Series synopsis
Hollywood Black is an American documentary television series that premiered on MGM+ on August 11, 2024. It ended on September 1, 2024. It stars Ava DuVernay, Boots Riley, Charles Burnett and Charles Lane.
The epic story of the actors, writers, directors, and producers who fought for their place on the page, behind the camera and on the screen. From blackface to Black Panther, this series is a definitive chronicle of more than a century of the black experience in Hollywood and a powerful reexamination of a quintessentially American story – in brilliant color.
Premise
The epic story of the actors, writers, directors, and producers who fought for their place on the page, behind the camera and on the screen. From blackface to Black Panther, this series is a definitive chronicle of more than a century of the black experience in Hollywood and a powerful reexamination of a quintessentially American story – in brilliant color.
Premise: Reclaiming the story.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Ava DuVernay as Self
- Boots Riley as Self
- Charles Burnett as Self
- Charles Lane as Self
- Cheryl Boone Isaacs as Self
- Cheryl Dunye as Self
- Cynthia Erivo as Self
- Darnell Martin as Self
Supporting cast
- Donald Bogle as Self
- Elvis Mitchell as Self
- Erika Alexander as Self
- Ernest R. Dickerson as Self
- Forest Whitaker as Self
- Gabrielle Union as Self
- Giancarlo Esposito as Self
- Gina Prince-Bythewood as Self
- Ina Diance Archer as Self
- Issa Rae as Self
- Jacqueline Najuma Stewart as Self
- Jenny Lumet as Self
Guest cast
- Martin Luther King Jr. as Self (archive footage)
- Harry Belafonte as Self (archive footage)
- Melvin Van Peebles as Self (archive footage)
- Walter Cronkite as Self (archive footage)
- Robert F. Kennedy as Self (archive footage)
- Jesse Jackson as Self (archive footage)
- Ruby Dee as Self (archive footage)
- Roger Ebert as Self (archive footage)
- Richard Pryor as Self (archive footage)
- Dave Chappelle as Self (archive footage)
- Eddie Murphy as Self (archive footage)
- Whoopi Goldberg as Self (archive footage)
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 4 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 4 | August 11, 2024 | September 1, 2024 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Built on Our Backs From the silent era to the late 1960s, an emboldened generation of Black actors and directors make films that counter denigrating imagery of Black people and forever change Hollywood's perception of Black storytellers. |
August 11, 2024 |
| 2 |
The Defiant Ones Following the unrest of the 1960s, Black filmmakers look to celebrate Black culture on screen. As Hollywood begins to see dollar signs, Black actors and directors try to maintain their dignity without selling out. |
August 18, 2024 |
| 3 |
The Price of Admission In the 1990s, a new generation of Black filmmakers and megastars are embraced by the studio system. Yet independent and female filmmakers who diverge from mainstream portrayals of Black life still struggle for recognition. |
August 25, 2024 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | MGM+ |
|---|---|
| First aired | August 11, 2024 |
| Last aired | September 1, 2024 |
| Runtime | 233 minutes |
| Status | ended |