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https://youtu.be/CGZmwsK58M8
When filmmaker Malcolm (John David Washington) and his girlfriend Marie (Zendaya), return home from a movie premiere and await his film’s critical response, the...
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey was written and directed by David E. Talbert. He and his wife, Lynn Sisson-Talbert, produced the film. Talbert describes...
https://youtu.be/Hs1W2kVnZNA
According to CBS All Access: "Discover the next dimension." The modern reimagining of The Twilight Zone, from Jordan Peele, is back. Stream all episodes...
https://youtu.be/CGZmwsK58M8
When filmmaker Malcolm (John David Washington) and his girlfriend Marie (Zendaya), return home from a movie premiere and await his film’s critical response, the...
https://youtu.be/4xXZhXTFWnE
We have our tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King. Hope you'll check it out.
Here's an excerpt.
I originally wrote this article in 2018...
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Several months ago I ran a contest through Black TV Film Crew’s weekly newsletter. In the contest, the first two people who could me tell where the line “falling for a banana in the tailpipe” came from would receive a profile on Black TV Film Crew’s website. Actor / Writer / Producer, Malachi Rivers answered ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ and sent in his reply within 5 minutes. And so, here he is.
Malachi originally hails from Maryland but he now resides in Los Angeles, CA. He is currently on tour with a play called “Loving Him” (And He’s Not Ready) by NAACP Theatre award winning playwright Peachanda DuBose. He is also gearing up to reprise my role as “Chad Bossman” in the NAACP Theatre award winning play “Ferguson”: The Musical. In the fall, he starts shooting season 2 of “Rhonda Mitchell M.D.” web series which is an official selection at the Hip Hop Film Festival. He will also be filming the third season of the popular web series “LIPS” (Love Inside Prevails) in which he was nominated for best supporting actor for my role as “William Green” at the 2018 Urban Web Series Awards.
But, there is a new digital series, “Poz Roz” on the horizon for Malachi and he will be co-producing along with director Carlton Jordan. They shoot in July and have some heavy hitters attached to the project.
CHOOSING HIS CAREER PATH
Rivers explains how he was inspired to take his career path. “The arts have always been a driving force me in my life. Acting and music have been the catalyst for keeping me out of trouble. Creating is in my blood especially in subject matters that deal with people of the African diaspora.”
I think you must allow your work to first connect with you and make sure that it resonates in your soul. It must be genuine to your journey then God willing people will receive it. — Malachi Rivers
Rivers was inspired by many people throughout his life. He explains, “My teachers at the Performing Arts High School in Maryland taught me lessons that I still use to this day. The original stick outs for me are Whoopi Goldberg, Lauryn Hill, and Mario Van Peebles. I got the chance to tell Whoopi and Mario both in person in an intimate setting about how they have changed my life. “Sister Act 2” made me really want to make a career out of acting and music. “Posse” I used to watch that movie everyday. It gave me insight that black people can be anything, even bad ass cowboys running the west.
However, the biggest influence for me was one of my best friends who was like a brother to me, Nelsan Ellis. Nelsan was a well-known actor who became famous for his role as “Lafayette” on True Blood on HBO and we were extremely close. He always told me my time is coming and believed I was an amazing talent.
I say he is my biggest influence because with his passing I realized more so than ever that life is short, and you must do what makes your spirit happy.
He taught me that and I will always appreciate that. I’ve learned so much from him about what to do and not to do in this industry.”
Life has its share of ups and downs, but who you are emotionally and spiritually is key for Malachi. He shared with us a personal experience that really opened his eyes.
“One day I was hanging with some friends and woman who professed to be a spiritual reader decided she wanted to read us. Long story short, she ended up telling me I was protected. The crazy part was I always felt that way. But, what I started realizing through the reading is: it wasn’t about her telling me, it was about me believing it. I quickly realized you are what you believe. What you speak, what you think, and what you believe will have an impact on your life. So even when things don’t go as planned I always say things like,”you are protected and what God has for you is for you and what doesn’t come to fruition wasn’t meant for you.”
Yasmin Shiraz is a Screenwriter and TV producer who has worked for Lifetime, A&E, Bravo and PBS. She's a best selling author of more than 11 titles and the founder of Black TV Film Crew. She is the CEO of Still Eye Rise Media.