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Zoe Kravitz Sets Sail to Direct ‘Pussy Island’ Starring Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie

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Multi-faceted actress Zoë Kravitz made her directing debut with Pussy Island. MGM has now acquired the movie for global distribution.

According to Variety, the project features BAFTA winner Naomi Ackie and MTV Movie Award winner Channing Tatum as lead characters. The creative development and writing are by E.T. Feigenbaum and Kravitz. The two have worked on Zoe’s previous project, Hulu’s series High Fidelity. 

According to the previously mentioned source, the production of Pussy Island will be handled by Bruce Cohen, Tiffany Persons, and Tatum’s Free Association.

A statement from Kravitz read, “I am honored to be partnering with an iconic studio such as MGM for this project. Their commitment to the art of storytelling is something that I truly admire and respect. Naomi Ackie is an extraordinary talent, and we can’t wait to see her bring this role to life.”

The story will follow a female character named Frida (Akie) through the hustle and bustle of cocktail waitressing in Los Angeles. The young waitress has locked on to her target in the big city, a tech mogul and philanthropist, Slater King (Tatum). As Frida networks her way up into the ‘in-crowd,’ she gets invited to King’s private island, where her instincts pick up on something dark in the land of affluence.

The distribution for this project was a hot commodity, and MGM did not let this film slip through their fingers. Michael De Luca, MGM’s Film Group chairman, shared his excitement of being a part of Kravitz’s directional debut. Additionally, variety disclosed that FilmNation handled the international rights to the developing film, and CAA Medi will heading the domestic rights.

This genre thriller came to Kravitz in 2017, according to Deadline. She shared with the publication, “the title means a lot of things. I started writing this story in 2017. As a woman in general, and a woman in this industry, I’ve experienced some pretty wild behavior from the opposite sex ….”

Kravitz explained the light-heartedness of the title at first, but just like the story itself, it has a deeper meaning below the surface. According to Bustle, production will start early next year on an “undisclosed tropical island.”

The theater release date or streaming service that will host the film has yet to be revealed, but keep an eye out for what might be lurking in the waters.


Author: Betti Halsell, senior writer at Hollywood Melanin

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The Girlfriends Reunite for Tracee Ellis Ross’s Pattern Beauty Campaign

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Girlfriends

Tracee Ellis Ross reunited with her Girlfriends cast members Jill Marie Jones, Golden Brooks, and Persia White for the first commercial from her Pattern Beauty hair and body care line, available Friday, June 27, 2025. So this campaign, which champions black hair and immortal friendship, has fans of the cult 00s show absolutely giddy.

Tracee Ellis Ross-founded brand made when it came out with its first commercial to celebrate six years in the haircare space and the 25th anniversary of Girlfriends (2000–2008). The ad, which features the fan-favorite cast—Tracee Ellis Ross (Joan), Jill Marie Jones (Toni), Golden Brooks (Maya), and Persia White (Lynn)—is a colorful love-fest for Black hair care and sisterly love. In a stylish setting of a “Pattern Lounge,” the ad displays the winning chemistry of the cast as they slip into their iconic characters, raving about Pattern’s curl-centric products.
The campaign is centered on elite “hair cocktailing,” a term used in the Black community to describe the layering of things like gels, creams, or oils to create bespoke haircare regimens. Ross plays the “Chief Curltender,” guiding her co-stars to their product matches made in heaven for their specific curl types, from flake-free definition to touchable hold and shine.

Girlfriends, which ran on UPN and, later, the CW from 2000 to 2008, followed four Black women in love, career, and friendship. A pioneering series created by Mara Brock Akil, it was revolutionary in the honest way it depicted Black sisterhood, far removed from contemporaries like Sex and the City. “Sex and the City was about dating with a friend group, but Girlfriends was about the ‘chosen family of sisterhood,’” Akil said, adding that Joan and Toni’s relationship was “the emotional core.” The series has stood the test of time, remaining a cultural obsession available to stream on Netflix even though die-hard fans are still mourning a cancellation that didn’t even get them a proper farewell.


The initiative sees the cast of Girlfriends reunite on screen for the first time since the stars appeared on Black-ish in 2019, which also starred Ross. The commercial cashes in on the series’ continued relevance and features the cast’s infectious camaraderie that you missed – and Maya’s melodrama, Toni’s shade, and Lynn’s ditsy sweetness!
The campaign also aligns with Pattern Beauty’s commitment to championing and empowering curly, coily, and tightly textured hair. So Ross, who spent her Girlfriends days shopping in the kids’ section for haircare products, created Pattern to fill that void. The ad showcases the brand’s diverse product collection, which includes shampoos, conditioners, stylers, hot tools, and tools specifically designed for individuals with type 3B to 4C curl patterns.

Ross, the CEO and founder of Pattern Beauty, has been on the ground floor with the brand since its inception. The concept for Pattern was nurtured during her Girlfriends days, when she noticed the dearth of products suited for Black hair.

Launching in 2019 after 10 years of pitching and developing, Pattern was born, and Ross worked with chemists to develop formulas that actually worked. The spot takes place in a colorful production setting and features the cast’s natural chemistry but not Ross, who teased the reunion on Instagram: “Back together like we never left.” The result is a love letter to friends and fans, where laughs, heart, and hair care come together.

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Ryan Coogler Confirms Denzel Washington Will Star in ‘Black Panther 3’

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Black Panther 3

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.

Black Panther
Ryan Coogler and Chadwick Boseman/ Black Panther

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.

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Here Is Why Halle Berry Declined Van Hunt’s Proposal After 5 Years Of Dating

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Halle Berry

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.

Halle Berry and Van Hunt
Halle Berry and Van Hunt at 2023 Oscars

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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