Jonathan Majors opened up about his conviction for domestic assault during his acceptance speech during the Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. 

The “Creed III” actor, who won the Perseverance Award, addressed his trial and sentencing during an emotional 14-minute speech, where he broke down into tears. Majors was convicted of one count of assault and one count of harassment in December 2023 after his ex-girlfriend accused him of domestic violence.

“I reckon folks want to know about this last year. As a Black man in the criminal justice system, I felt anger,” Majors said per Entertainment Weekly. “I felt sadness, hurt, surprise. When they snatched me up out of my apartment in handcuffs, I didn’t feel like all that. I didn’t feel like Jonathan Majors. Mr. Creed. Mr. Kang… I felt like a little scared, weak boy, despite the support and the evidence that was in my favor. I knew s— was bad. It was bad because of who I was and what I am.”

Majors, who was sentenced to complete a 52-week batterer’s intervention program, added that he recognized his “shortcomings” and his “faith has been tested and has been strengthened” over the past year.  

“We live in a world where men — Black men in particular — are propped up as either superheroes or super villains,” he said. “But I’ve come to realize, me personally, I ain’t none of that. It was fun, but I’m just me… I’m imperfect. I have shortcomings, I acknowledge them.”

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“I’ll say this: there will be moments in your life where things get dark — and I mean really dark — and I’ve seen them depths. I’ve seen that darkness in myself,” Majors concluded. “I’ve sat in that pitch black, and what I’ve learned is that when you catch a glimpse of light, you run as hard and as fast as you can towards it. And I will never take that light for granted again.”

Majors also thanked several A-list celebrities for their support during his speech, including Will Smith, Tyler Perry, David Oyelowo, Whoopi Goldberg, Courtney B. Vance, and his girlfriend Meagan Good.

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Crunchyroll, the ultimate home for anime worldwide, announced today its acquisition of the North American rights for J-pop sensation LiSA’s concert film, LiVE is SMiLE ALWAYS -LANDER-. This exciting partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment will see the film released in theaters across the United States and Canada for a special three-day event starting on August 17, 2024.

The LiVE is SMiLE ALWAYS -LANDER- concert film captures LiSA’s final show of her 19-date tour at the Tokyo Garden Theater on December 16. Fans and new audiences alike will be transported to this sold-out performance, experiencing the dynamic energy and powerful vocals of the beloved J-pop star. The film showcases LiSA’s sixth original album and presents her most personal music to date in a stunning, cinematic format.

LiSA, who debuted as a solo artist in 2011 with her mini-album Letter to U, has achieved international fame through her contributions to numerous anime theme songs. Some of her most popular tracks include “homura” and “Gurenge” from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, “Datte Atashino Hero” from My Hero Academia, “Crossing Field” from Sword Art Online, and “Rising Hope” from The Irregular at Magic High School.

In 2020, LiSA was recognized as the #1 “Most Played Japanese Artist Overseas” on Spotify, with her single “Gurenge” from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba earning the top spot as the “Most Played Japanese Song Overseas.”

Fans eager to immerse themselves in LiSA’s vibrant performances can also stream her past music and performance videos on Crunchyroll, making the platform a comprehensive hub for both her music and anime projects.

With the release of LiVE is SMiLE ALWAYS -LANDER-, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment continue to celebrate and amplify the reach of J-pop and anime culture in North America, offering an unprecedented opportunity to experience LiSA’s extraordinary talent on the big screen.

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Christopher Williams is setting the record straight about all this sex-with-Diddy mess. The singer recently appeared on “Willie D Live,” where he opened up about various rumors throughout his career — specifically addressing and denying allegations by singer Jaguar Wright that he engaged in sexual activities with Sean “Diddy” Combs to land a record deal.

Now, it’s worth noting out the gate that Wright is known far more for her salacious industry gossip than any music she ever put out. Her allegations about Williams isn’t even the first Diddy tea she spilled — she suggested he was a calculated mass murderer well before everything related to his abusive relationship with Cassie Ventura made it feel less far-fetched.

Hear Williams tell it, however, Wright’s allegations of anything connected with Diddy is sheer nonsense.

“Anybody that knows me knows that is ridiculous,” Williams said in the interview, pointing out a discrepancy in the timeline alleged in the rumor.

“One person in the world alleges that I gave Puffy fellatio to get a record deal in like ‘92,” he said. “I came out in ‘89, I had a record deal in ‘88.”

He went on to clarify that the “homosexual act” is not the “ridiculous” part. “If I were gay, I would be openly gay, so again, that wasn’t even the emphasis of it, it was the other stuff that was said around it,” he said.

“Now she’s going on and on and on like she’s sure,” Williams said, adding that he has a lot of friends around him who would like to publicly defend him, but he tells them not to.

“But I’m like, ‘Bro, she’s hurting.’ I’m praying for her because we have to make a different stand and a different choice at this time,” he added, “If I’m really solid, how can what she says affect me?”

Gene Deal, Diddy’s former bodyguard who seems to have no love lost for his former boss, corroborates Williams’ denial in an interview with The Art of Dialogue. While most of us knew Williams as a dreamboat R&B singer and actor in the 1990s, Deal said that he was a “crazy, gangsta-ass n***a from Mt. Vernon” who kept a gun on him at all times.

He also said that the lawyer whom Wright claims walked in on Williams pleasuring Diddy likely got him mixed up with another man who looks just like Williams. Sloppy, indeed!

Williams also addressed other rumors, including being accused of an altercation with Halle Berry back in the ‘90s. Williams has addressed this before in the early 2000s, saying that “Wesley Snipes busted her eardrum, not me.”

“Me and Halle are really great friends to this day,” he said, adding that for years he stayed silent about the truth of the altercation, assuming that because his popularity had declined the truth was kept from coming to light for years.

“I said wow, I guess because I’m not on the A list anymore, they’ve been told they can’t tell the truth.”

Never one to be upstaged on her own mess, Wright responded to Williams’ interview, with some choice words for Willie D himself.

Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

My homie texted: How over is Drake? (I haven’t gotten a Drake favorable response yet).

I texted: Not over at all. Drake is fine. It’s probably hurtful to him personally to be embarrassed in public given how important image is to him so he may need to talk to his therapist about that, but careerwise, he’s good money. For sure, Kendrick has taken over the culture. He’s the central figure nowadays. If the culture is a high school, Kendrick is the most popular kid in school by far. Drake was once the most popular kid in school but right now it’s all about K-Dot. He’s got the song of the summer in “Not Like Us,” maybe even the song of the year, and the video hasn’t even dropped yet. He just did the concert of the summer. He can’t be stopped right now. But if the culture is a high school, Drake still goes to that school. He got beat up in the parking lot and everyone saw, but he didn’t get expelled. And if the culture, as in Black culture, is one high school, then we have to understand that Drake is someone who attends two schools at once. A large portion of his fans aren’t in the culture, they’re not Black, and they don’t care about hip-hop the way the culture does, and Kendrick dunking on Drake doesn’t change how they feel about him.

He texted back: For sure. Not over as in Ja Rule over, but I guess where do you go from here in the male rap game when a big part of your success stems from your perceived roughness and place within the game?

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I texted: I think for the most part, Drake fans and Kendrick fans are different people. Like in the lunchroom at that proverbial school, they’re at different tables. They don’t even sit on the same side of the lunchroom. There’s not a ton of overlap because they see the world in different ways, and they want different things from music. And, as I said, many Drake fans go to other schools. I think Kendrick’s fanbase is mostly Black and male and serious about hip-hop. I think Drake’s fanbase is Black and white, it’s male and female, it’s some who are serious about hip-hop and some who are pop music fans and may not care about hip-hop. It’s surely bigger than Kendrick’s fanbase, and I don’t think losing the battle has cost Drake many fans.

Among Drake fans, there are probably three camps. Some think Drake won the battle. Some think Drake lost the battle but they don’t care, they still love him. They probably think that Kendrick and so many others going at Drake proves that Drake is the man or, as my kids would say, it proves he’s the main character. And some don’t really care about the battle. Kendrick won the battle, obvi, but that doesn’t mean Drake fans have stopped loving him. When he drops another album or goes on tour, they’ll be there for him.

He texted: It’s hard to take someone seriously who raps “last name ever, first name greatest” after an ass beating that bad lol.

I texted: That’s how we feel because we’re on the Kendrick side of the cafeteria. But over on Drake’s side, things are different. They see the world differently. It’s almost like how something bad happens to Trump and it doesn’t really impact his standing among his base because their love isn’t based on logic, and liberals are apoplectic — like, how can that not make you rethink your love for Trump? But love is illogical. People love Drake and losing a battle won’t shake that. Now is not the time for Drake to drop new music because this is the summer of Kendrick. The school belongs to him. But in time, that’ll cool down a bit and Drake will put out a catchy banger that makes people want to dance, and he’ll be back to doing his thing.

He texted: That makes sense.

Toure is a host and writer at TheGrio. He hosts the TheGrio TV show “Masters of the Game,” and he created the award-winning podcast “Being Black: The ’80s” and its upcoming sequel “Being Black: The ’70s.” He is also the creator of “Star Stories” and the author of eight books, including “Nothing Compares 2 U an oral history of Prince.” He also hosts a podcast called “Toure Show.” He is also a husband and a father of two.

Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrio’s newsletter.

15

Production has officially commenced on the highly anticipated sequel to the 2003 comedy classic “Freaky Friday,” starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. Fans of the original film, which became a cultural phenomenon upon its release, can look forward to seeing Curtis and Lohan reprise their iconic roles.

In the 2003 “Freaky Friday,” Curtis and Lohan portrayed a mother-daughter duo who magically swapped bodies, leading to a series of hilarious and heartwarming events. The film was lauded for its witty script and the dynamic performances of its lead actresses. Now, after more than two decades, the duo is set to return, promising to bring the same blend of humor and heartfelt moments that captivated audiences years ago.

Disney, the studio behind the original movie, announced that production has started in Los Angeles. While plot details are being kept under wraps, sources close to the project have hinted that the sequel will explore new dimensions of the mother-daughter relationship, possibly involving another magical twist.

Jamie Lee Curtis expressed her enthusiasm for the sequel, saying, “Revisiting these characters after so many years is a dream come true. The bond between Tess and Anna resonated with so many people, and I can’t wait to explore where their journey takes them next.”

Lindsay Lohan, who has been making a return to the spotlight in recent years, also shared her excitement. “Freaky Friday was a huge part of my career, and I’m thrilled to be back working with Jamie and the entire team. It’s going to be a lot of fun bringing Anna back to life.”

@disneystudios

The band’s back together and coming to theaters in 2025 🤘. The sequel to Freaky Friday is now in production!

♬ original sound – Disney Studios

The original creative team is back on board, with Mark Waters returning as director and Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon once again handling the script. The production team has promised to stay true to the spirit of the original film while incorporating fresh elements that will appeal to both new and longtime fans.

With filming now underway, the sequel to “Freaky Friday” is already generating significant buzz. The film is slated for a release in mid-2025, and fans are eagerly anticipating more updates as production progresses.

Stay tuned for more news on this exciting sequel as it develops.

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13

The Chicago Sky soared to victory over the Indiana Fever on June 23rd, powered by a dominant performance from rookie sensation Angel Reese. Reese put on a show, recording a staggering 25 points, 16 rebounds, and 1 assist, shooting an efficient 8-for-12 from the field and 9-for-11 from the free-throw line.

This stellar outing places Reese in elite company. She becomes the first rookie since 2018 MVP A’ja Wilson to notch a game with at least 25 points and 15 rebounds. Furthermore, Reese is the only 2024 rookie with multiple double-doubles of 20+ points and 10+ rebounds.

The win wasn’t a one-woman show, however. Kamilla Cardoso provided a strong supporting cast with a double-double of her own, tallying 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. Notably, this marks the second time this season that Reese and Cardoso have achieved double-doubles in the same game, etching their names in history. They become the first rookie duo to accomplish this feat in multiple games since 1998.

Chennedy Carter chipped in a crucial 23 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds on an impressive shooting night (8-for-12 FG).

Despite the loss for the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark displayed her undeniable talent. She orchestrated the offense with a franchise-record 13 assists, adding 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals while connecting on five three-pointers.

The Sky’s victory showcases their rising potential, fueled by the brilliance of their young stars. With Angel Reese leading the charge, the future looks bright for Chicago.

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