‘Till’ Review: Danielle Deadwyler Delivers A Visceral Performance In Chinonye Chukwu’s Urgent Pursuit Of Justice [NYFF]

Nick Thompson is responding to ex Danielle Ruhl‘s recent commentary about their unexpected split.

EXCLUSIVE: Director Chinonye Chukwu (Clemency), speaking at a Saturday night reception following the European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival of acclaimed film Till, told about how Mamie Till Mobley sought justice after the lynching of her 14-year-old son, Emmett Louis Till, in Mississippi in 1955. She told us that “There were quite a few people who wanted this role,” but Danielle Deadwyler “was meant to play it.”

A controversial, anti-violence activist priest in Chicago who once caught attention for his relationship with former President Barack Obama is under investigation for another sexual abuse of a minor case.  The Archdiocese of Chicago announced Saturday that Father Michael Pfleger will be under investigation for a new allegation of sexual abuse of a minor said to have taken place more than 30 years ago, according to a statement.  "Father Pfleger has been asked to step aside from ministry and live away from the parish while the allegation is investigated. He has agreed to cooperate fully with this request," Archbishop of Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich said Saturday.  The allegation was reported to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and law enforcement officials.

Specialty film rollouts continues to accelerate with Chinonye Chukwu’s Till, Park Chan-wook’s Decision To Leave and A24’s Stars At Noon joining releases from previous weeks to populate theaters as awards season gathers steam.  

A judicial review into a coroner's conclusion in the Yousef Makki case will be held next month. Earlier this year, the Makki family pushed for a review to quash the narrative conclusion delivered following a seven-day inquest.

A Chicago woman has been charged in the brutal killing of her landlord, who was found dismembered in a freezer, after she was served with an eviction notice, authorities said.  Sandra Kolalou, 36, is charged with first-degree murder and concealment of a homicide in the death of 69-year-old Frances Walker. Tenants inside the home where Francis rented rooms to people told police they heard screams around 2:30 p.m.

Former Alabama escapee Casey White pleaded not guilty Tuesday at his arraignment on escape and felony murder charges after his alleged accomplice in the jailbreak shot herself in the head rather than face arrest. Vicky White, a former Lauderdale County, Alabama, corrections official, walked Casey White out of jail on April 29, and the duo led investigators on an 11-day manhunt spanning multiple states and involving disguises and multiple cars. The two were not related but were allegedly involved in a jailhouse romance.  Deputies in Indiana recaptured Casey White after a car chase as the alleged lovers tried to evade capture.

A post shared by @chuckychuckdgafEarlier this year, Run The Jewels‘ Killer Mike has opened up about a new pro-marijuana documentary he’s been working on.Tumbleweeds with Killer Mike is a new docu-series where Mike discusses the “impact and evolution” of cannabis culture, the history of marijuana and its legalisation in states such as Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.Speaking to Consequence about what viewers can expect from the series, Mike said: “They’re going to further expand what they know in terms of seeing what’s out there on the horizon in terms of advocacy and creating equity and fairness around marijuana. In terms of people that have been sentenced and charged for things, what will happen next in terms of opportunities for them as the world blossoms.“There’s something to learn about how veterans that are coping with PTSD have dealings with marijuana advocacy.

Danielle Deadwyler is stepping out for a special screening of her new movie.

Kelly Ripa gave fans her best Harley Quinn impression on Friday as she shared a picture on Instagram of her in a Halloween outfit.MORE: Kelly Ripa's husband Mark Consuelos shares intimate birthday tribute Kicking up her leg which was held by friend Jerry O'Connell, Kelly's legs looked endless in ripped fishnet tights paired with the character's iconic chunky platform heels.WATCH: Kelly Ripa displays super toned legs in head-turning mini dressKelly rocked a bold blue bomber jacket and booty shorts in keeping with Harley's look, and added fake tattoos to her face and smudged red lipstick.To complete the look, she held a baseball bat while Jerry was in character as The Joker.MORE: Kelly Ripa reveals how she feared divorce after 26 years of marriage to Mark ConseulosThe picture was shared with fans on social media to reveal that the two would soon be arriving in Chicago as part of Kelly's book tour for new memoir Live Wire.Jerry will be moderating the discussion which will focus on her book, billed as a "sharp, funny, and honest collection of real-life stories from Kelly Ripa, showing the many dimensions and crackling wit of the beloved daytime talk show host". Kelly wowed as HarleyKelly is a big fan of Halloween and last year the mother-of-three shared a throwback picture of her and her husband Mark's 2019 outfits and it was spooktacular!The couple, who have been married for 26 years, opted to go as a Day of the Dead-inspired bride and groom, with the presenter opting for a cute mini white dress with a matching veil and black tights.

A man free on bond for attempted murder and drug charges allegedly shot and killed two men last month in Chicago, prosecutors said this week.  Absalom Coakley, 29, allegedly fired a single shot with a .40-caliber handgun, striking 29-year-old Terrance Johnson Jr. in the back of the head in the early morning hours of Sept. 25 during a "video shoot party." Around 50 people were in attendance, according to a court complaint obtained by Fox News.

Actor Anthony Rapp began testifying today in his sexual misconduct lawsuit against Kevin Spacey, with initial questioning covering only his upbringing in the Chicago suburbs before the court took a lunch recess.

William Earl Variety has announced the lineup for its annual Business of Broadway breakfast presented by City National Bank in New York on Oct. 17. Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson will join the event for a keynote conversation about their collaboration on the revival of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” currently playing on Broadway. The programming will also include a Broadway producers panel moderated by Erik Piecuch, senior vice president and entertainment banking leader of City National Bank. The panel will feature Lee Daniels (“Ain’t No Mo’”), Cindy Tolan (“Death of a Salesman”), LaChanze (“Kimberly Akimbo” and “Topdog/Underdog”) and Ken Davenport (“A Beautiful Noise”). The producers will speak about their experiences premiering new productions on Broadway this season and how the business has changed since Broadway’s return.

The murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till is one of the lesser-known turning points in U.S. history; but the details of his case, along with the pictures of his disfigured body, haunted the nation’s consciousness back in 1955.

Chinonye Chukwu was certain of two things setting out to tell the story of a loving and lovely 14-year-old boy lynched in 1955 Mississippi for whistling at a white woman. First, the story had to be told from the perspective of Mamie, the mother of Emmett Till. “We had to follow closely her emotional journey. For without Mamie, the world, we, would not have known who Emmett Till was.”

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic Growing up in Texas toward the tail end of the 20th century, I was not taught about Emmett Till. I’ve learned about him since, of course. Till’s name adorns this year’s overdue federal antilynching act, and his tragic fate has inspired plays and films, including 2018’s Oscar-nominated short, “My Nephew Emmett,” and now a powerful new feature from Chinonye Chukwu, who gave Alfre Woodard one of her greatest roles in 2019 Sundance winner “Clemency.” Till’s story — that of a 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago who was kidnapped in the middle of the night and lynched while visiting his family in Mississippi — may have been omitted from my Southern schooling for racist reasons, though I suspect it had as much to do with Western culture’s “great man” bias. History, as a field of study, celebrates the achievements of heroic individuals. Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks. Those names were all taught. But Emmett Till was a kid whose murder galvanized the American civil rights movement, and it has taken a different kind of thinking — à la “Say Their Names” campaign or Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station” — to position victims in the public’s mind.

Till directed by Chinonye Chukwu and written by Chukwu, Keith Beauchamp, and Michael Reilly follows Mamie Till, a woman who moved the nation with her resilience in the face of her teenage son’s death. The film stars Danielle Deadwyler, Jalyn Hall, Whoopi Goldberg, and Haley Bennett.