Blacklisted Conversations

Hackney-born actor Franz Drameh talks to us about his latest role in Twist , the modern-day adaptation of the classic Oliver Twist story. In the lively conversation, Franz candidly talks about the challenges he still faces at this stage of his career, being able to work alongside acting greats like Michael Caine and his hope that seeing Black people in major roles will no longer be noteworthy, but...

Dominique Moore is a groundbreaking legend in her own right. Alongside actresses Pippa Bennett-Warner and Nathalie Emmanuel was the first actress to play 'Young Nala' in the first UK West End performance of The Lion King ... paving the way for a career across stage and TV including BAFTA-winning show Horrible Histories and docu-soap Paddington Green. More recently Dominique can be seen as 'Yasmina...

Mikêva Bobb-Lucas is taking West African cuisine to exciting new places with the launch of her E-book ‘The Ultimate West African Dinner Party’. Mikêva, who is Sierra Leonean, founded her catering company ‘Afrinape’ in 2017 and this book marks her first venture into the world of publishing. Through a combination of imaginative social media campaigns and perseverance, she has been able to single-han...

Michelle Gayle is one of the UK's quiet legends. With a career spanning Music, Screen, Stage, and Literature this multi-talented creative has been in the business for 5 decades. Breaking out as a top 10 singer, she went to star in favourite TV shows,  Grange Hill  (1985-1989),  EastEnders  (1990-1993), and  Wolfblood  (2016-2017) (for which she also wrote episodes). S...

Liverpool-born author and poet Malik Al Nasir’s latest contribution to the culture is a double offering, has signed a two-book deal with publisher William Collins. His upcoming works are titled ‘Letters To Gil’ and ‘Searching For My Slave Roots’. We spoke to the renowned wordsmith about - the unexpected circumstances which led to him forming a lifelong friendship with the...

Award-winning comedian/actress/writer Andi Osho has just released her debut book 'Asking For A Friend'. Telling the story of three best friends who decide it's time to ditch the dating apps and play the love game by their own rules. Asking For a Friend explores what happens when the girls ask people out for each other. After recently starring in Michaela Coel’s groundbreaking HBO/ BBC drama, I May...

London Living Series™ is a brand new web series brought to you by Lamar Joseph, an authentic Londoner with successful experience in the London property market. This series showcases some of the best luxury properties, whilst also showing the unique areas and local businesses around the city, by delivering a much deeper insight and perspective into London Living. TBB Talks spoke to Lamar about his...

Bamous is a new comedy show hosted by award-winning comedian Dane Baptiste, that centres around the mythical NASBLAQ - a Stock index for diverse talent which determines which of them are allowed up and down the ladder of fame and success at any one time. Dane and his assembled cast will try and figure out how the NASBLAQ works and how black talent can get to the top of it with an avalanche of come...

Multi-award winning Filmmaker Sheila Nortley has landed a one-year development deal with SKY. Her first solo development deal for TV after almost a decade of making films. We ask Sheila about the stories she wants to tell, her upcoming Netflix project with Cush Jumbo, and why it's important to be true to yourself no matter what ... Check out Sheila's most recent project I Am Mary here . Find out m...

Exec-producer of BAFTA Award-winning dark comedy series ‘The End of the F***ing World’, Dominic Buchanan has teamed up with the award-winning producer of Riz Ahmed’s acclaimed feature ‘Mogul Mowgli’, Bennett McGhee to form new production company Home Team. Home Team’s intention is to develop under-represented creatives and nurture exciting voices- primarily, but not restricted to, filmma...

Ashley Walters' career has evolved since he was a child actor in 1992. Before some of his latest acting roles, Walters would have been most recognised as rapper Asher D from British supergroup So Solid. But fast forward to 2020, Walters is 3 series' deep in the groundbreaking Sky One cop show Bulletproof which he shares the spotlight with Noel Clarke. He's also turned his hand to directing with hi...

She's been in the game for about roughly 11 years but even with a few acting & presenting roles on a few UK shows, London Hughes has never really had her moment under the spotlight until now! This December Hughes will have her first comedy special 'To Catch A D*ck' on Netflix. The special is executive produced by Kevin Hart and his Hartbeat Production company with more productions in discussio...

Ekwa Msangi's award-winning and critically acclaimed feature film Farewell Amor premiered in competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, garnering 100% on Rottentomatoes, and was bought for distribution by IFC Films. Showing a very different perspective of an immigrant life and love story, Farewell Amor Is a sensitive and thought-provoking drama that offers a glimpse into the experiences of Ne...

Julius Tennon is an actor, producer and along with his wife Oscar-winning Viola Davis their company Juvee Productions executive produced the documentary 'Giving Voice' along with “Fences” co-star Denzel Washington. “Giving Voice,” is a new Netflix documentary that follows the emotional journey of six students as they advance through the high-stakes August Wilson Monologue Competition, an annual ev...

A new generation of performers is discovered in “Giving Voice,” a new Netflix documentary that follows the emotional journey of six students as they advance through the high-stakes August Wilson Monologue Competition, an annual event that celebrates one of America’s preeminent playwrights. Callie Holley is one of the participants of the annual August Wilson Monologue Competition. Every year, thous...

Jacaranda Books is an award-winning independent publisher of award-winning adult fiction, non-fiction & YA. #Twentyin2020, is a Jacaranda collaboration with Words of Colour Productions and is the first time a UK publisher will publish 20 Black British writers in one year. We spoke to two of the 20 Lisa Bent author of Symona's Still Single and DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry... Find...

'Alex Wheatle' is the name of the 4th film in the Steve McQueen Small Axe series. Airing on BBC this past month. Based on the early years of the critically acclaimed and award-winning author Alex Wheatle, this film focuses on Alex's time in care, prison and then how he found his home in the Brixton community. Author of iconic books such as East of Acre Lane, Brixton Rock and more recently Cane War...

Dr Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah is one of our most iconic performance poets. As a musician, poet and author Zephaniah is renowned for his tales of the black experience from struggle to history to music to culture. A pioneer of Dub Poetry Zephaniah has rubbed shoulders with black icons Bob Marley, Nelson Mandela and more. The South Bank Show returned for a new series and will feature Zephaniah...

Time & Technology Series Short Films is an exploration of relationships between humans and technology and who suffers most. Dreamed up by filmmaker Adrian Scott. Adrian is a scriptwriter/producer/director and co-owner of indie production company Mellow9 Productions. He's written 4 shorts, two of which he produced. He was also one of the writers of the feature film Victim (2011). Under Mellow 9...

Radha Blank has taken the indie film world by storm with her ode to grown black women! The Forty-Year Old Version is a semi-autobiographical tale about 'Radha' a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, who is desperate for a breakthrough before 40. Reinventing herself as rapper RadhaMUSPrime, she vacillates between the worlds of Hip Hop and theatre in order to find her true voice. With a number of ac...

BAFTA has announced this year's BAFTA Breakthrough Brits. The initiative that identifies the most exciting new talent coming up in the film, games and television industries and gives them access to unique career development and mentoring opportunities.  TBB's Hannah Shury-Smith and Whelan Barzey spoke to some of the Breakthrough Brits about being recognised by BAFTA at this point of their car...

Steve McQueen's film 'Mangrove' tells the true story of British Caribbean activists. The Mangrove 9, was a group of Black activists who clashed with London police during a protest march in 1970. Their highly publicised trial that followed was the first judicial acknowledgment of behaviour motivated by racial hatred within the Metropolitan Police. Starring a star studded cast including Letitia Wrig...

The Small Axe series feature 5 films centred on British Caribbean history. Mangrove, Lovers Rock, Red White and Blue, Education and Alex Wheatle are dramas set across the 60-80s and show a never been seen before perspective. Created by Academy & BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen renowned for his epic projects including Widows, 12 Years a Slave, Drive ... this series for BBC is the fi...

Along with his business partner Fraser Ayres, Jimmy Akingbola has made UK TV history in bringing to our screens the first Black focused quiz show. Sorry I Didn’t Know which began as an ITV2 pilot returned this Black History Month for a four-part series. Lead by team captains Judi Love and Chizzy Akudolu, and hosted by Jimmy the panel show covers a range of Black historical facts with lots of laugh...

The Black British Theatre Awards were founded by Solange Urdang and Omar F Okai in 2019 to highlight, as well as champion, the recognition, and representation of Black talent in British theatre. The awards, which are voted almost entirely by the public, feature 26 different categories that span production and performance in plays, musicals, and dance productions, with additional categories in...