Entertainment
DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince Series ‘215’ in the Works
Westbrook Studios and The Malar Group are developing “215,” a coming-of-age scripted series based on Will Smith’s hip-hop rise and the formation of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
The series is the first project from the production partnership. “215” will be based in West Philadelphia in the late 1980s, following a quick-witted teenage rapper, his DJ best friend and the friends who helped them along the way. It will also see the pair chase a record deal and attempt to make their way out as the city’s hip-hop scene takes off.
“It’s a story about ambition and brotherhood, and about the moment hip-hop went from the block party to the mainstream, with a group of kids from the 215 leading the way,” the series logline reads.
“’215′ is especially meaningful to us because it draws from the rise of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and celebrates Philadelphia during such a defining era in the city’s late-’80s/early-’90s hip-hop scene,” said Terence Carter, president of television at Westbrook Studios. “The Malar Group shares our approach to storytelling, and this partnership gives us the opportunity to build a slate together with intention, beginning with a project rooted in friendship, ambition and the integrity of this specific time and place.”
Will Smith founded Westbrook Studios in 2019 with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. The studio also produced “Ride or Die,” “Red Table Talk” and “Cobra Kai.”
The series is part of a larger partnership between Westbrook Studios and The Malar Group. The studios will partner to finance and develop a new slate of film and television projects.
“We’re excited to partner with Westbrook Studios on a slate of film and television projects driven by distinctive creative vision and exceptional storytelling,” said Sayan Navaratnam, CEO of Malar Group. “‘215’ caught our attention immediately. It’s the untold origin story of a show that audiences around the world have connected with for decades, but at its heart, it’s about two people who believed in each other, overcame extraordinary odds and built something that endured.”
Upcoming film projects from Westbrook Studios include MGM’s “Night of the Living Dead,” Netflix’s “Fast & Loose” and Warner Bros.’ “I Am Legend 2.”
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Nearly a decade after his death, Hugh Hefner‘s widow is expressing her disapproval of a coming-of-age story inspired by her late husband.
Crystal Hefner, who was married to the Playboy founder from 2012 until his death at age 91 in 2017, shared a screenshot of an Instagram DM she sent to Jessica Biel asking her to “please reconsider” starring as Hugh’s fictional wife in Lorraine Nicholson’s Searchlight pic Playmates.
“Please reconsider playing Hugh Hefner’s ‘wife’ if this film intends to romanticize him or the Playboy world,” wrote Crystal in the message. “I was actually his wife, and I experienced sexual, emotional, financial and physical abuse in that relationship. Many other women have come forward with allegations of rape, coercion, drugging and exploitation as well. There are also deeply troubling concerns involving minors. I hope everyone involved in this film takes the time to listen to the women who lived it before helping Hollywood turn it back into nostalgia.”
Written and directed by Nicholson, and inspired by her childhood friendship with Hugh Hefner’s kids, Playmates is described as an LA-set coming-of-age story following 13-year-old know-it-all Elle (played by Indiana Elle), who considers the Playboy Mansion her second home. During her time at the Mansion, Elle meets Anna (Lily-Rose Depp), one of seven hopefuls vying to be Playmate of the Month. The two form an unlikely friendship and try to help each other get what the other wants most, a magazine cover and a boy.
Crystal added in a post, “Regarding the film, I hope it’s not something that will glorify Hugh Hefner. With women in the leading roles, my hope is that the film ultimately delivers a message of empowerment: that women can find fulfillment, independence, and a sense of self beyond Playboy.”
With Bill Pullman playing Hugh Hefner, we’re told Biel’s character is a fictional role not inspired by any of his three wives.
Since Hugh Hefner’s death in 2017, Crystal has opened up about the toxic environment of the Playboy Mansion and the abuse she said she endured during her time there, with other Playboy models sharing similar experiences in recent years.
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