Jurnee Smollett and Brandon T. Jackson play key roles in the on-the-money cast of the new comedy-drama Roll Bounce. Set during the roller-disco era and starring rap star Bow Wow, the movie follows a group of teen skaters in Chicago during the summer of 1978. When the rundown skating rink in their South Side neighborhood shuts down, the kids must travel across town to a lavish skating palace where they’re seen as outsiders.
Malcolm D. Lee directed Roll Bounce and the film’s producers include George Tillman Jr., of Soul Food and Barbershop fame.

Smollett plays Tori, the new friend of a gifted but troubled young skater played by Bow Wow. The 18-year-old actress’ credits include Full House and Cosby. She also co-starred with Samuel L. Jackson and former Baton Rougean Lynn Whitfield in the 1997 film Eve’s Bayou, which was shot in Madisonville.

Jackson, a 19-year-old standup comic from Detroit, steals scenes as the wisecracking Junior, one of Bow Wow’s skating pals.

While Bow Wow and Chi McBride share top billing as an estranged father and son, Roll Bounce is a true ensemble picture.

“That’s the thing,” Smollett said last month in New Orleans. “It’s an ensemble. You’re so proud of everyone and the job that they did because everybody hit it. And Malcolm, the architect of the movie, he brought everything together. So all of these young people, he was able to keep the fun but also make sure everyone was on the ball and professional. When he said, ‘Action,’ you were supposed to know your lines and we ain’t fooling around.”

Jackson loves Roll Bounce, and not just because he’s in it. Watching the film, he said, “I don’t really watch myself anymore. Now I’m watching everybody else do a great job. It was a pleasure working with so many good actors and actresses, like Jurnee, and Meagan (Good) and all of them. Who could ask for a better cast.”

Jackson especially liked watching fellow comics Mike Epps and Charlie Murphy play garbage collectors who always give Bow Wow’s Xavier Smith a hard time.

“Watching the way they play is great,” he said. “People don’t understand just what goes into not thinking and still thinking. When they do comedy, they just got it.”

Jackson’s Junior always has something to say. The director encouraged him to use his standup skills and many of his improvised lines made the film’s final cut.

“The script, it’s written, but it’s like a skeleton,” Jackson explained. “You gotta add your own flavor to it.”

Upon reading the Roll Bounce script by Norman Vance Jr. (Beauty Shop), Jackson and Smollett definitely wanted in.

“Oh, yeah!” Jackson said.

“Hell, yeah!” Smollett said.

“I was thinking, ‘Oh, this is gonna be hot,’ ” Jackson added. “I was so nervous because I was coming straight out of comedy and this is only the second movie I auditioned for. I just thank God because to be in a good movie is very rare for your first movie.”

Smollett got the script a few months before the filmmakers began the audition process.

“My agent was interested in me looking at a different character, but Tori is where it’s at for me,” she said. “I understand her. And my mom had this philosophy throughout my whole career of being extremely picky. So I haven’t done every single thing I could have done. But you don’t get a script that often that’s this quality, the type of producers and director.”

As much humor and drama as there is in Roll Bounce, the film’s ’70s music and roller-disco dance binds the characters together. Unfortunately, that meant that Bow Wow, Jackson and other actors playing the Garden Boys skating crew endured three weeks of skate camp.

“Hmm, hmm!” Jackson and Smollett said in unison.

“So, Brandon,” Smollett innocently asked her co-star, knowing exactly what the interviewer would ask next. “How long did you guys have to practice?”

“Yeah,” Jackson said, playing along, “we had intense training for three weeks, learning different moves and choreography. From there we did the routines and, at the end, if we wasn’t shooting, we were skating. It got kind of grueling on the skates. It’s hard for me to get up early in the morning and talk, so, for real, to get up in the morning and put on some skates, it’s like, oh, my gosh.”

But Smollett got off easy. Her character is only required to skate badly.

“I teased them about that,” she said. “I loved seeing them go in a separate van. ‘Oh, are you going skating?’ I didn’t have to do skate camp. And I already knew how to skate, so all I had to do was pretend I couldn’t skate.”

Jackson and Smollett agree that Roll Bounce, regardless of its mostly African-American cast, is a movie for anyone.

“I want people to know it’s not about race in this movie,” Jackson said.

“It is a universal, global story,” Smollett said. “This could be any race, any country.”

Scholastic.Com
By: Marie Morreale

Star Spotlight

Lil’ JJ was born James Lewis in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ask his close-knit family, and they’ll tell you he’s been making people laugh since before he could talk! JJ got his big break on the BET comedy competition Coming to the Stage. He was the youngest contestant, and won hands down. Appearances on The Tonight Show and Showtime at the Apollo followed, and JJ was quickly dubbed “the prince of comedy.” Soon JJ was flooded with offers to develop a show based on his comedy act. The result? Just Jordan, already one of the top-rated shows on Nickelodeon. We recently sat down with JJ at the Nickelodeon offices in New York City, and got the scoop on his career, his family, and more. Read on!

Q & A

Q: Tell us about your character on Just Jordan.

JJ: Jordan is a teenager. He grew up in Arkansas—which is where I’m from—and he basically had everything he wanted. Whatever he wanted, he asked for it, and he got it the next day—a bike, money, whatever. But when he moved to L.A. to work at his Grandpa’s diner, he didn’t get what he wanted. He had to earn it. There’s a good message in each episode.

Q: Do you and the other kids from the show hang out together?

JJ: Yes. We all get along really well. On the set, we have fun, crack jokes, run around… When they need us to be on set, we’ll be in the other room, playing games. We have a good time. And once we’re done shooting on Friday, we’re either headed to the movies or to do something fun.

Q: What do you like best about being on the set of Just Jordan?

JJ: I’m surrounded by an awesome cast. I’m not competing. That’s the main thing. I’m not on the set thinking that I’m better than this person or this person’s better than me. We all get along. I look forward to coming to work.

Q: You are originally from Arkansas. How often do you go home?

JJ: I try to go home as often as possible. Of course, I live in Los Angeles now, but I go home every [chance] I get. I go straight home. That’s my hometown and that’s how I get away from everything that I’m doing with the show.

Q: Is your family funny?

JJ: Oh, yes. You always have the funny uncle and the funny auntie that run the family. My family never makes it a big deal that I’m doing what I’m doing. Nothing has changed. Everybody’s got a sense of humor. So I get a lot of material just from being around my family

Q: You have two younger brothers and a younger sister. Do they want to get into showbiz?

JJ: No, they all have their own talents. My sister plays basketball. My brother plays football and is a video-game freak. And then my six-year-old brother is the other comedian.

Q: You are homeschooled now. But is there anything that you miss about regular school?

JJ: Being in a class with a lot of people. It’s not even about making them laugh. It’s just about being in a class with other people. Now that I’m being homeschooled, I’m the only one in class. So there’s nobody I can talk to. When the teacher asks a question, I don’t have a choice. I have to raise my hand. I miss things like proms and homecomings.

Q: What is your favorite subject?

JJ: I’m a big fan of math. And I’m trying to boost my vocabulary because I write a lot.

Q: Why do you like math?

JJ: Of course, with the industry that I’m in right now, you’ve got to know a little something. But math, of course, is a challenge and I like to figure out stuff.

Q: Do you have a favorite book?

JJ: I’m a Harry Potter fan. I have them all. I like seeing all the magical stuff that happens and watching him get out of different situations. And when you watch the movies, you get into it like you’re actually there.

by: Erin Lang singersroom.com
In 2003, Tiffany Evans sang for executives at Columbia Records and was quickly offered a deal. Her self-titled debut album was originally released as an eight-track EP in 2004 that included a bonus DVD. Limited copies of this EP were available at a few online retailers and at Limited Too! stores, before being quickly pulled. Now with her musical career again on the upswing, guidance from Ciara, and upcoming singles with Chris Brown and Ne-Yo Tiffany is poised to make her mark on the industry

Singersroom: Could you tell us about your upcoming album?

Tiffany Evans: My album is self-titled and it will be out November 20th. Expect production from Ne-Yo, The Clutch, Bo Dozier, Mr. Collipark remixed “Promise Ring” and of course Ciara is on the album. It’s just a very fun, very chill and funky album. Something everyone can relate to including the older crowd; people that are older than me. I feel like they can relate to it because it’s a mature album and it’s very young. I feel like its just right for everybody because everybody can listen to it and understand where I’m coming from.

Singersroom: We were introduced to you when you were ten-years-old on Star Search, Showtime at the Apollo, Oprah, etc. Do you think you have grown a lot from then?

Tiffany Evans: I’ve grown so much! I’m not just saying that because a lot of people say “I feel like I’ve grown!” because they want to be but I feel like I’ve grown naturally, mentally, and physically. Especially physically because my look has changed. I’m not a little girl anymore; I can definitely say that I am a young woman. My vocals have matured and I have learned a lot. I understand a lot more than I use to.

Singersoom: You went on the Scream Tour this year. What was it like working with other young up and coming artists? Did they give you tons of advice and did you learn a lot about yourself on the tour?

Tiffany Evans: It was a blessing and I definitely thank God for that opportunity because I actually got to experience real touring. Lloyd, T.I., T-Pain, and Young Joc are like my family now. I would come out during Ciara’s set and do “Promise Ring.” I would also come out in her second set again and she would tell the audience all about me and my life. You know what? Every night was a great night. There are a lot of people who know who I am but there are more that don’t know who I am. Every night when I would come out I had this insecurity that nobody knew who I was and I still feel that way all the time. Whenever I’d come out people would say “Oh my god! It’s Tiffany Evans!” and I’d tell myself “You know what? I need to just chill out because these people already know. No need to get nervous.” It was very fun.

Singersroom: The Scream Tour doesn’t really have many female acts so were you nervous about how the audience was going to react to you and Ciara performing? You had to prove yourself in front of such a hardcore fanbase that is mostly made up of young females that come to see the hottest male acts.

Tiffany Evans: You know what? I still got nervous. I get nervous period. Female artists are never really on (the) Scream Tour and it’s usually about a lot of boy bands. The first night was good! Even though they wanted to see T.I. and all of the cute guys, because it’s just about the guys, it felt good because we were able to beat that. We let them know that just because we’re not guys doesn’t mean girls don’t love us too. It was intimidating at first but we still got the same amount of love as everybody else. What boosted my confidence a bit was when I did a show with Chris Brown in Jersey and I just knew that these girls were going to tell me to shut up “We want to see Chris Brown!” but instead I got “Oh My God it’s Tiffany Evans!” and they gave me so much love.

Singersroom: When you finally break through the industry and gain a bit of fame the people that grew up around you sometimes tend to get jealous and turn their back on you. I’ve read a lot of people in the entertainment business, especially younger entertainers comment on how people that they thought were their friends ended up turning on them out of jealously. Has this happened to you and how do you deal with it?

Tiffany Evans: I was home schooled so I didn’t experience too much of it, but, people that I knew already were a little jealous. I would tell my friends “You know what? No matter what happens, no matter how big anyone gets or how big I get, I am still Tiffany Evans.” The Tiffany Evans that fights with her little brothers. I’m still Tiffany and none of this really phases me because I don’t want it. It’s just a job and we all are famous for what we do. As far as me being Tiffany Evans to my fans, I am also the same Tiffany that hangs out at home and just chills with everybody. I don’t want them to think that they are losing me.

Singersroom: How do you balance being in the industry and being a growing teenager?

Tiffany Evans: My family! If I didn’t have family around me then I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. It’s such a strong foundation and they really help me out a lot. Even though I don’t get to see them as much anymore they still keep me grounded. They still tell me “Tiffany? If you ever want to come home and chill just let us know. If it gets hard, just let us know.” We being God fearing also helps me out as well.

Singersroom: How does your family feel about your career?

Tiffany Evans: They are one thousand percent behind my back and they are proud of me. Of course, there are a lot of things that they won’t understand but they are going through the whole thing with me. The whole struggle with me, trying to get where I want to be, just as long as I don’t change, then they are fine.

Singersroom: How do you feel about being a role-model and how much pressure has come with being one?

Tiffany Evans: It is hard because I do make mistakes and with me being in the spotlight with people watching me 24/7. It’s hard for people to understand that you do mess up. There is definitely a lot of pressure but it’s good for me because it keeps me on a straight path.

MSNBC.MSN.Com

For Keke Palmer, it’s OK to be ‘Uncool’
Wants to inspire kids with her new CD and by being a positive role model
By: Associated Press @ MSNBC.MSN.Com

NEW YORK – Keke Palmer is looking to inspire kids with her CD debut “So Uncool.” But being a positive role model is nothing new for this 14-year-old performer.

Keke first garnered national attention in last year’s “Akeelah and the Bee,” about an inner-city student and her triumphant rise in a national spelling bee. Not only was the movie critically acclaimed, but Keke was hailed for her portrayal, and won a best actress trophy at the NAACP Image Awards.

Keke has also starred with “High School Musical” actor Corbin Bleu in the Disney TV film “Jump In,” and had a role as a surly teen in Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Family Reunion.”

Keke gives listeners positive encouragement throughout the recently released “So Uncool,” like on the song “Hood Anthem,” where she knocks down the idea that those coming from a tough environment have to embrace negative stereotypes.

But while Keke may be delivering some sage advice, when it comes down to her personal life, she’s just the typical teen — one who recently celebrated her birthday with an ’80s-themed roller-skating party.

Keke sat down with The Associated Press to talk about dating, being a positive role model and her spelling skills.

AP: On “The Game Song,” you said, “I’m 13 I can have company” — how does that work?

Keke: That was fake (laughs) … I can have company. If it’s a boy, I just have to be in the living room or something. My mom has no problem with that. My dad is just less into that than she is.

AP: How about boyfriends?

Keke: I can have friend boys — friend boys. I just can’t have boyfriends. But when I’m 16 — you better believe it.

AP: How do you stay so grounded?

Keke: My parents. I just always try to remember, you know, if I ever had a friend that was in the business and she just changed, I wouldn’t like it. So, I wanna do the same — just keep it regular. Always remember where I came from and who I am. Never forget that, and I’ll be all right.

AP: Why call the album “So Uncool”?

Keke: Being different — some people may think that you’re so uncool, but at the same time that makes you cool because you’re just being yourself. So the whole thing with the name is just (about) being you, being different. That describes me — so I named it “So Uncool.”

AP: What keeps you from trying to keep up with the crowd?

Keke: It (didn’t) really make me any difference of what people thought of me. I’m always going to be myself. I don’t like chasing after people. I was never a follower. I always kind of did my own thing and whatever happened, happened.

AP: When did you decide “Hey, I’m going to do an album?”

Keke: I never really necessarily said “I’m gonna do an album,” but I always thought that when I grew up I’d be a singer. And after I did “Akeelah and the Bee,” Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were doing a song on it and they were talking to the director saying that if I could sing, then it’d be good for me to try to go out and make an album … So we thought about it for a while. The director told my mom what they said and she said, “Well maybe we should.”

AP: Were your parents worried about you doing material that was too adult, or that you thought was juvenile?

Keke: It’s never been a time when they’ve tried to make me too young. But we always have to try to explain it to the producers that we work with, that we want me to be in the middle. We don’t want to be too young. We don’t want to be too old and there were certain times that we got songs that were definitely too old for me because a lot of people think that I’m older. So it’s like “No, that definitely ain’t gone work.”

AP: How do you pick your roles? Are your parents really vocal about what roles you take?

Keke: It’s definitely my parents. They want me to be in good movies and good roles that can maybe speak and help children and maybe I can keep being a role model for them. We want good movies and good roles that are good for me and show me in a good light.

AP: So who’s more intimidating to work with, Laurence Fishburne (in “Akeelah and the Bee” or Tyler Perry (as Madea in “Madea’s Family Reunion”)?

Keke: I would have to say neither one of them are necessarily intimidating intimidating. But if I had to pick, I was more nervous meeting Laurence Fishburne because you know, he was Morpheus! So I was just like, “Whoa.” But you know, he was cool.

AP: So when you get interviewed, how often do people ask you to spell “prestidigitation”?

Keke: Every single day. Whenever they see me they always say “‘Akeelah and the Bee’ — could you spell ‘prestidigitation’?” I’m like, “P-r-e-s-t-i …” Every time, I always have to do it.

Starrymag.Com
By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the current projects that you are working on?

A) It’s pretty much “Heroes” for me. I think if I was doing anything else I would be a little bit too busy.

Q) What is new this season on “Heroes” and with your character Micah?

A) Micah is going to be stepping out of his comfort zone. He’s always got his mom and that’s the main person that he hangs out with. I think in this season you’ll see Micah step out of his comfort zone and meet new people.

Q) What made you originally want to be a part of the show?

A) It was a great script. Also, Micah is such an in-depth character so it is really awesome to play him! I was on a sitcom before called “My Wife and Kids” and with sitcoms you can’t really delve into characters as much. With Micah, you get to go deep which is something I really like.

Q) What about your role do you find challenging?

A) Everything (which is good)! I find it challenging to act and by that I mean Micah is a very complicated character so you have to work hard to try to find out what he’s doing, feeling and thinking. At the same time, it’s the most fun part, too.

Q) What is it like working with such an amazing cast?

A) It is awesome! They are all so funny! It’s kind of freaky because I remember someone said, “Why isn’t this a sitcom instead of a drama,” because everyone on the set is hysterical.

Q) What has been your most memorable moment from filming?

A) It would probably be when we were in the woods, just after D.L. (Leonard Roberts) had been shot in the shoulder by Jessica (Ali Larter). That was fun and we filmed in a really cool location. There were bison and deer out there.

Q) What super power would you want if you could have any ability?

A) I would probably have the ability to talk to animals since I’d really like to talk to my pets. I have a dog and a cat.

Q) Why do you think people keep tuning in to the show?

A) I think the writers are doing a really great job and the cast is awesome. It is just a great show and I think everyone has done a good job of making the storyline really amazing. It has all these different storylines and each episode they give you some of each of the storylines. It makes the episodes go by quickly because you are enjoying it the entire time. It seems like you are only getting little snippets of things, which is really cool. I like that a lot and each storyline is so amazing that it is fun to watch.

Q) Do you keep in touch with your former cast members from “My Wife and Kids?”

A) I have lost touch with most of them. I keep in touch with Parker McKenna Posey, who played Kady, and I just went to her twelfth birthday party. Tisha Campbell, who played Jay, keeps in touch with us. She’s awesome!

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

A) I like to watch TV, of course. I play video games, too. Sometimes, we go out off-roading. We do that, which is fun and we go to the movies. I play with my dog and my cat. I have a very playful cat!

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) Thank you very much! You’ll have seen me go from age six to eleven so I’ve pretty much grown up with you. I have had a lot of fun!

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To listen to the Podcast of the full interview, click HERE.