Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk” is on the hunt for a new home after Meta axed all of its Facebook Watch Originals. On the television front, Mary J. Blige has two new LIFETIME movies inspired by her music coming down the pipeline. All the details inside…
“Red Table Talk” has to find a new home!
Jada Pinkett Smith’s beloved talk show has been cancelled along with several other Facebook Watch Originals. According to Deadline, the “Red Table Talk” cancellation coincides with the departure of Mina Lefevre, who used to be the head of Development and Programming at Meta, Facebook’s parent company.
It’s all part of a larger trend, as Facebook shifts its focus towards developing their VR department through Meta Horizon Worlds, and pivots away from original programming. Other talk shows, such as “Piece of Mind with Taraji P. Henson” and “Steve on Watch with Steve Harvey,” also launched during Lefevre’s tenure, were also axed.
After the cancellation news broke, Jada took to social media to speak out about the future of the hit series:
“We are so grateful to have had such a beautiful partnership with Facebook Watch and we are sorry to see the entire team disband,” Jada wrote. “We wish everyone well in their new journeys to come. We at Red Table are in talks of finding a new home and we’ll see you soon.”
In May 2018, the world was introduced to the amazing trio of Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter Willow Smith, and mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris, who came together to host the groundbreaking talk show, “Red Table Talk.”
“Great place to start the journey…but Red Table Talk has outgrown FB …on to bigger better!,” Adrienne said about the show leaving Facebook. “I’ll be watching no matter where you go.”
This powerhouse team fearlessly tackled tough topics such as sex, divorce, colorism, and mental health, offering unique perspectives from three generations of women. Their powerful conversations captivated audiences and sparked important conversations worldwide. And it got so real, Jada and Will brought themselves to the table following the August Alsina “entanglement.”
Jada and Will Smith’s Westbrook Inc. is currently looking to find a new home for “Red Table Talk.” Where do you think they’ll end up?
On the television front…
Two of your “BMF” faves are coming to LIFETIME to star in projects produced by Mary J. Blige!
Get ready to bow down to the “Queen of Hip Hop Soul” this summer because she’s bringing some heat.
MJB is bringing us two new original movies inspired by her biggest hits: “Real Love” and “Strength of a Woman.” She will executive produce the two new original films through her production banner, Blue Butterfly, alongside Ashaunna Ayars and Nicole Jackson. This comes on the heels of the incredible success of her documentary, Mary J. Blige’s My Life, which she also produced.
Premiering on back-to-back Saturdays beginning June 10th at 8p/7c, these films are headlined by the talented Ajiona Alexus (BMF, Empire, 13 Reasons Why) and Da’Vinchi (BMF, All American, Grown-ish), with an amazing supporting cast including Princess Davis, Austin Anozie, Millan Tesfazgi, Shiraine Haas, Garfield Wilson, and Hamza Fouad. The movies capture the highs and lows of young Black love and are sure to tug at your heartstrings.
One of the films, titled Real Love, takes its inspiration from MJB’s first-ever Top 10 hit, which went gold just two months after its release back in 1992. The enduring popularity of this beloved song makes it the perfect foundation for a film, and additional music from Mary will be woven throughout the movie. This is all part of Blue Butterfly and MJB’s mission to bring more stories to life with the power of music.
“I wrote ‘Real Love’ based on my real life experiences and my fans connected to it in a deeply personal way.” said Mary J. Blige. “It’s exciting to now use this song and my music to create a new story by way of film, continuing to build on a pillar of the foundation of my production company, Blue Butterfly. My passions for acting and music now include developing diverse stories with music as the backdrop. I am grateful to Lifetime for their partnership in the story of ‘Real Love.’”
Real Love is a romantic drama centered around the coming-of-age story of Kendra, who sets out to study at a college in upstate New York on her own for the first time, with a determination to prioritize her studies. Despite her efforts to maintain a professional relationship with her film class partner Ben, Kendra finds herself strongly drawn to him. The couple faces multiple challenges, including disapproving parents, financial constraints, and competition for the top position in class. Through it all, Kendra and Ben discover the true essence of love.
The movie will be written by Sonja Warfield and Rachel Ingram and executive produced by Mary J. Blige, Ashaunna Ayars, and Nicole Jackson for Blue Butterfly, along with Jordan and John Davis for Davis Entertainment. Sony Pictures Television will handle the distribution of the movie.
Strength of a Woman revisits the story of Kendra and Ben, over 15 years after their last appearance. Kendra, now a prosperous photographer, finds herself in a failing marriage and must confront the choices she made for the life she once envisioned. However, when Ben suddenly reappears in her life, she is faced with a critical decision and must summon the courage to take control of her destiny, including reconsidering the love he once offered. This film is a profound exploration of the themes of love, loss, and redemption, which promises to leave the audience feeling inspired and elevated.
Watch the promo below:
Social media has been buzzing about Ajiona Alexus, who plays Kato on “BMF,” and Da’Vinchi, who plays Terry, being romantic and how Meech will react.
Ha!
Real Love premieres on LIFETIME on June 10th at 8 p/7c, followed by Strength of a Woman on June 17th at 8 p/7c.
Photo: DFree/Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock/LIFETIME
