PRAISE THIS DIRECTOR TINA GORDON'S FIVE FAVORITE FILMS

For filmmaker Tina Gordon, bringing vibrant, compelling characters to the big screen has been her life’s work. Before sitting in the director’s chair for her 2013 debut feature Peeples, Gordon penned cult classics like Drumline and ATL. Now with her third feature film, Praise This, she once again puts music at the center of her story.

The story centers on a young woman named Sam (Chloe Bailey), who is uprooted from her life in Los Angles to go and live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin Jess (Anjelika Washington) in Atlanta. Angry, grieving, and determined to follow her dreams of becoming a professional singer, Sam reluctantly finds herself in the competitive world of Atlanta’s gospel praise team choirs. This new focus might be precisely what she needs to heal her spirit.

Ahead of the film’s debut on Peacock, Gordon spoke with Rotten Tomatoes about her Five Favorite Films, bringing Praise This to life, and why musicals have been the foundation of her journey as a filmmaker. “It’s funny doing a musical, because I realized [they were] my gateway into really loving films,” she explained. “They were mainly musicals. And I can’t sing a lick. The character Jess in this movie is me. I don’t know what piano bar I would be wasting my life away at if I could sing even a note, but that’s where I would be.”

Continue reading at Rotten Tomatoes.

Anjelika Washington Is Standing Tall: EXCLUSIVE

Sometimes, when you’ve been putting positive vibes out in the universe, you get everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Tall Girl actress Anjelika Washington did just that, and it led to her feature film debut. The California native has had guest spots on hit shows like Showtime’s Shameless and CBS’ Young Sheldon. However, her role in Tall Girl has provided her with the opportunity to shine and sparkle in front of a much larger audience.

Tall Girl follows a 16-year-old girl named Jodi (Ava Michelle). Though we all had our trials and tribulations during our teen years, Jodi’s 6′ 2″ stature means that she automatically stands out. Things take a turn for her when a Swedish foreign exchange student transfers into her school–capturing Jodi’s attention and maybe even her heart. In Tall Girl, Washington stars as Jodi’s pint-sized no-nonsense BFF Fareeda.

Passionate and intensely protective of her more thin-skinned bestie, Fareeda isn’t about to take ish for anyone. Sporting her gorgeous fuschia box braids and more savage clap backs then Rihanna–Washington embodies her spunky character perfectly. Ahead of Tall Girl’s debut on Netflix–STYLECASTER chatted with Washington about the film, why she connects so well with Fareeda and her upcoming magical project with DC’s Extended Universe.

Continue reading at STYLECASTER.

Image: Instagram.