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AFRO Exclusive: Michael Ealy Previews ‘The Intruder’

THE AFRO — When Scott (Michael Ealy) and Annie (Meagan Good) move from the city of San Francisco to the Napa Valley wine country, they are planning to begin their lives as newlyweds and start a family.  Yet when the young Black couple settles in, the original owner of the house, Charlie Peck (Dennis Quaid), keeps popping up in the oddest and sometimes, scariest of ways, making for a new thriller that hits theaters May 3, “The Intruder.”

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By Micha Green

When Scott (Michael Ealy) and Annie (Meagan Good) move from the city of San Francisco to the Napa Valley wine country, they are planning to begin their lives as newlyweds and start a family.  Yet when the young Black couple settles in, the original owner of the house, Charlie Peck (Dennis Quaid), keeps popping up in the oddest and sometimes, scariest of ways, making for a new thriller that hits theaters May 3, “The Intruder.”

In an exclusive interview, Michael Ealy sat down with the AFRO to share how the film manages to engage audiences with a real love story, a relatable plot and scary moments, while leaving viewers with a tough question at the end, “What would I do if this happened to me?”

“Most of the prep work from this role came in terms of working with Meagan [Good] and Deon [Taylor] the director,” Ealy told the AFRO.  “We talked about trying to make this couple real. Not just this newlywed bliss fantasy. This couple has a history and we have to come to terms with what that means and whether or not it’s kind of a flaw or window of opportunity for Charlie to kind of manipulate some things and come between us.”

Through the work that Taylor, Good and Ealy put in, the romanticism, frustrations and intimate moments between Scott and Annie are believable on screen.

“We didn’t just want it to be a romanticized version of a relationship where everything is happy; everything is great.  And I think we were able to get that done.”

Their relatable romance makes it that much more engaging to watch when Quaid’s character tries to mess up their new life and relationship.

“Dennis Quaid’s character, Charlie Peck, is the sociopath in this one and I’m doing everything in my power to try and protect myself and my wife from his demented way of looking at this house and us.  And what he’s trying to do is tear us apart,” Ealy said.

How Quaid tries to ruin this family is what makes the plot incredibly interesting to watch.

A rare sight portrayed onscreen, the young, successful Black couple spends over $3 million on a home that had been owned by Quaid’s character’s family for generations.  It is a battle between Old v. New and Black People v. The White Man, but the storyline allows for even more than just a conversation on dueling themes.

“I think where we are in 2019, it’s time to start acknowledging that we’re not a monolith, and that there are characters, there are people, who aren’t in entertainment and can afford a $3 million house.  There are people who can afford a $300,000 house, and we run the full spectrum,” Ealy told the AFRO. “I think for years all we ever saw was poor Black people and that’s fine because everything had to be.  Why was “Good Times” a hit? Because we had to identify with the struggle. And the reality is at this point, that not every Black child grows up with a struggle.”

“I think with regards to Scott and Annie, they’re doing well, but as you can see in the movie, it almost doesn’t matter when you come across a sociopath like Dennis Quaid’s character, Charlie.”

Ealy emphasized the identifiable common themes and storylines within “The Intruder,” that will make the film significant and enjoyable to many audiences. “I do think the film has a universal quality that can make anyone relate to it, because everyone is trying to buy home.  Everyone. Most people try to buy a house at some point in their lives and your first house is where you can start a family. These are all tangible relationship goals, if you will.”

Besides the fact that audiences will see themselves reflected on screen, they will also be entertained.

“It’s a fun movie. It’ll make you laugh, it might make you cry, it might make you a little scared.”

Ealy said that seeing this film will bring feelings of nostalgia and, in the end, will have one questioning their own methods of dealing with crisis.

“This is like an old movie going experience.  There’s no special effects. It’s literally a movie that’s grounded in reality.  It’s like, it could be you, and I think that’s why the experience is so tangible.  That’s why the experience is so fun, because ultimately you’ll see yourselves up on that screen, questioning ‘What would I do in this situation?’”

This article originally appeared in The Afro

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

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Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.
Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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Arts and Culture

Paul Robeson: A Voice for the Ages, A Champion for Justice

Robeson first gained widespread recognition on stage and screen, delivering commanding performances that captivated audiences. Yet, it was his voice in concert halls that sealed his legacy. His repertoire was vast, spanning spirituals, classical compositions, global folk traditions, and songs of struggle — music that carried the weight of the oppressed and the hopes of the marginalized.

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Paul Robeson. Public domain.
Paul Robeson. Public domain.

By Tamara Shiloh

Paul Robeson was born April 9, 1898, in Princeton, New Jersey. At 6’ 3”, he was a towering man of intellect, talent, and conviction. Before he became an international icon, he earned his law degree from Columbia University in 1923, supporting himself by teaching Latin and playing professional football on the weekends. But the law would not hold him for long. His voice had other plans.

Robeson first gained widespread recognition on stage and screen, delivering commanding performances that captivated audiences. Yet, it was his voice in concert halls that sealed his legacy. His repertoire was vast, spanning spirituals, classical compositions, global folk traditions, and songs of struggle — music that carried the weight of the oppressed and the hopes of the marginalized.

In 1921, he married Eslanda Goode, a fellow Columbia student and a journalist with her own remarkable intellect and ambition. Their marriage, which lasted over four decades, was a partnership in every sense. Goode became his manager, encouraging him to leave law behind and fully embrace his calling. In 1927, they welcomed their son, Paul Robeson Jr.

By the mid-1920s, Robeson was making waves in theater. He starred in All God’s Chillun Got Wings (1924) and The Emperor Jones (1925). That same year, he made his film debut in Body and Soul, directed by pioneering Black filmmaker Oscar Micheaux. In 1928, he mesmerized London audiences in Show Boat, where his rendition of Ol’ Man River transformed the song into a powerful anthem of resilience.

Robeson and his family moved to Europe in the late 1920s, and over the next decade, he built an impressive career in both film and music. He starred in Borderline (1930) and later again in the 1933 film adaptation of The Emperor Jones. Over the next few years, he appeared in six British films, including Jericho and Big Fella (both released in 1937). He also starred in the second screen adaptation of Show Boat (1936), alongside Hattie McDaniel and Irene Dunne. However, his final film, Tales of Manhattan (1942), left him deeply disillusioned. He openly criticized its degrading depiction of Black life, signaling his growing commitment to using his platform for activism.

In 1963, after years of political persecution and declining health, Robeson returned to the United States. Following Goode’s death in 1965, he lived quietly with his sister. On January 23, 1976, Robeson passed away from a stroke at the age of 77 in Philadelphia.

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Arts and Culture

‘Giants Rising’ Film Screening in Marin City Library

A journey into the heart of America’s most iconic forests, “Giants Rising” tells the epic tale of the coast redwoods — the tallest and among the oldest living beings on Earth. Living links to the past, redwoods hold powers that may play a role in our future, including their ability to withstand fire and capture carbon, to offer clues about longevity, and to enhance our own well-being.

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A woman stands amid towering redwood trees in a forest. Photo courtesy of Marin County Free Library.
A woman stands amid towering redwood trees in a forest. Photo courtesy of Marin County Free Library.

By Godfrey Lee

The film “Giants Rising” will be screened on Saturday, Jan. 11, from 3-6 p.m. at the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, located 100 Donahue St. in Marin City.

A journey into the heart of America’s most iconic forests, “Giants Rising” tells the epic tale of the coast redwoods — the tallest and among the oldest living beings on Earth. Living links to the past, redwoods hold powers that may play a role in our future, including their ability to withstand fire and capture carbon, to offer clues about longevity, and to enhance our own well-being.

Through the voices of scientists, artists, Native communities, and others, we discover the many connections that sustain these forests and the promise of solutions that will help us all rise up to face the challenges that lay ahead.

The film’s website is www.giantsrising.com. The “Giants Rising” trailer is at https://player.vimeo.com/video/904153467. The registration link to the event is https://marinlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/673de7abb41279410057889e

This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Marin City Library and hosted in conjunction with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.

All library events are free. For more information, contact Etienne Douglas at (415) 332-6158 or email etienne.douglas@marincounty.gov. For event-specific information, contact Zaira Sierra at zsierra@parksconservancy.org.

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