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The “Birth of Cool” original series is part of Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions.
Published February 22nd
Written by BET Staff
Today, Monday, February 22, BET+, the premiere streaming service for the Black audience, announced the production of the new original series,
“BIRTH OF COOL,” in partnership with
MACRO Television Studios (RAISING DION, GENTEFIED) and
Hillman Grad Productions (QUEEN AND SLIM, THE CHI, TWENTIES). The ten-episode series marks MACRO Television Studios’ first series with BET+ and
Lena Waithe’s third original production with the brand.
“BIRTH OF COOL” was created by writer-director
Juel Taylor (CREED II, THEY CLONED TYRONE) and writer
BET+ Nabs Birth of Cool From Macro and Lena Waithe s Hillman Grad
Tommaso Boddi/FilmMagic
The dramedy was created by writer-director Juel Taylor and his They Cloned Tyrone co-writer Tony Rettenmaier.
BET is adding a third original series from Lena Waithe s prolific Hillman Grad Productions, its first just for streaming platform BET+.
Birth of Cool, a half-hour dramedy, is a partnership between Charles D. King s Macro Television Studios, Endeavor Studios and Hillman Grad and was created by writer-director Juel Taylor and scribe Tony Rettenmaier. The pair most recently collaborated on
They Cloned Tyrone, the upcoming Macro sci-fi comedy feature starring John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris.
BET Plus Orders Dramedy Series Birth Of Cool, Lena Waithe to Executive Produce lmtonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lmtonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Editor s Pick
Today for our Black History Month Creative Excellence series, this week’s guest editor, Coltrane Curtis, founder and managing partner of Team Epiphany, has a conversation with friend and fellow creative, Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and actor Lena Waithe.
Waithe’s own studio, Hillman Grad Productions, is home to critically-acclaimed programs such as Netflix’s “The 40-Year-Old Version” and “Dear White People,” Showtime’s “The CHI,” BET’s “Twenties” and Universal’s “Queen & Slim.” Meanwhile, it’s also become an incubator for up-and-coming creatives through the Hilllman Grand Mentorship Lab program as well as the newly-announced “Rising Voices” >partnership with Indeed.
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A number of films including “One Night in Miami.,” “Paris Is Burning” and Brandy’s “Cinderella” will no longer screen as part of a local film festival hosted by event company Women Under the Influence and Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions.
Organizers confirmed Friday morning that all of the films originally slated to show at this and next weekend’s drive-in events at Exposition Park have been canceled, except for the first two films in the lineup. “Waiting to Exhale” and “Set It Off” are still set to play Friday night.
The drive-in experience intended to spotlight films centering on women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters was initially scheduled to take place this Friday through Sunday, as well as Feb. 26-28. It is now a one-night event, set to begin at 7 p.m. today with “Waiting to Exhale” and conclude at 10:30 p.m. with “Set It Off.”