Jada Pinkett Smith (The Women), who just wrapped her writing and directorial feature debut, The Human Contract, is returning to television as the star and executive producer of TNT's drama pilot Time Heals.

Jada will play Nancy Hawthorne, a strong but caring director of nursing at Charlotte Mercy Hospital in North Carolina, "a single mother who always puts the pain of others first."

I must admit the premise doesn't grab me. But after the success of The Closer and Saving Grace, TNT has proven they know how to make dramas starring strong female characters, and the fact that the show is being produced by — and starring — a woman of color gives me hope. So I'll probably give it a shot.

But Jada in nurses scrubs will be a new look for her. Remember when she played Lena James in the TV series A Different World for two seasons in the early '90s?

Yeah, me neither, since I only had eyes for Jasmine Guy (funny) and Lisa Bonet (hot!). OK, and Cree Summer, too (such a cutey!) Check out BlackVoices' "Where are They Now?" feature on the cast for a stroll down A Different World memory lane.

But back to Jada: I dug her kick-ass look in The Matrix Revolutions in 2003. … continue reading

The Women — an updated version of the legendary 1939 film of the same name about a wealthy New Yorker who leaves her cheating husband and bonds with other society women at a resort — doesn't open in theaters until next week, but some of the media are already releasing their reviews. So far, there've been positive remarks about Bette Midler's hilarious cameo and the "witty and warm ensemble" that includes (deep breath) Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Natasha Alam and Candice Bergen.

That's a lot of fabulous ladies — how could this movie go wrong?

Some reviewers are taking the film to task on race issues. Specifically, they're asking, "Why are the roles of lesbian outsider and designated home-wrecker villainess relegated to the only women of color in the film?"

Sarah Warn and I have different takes on this issue, and we thought we'd offer both of our answers below. Read them and let us know what you think in the comments! … continue reading

This week, the Retro Reviewers ponder a life of crime and bad mob accents in their review of Set It Off.

The film stars several powerhouse African-American actresses, including Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Kimberly Elise and Vivica Fox. It also has plenty of girl-power, guns-blazing, bank-robbing action.

Next episode, the ladies will take on Bound.

AE reader GustavChristoff has kindly transcribed the episode for our hearing impaired readers.

Movie posters have a very simple yet very critical task: Make people go see the movie. With such a singular objective in mind, you wouldn't think the studios would futz it up so very badly so very often. Yet, there they go again. Please witness the new one-sheet for the new remake of the all-female '30s classic The Women.

Unlike the film's teaser poster, this one actually features the key cast in this tale of wife (and her friends) versus mistress. Sure, on its surface nothing seems terrible here; but just like staring at a Monet, things start to come out of focus with closer inspection.

First, what's up with Annette Bening's face? Seriously, not to become the crazy lady who can't stop complaining about the horrors of Photoshop, but — hello — horrors of Photoshop. She looks at once smooth and puffy. Also I can't believe she would ever actually wear a shade of eyeshadow that flirts so perilously with '80s powder blue. Banish the thought. … continue reading

Women in Film, an organization that honors people who advance female involvement in filmmaking, hosted their annual Crystal + Lucy Awards on Tuesday night in Beverly Hills. Among the winners were Ginnifer Goodwin, who won the MaxMara "Face of the Future" award; Salma Hayek who took home the Lucy Award for her work as the producer of Ugly Betty; and Diane English with the ensemble cast of The Women, who won the Crystal Award.

Annette Benning and Meg Ryan

Of the women surrounding her (other attendees include Cameron Diaz and Eva Mendes) at the awards ceremony, Goodwin told the press, "To be in their company is confusing for me. I'm so humbled."

I get that. If I had somehow managed to get gussied up and teleport to the red carpet on Tuesday night, I'm sure I would have been befuddled by all the talent and diverse beauty, too. You might even say I would have gone so far as to make an ass out of myself during the jovial acceptance speeches. … continue reading

I was just enjoying some lovely photos from yesterday's New York premiere of I Am Legend. Let's start with Jada Pinkett Smith, who is not in the movie but who, of course, has reason to be interested in its success.

Here's Salli Richardson, who plays Zoe in I Am Legend and has also had roles on Eureka, Bones, CSI: Miami and House. … continue reading

“There’s a word for you ladies, but it is seldom used in high society ... outside a kennel.”

That classic line from the 1939 film The Women is the perfect example of why I love the movie. Earlier this year, Anna let us know that Diane English’s long-planned remake of The Women is on again, with a cast that almost seemed too good to be true.

Now comes casting news that pushes the lineup into fantasyland (but I read it on the Internet, so it must be true). Bette Midler, Lynn Whitfield, Debi Mazar, Ana Gasteyer, Carrie Fisher, Joanna Gleason and Cloris Leachman have joined the project, which is currently shooting in Boston.

If I lived anywhere near Boston, I’d be roaming the streets to find this film set. Not that I'm condoning calling in sick and getting some pictures to post here or anything. … continue reading

Here’s what we know about the characters so far.

Ah, 1994. I remember it well. Sandra Bullock was America's sweetheart after she drove a bus and flirted with Keanu Reeves in Speed; who could've predicted that the pair would reunite to absolutely zero acclaim 12 years later in The Lake House?

On TV, Friends began its long run on NBC, while on ABC, These Friends of Mine, later re-titled Ellen, featured Ellen DeGeneres as a bookstore owner who had a comically tough time dating men. I think we all know how that ended.

And little me kept repeating, "I’m getting verklemmt!" "You're terrible, Muriel!" and “La Croix, sweetie, La Croix,” to anyone within earshot.

Elsewhere in Hollywood ’94, writer-producer Diane English, who was riding high with Murphy Brown (remember?), was shopping a script for a remake of the 1939 camp classic The Women. Well, 13 years, a couple of directors, multiple casting changes and several false starts later, the movie is finally set to go into production this summer, with a cast that includes Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Debra Messing and Candice Bergen — quite a star-studded assemblage.

The original bitchfest starred an array of its era’s best female actresses — including Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Joan Fontaine and many more — as catty high-society ladies. … continue reading