Cortney Wills sits down with Jeff and Nicole Friday, the couple who founded the African American Film Festival in 1996, creating a space for Black creators to build community, share their art, and foster new talent. Now in its 26th year, ABFF remains one of the most beloved film festivals of the year and has given rise to countless creators from Ryan Coogler to Issa Rae. The group will discuss what it was like to bring the event back to Miami after the COVID-19 pandemic and what we all have to look forward to from this year's star-studded lineup. 

Cortney Wills sits down with Jeff and Nicole Friday, the couple who founded the African&nbsp;American&nbsp;Film&nbsp;Festival&nbsp;in 1996, creating a space for&nbsp;Black&nbsp;creators to build community, share their art, and foster new talent. Now in its 26th year,&nbsp;ABFF&nbsp;remains one of the most beloved&nbsp;film&nbsp;festivals of the year and has given rise to countless creators from Ryan Coogler to Issa Rae. The group will discuss what it was like to bring the event back to Miami after the COVID-19 pandemic and what we all have to look forward to from this year's star-studded lineup.&nbsp;

Acting up is smart, relevant and dedicated to supporting Black Excellence in Hollywood. Hosted by Cortney Wills, TheGrio’s Entertainment Director and pop culture junkie, covering music, TV and film since 2005, she guides us through one-on-one conversations with icons, celebrities, actors, producers, directors, and all the Black people who keep this industry thriving. 

Acting up is smart, relevant and dedicated to supporting Black Excellence in Hollywood. Hosted by Cortney Wills, TheGrio&rsquo;s Entertainment Director and pop culture junkie, covering music, TV and film since 2005, she guides us through one-on-one conversations with icons, celebrities, actors, producers, directors, and all the Black people who keep this industry thriving.

Acting Up

"Acting Up” features intimate conversations with the creatives, executives, and decision-makers who are truly moving the needle when it comes to representation in Hollywood and beyond. In each episode, theGrio’s Entertainment Director Cortney Wills gets real with actors, writers, producers, directors, executives, and insiders who shape how our communities are represented on screens big and small. Through poignant commentary and in-depth interviews, she explores how Hollywood continues to influence so many aspects of our lives, from beauty standards to political participation, from how the rest of the world sees Black America to how they see themselves.

"Acting Up” features intimate conversations with the creatives, executives, and decision-makers who are truly moving the needle when it comes to representation in Hollywood and beyond. In each episode, theGrio’s Entertainment Director Cortney Wills gets real with actors, writers, producers, directors, executives, and insiders who shape how our communities are represented on screens big and small. Through poignant commentary and in-depth interviews, she explores how Hollywood continues to influence so many aspects of our lives, from beauty standards to political participation, from how the rest of the world sees Black America to how they see themselves.

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