In August of 1990, Yusef Salaam, then 15 years old, told the judge at his sentencing hearing that he looked at “this legal lynching as a test by my God Allah.” On Wednesday, nearly 23 years later, Salaam — an exonerated man, poet, author, and activist — has been declared the winner of a New York City Council primary in his home district of Harlem.
Salaam was one of the Central Park Five, a group of teens wrongfully convicted for the rape and assault of a jogger in New York City’s Central Park in...
Salaam was one of the Central Park Five, a group of teens wrongfully convicted for the rape and assault of a jogger in New York City’s Central Park in...
- 7/5/2023
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
Almost no one could have predicted the unprecedented global events of the past two years, which is why Freddy Miyares is quite surprised by how HBO Max’s “Dmz” has only become more relevant over time.
The dystopian miniseries — in which Manhattan has become a demilitarized zone after a second civil war breaks out in America — comes after two years of a global pandemic that has kept millions of individuals isolated. It’s also debuting amid Russia’s devastating war in Ukraine, which the rest of the world has watched from afar.
“Even now, considering what’s happening on the other side of the world, the effects of war — what happens to a community, to a culture, and how is it preserved? Where do we maintain humanity? The series really does encapsulate that,” Miyares told TheWrap of how the show has proven timelier than he could have imagined. “It’s a beautiful and tragic story,...
The dystopian miniseries — in which Manhattan has become a demilitarized zone after a second civil war breaks out in America — comes after two years of a global pandemic that has kept millions of individuals isolated. It’s also debuting amid Russia’s devastating war in Ukraine, which the rest of the world has watched from afar.
“Even now, considering what’s happening on the other side of the world, the effects of war — what happens to a community, to a culture, and how is it preserved? Where do we maintain humanity? The series really does encapsulate that,” Miyares told TheWrap of how the show has proven timelier than he could have imagined. “It’s a beautiful and tragic story,...
- 3/17/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
VH1 Couples Retreat is coming to the cable channel next month. Viewers will see Raymond Santana, one of the "Exonerated Five," London "Deelishis" Santana, and Michael Blackson join Love & Hip Hop's Ray J, Princess Love, Yandy Smith-Harris, Mendeecees Harris, Rasheeda Frost, and Kirk Frost in the series that will celebrate Black love while also exploring the challenges these couples face. A preview has also been released.
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- 2/15/2021
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
“VH1 Couples Retreat,” a new six-episode series celebrating Black love, will premiere March 29 at 8 p.m., Variety has learned exclusively.
The show will feature three couples best-known to audiences from the network’s “Love & Hip Hop” franchise (Yandy Smith-Harris and Mendeecees Harris; Rasheeda and Kirk Frost; Ray J and Princess Love), as well as activist Raymond Santana and model Deelishis, and actor Michael Blackson with his significant other Rada.
On the show, the couples will embark upon a week-long vacation and take part in honest and uncensored conversations about how the celebrity factor can challenge a relationship, the importance of communication and the pain of heartache. The show will also dive into social issues including mental health, racial injustice and prison reform, especially as Mendeecees Harris and Santana bond over shared emotional scars from their imprisonment and desire to shed prison survival skills to be strong men and good husbands and fathers.
The show will feature three couples best-known to audiences from the network’s “Love & Hip Hop” franchise (Yandy Smith-Harris and Mendeecees Harris; Rasheeda and Kirk Frost; Ray J and Princess Love), as well as activist Raymond Santana and model Deelishis, and actor Michael Blackson with his significant other Rada.
On the show, the couples will embark upon a week-long vacation and take part in honest and uncensored conversations about how the celebrity factor can challenge a relationship, the importance of communication and the pain of heartache. The show will also dive into social issues including mental health, racial injustice and prison reform, especially as Mendeecees Harris and Santana bond over shared emotional scars from their imprisonment and desire to shed prison survival skills to be strong men and good husbands and fathers.
- 2/12/2021
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Watch: 2019 Fest Fave Short ‘About The People’ Optioned For Series: Prescient Take On Race Relations
After the death of George Floyd and the protest aftermath, some films that came out in recent years take on added resonance, particularly those that involve the murder of black youths at the hands of quick triggered and fearful cops. Features include Fruitvale Station and The Hate U Give. I was fascinated by a most prescient 2019 short film sent to me by its makers, who intend on turning it into a limited series. On a leisurely Sunday, have a look at About The People, a Sterling Milan-directed drama that got strong reaction on the festival circuit last year, starting with an attempt by a powerful group of Black men to use their collective influence to force change, rather than waiting for it to be implemented by a white establishment that is only now reacting to the serious injustice people of color endure too often. I’ve got more after...
- 7/12/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Flix FlashbackIn #WatchWithTNM this week, we discuss the series on five innocent boys who were wrongfully accused and convicted of a heinous crime decades ago.Nikhita VenugopalFacebookOver the past several weeks, protests have raged across the United States and in many parts of the world following the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis. The anger over Floyd’s death wasn’t born of a single incident, but generations of systematic racism and excessive force by the police against black and brown Americans. Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Freddie Grey, Walter Scott, Breanna Taylor, and so many more lives have been lost to the status quo. The story of five innocent boys who were wrongfully accused and convicted of a heinous crime decades ago is a part of that narrative. Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam,...
- 6/26/2020
- by Nikhita Venugopal
- The News Minute
Flix FlashbackIn #WatchWithTNM this week, we discuss the series on five innocent boys who were wrongfully accused and convicted of a heinous crime decades ago.Nikhita VenugopalFacebookOver the past several weeks, protests have raged across the United States and in many parts of the world following the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis. The anger over Floyd’s death wasn’t born of a single incident, but generations of systematic racism and excessive force by the police against black and brown Americans. Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Freddie Grey, Walter Scott, Breanna Taylor, and so many more lives have been lost to the status quo. The story of five innocent boys who were wrongfully accused and convicted of a heinous crime decades ago is a part of that narrative. Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam,...
- 6/26/2020
- by Nikhita Venugopal
- The News Minute
“Graduate Together,” a virtual commencement ceremony featuring over 30 speeches from celebrities and world leaders, will qualify for the Primetime Emmy Awards in 11 categories, it was revealed this week.
Should a nomination or eventual win come for the special, shot virtually from coronavirus quarantine, it will surely mark the strange and unprecedented time Hollywood is currently living and working through. But it also tells us something about the future of community engagement and inspiration, say experts who spoke with Variety.
LeBron James, President Barack Obama, Megan Rapinoe and Zendaya all offered up their advice to the high school class of 2020 on the May 18 special — any of whom would be A-list gets for the average graduation, or even the most exclusive thought leadership conferences held annually around the globe.
In the past weeks, numerous digital commencement events have gone up thanks to platforms like Zoom, Hollywood’s beloved black tie fundraisers found a way to survive,...
Should a nomination or eventual win come for the special, shot virtually from coronavirus quarantine, it will surely mark the strange and unprecedented time Hollywood is currently living and working through. But it also tells us something about the future of community engagement and inspiration, say experts who spoke with Variety.
LeBron James, President Barack Obama, Megan Rapinoe and Zendaya all offered up their advice to the high school class of 2020 on the May 18 special — any of whom would be A-list gets for the average graduation, or even the most exclusive thought leadership conferences held annually around the globe.
In the past weeks, numerous digital commencement events have gone up thanks to platforms like Zoom, Hollywood’s beloved black tie fundraisers found a way to survive,...
- 6/19/2020
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: When They See Us star Freddy Miyares is reteaming with Ava DuVernay for her upcoming HBO Max pilot Dmz. He joins previously announced cast members Rosario Dawson and Benjamin Bratt for the adaptation of the DC comic book series.
Dmz is set the near future where America is embroiled in a bitter civil war, leaving Manhattan a demilitarized zone — hence the title of the series. The show chronicles the journey of fierce medic Alma Ortega (Dawson), who saves lives while desperately searching for her lost son. As she contends with the gangs, militias, demagogues and warlords that control this lawless no man’s land, she becomes the unlikely source of hope.
Miyares will be a series regular and play the character of Skel, the ruthless triggerman of one of the Dmz’s most powerful gangs, led by Parco Delgado (Bratt). He is also a talented graffiti artist with a profound passion for art,...
Dmz is set the near future where America is embroiled in a bitter civil war, leaving Manhattan a demilitarized zone — hence the title of the series. The show chronicles the journey of fierce medic Alma Ortega (Dawson), who saves lives while desperately searching for her lost son. As she contends with the gangs, militias, demagogues and warlords that control this lawless no man’s land, she becomes the unlikely source of hope.
Miyares will be a series regular and play the character of Skel, the ruthless triggerman of one of the Dmz’s most powerful gangs, led by Parco Delgado (Bratt). He is also a talented graffiti artist with a profound passion for art,...
- 2/18/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Jharrel Jerome was one of the big winners at Sunday's Critics' Choice Awards. The 22-year-old actor took the stage to accept the award for best actor in a limited series or movie made for television, accredited to his role as Korey Wise in Netflix's When They See Us. He took a moment in the spotlight to thank everyone who played a part in his success, notably the Exonerated Five, who inspired the series.
"This is for the Exonerated Five, no matter what," Jerome said, accepting his first-ever Critics' Choice award. "This is for Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson." He went on to thank his mother, father, aunt, and sister before giving a special shout-out to director Ava DuVernay - who, earlier in the night, delivered a powerful speech while accepting the best limited series honor for When They See Us. Calling DuVerney an "amazing,...
"This is for the Exonerated Five, no matter what," Jerome said, accepting his first-ever Critics' Choice award. "This is for Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson." He went on to thank his mother, father, aunt, and sister before giving a special shout-out to director Ava DuVernay - who, earlier in the night, delivered a powerful speech while accepting the best limited series honor for When They See Us. Calling DuVerney an "amazing,...
- 1/13/2020
- by Brea Cubit
- Popsugar.com
Ava DuVernay received a standing ovation at Sunday's Critics' Choice Awards after When They See Us took home the award for best limited series. The drama tells the harrowing true story of the Central Park Five, and in her speech, DuVernay made sure to give Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise the praise they deserve and make a powerful statement about prison reform.
"People who are poor and innocent are behind bars, while the rich and guilty walk free and gain power."
"This series began with a tweet from Raymond Santana, and now he, Antron, Kevin, Yusef, and the mighty Korey Wise stand for something larger than they ever imagined," DuVernay said. "If you watched their story and felt something in that moment, I invite you consider doing something. There's no right thing to do. Do what you feel where you are, but don't let...
"People who are poor and innocent are behind bars, while the rich and guilty walk free and gain power."
"This series began with a tweet from Raymond Santana, and now he, Antron, Kevin, Yusef, and the mighty Korey Wise stand for something larger than they ever imagined," DuVernay said. "If you watched their story and felt something in that moment, I invite you consider doing something. There's no right thing to do. Do what you feel where you are, but don't let...
- 1/13/2020
- by Monica Sisavat
- Popsugar.com
After receiving criticism, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) announced through her campaign that she will be returning funds donated to her by Central Park Five prosecutor Linda Fairstein. Fairstein has been criticized harshly as recent events, including Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us, which dramatized the lives of the men accused and exonerated of the murder, have led to a reexamination of the case.
The Central Park Five case centers around Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise, whose convictions for the murder of a jogger...
The Central Park Five case centers around Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise, whose convictions for the murder of a jogger...
- 1/5/2020
- by Peter Wade
- Rollingstone.com
For most of the “When They See Us” shoot, director Ava DuVernay worked with two or three cameras, but when it came to shooting the tense courtroom seen where Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise are put on trial, DuVernay shot with four cameras. Editor Spencer Averick says, “We needed reactions from the parents, the legal team, the kids and the judge because there’s a lot going on.”
Episode two in the four-part series picks up as the boys get ready for trial and the judge has ruled the admission tapes as admissible evidence. With the DNA evidence, inconclusive and the defendant having no recollection of the attack, the lawyers for the boys believe — with the boys being coerced into confessing — that the case is weak.
It’s decided the young boys are to have separate trials, and as we see from the episode,...
Episode two in the four-part series picks up as the boys get ready for trial and the judge has ruled the admission tapes as admissible evidence. With the DNA evidence, inconclusive and the defendant having no recollection of the attack, the lawyers for the boys believe — with the boys being coerced into confessing — that the case is weak.
It’s decided the young boys are to have separate trials, and as we see from the episode,...
- 11/22/2019
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards was an evening of exciting wins, great fashion and, of course, great speeches. The speeches spanned the emotional spectrum from being genuinely heartfelt and touching to absolutely hilarious and full of wit. With the ceremony now in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look at the five best acceptance speeches we heard during the show.
Comedy Supporting Actress: Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Borstein gave one of the best speeches last year and she followed it up with another knockout this year. She started by taking a swig from a minibar bottle with her “Family Guy” co-star Seth MacFarlane and then built on her material from last year by saying that she wasn’t wearing underwear and that her seat should be destroyed. She then brought up her mother and grandmother, both immigrants, and her grandmother who escaped being shot by a guard...
Comedy Supporting Actress: Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Borstein gave one of the best speeches last year and she followed it up with another knockout this year. She started by taking a swig from a minibar bottle with her “Family Guy” co-star Seth MacFarlane and then built on her material from last year by saying that she wasn’t wearing underwear and that her seat should be destroyed. She then brought up her mother and grandmother, both immigrants, and her grandmother who escaped being shot by a guard...
- 9/23/2019
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
The Exonerated Five, whose lives were depicted in Ava DuVernay's powerful Netflix miniseries, When They See Us, graced the Microsoft Theater at the 2019 Emmys. The series entered the Emmys ring this year with a breathtaking 10 nominations, including ones in the limited series and lead actor categories. In the latter section, Jharrel Jerome, who plays Korey Wise, would pick up a win, ending his speech by paying homage to the men whose stories of resilience became the show's foundation.
In 1989, a media blitz dubbed five Black and Latino teenage boys - Wise, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, and Yusef Salaam - the "Central Park Five," a label that would become entrenched with a history of injustice and racism. In April 1989, a young woman named Trisha Meili was brutally raped and beaten while jogging in Central Park one night. Using intimidation tactics, the police cornered the teenagers into confessing that...
In 1989, a media blitz dubbed five Black and Latino teenage boys - Wise, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, and Yusef Salaam - the "Central Park Five," a label that would become entrenched with a history of injustice and racism. In April 1989, a young woman named Trisha Meili was brutally raped and beaten while jogging in Central Park one night. Using intimidation tactics, the police cornered the teenagers into confessing that...
- 9/23/2019
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
“When They See Us” star Jharrel Jerome took home they Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series on Sunday and shouted out the “Exonerated Five” while accepting his award from the stage.
The story of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise, the five men who were falsely convicted for the 1989 sexual assault of jogger in Central Park was dramatized in the Netflix limited series from director Ava DuVernay, and all five men were in attendance for Jerome’s win.
“This is for the men who we know as the Exonerated Five,” Jerome said, to a round of applause from the audience.
Also Read: 'When They See Us' Cast Speaks Out on Injustice: 'America Is Allowing This to Happen'
Jerome portrayed Wise in the miniseries to critical acclaim. His nomination was one of 16 for the drama, which was also up for Outstanding Limited Series.
The story of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise, the five men who were falsely convicted for the 1989 sexual assault of jogger in Central Park was dramatized in the Netflix limited series from director Ava DuVernay, and all five men were in attendance for Jerome’s win.
“This is for the men who we know as the Exonerated Five,” Jerome said, to a round of applause from the audience.
Also Read: 'When They See Us' Cast Speaks Out on Injustice: 'America Is Allowing This to Happen'
Jerome portrayed Wise in the miniseries to critical acclaim. His nomination was one of 16 for the drama, which was also up for Outstanding Limited Series.
- 9/23/2019
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
When They See Us’ Jharrel Jerome paid tribute to the “exonerated” Central Park Five as he accepted the Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or movie.
Jerome’s award for the first pick up of the evening for Netflix. He beat Escape At Dannemora’s Benicio del Toro, Fosse/Verdon’s Sam Rockwell, True Detective’s Mahershala Ali, A Very English Scandal’s Hugh Grant and Chernobyl’s Jared Harris.
Jerome plays Korey Wise, one of five teenage boys of color wrongly convicted in the notorious Central Park Jogger case of 1989 in the four-part Netflix drama.
Jerome received his award to a standing ovation. “I feel like I should be in the Bronx right now,” he said. He thanked his fellow actors, his mother and Ava DuVernay. “Most importantly, this is for the men that we know as the exonerated five,” he added.
The five that he...
Jerome’s award for the first pick up of the evening for Netflix. He beat Escape At Dannemora’s Benicio del Toro, Fosse/Verdon’s Sam Rockwell, True Detective’s Mahershala Ali, A Very English Scandal’s Hugh Grant and Chernobyl’s Jared Harris.
Jerome plays Korey Wise, one of five teenage boys of color wrongly convicted in the notorious Central Park Jogger case of 1989 in the four-part Netflix drama.
Jerome received his award to a standing ovation. “I feel like I should be in the Bronx right now,” he said. He thanked his fellow actors, his mother and Ava DuVernay. “Most importantly, this is for the men that we know as the exonerated five,” he added.
The five that he...
- 9/23/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Emmy-nominated director Ava DuVernay was joined on the Emmys red carpet by some very special guests tonight. Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise, also known as the Central Park 5 and the Exonerated 5, walked the carpet with the woman who told their story with the Netflix miniseries When They See Us. DuVernay explained to E!'s Giuliana Rancic that it was Santana who reached out to her to ask that she consider telling their story, and then he introduced her to each of the rest of the men. "Cut to four years later and now we're here in tuxedos! It's crazy," she says. "It's a blessing, it's a...
- 9/22/2019
- E! Online
The Exonerated Five made their Emmys debut during the awards show Sunday.
Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Korey Wise, Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam attended the awards show with When They See Us writer-director Ava DuVernay. The Netflix limited series, which tells the true story of The Central Park Five being wrongly convicted of rape in the 1989 Central Park jogger case, is nominated for 16 awards.
E! Live From the Red Carpet's Giuliana Rancic spoke to DuVernay and the Exonerated Five before the ceremony kicked off.
DuVernay began the interview by discussing how she became inspired to make When They See ...
Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Korey Wise, Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam attended the awards show with When They See Us writer-director Ava DuVernay. The Netflix limited series, which tells the true story of The Central Park Five being wrongly convicted of rape in the 1989 Central Park jogger case, is nominated for 16 awards.
E! Live From the Red Carpet's Giuliana Rancic spoke to DuVernay and the Exonerated Five before the ceremony kicked off.
DuVernay began the interview by discussing how she became inspired to make When They See ...
- 9/22/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Netflix’s “When They See Us” burst into the Emmy race with 16 nominations, including Best Limited Series. Directed by Ava DuVernay, it tells the true story of the Exonerated Five, who were wrongfully convicted of raping a jogger in New York City in 1989. Gold Derby recently spoke with several of the show’s contenders, including stars Jharrel Jerome, Niecy Nash, Asante Blackk, Michael Kenneth Williams and Marsha Stephanie Blake, plus composer Kris Bowers, as well as editors Terilyn Shropshire and Michelle Tesoro. Scroll down and click on any name below to be taken to their full interview.
See ‘When They See Us’ Emmy voter event: Ava DuVernay and cast say there was no way they could turn down this story [Listen]
The show was a particular challenge for Jerome, who was the only actor in the cast to play one of the accused as a young teenager and also as an adult.
See ‘When They See Us’ Emmy voter event: Ava DuVernay and cast say there was no way they could turn down this story [Listen]
The show was a particular challenge for Jerome, who was the only actor in the cast to play one of the accused as a young teenager and also as an adult.
- 9/6/2019
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
In April 1989, the lives of five young men of color were irrevocably and horrifically changed. Wrongly accused of raping a white female jogger, they were first arbitrarily rounded up by police simply for being in the area, then pushed into false confessions that would ultimately land them a collective name that resonates in the memory of America: The Central Park Five.
Sentenced to five to 15 years, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise lost so much more than their youths, and their fates were set in no small part by full-page ads in the New York papers calling for their death penalty—paid for by one Donald Trump, real estate developer.
Widespread misunderstanding of the slang ‘wilin’ out’—which essentially just means heading out as a group to have a good time—added to the miasma of racism that condemned the young men. It was quickly...
Sentenced to five to 15 years, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise lost so much more than their youths, and their fates were set in no small part by full-page ads in the New York papers calling for their death penalty—paid for by one Donald Trump, real estate developer.
Widespread misunderstanding of the slang ‘wilin’ out’—which essentially just means heading out as a group to have a good time—added to the miasma of racism that condemned the young men. It was quickly...
- 8/21/2019
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix welcomed a packed house of Emmy voters to an event honoring their limited series “When They See Us” on August 11. The panel discussion took place at Paramount Studios in Hollywood and was moderated by J.J. Abrams. It featured writer-director-producer Ava DuVernay, stars Jharrel Jerome, Niecy Nash, Aunjanue Ellis, Marsha Stephanie Blake and Asante Blackk, and composer Kris Bowers — all Emmy nominees for their work in the fact-based drama. Listen to the full 53-minute Q&a above.
See Asante Blackk interview: ‘When They See Us’
“When They See Us” tells the true story of the Exonerated Five (formerly known as the Central Park Five): Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise. In 1989 the five teenagers were wrongfully accused of raping a white jogger in New York City. They were convicted and spent years behind bars and as registered sex offenders until their sentences were finally...
See Asante Blackk interview: ‘When They See Us’
“When They See Us” tells the true story of the Exonerated Five (formerly known as the Central Park Five): Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise. In 1989 the five teenagers were wrongfully accused of raping a white jogger in New York City. They were convicted and spent years behind bars and as registered sex offenders until their sentences were finally...
- 8/16/2019
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Never mind that the moderator of an Fyc Sunday night panel at Paramount for the Netflix hit When They See Us was celebrated Star Wars trilogy director J.J. Abrams. On this evening, the superstar director was more than willing to play superfan for When They See Us director Ava Duvernay and her four-part docudrama, which has netted a whopping 16 Emmy nominations including Outstanding Limited Series.
In June, Netflix broke out of its usual cone of silence on viewership figures to report that more than 23 million accounts had tuned in to the series worldwide.
“You cannot look away,” Abrams said of the series before introducing the panel, which included DuVernay, Emmy nominated composer Kris Bowers and nominated actors Asante Blackk, Jharrel Jerome, Niecy Nash, Aunjanue Ellis and Marsha Stephanie Blake. The series, which he praised as “filmmaking tightrope-walkery…blows my mind and breaks my heart,” Abrams said.
DuVernay, who won a...
In June, Netflix broke out of its usual cone of silence on viewership figures to report that more than 23 million accounts had tuned in to the series worldwide.
“You cannot look away,” Abrams said of the series before introducing the panel, which included DuVernay, Emmy nominated composer Kris Bowers and nominated actors Asante Blackk, Jharrel Jerome, Niecy Nash, Aunjanue Ellis and Marsha Stephanie Blake. The series, which he praised as “filmmaking tightrope-walkery…blows my mind and breaks my heart,” Abrams said.
DuVernay, who won a...
- 8/12/2019
- by Diane Haithman
- Deadline Film + TV
Television has never looked quite like this before, with so many conversation-starting, cultural narrative-altering stories that incite, invite, or ignite something in viewers. Telling tales of grounded, often tough, topics through heightened worlds is frequently a way to soften the blow of such hard-to-watch material. Viewers may be enticed by the spectacle of gimmick (as in Hulu’s “Pen15” in which adults play teenage versions of themselves); the allure of a simpler time (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” from Amazon Prime Video), the desire to re-experience something with hindsight (Netflix’s “When They See Us”) or even the flash of fantasy (HBO’s “Game of Thrones”). While it can be challenging to balance serious material matter in a larger-than-life setting, the key for many of this year’s Emmy nominees in the writing and directing categories is authenticity and care in creation.
Ava DuVernay wrote and directed all four episodes of “When They See Us,...
Ava DuVernay wrote and directed all four episodes of “When They See Us,...
- 8/7/2019
- by Danielle Turchiano and Jarrett Hill
- Variety Film + TV
Showtime’s “L Word” sequel “Generation Q” is adding a trio of recurring cast members, including “When They See Us” breakout star Freddy Miyares.
Miyares, along with Jamie Clayton and Carlos Leal will appear in multiple episodes of the Showtime series, an eight-episode follow-up to its groundbreaking drama that aired from 2004-2009. Miyares played the adult version of Raymond Santana, one of the “Central Park 5” that was depicted in Ava DuVernay’s Netflix miniseries “When They See Us.”
On “The L Word: Generation Q,” Miyares will play José, who is described as “a charming and kind artist who is trying to move on from his complicated past.”
Also Read: Showtime's 'L Word' Sequel Adds 4 New Series Regulars to Cast
Clayton, who starred in Netflix’s “Sense8,” will recur as Tess, “a no-nonsense bartender who sees other people clearly but has a blind spot when it comes to her own relationships.
Miyares, along with Jamie Clayton and Carlos Leal will appear in multiple episodes of the Showtime series, an eight-episode follow-up to its groundbreaking drama that aired from 2004-2009. Miyares played the adult version of Raymond Santana, one of the “Central Park 5” that was depicted in Ava DuVernay’s Netflix miniseries “When They See Us.”
On “The L Word: Generation Q,” Miyares will play José, who is described as “a charming and kind artist who is trying to move on from his complicated past.”
Also Read: Showtime's 'L Word' Sequel Adds 4 New Series Regulars to Cast
Clayton, who starred in Netflix’s “Sense8,” will recur as Tess, “a no-nonsense bartender who sees other people clearly but has a blind spot when it comes to her own relationships.
- 7/31/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Netflix’s highly watched four-part series, When They See Us earned the most nominations for the streaming giant with a whopping 16 Emmy noms including Outstanding Limited Series. After the nominations were read, show director, co-writer, and producer Ava DuVernay hopped on Twitter to thank the real-life series subjects—Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise—affectionately dubbed The Exonerated Five.
“Thank you to the real men for inviting me to tell their story,” DuVernay wrote. “Thank you @TelevisionAcad for honoring the work. Saluting every single crew and cast member. And saluting Raymond, Korey, Antron, Yusef and Kevin. Love you, brothers.”
DuVernay also picked up writing and directing noms for the series, while Jharrel Jerome, Aunjanue Ellis, Niecy Nash, Asante Black, John Leguizamo, and Michael K. Williams were among the series stars recognized for their acting performance.
When They See Us, which follows the five Harlem teens...
“Thank you to the real men for inviting me to tell their story,” DuVernay wrote. “Thank you @TelevisionAcad for honoring the work. Saluting every single crew and cast member. And saluting Raymond, Korey, Antron, Yusef and Kevin. Love you, brothers.”
DuVernay also picked up writing and directing noms for the series, while Jharrel Jerome, Aunjanue Ellis, Niecy Nash, Asante Black, John Leguizamo, and Michael K. Williams were among the series stars recognized for their acting performance.
When They See Us, which follows the five Harlem teens...
- 7/16/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
The NYPD detective who made the first arrests in the case that was made into the Netflix series When They See Us is claiming the film is inflammatory and full of lies.
Eric Reynolds arrested Raymond Santana and Kevin Richardson in the notorious Central Park Five case. He told the Daily Mail that the film is riddled with inaccurate information.
Reynolds contends that the Central Park Five were not innocent bystanders, but were part of a pack of youths who went “wilding” in the park in April 1989. The night resulted in jogger Trisha Meili being raped and beaten. Reynolds also took issue with the film’s portrayal of the teenage youth being beaten during their arrest.
“Please, someone, show me the pictures of them,” Reynolds said to the Daily Mail. “Show me the injuries, show me the black eyes, show me the swollen faces, because every single one of them...
Eric Reynolds arrested Raymond Santana and Kevin Richardson in the notorious Central Park Five case. He told the Daily Mail that the film is riddled with inaccurate information.
Reynolds contends that the Central Park Five were not innocent bystanders, but were part of a pack of youths who went “wilding” in the park in April 1989. The night resulted in jogger Trisha Meili being raped and beaten. Reynolds also took issue with the film’s portrayal of the teenage youth being beaten during their arrest.
“Please, someone, show me the pictures of them,” Reynolds said to the Daily Mail. “Show me the injuries, show me the black eyes, show me the swollen faces, because every single one of them...
- 6/29/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix already said that When They See Us was one of the most popular series on the streaming platform. Now the numbers are out, showing more than 23 million accounts worldwide have watched the four-part drama about the so-called Central Park Five.
On Tuesday, Ava DuVernay, who produced, directed and co-wrote the miniseries, took to Twitter to share the viewership numbers.
“Imagine believing the world doesn’t care about real stories of black people. It always made me sad,” she wrote. “So when Netflix just shared with me that 23M+ accounts worldwide have watched #WhenTheySeeUs, I cried. Our stories matter and can move across the globe. A new truth for a new day.”
Imagine believing the world doesn’t care about real stories of black people. It always made me sad. So when Netflix just shared with me that 23M+ accounts worldwide have watched #WhenTheySeeUs, I cried. Our stories matter and can move across the globe.
On Tuesday, Ava DuVernay, who produced, directed and co-wrote the miniseries, took to Twitter to share the viewership numbers.
“Imagine believing the world doesn’t care about real stories of black people. It always made me sad,” she wrote. “So when Netflix just shared with me that 23M+ accounts worldwide have watched #WhenTheySeeUs, I cried. Our stories matter and can move across the globe. A new truth for a new day.”
Imagine believing the world doesn’t care about real stories of black people. It always made me sad. So when Netflix just shared with me that 23M+ accounts worldwide have watched #WhenTheySeeUs, I cried. Our stories matter and can move across the globe.
- 6/26/2019
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise received a standing ovation at the Bet Awards Sunday night, where they were introduced not by their old tabloid nickname, “The Central Park 5,” but as the “Exonerated 5.”
Host Regina Hall introduced the men, who were convicted and then exonerated in the 1989 sexual assault of jogger in Central Park. Their story is the subject of Ava DuVernay’s new Netflix miniseries, “When They See Us.” You can watch the full clip below.
“Our next presenters were five teenage boys who were falsely accused and wrongly convicted of an unspeakable crime. ‘When They See Us’ is a poignant, true story that reminds us all of the racial injustices that continue to happen [to] us all and plague our justice system. It is my sincere honor to introduce to you Yusef Salam, Korey Wise, Kevin, Raymond Santana, and Antron McCray — now known as...
Host Regina Hall introduced the men, who were convicted and then exonerated in the 1989 sexual assault of jogger in Central Park. Their story is the subject of Ava DuVernay’s new Netflix miniseries, “When They See Us.” You can watch the full clip below.
“Our next presenters were five teenage boys who were falsely accused and wrongly convicted of an unspeakable crime. ‘When They See Us’ is a poignant, true story that reminds us all of the racial injustices that continue to happen [to] us all and plague our justice system. It is my sincere honor to introduce to you Yusef Salam, Korey Wise, Kevin, Raymond Santana, and Antron McCray — now known as...
- 6/24/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Image Source: Getty / Roy Rochlin
Prior to Disney's A Wrinkle in Time, Ava DuVernay shifted conversations around racial justice with films like 13 and Selma. When They See Us, her latest project now available to stream on Netflix, revisits the harrowing story of the Central Park Five in a five-part limited series. The details of the real case are ghastly, marking a grave miscarriage of justice and revealing how the deep legacy of racism plagued America's media and legal system in the late '80s.
While out on a jog the evening of April 19, 1989, a 28-year-old white woman named Trisha Meili was brutally assaulted and raped at Central Park. Her body was found in a ravine, covered in grime and blood. She spent 12 days in a coma, suffering from severe hypothermia and memory loss. Though medical professionals believed that she would die, Meili woke up. The trauma affected her memory,...
Prior to Disney's A Wrinkle in Time, Ava DuVernay shifted conversations around racial justice with films like 13 and Selma. When They See Us, her latest project now available to stream on Netflix, revisits the harrowing story of the Central Park Five in a five-part limited series. The details of the real case are ghastly, marking a grave miscarriage of justice and revealing how the deep legacy of racism plagued America's media and legal system in the late '80s.
While out on a jog the evening of April 19, 1989, a 28-year-old white woman named Trisha Meili was brutally assaulted and raped at Central Park. Her body was found in a ravine, covered in grime and blood. She spent 12 days in a coma, suffering from severe hypothermia and memory loss. Though medical professionals believed that she would die, Meili woke up. The trauma affected her memory,...
- 6/22/2019
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
Netflix highlighted the crafts of “When They See Us” during a recent special event at their Fysee space. The panel discussion, which took place at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood and was moderated by the show’s own writer-director Ava DuVernay, shined a spotlight on a variety of behind-the-scenes talents who spoke about their work on the limited series. Watch the full 47-minute Q&a above.
See Terilyn A. Shropshire and Michelle Tesoro interview: ‘When They See Us’ editors
“When They See Us” tells the shattering true story of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise, formerly known as the Central Park Five, now known more and more as the Exonerated Five. As teenagers in 1989, they were wrongfully accused of raping a white jogger in New York City. They were convicted and spent years behind bars and as registered sex offenders until their sentences were finally vacated...
See Terilyn A. Shropshire and Michelle Tesoro interview: ‘When They See Us’ editors
“When They See Us” tells the shattering true story of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise, formerly known as the Central Park Five, now known more and more as the Exonerated Five. As teenagers in 1989, they were wrongfully accused of raping a white jogger in New York City. They were convicted and spent years behind bars and as registered sex offenders until their sentences were finally vacated...
- 6/20/2019
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Editor Terilyn A. Shropshire felt “a huge responsibility” working on “When They See Us.” In piecing together the first episode of Ava DuVernay‘s limited series the veteran cutter had to “introduce an audience to these men” who were more than just the name the media gave them: the Central Park Five. “These are living human beings who endured insurmountable types of atrocities as young boys, and you thought about them every day” that “you were coming into the cutting room.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Shropshire and fellow editor Michelle Tesoro above.
See Michael Kenneth Williams interview: ‘When They See Us’
“When They See Us” tells the tragic true story of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise, known at the time as the Central Park Five, and since redubbed the Exonerated Five. In 1989 the five teenagers were wrongly convicted of raping a white...
See Michael Kenneth Williams interview: ‘When They See Us’
“When They See Us” tells the tragic true story of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise, known at the time as the Central Park Five, and since redubbed the Exonerated Five. In 1989 the five teenagers were wrongly convicted of raping a white...
- 6/18/2019
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Elizabeth Lederer, the prosecutor during the Central Park 5 rape case, has resigned as a part-time lecturer at Columbia Law School, citing the backlash she has received from the Netflix series “When They See Us.”
Lederer, who is portrayed by Vera Farmiga in the Ava DuVernay biographical drama, told the law school on Wednesday she would not seek reappointment, according to a note from Dean Gillian Lester sent to students and obtained by TheWrap.
Lederer, who is portrayed by Vera Farmiga in the Ava DuVernay biographical drama, told the law school on Wednesday she would not seek reappointment, according to a note from Dean Gillian Lester sent to students and obtained by TheWrap.
- 6/13/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Just days into the initial round of Emmy voting, When They See Us has gotten a big boost from the streaming service that the Ava DuVernay directed limited series is on and from real world outrage over the prosecutors who were hellbent on putting the Central Park 5 behind bars for the brutal sexual assault of a NYC jogger in 1989.
Offering no actual stats or date, Netflix today sent up a very big flare for the widely acclaimed four-parter that is almost guaranteed to be a big contender for this year’s TV Academy ceremony. When asked to elaborate, the Reed Hastings-run streamer had nothing but a “no” to offer on questions of context, clarification, or hard numbers over its well-guarded claims:
When They See Us has been the most-watched series on Netflix in the Us every day since it premiered on May 31 pic.twitter.com/jS8IXIh03g
— Netflix...
Offering no actual stats or date, Netflix today sent up a very big flare for the widely acclaimed four-parter that is almost guaranteed to be a big contender for this year’s TV Academy ceremony. When asked to elaborate, the Reed Hastings-run streamer had nothing but a “no” to offer on questions of context, clarification, or hard numbers over its well-guarded claims:
When They See Us has been the most-watched series on Netflix in the Us every day since it premiered on May 31 pic.twitter.com/jS8IXIh03g
— Netflix...
- 6/13/2019
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
.full-width-feature-template .overlay{display:none} ‘When They See Us’ Cast on the Nightmares of Ava DuVernay’s Real-Life Drama TheWrap Emmy magazine: “I would wake up and be afraid to go back to work — but I knew it was for a purpose bigger than me,” actor Jharrel Jerome says By Sharon Waxman | June 12, 2019 @ 11:39 Am This story about “When They See Us” first appeared as the cover story in the Movies & Limited Series issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.
A crisis counselor was on hand every day during the shoot of “When They See Us.”
A professional was on standby when Jharrel Jerome shot day after day of solitary confinement in an actual jail, re-creating what Korey Wise endured as a 16-year-old found guilty of assault and sexual abuse and exonerated only after spending years incarcerated.
On standby when Niecy Nash, playing Wise’s mother, sat in court and watched her son...
A crisis counselor was on hand every day during the shoot of “When They See Us.”
A professional was on standby when Jharrel Jerome shot day after day of solitary confinement in an actual jail, re-creating what Korey Wise endured as a 16-year-old found guilty of assault and sexual abuse and exonerated only after spending years incarcerated.
On standby when Niecy Nash, playing Wise’s mother, sat in court and watched her son...
- 6/12/2019
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
Netflix closed its Emmy Fysee space on Sunday, June 9, with an emotionally charged screening of Ava DuVernay‘s limited series “When They See Us.” The event, hosted by executive producer Oprah Winfrey, included a Q&a with DuVernay, the cast and producers, followed by a separate interview with the Exonerated Five, whose devastating life stories formed the basis of the show. The discussion, which took place at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, will air in its entirety on Netflix and on Winfrey’s Own Network on June 12. Watch a clip above.
“When They See Us” recounts the true story of Antron McCray, Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam. In 1989, when they were teenagers, they were wrongfully convicted of raping a white jogger in New York City and spent years in prison and as registered sex offenders before their sentences were vacated in 2002 when the actual perpetrator came forward.
“When They See Us” recounts the true story of Antron McCray, Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana and Yusef Salaam. In 1989, when they were teenagers, they were wrongfully convicted of raping a white jogger in New York City and spent years in prison and as registered sex offenders before their sentences were vacated in 2002 when the actual perpetrator came forward.
- 6/11/2019
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Former New York City prosecutor Linda Fairstein, who oversaw the investigation and wrongful conviction of the Central Park Five, said on Monday that filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s Netflix series about the ordeal is “so full of distortions and falsehoods as to be an outright fabrication.”
DuVernay’s “When They See Us,” which premiered May 31, depicts the events leading to the arrest and wrongful convictions of Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Yosef Salaam, Kevin Richardson and Raymond Santana for the rape of a woman in central park. Fairstein, portrayed by Felicity Huffman in the series, has been subject to intense criticism and professional backlash since the series premiered. Most recently, she was dropped by her publisher, Dutton.
In an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal, Fairstein says the miniseries “wrongly portrays them as totally innocent,” and that it defamed her. “The facts of the original case are documented in a 117-page...
DuVernay’s “When They See Us,” which premiered May 31, depicts the events leading to the arrest and wrongful convictions of Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Yosef Salaam, Kevin Richardson and Raymond Santana for the rape of a woman in central park. Fairstein, portrayed by Felicity Huffman in the series, has been subject to intense criticism and professional backlash since the series premiered. Most recently, she was dropped by her publisher, Dutton.
In an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal, Fairstein says the miniseries “wrongly portrays them as totally innocent,” and that it defamed her. “The facts of the original case are documented in a 117-page...
- 6/11/2019
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Oprah Winfrey sat down for an interview with Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Antron McCray and Yusef Salaam — the men formerly called “The Central Park Five” and now referred to as “The Exonerated Five” — at Netflix’s Fysee location in Hollywood on Sunday night. The conversation, which also included “Whey They See Us” writer and director Ava DuVernay was one of two panels recorded for a special, set to air on Netflix and Own.
When Winfrey asked the five men if they “blame Linda Fairstein for what happened to them,” they replied with a unanimous “yes.” Winfrey continued her line of questioning, asking if “she the only one to blame, or were there others?”
The answers got a little more complicated as the men explained that they do not feel that Fairstein is the only person responsible for their false imprisonment as teens. Korey Wise was the first to answer,...
When Winfrey asked the five men if they “blame Linda Fairstein for what happened to them,” they replied with a unanimous “yes.” Winfrey continued her line of questioning, asking if “she the only one to blame, or were there others?”
The answers got a little more complicated as the men explained that they do not feel that Fairstein is the only person responsible for their false imprisonment as teens. Korey Wise was the first to answer,...
- 6/10/2019
- by Angelique Jackson and Anna Tingley
- Variety Film + TV
The cast and producers behind “When They See Us” sat down for a conversation with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday night at Netflix’s Fysee location in Hollywood. But the night’s discussion wasn’t just about the stars of the limited series. Winfrey also sat down with the five men, formerly referred to as “The Central Park Five” and now “The Exonerated Five” — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise — for the first time.
“I’m excited about it because they’re excited about it,” series creator and director Ava DuVernay told Variety on the red carpet before the taping. “At one point, one of them had said to me a couple of years ago during the research period, that when they were young, they’d wished that they could just get to Oprah. [They thought] if they could get to Oprah and tell their story, maybe then...
“I’m excited about it because they’re excited about it,” series creator and director Ava DuVernay told Variety on the red carpet before the taping. “At one point, one of them had said to me a couple of years ago during the research period, that when they were young, they’d wished that they could just get to Oprah. [They thought] if they could get to Oprah and tell their story, maybe then...
- 6/10/2019
- by Angelique Jackson and Anna Tingley
- Variety Film + TV
Updated with video: There was plenty of laughter as well as a lot of tears at Raleigh Studios on Sunday night at a screening of the first episode of Ava DuVernay’s limited series When They See Us, a dramatization of the real-life events of surrounding the wrongful conviction and eventual exoneration of the so-called Central Park 5.
The screening, presented by Netflix and Oprah Winfrey’s Own network, was followed by a conversation with DuVernay and the cast of the series, as well as a panel discussion with the real-life men unjustly accused of raping a Central Park jogger 30 years ago while they were still young teenagers. The event was part of Netflix’ Fysee series (a play on Fyc “For Your Consideration”) for an audience that included many active TV Academy members.
Oh yes, lest we forget, the evening was hosted by Winfrey and recorded to air immediately following the...
The screening, presented by Netflix and Oprah Winfrey’s Own network, was followed by a conversation with DuVernay and the cast of the series, as well as a panel discussion with the real-life men unjustly accused of raping a Central Park jogger 30 years ago while they were still young teenagers. The event was part of Netflix’ Fysee series (a play on Fyc “For Your Consideration”) for an audience that included many active TV Academy members.
Oh yes, lest we forget, the evening was hosted by Winfrey and recorded to air immediately following the...
- 6/10/2019
- by Diane Haithman
- Deadline Film + TV
”A large part of what the story is, is about redressing the media narratives and how these boys — and men now — were done wrong in the narratives that were told that around them and about them and that’s one of them,” ‘When They See Us’ actor Joshua Jackson told Variety on the red carpet at the Aclu SoCal’s luncheon. The actor was talking about reframing the men as the “Exonerated Five.”
“In calling them the ‘Central Park Five,’ we reinforce this idea — that they were there and had anything to do with this — that that was the central backbone of their life. But they’re not allowed to move on from it. They are exonerated and they are the victims of this case, not the perpetrators.”
Jackson noted that the series was initially titled “The Central Park Five,” before it was changed to “When They See Us.” “I’ll just say for myself,...
“In calling them the ‘Central Park Five,’ we reinforce this idea — that they were there and had anything to do with this — that that was the central backbone of their life. But they’re not allowed to move on from it. They are exonerated and they are the victims of this case, not the perpetrators.”
Jackson noted that the series was initially titled “The Central Park Five,” before it was changed to “When They See Us.” “I’ll just say for myself,...
- 6/9/2019
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Since Ava DuVernay’s latest dive into the social justice system, “When They See Us,” dropped on Netflix on May 31, the criticism and backlash toward former New York prosecutor Linda Fairstein has been swift and strong.
Fairstein was painted as the villain in DuVernay’s four-episode limited series, and she has since been the subject of a #CancelLindaFairstein hashtag online.
When producers of “When They See Us” reached out to the prosecutor-turned-author, Fairstein made it clear she would talk to them if they were not also going to talk to the five accused (and exonerated) men in the case: Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Yosef Salaam, Kevin Richardson and Raymond Santana. Felicity Huffman plays Fairstein in the series.
Also Read: 'When They See Us': Netflix Drops Gripping First Trailer for Ava DuVernay's Central Park 5 Drama (Video)
“We reached out to her and there were many email exchanges with her.
Fairstein was painted as the villain in DuVernay’s four-episode limited series, and she has since been the subject of a #CancelLindaFairstein hashtag online.
When producers of “When They See Us” reached out to the prosecutor-turned-author, Fairstein made it clear she would talk to them if they were not also going to talk to the five accused (and exonerated) men in the case: Korey Wise, Antron McCray, Yosef Salaam, Kevin Richardson and Raymond Santana. Felicity Huffman plays Fairstein in the series.
Also Read: 'When They See Us': Netflix Drops Gripping First Trailer for Ava DuVernay's Central Park 5 Drama (Video)
“We reached out to her and there were many email exchanges with her.
- 6/9/2019
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
The Central Park Five, the subjects of Ava DuVernay’s Netflix film “When They See Us,” received a newly discovered $3.9 million settlement from the New York State Court of Claims in 2016 in addition to the $41 million received in 2014, according to the New York Daily News.
The new DuVernay film, which was released on May 31, covers the arrest and conviction of five teenagers accused of sexually assaulting a jogger in Central Park 30 years ago, leading to them serving between six and 13 years in prison. The men were exonerated in 2002 when DNA evidence and a confession from convicted rapist Matias Reyes revealed the true perpetrator.
The film and the incident has received additional interest because of its connection to President Trump. In the days after the 1989 crime, Trump took out a full-page ad in the New York Daily News with the headline, “Bring Back the Death Penalty. Bring Back the Police.” In the ad,...
The new DuVernay film, which was released on May 31, covers the arrest and conviction of five teenagers accused of sexually assaulting a jogger in Central Park 30 years ago, leading to them serving between six and 13 years in prison. The men were exonerated in 2002 when DNA evidence and a confession from convicted rapist Matias Reyes revealed the true perpetrator.
The film and the incident has received additional interest because of its connection to President Trump. In the days after the 1989 crime, Trump took out a full-page ad in the New York Daily News with the headline, “Bring Back the Death Penalty. Bring Back the Police.” In the ad,...
- 6/9/2019
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
In Netflix’s “When They See Us,” the Central Park Five-focused Ava DuVernay limited series, audiences learn that the five exonerated men sued New York City in 2003. Following a decade of uncertainty, the city finally settled with the plaintiffs for $41 million in 2014, and the five men pursued an additional $52 million in damages from the state of New York.
What they wound up receiving was another $3.9 million in a 2016 settlement, in what the Daily News describes as a “low-key state Court of Claims payout” for the “economic and emotional devastation caused by the incarceration of the five men,” who were just teenagers at the start of their prison sentences.
After their convictions in the 1989 rape and savage assault of a Central Park jogger were overturned in 2003, the five exonerated men sued New York City for malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress. Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city refused to settle...
What they wound up receiving was another $3.9 million in a 2016 settlement, in what the Daily News describes as a “low-key state Court of Claims payout” for the “economic and emotional devastation caused by the incarceration of the five men,” who were just teenagers at the start of their prison sentences.
After their convictions in the 1989 rape and savage assault of a Central Park jogger were overturned in 2003, the five exonerated men sued New York City for malicious prosecution, racial discrimination, and emotional distress. Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city refused to settle...
- 6/9/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Linda Fairstein, the newly-embattled prosecutor in the Central Park Five case, declined to participate in the Netflix series “When They See Us” because the production consulted with the five young men wrongfully convicted, one of the filmmakers says.
Jane Rosenthal, a producer on the well-received Ava DuVernay project about the infamous 1989 rape of a Manhattan female jogger, said their team exchanged many emails with Fairstein about offering her perspective. Rosenthal said Fairstein was under a gag order following an explosive 2012 documentary from filmmaker Ken Burns, but “perhaps she wanted to talk to us because she had other offers, and she was also concerned that we were talking to the five men.”
Speaking at a panel about the show on Sunday at the Produced By conference in Burbank, Calif., Rosenthal said plainly: “Her point of view was clearly that she didn’t want us talking to the five men if we were talking to her.
Jane Rosenthal, a producer on the well-received Ava DuVernay project about the infamous 1989 rape of a Manhattan female jogger, said their team exchanged many emails with Fairstein about offering her perspective. Rosenthal said Fairstein was under a gag order following an explosive 2012 documentary from filmmaker Ken Burns, but “perhaps she wanted to talk to us because she had other offers, and she was also concerned that we were talking to the five men.”
Speaking at a panel about the show on Sunday at the Produced By conference in Burbank, Calif., Rosenthal said plainly: “Her point of view was clearly that she didn’t want us talking to the five men if we were talking to her.
- 6/9/2019
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The Central Park Five, the subject of a new Netflix film directed by Ava DuVernay, When They See Us, also received $3.9 million in a New York state settlement two years after collecting a $41 million wrongful conviction payout from New York City.
The New York Daily News reported that the state Court of Claims payout covered the economic and emotional devastation to the five men, who were imprisoned for the 1989 rape and assault on a Central Park jogger. The case was later overturned and is chronicled in When They See Us, which bowed May 31 on Netflix.
“I understand people say it’s a lot of money. The reality is there’s no amount of money that would adequately compensate them,” said Jonathan Moore, one of the attorneys in both settlements, said to the Daily News. “They’ve suffered every day since 1989 and they’re still suffering.”
The state settlement gives plaintiffs...
The New York Daily News reported that the state Court of Claims payout covered the economic and emotional devastation to the five men, who were imprisoned for the 1989 rape and assault on a Central Park jogger. The case was later overturned and is chronicled in When They See Us, which bowed May 31 on Netflix.
“I understand people say it’s a lot of money. The reality is there’s no amount of money that would adequately compensate them,” said Jonathan Moore, one of the attorneys in both settlements, said to the Daily News. “They’ve suffered every day since 1989 and they’re still suffering.”
The state settlement gives plaintiffs...
- 6/9/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Since her retirement, Linda Fairstein — a former prosecutor for the New York sex crimes unit — has built a career as a mystery author, penning more than 20 mystery novels in the best-selling Alexandra Cooper series, which follows the travails of a hard-boiled New York City prosecutor. Recently, however, she is best known for her role as chief prosecutor in the case involving Korey Wise, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Antron McCray and Yusef Salaam, the young men of color also known as the Central Park Five.
In 1989, the five young men (all...
In 1989, the five young men (all...
- 6/7/2019
- by EJ Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
Oprah Winfrey is jumping in on the “When They See Us” conversation.
The legendary talk show host will moderate two panels related to the Netflix show to close out the streamer’s Emmy FYSee showcase. Both conversations will be recorded to premiere on Netflix and Own on Wednesday, June 12 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt.
The first panel will feature Winfrey interviewing the cast of the show, including Niecy Nash, Jharrel Jerome, Michael K. Williams, Joshua Jackson, Asante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Ethan Herisse, Jovan Adepo, and Chris Chalk. While the second will be a conversation with Ava DuVernay, who co-wrote and directed all four episodes of the limited series, alongside the five exonerated men – Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise – who were wrongly convicted in the 1989 Central Park Five case.
“When They See Us” follows the five when they were young men in the spring of...
The legendary talk show host will moderate two panels related to the Netflix show to close out the streamer’s Emmy FYSee showcase. Both conversations will be recorded to premiere on Netflix and Own on Wednesday, June 12 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt.
The first panel will feature Winfrey interviewing the cast of the show, including Niecy Nash, Jharrel Jerome, Michael K. Williams, Joshua Jackson, Asante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Ethan Herisse, Jovan Adepo, and Chris Chalk. While the second will be a conversation with Ava DuVernay, who co-wrote and directed all four episodes of the limited series, alongside the five exonerated men – Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise – who were wrongly convicted in the 1989 Central Park Five case.
“When They See Us” follows the five when they were young men in the spring of...
- 6/7/2019
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix and Own will air Sunday’s Oprah Winfrey Presents When They See Us Now Emmy Fysee panel on Wednesday, June 12 at 10 Pm Et/Pt. The conversations, hosted by Winfrey and DuVernay, will be recorded and will air immediately following the Season 4 premiere of DuVernay’s Queen Sugar drama series at 9 Pm June 12 on Own.
Oprah Winfrey Presents When They See Us Now will also feature Winfrey’s sit-down interview with the exonerated five men of the Central Park Five 1989 case for the first time. The conversations, closing out Netflix’s Fysee event, are set for Sunday at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles.
Created, co-written and directed by DuVernay, the four-part When They See Us Now chronicles the notorious real-life case of five teenagers of color, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit.
The event will include two conversations, the first with series’ actors Niecy Nash,...
Oprah Winfrey Presents When They See Us Now will also feature Winfrey’s sit-down interview with the exonerated five men of the Central Park Five 1989 case for the first time. The conversations, closing out Netflix’s Fysee event, are set for Sunday at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles.
Created, co-written and directed by DuVernay, the four-part When They See Us Now chronicles the notorious real-life case of five teenagers of color, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit.
The event will include two conversations, the first with series’ actors Niecy Nash,...
- 6/7/2019
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
In the first episode of Ava DuVernay's must-watch Netflix limited series When They See Us, viewers see cops and detectives relentlessly interrogate teenagers Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Korey Wise, and Raymond Santana - commonly referred to as the Central Park Five - for up to 30 hours. Under the direction of Linda Fairstein, head of the Manhattan district attorney's sex crimes unit, the cops working the case coerced false confessions from four out of the five teens by lying to them about nonexistent evidence against the others and leading them to believe they were simply being interrogated as witnesses. Despite the absence of any DNA evidence linking them to the crime, all five teens were convicted and spent years behind bars.
Police videotaped the teens' confessions, but they failed to record the hours and hours that lead up to their eventual admission of guilt. And, although it is...
Police videotaped the teens' confessions, but they failed to record the hours and hours that lead up to their eventual admission of guilt. And, although it is...
- 6/7/2019
- by Caitlin Flynn
- Popsugar.com
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