National Casting Call for Series Lead Role to Take Place During ALLBLK’s ‘Shoot Your Shot’ at the 27th Annual American Black Film Festival
Actor Lance Gross to Serve as Celebrity Reader for Casting Call
New York, NY – April 10, 2023 – Popular AMC Networks streaming service, ALLBLK, today announced the commission of Involved, a new, scripted dramedy from singer/songwriter/author/actor Omarion. Loosely based on his life, Omarion will star and serve as series Co-Creator and Executive Producer alongside Tommy Morgan Jr., Kevin G. Boyd, Deji LaRay and Michelle Le Fleur. The pilot will be penned by Kevin G. Boyd and directed by Bentley Kyle Evans. Evans and Boyd will serve as Co-Showrunners. A national casting call will be held for a leading role as part of ALLBLK and the American Black Film Festival’s ‘Shoot Your Shot’ taking place during the June 2023 festival in Miami Beach. Actor Lance Gross (House of Payne, Sleepy Hollow) will serve as the celebrity reader for the casting call.
Involved follows OB Sharp who has been a boyband superstar since childhood. Now on the verge of a worldwide tour, he secretly wants to leave the group to be a more present dad and have a better co-parenting relationship with his child’s mother, who lives in his guesthouse with her new boyfriend. The only person who has always understood him and his lifestyle is his best friend, Maya, who is openly Bi. They’ve always had an intimate connection without being physical; however, all that changes when they meet Edy, an eclectic flower shop owner with a free spirit and fluid lifestyle. Suddenly, OB’s “love life” gets an extreme makeover, and together, they discover their new normal as a throuple. Faced with a multitude of changes in a short timeframe, OB Sharp is adjusting to new normals within himself, relationship and family dynamics and new business ventures.
“When it comes to forming new ideas, establishing new norms and shaping our thinking, nothing affects us more than the images and concepts delivered into our lives on a daily basis by television and film. It is with great passion and pleasure that I get Involved with you. Just like multi hyphenated entertainers Jamie Foxx, Martin Lawrence and Will Smith who all have influenced and inspired me and a whole culture, Involved is intended to inspire, shift and impact the culture of American society’s thinking and understanding of special family dynamics. There is no better way for us to learn about and observe these cultural diversities than through the medium of entertainment. I’m not only excited to be in such good company, I’m jubilant to be back on your TV screen! ?. Involved is a big vibe. Get ready,” shared Omarion.
ALLBLK/ABFF Shoot Your Shot National Casting Call
ALLBLK is partnering with the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) to kick off a nationwide casting call for the co-star of Involved, a new relationship dramedy created by music sensation, Omarion. The casting call, for an AA Woman 25-40 to play a character in her early to mid-30’s, will take place during the 2023 American Black Film Festival which is scheduled for June 14-18 in Miami Beach.
Involved Casting Details
Character: Shayla Williams, 31
OB slid into Shayla’s DM after seeing her at Usher’s birthday party in Atlanta. They hooked up, the chemistry was crazy, and two years later, Cammy was born. Now, years later, the relationship is a wrap and, for Cammy’s sake, Shayla lives in OB’s guest house. The problem is, she’s still a little bitter and she knows how to push O’s buttons. The latest was to move her struggling rapper boyfriend in without OB knowing.
The casting call is open now, and submissions will be accepted until April 28, 2023. Details of the submission process, including rules and regulations: https://allblk.tv/landing/shootyourshot/
“Omarion is an expert storyteller across multiple mediums, and we could not be more excited to further our partnership by helping him bring this story to life on ALLBLK. As a leader in programming by and for Black voices, we know our audience will appreciate such an intriguing and compelling story,” shared Brett Dismuke, General Manager, ALLBLK. “And we’re elated to return to ABFF with ‘Shoot Your Shot’ this year. We’ve found great success with this unique opportunity that allows actors from around the world to audition for a premium TV series, and for ALLBLK to further connect with the community. We encourage everyone to ‘shoot their shot’! Thank you to Jeff and Nicole Friday and the entire ABFF team for their continued support.”
“The American Black Film Festival is dedicated to providing exposure and advancing the careers of emerging artists in the television and film industry,” said Nicole Friday, President and COO, ABFF. “We are thrilled to partner with Brett Dismuke and the ALLBLK team to bring “Shoot your Shot” to ABFF for the 4th year in a row as a part of our talent discovery programs. We look forward to unveiling the winner of this amazing casting opportunity in front of our festival audience.”
Involved will be produced by ALLBLK. Omarion, Tommy Morgan Jr., Kevin G. Boyd and Deji LaRay serve as co-creators and executive producers alongside executive producers Michelle Le Fleur, Bentley Kyle Evans, ALLBLK’s General Manager, Brett Dismuke, and SVP of Development & Production, Nikki Love.
ALLBLK will hold the exclusive rights to Involved in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.
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About ALLBLK
ALLBLK is an invitation to a world of streaming entertainment that is inclusively, but unapologetically – Black. Featuring a diverse lineup of content that spans across genres and generations, the ALLBLK library includes exclusive original series such as A House Divided and Double Cross; must-see independent films, nostalgic Black cinema, popular WE tv originals, lively stage plays, and so much more. ALLBLK is available everywhere streaming services are found – iOS, Android, Amazon Prime Video Channels, Apple TV and Apple TV Channels, Roku and Roku Channels, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, Cox, DISH, Sling TV, Charter and more. At www.ALLBLK.tv, ALLBLK offers a free 7-day trial and thereafter is just $5.99/month or $59.99/year. Keep up with ALLBLK on Facebook at Facebook.com/WatchALLBLK and Twitter/Instagram @WatchALLBLK.
About ABFF
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC, an entertainment company specializing in the production of live events and platforms that celebrate Black culture and achievement. ABFF, the company’s flagship event, is dedicated to recognizing Black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the Black entertainment community by fostering resource sharing, education and artistic collaboration. Now in its 27th year, the festival has become a key proponent of diversity in Hollywood, providing a platform for emerging Black artists. The ABFF is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC, an entertainment company specializing in the production of live events that promote Black culture and achievement.