See why we’re adding ice to our coffee:
•Idris Elba is making big strides on the silver screen this year and now the British star is gearing up to star in the upcoming film Beasts of No Nation. In the film, directed by Cary Fukanaga, Elba will play a commander of a mercenary army in West Africa in the story of two boys trapped in the midst of their country’s civil war. “[Beasts of No Nation] has been several years in the making, so to say I’m excited to start shooting this — and with Idris Elba as lead — would be me trying to play it cool,” says Fukunaga. The 40-year-old actor has been dominating both television and film lately. Aside from his two upcoming movies, he’s already starred in the recent blockbuster hit Pacific Rim and is readying to star in the third season of the British hit series, Luther. Production for Beasts of No Nation is scheduled to kick off next March. [BET]
•Lee Thompson Young will be laid to rest Friday afternoon and his funeral procession will be held at the famous Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood. The memorial service will take place on the lot where his TNT series Rizzoli & Isles is filmed and hundreds of people are expected to attend the private service. Young’s family is asking that friends and fans make a donation to the Young Storytellers Foundation, an organization that introduces underprivileged children to the arts. The 29-year-old actor was found dead Monday inside his North Hollywood home with a self-inflicted gun shot wound. Authorities are still unsure why Young committed suicide.[TMZ]
•After being sentenced to 30 months in prison last week, Jesse Jackson Jr. has now been hit with a $750,000 bill from the federal government. The bill came in the form of a forfeiture order from the United States District Court and stems from his criminal conviction for spending $750,000 in campaign funds on personal and luxury items. In addition to the $750,000 Jackson is being forced to dish out, he must also turn over several valuable items which were illegally purchased with the funds. Some of the items include over $10,000 worth of Bruce Lee memorabilia, a $5,000 football signed by American presidents, $15,000 worth of Martin Luther King memorabilia and over $18,000 in Michael Jackson souvenirs. There’s also a guitar signed by Michael Jackson and Eddie Van Halen worth $2,775 that must also be handed over to the federal government. He also has owns Jimi Hendrix memorabilia priced at $2,775, Malcolm X souvenirs valued at $2,200 and $5,000 worth of furs. According to the US Attorney’s office in Washington, Jackson has handed over 13 of the items owed, including nine items of Bruce Lee and Michael Jackson memorabilia, a mink cashmere cape, a mink reversible parka, a black and red cashmere cape, and a black fox reversible jacket. [The Grio]