In The Room

Who gets custody of Black culture? This week on In The Room, Ali LeRoi and Alisa Murray examine the growing battle over who gets to define, protect, and profit from the culture. From Kiki Palmer joining BET's Advisory Board and Mara Brock Akil fighting for the funding Girlfriends deserves, to Oprah's controversial comments about Whitney Houston, Jay-Z's carefully curated documentary, a...

The BET Awards always spark conversation—but this year they sparked debate. We're breaking down the biggest winners, viral moments, unforgettable performances, and whether Druski's internet comedy translated to live television. We also discuss why Keke Palmer instantly changed the energy of the show, Lauryn Hill's emotional tribute, Cardi B's viral performance, and why BET may be d...

This week on In The Room, Alisa Murray and Ali LeRoi unpack what happens when something becomes valuable and everybody suddenly wants a piece of it. From British actors portraying Black American icons to AI companies training models on Black artists' work, from Reddit becoming Hollywood's newest IP farm to directors fighting over fewer jobs, this episode asks one question: Who owns the culture onc...

This week in the room, we're asking a simple question: Is attention the same thing as power? Nick Cannon turns fatherhood into content and proves he may be one of entertainment's most underrated moguls. Lynn Whitfield explains why she refuses to play broke, and Idris Elba officially closes the door on James Bond while opening up a bigger conversation about Black franchises. We break down C...

From Marvel's search for the next Black Panther to Jaafar Jackson being tapped for another major biopic, this week we're asking who gets to shape culture in 2026. We unpack Travis Scott's comments on Black authenticity, Jay-Z's return to the stage at the Roots Picnic, and whether hip-hop still belongs to the old heads. We also examine how young creators like Kane Parsons are bypass...

This week, we're looking at the people trying to shape culture from behind the scenes. Byron Allen quietly increases his media empire with a major STARZ stake. Tyler Perry and Malcolm D. Lee invest in the next generation of Black filmmakers. A fully AI-generated feature film premieres at Cannes after being made in just two weeks. And Country Wayne says Hollywood wants his vertical drama bluepr...

This week on In The Room — where culture meets Hollywood — we unpack what happens when fame, influence, and access become more valuable than the actual work. A man connected to the theft of Beyoncé’s unreleased music and Cowboy Carter tour materials is finally sentenced — but the bigger conversation becomes why real Beyoncé fans didn’t even want the leaks in the first place. Then Byron Allen quiet...

his week on In The Room — where culture meets Hollywood — we break down how the entertainment industry is changing in real time. Druski hosting the BET Awards proves internet fame is no longer the side door into Hollywood… it IS Hollywood. Eddie Murphy reflects on a career that could never happen the same way today. Chase Infiniti reveals how social media helped land her role before her résumé cou...

his week on In The Room—where culture meets Hollywood—we’re asking the question behind every headline:Who owns the work, the face, and the future? Taylor Swift is moving to protect her voice and likeness from AI misuse, raising bigger questions about identity as intellectual property. Kenya Barris opens up about why he walked away from Black-ish and what happens when corporate mergers start shapin...

Hollywood is changing—and not in a good way. This week on In The Room, Alisa Murray and Emmy-winning showrunner Ali LeRoi break down what’s really happening behind the scenes—from shrinking opportunities for actors to the rise of recycled content and the shifting economics of entertainment. We get into:Why BET is leaning into “safe” programming—and what that says about the industryD.L. Hughley’s t...

One movie doesn’t just succeed or fail… it decides what gets made next. This week on In The Room, Alisa Murray and Emmy Award-winning showrunner Ali LeRoi break down what it really takes to get seen in Hollywood right now—and why opening weekend pressure is shaping the entire industry. From Issa Rae building new pipelines with micro dramas to Byron Allen buying his way past gatekeepers, we’re look...

This week on In the Room, Ali LeRoi and Alisa Murray break down a week where everybody had something to say — and not everybody could afford to say it. From Chilli’s backlash to the Beauty in Black controversy, Jaden Ivey’s release from the Bulls, Druski’s “whiteface” debate, and Hollywood sleeping on the Black Woman Demo and what studios won’t say about Black-led projects: here’s the question -Ca...

Michael B. Jordan is asking for $18M after his Oscar win… and Hollywood might be pushing back. So what does an Oscar actually do for your value? This week on In The Room, we break down the biggest shifts happening in entertainment—from Issa Rae returning to YouTube, to the Tubi x TikTok creator pipeline, to the rise of AI actors that studios can fully own. If creators can bypass Hollywood… and stu...

Hollywood just changed—again. In this episode of In The Room , we break down the major shifts quietly reshaping the entertainment industry: Netflix walking away from a major studio deal, investing in AI technology instead, and the continued consolidationthat’s leaving just a handful of companies in control. So the real question is… Who actually runs Hollywood now? In this episode of In The Room, A...

Award season is supposed to celebrate the best in film… but sometimes it reveals something deeper. In this episode of In The Room, Alisa Murray and Ali LeRoi break down the controversy surrounding the BAFTAs after a racial slur was heard during the broadcast while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage. But the conversation quickly becomes bigger than one moment. What does it really mean...

Commercials used to make stars—now they just rent them. In this episode of In The Room, Alisa Murray and Ali LeRoi unpack the real shift happening in advertising, culture, and Hollywood economics—and trust us, it’s deeper than you think. From Super Bowl commercials packed with celebrities to viral TikTok jingles made by everyday creators, we’re asking the uncomfortable question: Are brands still c...

Before the envelopes open, we’re calling every major category — Best Picture, Actor, Actress, and more.#podcast #movies #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #intheroom #oscars #oscarpredictions #awardsseason #hollywoodunlocked

Is it becoming dangerous to be a Black voice in media? When journalists get reframed as participants... who controls the narrative? And what happens when cultural icons become political symbols? WHAT WE BREAK DOWN• • • • • • •Don Lemon arrest and media freedomAnti-ICE protest coverage and press rightsCelebrity attacks on journalists (Nicki Minaj controversy)Black journalists and the 'chilling effe...

We’re about to make some people mad with these Image Award predictions We said what we said. Agree or disagree? Drop your winners below 👇🏾 Let’s debate. #ImageAwards #NAACPImageAwards #BlackHollywood #AwardSeason #FilmTalk #TVTalk #MichaelBJordan (if mentioned) #BlackExcellence #InTheRoomPodcast #EntertainmentNews

Oscars 2026 — Are Black Actors Rewarded for Range or Suffering? The 2026 Oscar nominations look diverse. But what exactly is being recognized? In this episode of In The Room, Ali and Alisa examine whether Black actors are more likely to winwhen their roles center trauma, servitude, or proximity to white narratives. We explore: – The “pain prestige” pattern in Oscar history – Whether winning expand...

Hollywood feels like it’s collapsing. Jobs are disappearing. Deals are stalling. Creatives are “pivoting.” But here’s the real question: Is the industry dying... or just changing faster than we are? In this episode of In The Room, Ali and Alisa break down what’s really happening behind the panic. From Black-owned platforms quietly building sustainable ecosystems to Sundance as anindependent bluepr...

Everyone wants to “make it” in Hollywood… but no one tells you what it actually costs to get there. In this premiere episode of In The Room , we pull back the curtain on the parts of the industry no one puts in the pitch deck. The politics. The gatekeeping. The unspoken rules. The emotional toll. And the quiet truths creatives only learn after years of chasing the dream.