Jussie Smollett’s Directorial Debut ‘B-Boy Blues’ Headed To BET+
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Jussie Smollett’s directorial debut is coming to the silver screen. Variety reported B-Boy Blues has landed at BET+ after debuting last year at the 2021 American Black Film Festival. At the festival, the film won the Narrative Feature Fan Favorite Award. It is set to make a televised premiere on June 9 for Pride Month. Mona Scott-Young and her company Monami Entertainment have joined the film as a producer.
“B-Boy Blues is a beautifully bold, funny, heartwarming bro-mance and I was thrilled to partner with Jussie to help this wonderful film gain greater exposure,” Young said. “Falling head over heels and fighting for love are universal emotions and experiences and we are so grateful to BET+ for shining a powerful spotlight on the still seriously underrepresented black LGBTQ+ community and bringing this impactful love story to an even greater audience.”
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B-Boy Blues is described as “a clash of class and culture when Mitchell Crawford, a college educated journalist from Brooklyn, and Raheim Rivers, a bike messenger from Harlem, fall in love.” Smollet wrote the script along with James Earl Hardy who authored the novel of the same name that inspired the motion picture. It stars Timothy Richardson, singer Ledisi, Brandee Evans, radio host Heather B, Marquise Vilson, Jabari Redd, Broderick Hunter, and Thomas Mackie.
“Through our content slate, we are intentional about representing the fullness of the Black experience, including that of the LGBTQ+ community,” expressed BET+ exec VP/GM Devin Griffin in a statement per Variety. “‘B-Boy Blues’ is an artful, heart-rending film about the complexity of love – something we all can relate to.”
The film marks Smollett’s return to Hollywood since he was found guilty in March of making false reports of an alleged hate crime and sentenced to 150 days in jail, 30 months of felony probation, and ordered to pay restitution of more than $120,000 and a $25,000 fine. He was released from Cook County Jail days later after an Illinois Appellate Court voted to cut down his 150-day sentence pending appeal.
