Yahya Abdul Mateen II Cast As The Lead In New Disney + Series
Yahya Abdul Mateen II is getting Marvel money. Deadline reported that the actor, who is currently on Broadway with Topdog/ Underdog, will star in the Disney + series Wonder Man. The Marvel comic premiered in 1964 and it tells the story of Simon Williams who takes over his father Sanford Williams's company. The character gains superpowers while working under Baron Zemo, whose villainous nature put him in opposition with The Avengers. However, Simon eventually joins the beloved superheroes to fight evil.
This isn’t the first time that the Emmy winner has portrayed a comic book character. Yahya won an Emmy for his role as Cal Abar aka Dr. Manhattan in HBO’s The Watchmen and David Kane aka Black Manta in Aquaman. Both are DC Comics.
Yahya has joined a growing list of Black actors that have entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Check the list out below:
Tessa Thompson
Tessa Thompson played Valkyrie in the Thor films and most recently was the king in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Idris Elba
Idris Elba plays Heimdall in the Thor films.
Chadwick Boseman
The late great Chadwick Boseman played King T’Challa aka Black Panther in Black Panther.
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o plays Nakia in Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan played Erik Killmonger in Black Panther.
Zoe Saldaña
Zoe Saldaña is Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films.
Anthony Mackie
Anthony Mackie is now the new Captain America and will star in Captian America4.
Jonathan Majors
Jonathan Majors plays supervillain Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Letitia Wright
Letitia Wright plays Shuri in Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Teyonah Parris
Teyonah Parris plays Monica Rambeau in the Disney+ series WandaVision.
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson plays Nick Fury in The Avengers movies.
Brian Tyree Henry
Brian Tyree Henry played Marvel’s first openly gay character with Phastos in The Eternals.
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Featured image by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Universal Pictures
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Crystal Renay Is Prioritizing Healing, Her Kids, And Her Coins Amid Divorce
Crystal Renay is reclaiming her time and her identity after dealing with heartbreak. The model was married to Ne-Yo for seven years and they share three young children together. However, after a cheating scandal that resulted in a baby outside of their relationship, Crystal decided to end her marriage to the “So Sick” singer. Now, she is focusing on her bag and her kids. She is co-owner of Johnny’s Chicken and Waffles, launching a lip kit line, and is back on TV starring in the new WE TV reality series Bold & Bougie.
But it wasn’t an easy road, especially with reality TV. From the beginning, Crystal and her castmates bumped heads due to misconceptions and alliances with her ex-husband’s former partner, Monyetta Shaw. However, the mother of three exclusively tells xoNecole that she doesn’t regret her decision to join the show.
Crystal Renay
Photo courtesy
“Honestly, being in that space, we had a– you know, when you're first getting to know people, sometimes it can be smooth, and sometimes it can be rocky,” she says. “In our case, it was a little bit rocky and just getting to know each other, and I like to call it growing pains. And I felt like we had a couple of moments, but all in all, like the experience was really good for me, and I would do it over again.”
Crystal describes herself as “career-oriented” and says she is in her selfish season because she is now prioritizing herself first. But she admits that she is still healing from her divorce. The reality TV star shares some tips for others who may be going through the same thing.
“I would definitely say pray, pray as much as you can. Try to take your emotions out of your reactions to things because it’s always going to be something that you don't like in the situation,” she says. “But we can't move off of emotion because 10 times out of 10, a few months later, you're not going to feel like that. So, I'm a firm believer in not doing things that I will regret later. So I would just say be patient with yourself and stay positive.”
While there may be an opportunity to find love again, that’s not Crystal’s focus at the moment. She is in the rebuilding phase of her life, emphasizing the importance of self-care, personal growth, and finding her own happiness. She has had her share of challenges, including dealing with negative emotions and the public's perception of her, but her priorities involve spending quality time with her children and running lucrative businesses.
“I would definitely say pray, pray as much as you can. Try to take your emotions out of your reactions to things because it’s always going to be something that you don't like in the situation.”
“With my kids, I'm very hands-on. I’m team mother with soccer kids, and they don't really make no goals because they like five years old, but I'm there cheering them on every week,” she jokes. “I want to travel, especially this summer, with my kids and take them somewhere internationally because they're at the age where they can handle a long flight. So, me just spending more time and more new experiences with my kids is my main focus with them and showing them all the love that I could possibly give them.”
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Photo courtesy of Crystal Renay