you can infuse joy with family and friends and community, Disneyland and joy go together.”

We can’t wait to go back and try The Hummingbird, Sip + Sonder’s Jamaican Sorrel Slushie.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. (Sean Teegarden/Disneyland Resort)

Once we got properly fueled up it was time to hit Disneyland, where we caught the Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, another day-time parade which now features some new characters, before hitting Space Mountain and Indiana Jones for some thrills, we did Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and got soaked!

A little water didn’t stop us from turning up at The Happiest Dinner on Earth over in Fantasyland, where we ran into some of our favorite creators. After dinner we previewed the Tapestry of Happiness projection show and then caught the Paint the Night Parade – so cool – Ariel’s float was our favorite. A trip to Disney is never complete without fireworks and the Wondrous Journeys Nighttime Spectactular at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle was the perfect way to close out.

Thanks for having us Disneyland!

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‘Madea’s Destination Wedding’: What to Expect from Madea’s New Netflix Movie

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Madea's Destination Wedding

Tyler Perry’s iconic Madea is back; this time, she’s bringing her signature chaos to a tropical paradise in ‘Madea’s Destination Wedding’! Set to premiere on Netflix on July 11, this 13th installment in the Madea cinematic universe promises a hilarious blend of family drama, heartwarming moments, and Madea’s unmatched wit.

What Is Madea’s Destination Wedding About?

The ‘Madea’s Destination Wedding‘ trailer gives fans a sneak peek into a whirlwind of comedy and chaos as Madea and her crew head to the Bahamas for a shotgun wedding. The story centers on Madea’s nephew, Brian (played by Tyler Perry), and his ex-wife, Debrah (Taja V. Simpson), who are stunned to learn their daughter, Tiffany (Diamond White), is engaged to a rapper she met on a yacht—and the wedding is just two weeks away!

As the family travels to the Bahamas, tensions rise, and suspicions about the legitimacy of the marriage grow. Tiffany begins to doubt her fiancé, Zavier, while Debrah’s strange behavior adds to the drama. True to form, Madea stirs up trouble with her no-nonsense attitude, delivering laugh-out-loud moments and heartfelt family lessons. The trailer teases a mix of raucous comedy, familial conflicts, and the tropical backdrop, making this holiday movie a perfect blend of festive fun and Madea’s signature shenanigans.

The New and Returning Cast

Perry once again takes on multiple roles, portraying Madea, Joe Simmons, and Brian Simmons. The trailer showcases familiar faces from the Madea franchise alongside exciting new additions, including Cassi Davis Patton as Aunt Bam, David Mann as Mr. Brown, Tamela Mann as Cora, Taja V. Simpson as Debrah, Diamond White as Tiffany, Jermaine Harris as B.J., and Xavier Smalls in a supporting role

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