What are you supposed to say when you lose a best friend you’ve had since you were 13? How to make sense of it. I feel so angry. This is not the kind of post I would ever want to make. But in my anger and grief I want to remember to be grateful for the time we had our Hydeia on this earth. After all, the doctors said she wouldn’t live past the age of 5…she made it to 39.
The world knew her as this force, a trailblazer, an HIV/AIDS activist. Her family knew her as a loving sister and daughter. I knew her as my friend. My family knew her as another sister.
Witnessing her continuously triumph over tragedy and use her time here as a beacon of hope was like witnessing the divine in motion. My warrior woman, who literally fought her entire life to save the lives of others, Hydeia raised the consciousness and fought to destigmatize issues around HIV/AIDS. Hydeia made us all better. SHE LITERALLY BLAZED TRAILS WHERE THERE WERE NONE. She and I grew into women together and Hydeia was a huge inspiration for me to use my life for a bigger purpose. Whether it was showing up at random testing sites to encourage people to get tested and stay safe, or speaking at community gatherings, working with non-profits like the Black AIDS institute, I would never have been involved in the HIV/AIDS fight if it hadn’t been for witnessing the work Hydeia was doing. That work can be so tiring. So taxing on the body and mind. I don’t know why some are born with a force they didn’t ask for, but Hydeia’s calling on her life was mighty. I thank God for her light, her will. I will miss her laughter, her dancing, her joyous smile that lit up her beautiful big cheeks, her awful taste in tv shows, her hilarious way of making fun of how I’m really a boring nerd inside, our drives listening to music really loud, the tears we shed over heartbreaks, the way she wore her heart on her sleeve and was unable to get through a motivational talk without tearing up at some point. Courage was her middle name. A literal goddess with an otherworldly strength. A warrior’s heart who fought till the end. Rest well beautiful one. Love you forever, Deia. #RIP 💔💔💔 #HydeiaBroadbent
♥️♥️
✨Governors awards ✨
Dreamy designs by @nicolasghesquiere for @nicolasghesquiere
LV High jewelry @francescaamfitheatrof
#governorsawards
📸 @iziapluscamera @gettyimages #EmmaMcIntrye #FrazerHarrisson
♥️♥️
✨Governors awards ✨
Dreamy designs by @nicolasghesquiere for @nicolasghesquiere
LV High jewelry @francescaamfitheatrof
#governorsawards
📸 @iziapluscamera @gettyimages #EmmaMcIntrye #FrazerHarrisson
♥️♥️
✨Governors awards ✨
Dreamy designs by @nicolasghesquiere for @nicolasghesquiere
LV High jewelry @francescaamfitheatrof
#governorsawards
📸 @iziapluscamera @gettyimages #EmmaMcIntrye #FrazerHarrisson
♥️♥️
✨Governors awards ✨
Dreamy designs by @nicolasghesquiere for @nicolasghesquiere
LV High jewelry @francescaamfitheatrof
#governorsawards
📸 @iziapluscamera @gettyimages #EmmaMcIntrye #FrazerHarrisson
♥️♥️
✨Governors awards ✨
Dreamy designs by @nicolasghesquiere for @nicolasghesquiere
LV High jewelry @francescaamfitheatrof
#governorsawards
📸 @iziapluscamera @gettyimages #EmmaMcIntrye #FrazerHarrisson
♥️♥️
✨Governors awards ✨
Dreamy designs by @nicolasghesquiere for @nicolasghesquiere
LV High jewelry @francescaamfitheatrof
#governorsawards
📸 @iziapluscamera @gettyimages #EmmaMcIntrye #FrazerHarrisson
Always HQ 😉🖤. Proud of this lady right here. My pretty bird.
@wmag
@saramoonves
@saskialawaks
@specialprojectsmedia
An epic night was had …love these ladies ❤️❤️❤️
Credits:
@wmag
@saramoonves
@saskialawaks
@specialprojectsmedia
Willie and Mame got cleaned up 🤓 🤪. Happy birthday Willie, aka one of the greatest to ever do it @iamjamiefoxx! Congrats again for receiving the Vanguard award. Yall help me send bday love to the goat!! 🥇 of 🥇#happybirthday #goat #theburialmovie #jamiefoxx
Willie and Mame got cleaned up 🤓 🤪. Happy birthday Willie, aka one of the greatest to ever do it @iamjamiefoxx! Congrats again for receiving the Vanguard award. Yall help me send bday love to the goat!! 🥇 of 🥇#happybirthday #goat #theburialmovie #jamiefoxx
Willie and Mame got cleaned up 🤓 🤪. Happy birthday Willie, aka one of the greatest to ever do it @iamjamiefoxx! Congrats again for receiving the Vanguard award. Yall help me send bday love to the goat!! 🥇 of 🥇#happybirthday #goat #theburialmovie #jamiefoxx
Surround yourself with people that make you laugh amidst the chaos
Governor awards🥂
Dreamy designs by @nicolasghesquiere for @louisvuitton
Lv high jewelry @francescaamfitheatrof
📸 @iziapluscamera
Surround yourself with people that make you laugh amidst the chaos
Governor awards🥂
Dreamy designs by @nicolasghesquiere for @louisvuitton
Lv high jewelry @francescaamfitheatrof
📸 @iziapluscamera
💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 duh
📸 Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb or Michael Rowe/IMDb
@michaelrowephoto for @imdb @criticschoice #CCCelebration and #CriticsChoice. #TheBurialmovie #mamedownes
💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 duh
📸 Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb or Michael Rowe/IMDb
@michaelrowephoto for @imdb @criticschoice #CCCelebration and #CriticsChoice. #TheBurialmovie #mamedownes
💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 duh
📸 Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb or Michael Rowe/IMDb
@michaelrowephoto for @imdb @criticschoice #CCCelebration and #CriticsChoice. #TheBurialmovie #mamedownes
💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 duh
📸 Michael Rowe/Getty Images for IMDb or Michael Rowe/IMDb
@michaelrowephoto for @imdb @criticschoice #CCCelebration and #CriticsChoice. #TheBurialmovie #mamedownes
Give me butter baby! 😜 younger bro @jakesmollett and I are cooking up our one of our fav dishes. Our mom is from New Orleans so ya know we loveee some Charbroiled Oysters. See recipe below
Charbroiled Oysters
½ pound (2 sticks) salted butter
16 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
24 raw oysters, shucked in the shell
1 loaf French bread, halved lengthwise
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup grated Parmesan
CLEAN and oil the grill grates (I like to use the end of a cut onion dipped in olive oil to oil my grates) and preheat the grill to high.
BLEND the butter, garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper in a food processor until completely smooth.
SCOOP 1 teaspoon flavored butter onto each oyster. Slather both halves of the bread with the remaining butter.
PLACE the oysters on the hottest part of the grill, directly on the grates. You want the
grill to flame up around the oysters to melt the butter and charbroil the oysters. Place the bread on the upper grate of the grill, butter side up. Cook the oysters and toast the bread 5 to 6 minutes.
DURING the last minute of cooking, sprinkle the oysters with even amounts of parsley and Parmesan. When the cheese has melted slightly and the bread is nice and crusty, remove everything from the grill. Slice the bread and serve it with the oysters.
🎥 @kenftw
#charbroiledoysters #neworleans #nolaeats #noreciperecipe #recipes #homemade #homechef #siblings #cooking #seafood #bbq #grilling #foodie #foodiegram #instachef
So incredibly proud of this beautiful film we all made titled, We Grown Now, that was nominated for three @filmindependent spirit awards this week including best picture. Written and directed by the incomparable @minhal.pdf, I had the honor of being a part of the cast and producing team. I can’t wait for you all to see it. An official #TIFF selection, It’s a stunning portrait of young black boyhood that will move you to the core. S/o to @participant and @sonyclassics & @stage6films for being such great partners on this. Coming to theaters in 2024! #WeGrownNow #indiespiritawards
So incredibly proud of this beautiful film we all made titled, We Grown Now, that was nominated for three @filmindependent spirit awards this week including best picture. Written and directed by the incomparable @minhal.pdf, I had the honor of being a part of the cast and producing team. I can’t wait for you all to see it. An official #TIFF selection, It’s a stunning portrait of young black boyhood that will move you to the core. S/o to @participant and @sonyclassics & @stage6films for being such great partners on this. Coming to theaters in 2024! #WeGrownNow #indiespiritawards
So incredibly proud of this beautiful film we all made titled, We Grown Now, that was nominated for three @filmindependent spirit awards this week including best picture. Written and directed by the incomparable @minhal.pdf, I had the honor of being a part of the cast and producing team. I can’t wait for you all to see it. An official #TIFF selection, It’s a stunning portrait of young black boyhood that will move you to the core. S/o to @participant and @sonyclassics & @stage6films for being such great partners on this. Coming to theaters in 2024! #WeGrownNow #indiespiritawards
Don’t be afraid to fly.
We made a film full of heart and soul. I cant wait for you to see this beautiful little gem. My beloved @minhal.pdf at the helm, and all of us serving her stunning vision. Proud to be a part of this amazing cast and producing team. S/o to @jjpirro @participant @stage6films @sonyclassics for being great producing partners.
@blakecameronjames @merk2577 @comedianlilrel Gian and the entire cast for bringing it.
Watch the official trailer for #WeGrownNow a film by @minhal.pdf. Only in theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago April 19. Goes wide on May 10th, MOTHER’S DAY weekend! ❤️
#WeGrownNow
I first met Aunjanue while shooting Lovecraft Country. I knew then she was a force, a beautiful spirit with an incomparable instrument. She will always be about the work. GO SEE her in @originmovie. SHE GIVES ONE OF THE MOST HEARTBREAKING AND BRAVE PERFORMANCES I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME. She deserves to be lifted up as the national treasure that she is. #repost @ava Someone posted this footage, and I burst into tears. This was apparently taken last Sunday, Golden Globes day. This is a video of Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. Our lead actress in ORIGIN. She wasn’t nominated that day.
She was handing out postcards for our film at a local
AMC in LA to passersby. She had told me that she wanted to remind herself about what matters. That she wanted to invite people to see our work, and that she would stay low profile, keep on her mask. That it wasn’t about her, but about the movie. Someone noticed her.
And recorded her. And now I see this – and my heart aches. I wish she didn’t have to do this to remind herself. I wish she was at the Globes or SAG Awards or Critics Choice or the other nominations that didn’t come. I wish she had commercials and magazine covers and all the things that are arranged for the actresses we are supposed to pay attention to in the awards season. I wish she felt the recognition and praise that swirls around her peers in big studio films. I wish the world for her. All the flowers. All the gold statues. I wish so many things. But in this video, she reminds me to move from wishing to what matters. And what matters is WHY WE MADE THIS FILM and WHY WE DO THIS WORK. For people. To be in community with others. To reach for someone else’s hand and recognize oneself. To tell stories of human dignity and justice. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, standing out on a windy day, passing out flyers for our film, I see you. Your brave heart. Your singular way of moving through the world. You are the definition of Best Lead Actress. You lead me away from wishing for things not meant to be. To focus on the beauty of what matters and what is.
