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While interviewing John Singleton on his producing duties for his upcoming film, 'Illegal Tender', directed by Franc Reyes, he mentioned to me that his next film will directing Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in the Lionsgate film, 'Tulia'. Not only is Singleton directing the film, but he also co-wrote and will co-produce the film as well.
Berry will portray the key attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in a case involving the 1999 arrests of 10% of the black population of Tulia, Texas. The arrests did not produce drugs or money, causing prosecutors and civil rights groups to denounce the bust as racial profiling. The undercover agent who conducted the bust was indicted for perjury; most of the 46 arrestees were pardoned by Texas Gov. Rick Perry last year. The character that Berry plays is not African American but Indian.
'Tulia' is an adaptation of the Nate Blakeslee book "Tulia: Race, Cocaine, and Corruption in a Small Texas Town." Shooting will take place in Texas.
Berry's last film was 'Perfect Stranger' with Bruce Willis and will star opposite Benecio Del Toro in the upcoming, 'Things We Lost in the Fire'. Singleton last directed the ensemble film, 'Four Brothers' with Tyrese Gibson and Mark Wahlberg in 2005, but recently produced Craig Brewer's 'Black Snake Moan'.
It had been reported earlier this that Carl Franklin would be directing the film, but he has since moved on to helm 'The Maintenance Man' for Screen Gems.
This will the first time that Berry and Thornton have starred together in a film since they did 'Monster's Ball' years ago, which led to Berry winning the Oscar for Best Actress.
Comments: (24)
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By: lisa on 7/30/2007 2:50AM
Halle is a beautiful actress and person. She had some tough breaks in her life so to see her making movies, prominent movies, winning awards, God Bless Her! She is embracing being black, she could have done the opposite and as far as I am concerned Monsters Ball had me thinking, um Billy Bob Thornton ain't so bad afterall. I think he is kinda of cute in a roughneck so of way...
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By: Devynn on 7/30/2007 11:40AM
mimi: herman b wasn't hating on halle or anything, he was just being silly. wow. if you can't see that, then YOU have some SERIOUS issues.
and to everyone else who's mad that halle's playing someone who isn't of the same race as she is: if she can pull off the character, then what's the problem? i read somewhere that soon she'll be playing a character that is white, but b/c she can pull off the essence of this person, she got the part. and the person that she's playing couldn't be happier. on grey's anatomy, they rewrote dr bailey's character so that shandra wilson could play it as a black woman. it was originally supposed to be played by a white woman, but she was so damned good in her audition, they rewrote the role for her. and we all know how she kicks butt on that show. so get over yourselves, ppl. if an actor/actress can pull off a roll, that was originated by a person of another ethic group or written for another ethic group, then i say let them have the roll! that right there takes some serious talent, something that is SERIOUSLY lacking in lalaland these days.
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By: Viva on 8/11/2007 6:56AM
It's a great story and I love Halle Berry and BBT together.
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By: V-Star on 9/01/2007 9:59PM
It is great that John Singleton is willing to go out there on a limb and expose the truth of various situations. It is to be commended that Billy Bob and Halle are willing to work that exposes racism, corruption, and more. We as American citizens need more people like John Singleton and Michael More that are not afraid to tell the truth and show the owrld the truth. We live in a country where the worst president in history is full of lies, scandels, and washes American blood off his hands everynight. Someone should do a movie called the truth about Bush. On the comment about John being a sell out no he is being real and making his talent as a director well know. Up coming film students will know his name but they won't know you or care about you Felecia. Todd English would you rather have hollywood resort back to BLACKFACE. Remeber how the white people would use black face paint to be a "black" actor. Todd do you prefer the word "negro". It seems that word is more in your alley. Different races play different cultures in movies all the time that will never stop. I wonder would you have a problem Todd with Halle if she wasn't the 1st black woman to win an Oscar and she was just another black actress!!!! For Halle and John S. accomplishing dreams and making a world wide name for themselves is a great thing. But when black people break barriers in sports, corporate america,acting, fashion,music, entreprenuerships and more just think of us as getting OUR 40 ACRES AND A MULE!
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