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‘American Fiction’ Filmmaker Cord Jefferson Talks to Robert Townsend, Who Went There First With ‘Hollywood Shuffle’
“The themes of the film are not new,” Jefferson says. “Which is a little heartbreaking, right?”
‘The Bear’ Star Ayo Edebiri On Robert Townsend Playing Her Father In Season 2: ‘I Owe Him A Debt’
Edebiri told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview how monumental it was for her to have the iconic Black actor and filmmaker play her father in the second season, referencing how his 1990s sitcom The Parent ‘Hood was a big part of her life growing up.
An ode to ‘Meteor Man,’ one of my favorite superhero movies of all time, which is now 30 years old
The 1993 superhero film written, directed and starring Robert Townsend has a ton of heart and deserves all of the flowers.
“The Best Gift Ever”: Ayo Edebiri and Robert Townsend on Playing Father and Daughter in ‘The Bear’
The actors' mutual admiration for one another translated into moving scenes in season two of the FX series.
Robert Townsend on How ‘Hollywood Shuffle’ Paved the Way for Modern Black Satire
As his 1987 classic finally hits the Criterion Collection this week, director Robert Townsend reflects on the legacy and impact of ‘Hollywood Shuffle
'There were no filmmakers of color': How Robert Townsend changed the game with self-financed 1987 comedy 'Hollywood Shuffle'
The groundbreaking 1987 comedy put Hollywood on blast for its deficient representation of Black people onscreen.
Godcast #2: Re-Shuffling Hollywood with Robert Townsend
Scripted by Townsend and buddy Keenan Ivory Wayans, the landmark comedy would go on to gross more than $5 million against its meager $100,000 budget
IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit
In 1987, Robert Townsend co-wrote, directed, starred in and self-financed (using his savings and credit cards) “Hollywood Shuffle”
His Role as an Extra on ‘The Warriors’ Got Robert Townsend Thinking Like a Director
"In that moment, I, this little young actor in the middle of 700 people, had affected the scene," the "Hollywood Shuffle"
“Seeds for the Revolution”: Robert Townsend on Hollywood Shuffle
His directorial debut, Hollywood Shuffle, was a hilariously scathing look at the film and television industry’s racist hiring practices
He put $40,000 on credit cards to make his first film. Now ‘Hollywood Shuffle’ is a classic
“Hollywood Shuffle,” Townsend’s 1987 debut feature film as director, producer, co-writer and star, has just been released on disc by the Criterion Collection
Robert Townsend on making biting satire Hollywood Shuffle: ‘It was hard back then to make a movie’
As his industry comedy Hollywood Shuffle turns 35 and is inducted into the Criterion collection, the multi-hyphenate talks the struggle to make a low-budget indie
Robert Townsend’s ‘Hollywood Shuffle’ comes full circle
From ‘The Five Heartbeats’ to Netflix’s ‘Kaleidoscope,’ the director’s career is a unique jigsaw puzzle
Robert Townsend Says Gina Prince-Bythewood’s ‘Woman King’ Oscars Snub Is an Opportunity for Growth
”There’s always this give and take,“ the acclaimed filmmaker and actor says of Black cinema. ”You didn’t get everything, but you got some things“
Director Robert Townsend on the always relevant “Hollywood Shuffle”
Townsend tells The Treatment he decided, as a young actor, to make “Shuffle” with Keenen Ivory Wayans after a particularly degrading acting audition.
The 15 Best Comedy Movies From Black Directors
Written, produced, directed by, and starring Robert Townsend, Hollywood Shuffle is a prime example of the old axiom advising to "write what you know."
Black History Month: 10 Black Media & Lifestyle Innovators You Should Know
In honor of Black History Month, SOHH spotlighted ten of the best Black innovators within the entertainment, media, and lifestyle industries.
Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM - Robert Townsend On ‘The Five Heartbeats’ Documentary, Whitney Houston + More
The Breakfast Club features celebrity interviews, Charlamagne tha God’s Donkey of the Day, Angela Yee’s Rumor Reports, DJ Envy’s mixes and so much more! Every guest visiting the world’s most dangerous morning show is grilled with their signature blend of honesty and humor. The results are the best interviews to be found on radio.
NPR | 1A - Hollywood's Heartbeat: A Conversation With Robert Townsend
Townsend is a pioneer for many artists in Hollywood. As a writer, director and actor, he's built an extensive resume of television and film work, bringing black stories to audiences around the world.
PBS | On Story - A Conversation with Robert Townsend
Season 8 Episode 11
Writer, director, producer, actor, and comedian Robert Townsend has over 30 years of experience working in film and television. With credits such as Hollywood Shuffle, The Five Heartbeats, In the Hive and Playin’ For Love, Townsend discusses his multi-faceted and successful career in front of and behind the camera.
Shondaland - Looking Back at 'The Meteor Man' With Robert Townsend
What are we to make of the first black superhero movie, 25 years later? Townsend answers that question, talks about his inspiration for the film, not seeing limitations, what it's like to ask Michael Jackson for a song, and more.
Vulture | Underrated - Tracing the Influence of Robert Townsend’s Hollywood Shuffle With Open Mike Eagle
“My agent told me, ‘Robert, they only do one black movie a year. You just did it. Be happy.’”
That blunt articulation of how black actors are marginalized served as the catalyst for Townsend to write, direct, and star in 1987’s Hollywood Shuffle, a brutally biting satire of Hollywood’s institutionalized racism and its erasure of the nonwhite experience.
SWAY'S UNIVERSE - Cinematic Pioneer Robert Townsend Speaks on New Documentary ‘Making The Five Heartbeats'
Exclusive interviews from Sway Calloway and the Sway In The Morning/ SwaysUniverse.com team with some of today's biggest celebrities, like Kevin Hart, Kanye West, Eminem, Usher, Jessica Alba, Steve Aoki, Torey Lanez, Julia Stiles and so much more.
CWCMC lauds Townsend and anticipates Muti’s promise
The Chicago West Community Music Center in the Austin community on the West Side is doing phenomenal work with young people in the area of music. The Center has been around for 20 years and has truly taken the mission of exposing children to the arts and other cultures full throttle, after the Chicago Public School System removed music and arts programs from regular instruction decades ago.
To celebrate their accomplishments, award scholarships and to showcase the varied talents of students in many artistic disciplines, CWCMC honored West Side native and esteemed filmmaker, actor and producer Robert Townsend, along with others.
WVON Interview with Robert Townsend
For more than 56years, WVON has established itself as one of Chicago's most credible and highly-respected media institutions providing an interactive forum for its vast listening audience to discuss social, economic and political issues.