*TV One today announced that production is underway in Atlanta, Georgia for the new film, “Hit A Lick,” which marks the feature-length directorial debut for Tasha Smith (For Better Or Worse, Empire) and stars Lil Mama, Lance Gross, Tami Roman, Big Freedia, Lil Zane, and Floyd Mayweather.
Slated for a 3Q17 premiere, the film is the network’s first original movie inspired by an episode of TV One’s original series, For My Man.
“Hit A Lick,” tells the tragic story of Falicia Blakely, a teen mom who grows up in the fast-lane. When she becomes an exotic dancer, she attracts the attention of local pimp and predator, Dino. His empty promises of a life together turn Falicia into a pawn in his dangerous games; and she’s forced to prove her love for him at the expense of innocent lives.
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“Hit A Lick” cast announced today:
- Lil Mama (CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story) as Falicia, a sassy 17 year-old young mom-turned-exotic dancer who falls hard for her pimp boyfriend and finds herself forced to choose between commitment to his love and a life of crime.
- Lance Gross (House of Payne, Temptation) as Dino, a modern day Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, who uses Falicia’s weakness for his gain.
- Tami Roman (Basketball Wives, Belle’s) as Stacey, Falicia’s alcoholic mother who has jumped in and out of her daughter’s life, exposing her to too much too soon.
- Floyd Mayweather Jr. as Punch, a loud and cocky club owner from Miami
- Tiffany Black (Bring Out The Lady) as Pumpkin, Falicia’s rough around the edges “road dog” who fully intends to strip her way out of poverty.
- Walter Fauntleroy as “Q,” Falicia’s regular customer-turned-friend; a good guy caught in a bad situation.
- Big Freedia as Tam, neighborhood friend and confidante to Falicia’s mother.
- Lil Zane as DJ Pierre, Club DJ
In addition to directing and producing, Tasha Smith is a multifaceted actress whose work brings style and intensity to the subjects she plays on the big and small screens. She currently stars in the Tyler Perry television series, For Better or For Worse on OWN, for which she earned an NAACP Image Award nomination as “Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series.” Additionally, Smith appears in Lee Daniels’ FOX hip-hop drama series, Empire, as well as the Starz series Power in pivotal recurring roles.
The “Hit A Lick” screenplay is executive produced and written by industry veteran Cas Sigers-Beedles, who previously wrote and executive produced the TV One movies Welcome to the Family and Girlfriends Getaway 1 &2.
Hit A Lick is produced for TV One by Eric Tomosunas, Keith Neal and James Seppelfrick for Swirl Films. For TV One, Tia A. Smith is Sr. Director of Original Programming & Production and Executive in Charge of Production; Donyell McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting; Robyn Greene-Arrington is VP of Original Programming, and D’Angela Proctor is Head of Original Programming and Production.
For more information about TV One’s upcoming programming, including original movies, visit the network’s companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hash tag #REPRESENT.
ABOUT SWIRL FILMS:
Swirl Films is America’s “number one urban film production company,” a full service Film & TV production company with over 60 original productions in the past six years, focusing on urban content and programming, independent features and multi-camera productions. Swirl Films is a major content provider for TV One which includes original productions: Born Again Virgin, starring Danielle Nicolet, Meagan Holder and Eva Marcille; Here We Go Again, starring LeToya Luckett, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Kyndall Ferguson; Fear Files (Lynn Whitfield, Robin Givens, Columbus Short), Comeback Dad (Charles S. Dutton, Loretta Devine), Russ Parr’s award-winning The Undershepherd, Hear No Evil, and 35 & Ticking (Kevin Hart).
ABOUT TV ONE:
Launched in January 2004, TV One serves more than 60 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers. The network represents the best in black culture and entertainment with fan favorite shows Unsung, Rickey Smiley For Real, Fatal Attraction, Hollywood Divas and The NAACP Image Awards. In addition, TV One is the cable home of blockbuster drama Empire, and NewsOne Now, the only live daily news program dedicated to black viewers. In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is solely owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK, www.radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets Black and urban listeners.
source:
Brandii Toby-Leon, [email protected]
Alonda Thomas, [email protected]
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