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Kevin Hart, Wesley Snipes Drama Series ‘True Story’ Sets Netflix Premiere Date (TV News Roundup)

Netflix announced that the upcoming limited series “True Story” will premiere on Nov. 24.

Starring Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes, “True Story” follows a tour stop in Kid’s (Hart) hometown of Philadelphia. The stop becomes a matter of life and death for Kid, one of the world’s most famous comedians, when the consequences of a lost evening with his wayward older brother, Carlton, (Snipes) threaten to destroy everything he’s built.

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Tawny Newsome, Will Catlett, Paul Adelstein, Ash Santos, John Ales, Chris Diamantopoulos, Lauren London and Billy Zane also star. Newsome plays Billie, a comedy writer who works for Kid, Adelstein plays Kid’s longtime manager and Catlett plays Herschel, Kid’s bodyguard. London plays Monyca, who co-parents a child with Kid but still enjoys a close bond with her ex. Ales, Diamantopoulos and Zane play brothers in a close-knit family that knows no limit. Santos plays Daphne, an outgoing woman who joins Carlton and Kid at the tour’s VIP afterparty that eventful night.

Although Hart is playing a fictionalized version of himself, “True Story” marks the star’s dramatic series debut where he also serves as executive producer.

“True Story” is written by Eric Newman (“Narcos,” “Narcos: Mexico”) under his overall deal with Netflix. In addition to Newman, Charles Murray (“Luke Cage,” “Sons of Anarchy”) will also executive produce. Stephen Williams (“Watchmen,” “Lost”) will direct and executive produce the first four episodes, and Hanelle Culpepper (“Star Trek Picard,” “Kung Fu”) will direct the final four episodes.

See the first look images below.

TRUE STORY (L to R) KEVIN HART as KID and WESLEY SNIPES as CARLTON in episode 102 of TRUE STORY Cr. ADAM ROSE/NETFLIX © 2021
TRUE STORY (L to R) KEVIN HART as KID and WESLEY SNIPES as CARLTON in episode 102 of TRUE STORY Cr. ADAM ROSE/NETFLIX © 2021
TRUE STORY (L to R) KEVIN HART as KID and WESLEY SNIPES as CARLTON in episode 102 of TRUE STORY Cr. ADAM ROSE/NETFLIX © 2021
TRUE STORY (L to R) KEVIN HART as KID and WESLEY SNIPES as CARLTON in episode 102 of TRUE STORY Cr. ADAM ROSE/NETFLIX © 2021
TRUE STORY (L to R) WESLEY SNIPES as CARLTON and KEVIN HART as KID in episode 101 of TRUE STORY Cr. ADAM ROSE/NETFLIX © 2021
TRUE STORY (L to R) WESLEY SNIPES as CARLTON and KEVIN HART as KID in episode 101 of TRUE STORY Cr. ADAM ROSE/NETFLIX © 2021

Also in today’s TV news roundup:

DATES

BET’s “Twenties” will return for Season 2 on Oct. 13 at 10 p.m., along with a new original after-show hosted and executive produced by B. Scott, Variety has learned exclusively. From creator, writer and executive producer Lena Waithe of Hillman Grad Productions, “Twenties” follows Hattie (Jonica T. Gibbs), a masculine-presenting queer Black woman in her 20s, and her two straight best friends, Marie (Christina Elmore) and Nia (Gabrielle Graham), as they navigate romantic and professional endeavors in Los Angeles. Sophina Brown and Jevon McFerrin also star. With “Twenties After-Show,” B. Scott will become the first trans non-binary person to host and executive produce a show at BET. The first episode will feature Waithe and Gibbs, who will take a deep dive into the new season.

HBO Max announced that “Ten Year Old Tom” will premiere on Sept. 30. The 10-episode adult animated series follows an average kid navigating life as he grapples with questionable advice from the well-meaning grown-ups around him, including litigious parents, drug-dealing bus drivers and school administrators who want to sleep with his mom. Created by Steve Dildarian, the series features the voices of Byron Bowers, Todd Glass, Gillian Jacobs, Edi Patterson and John Malkovich, with guest appearances from David Duchovny, Jennifer Coolidge, Natasha Lyonne, Mark Proksch, Tim Robinson, George Wallace and more. Dildarian executive produces with Nick Weidenfeld, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studio. The series is produced by Work Friends.

Fox Entertainment announced that “Domingo” and “Dosis” will premiere on Tubi on Sept. 17 as part of its Latinx Heritage Month programming. Directed by Raúl López, “Domingo” is Tubi’s first Spanish-language original film. Starring Eduardo Covarrubias and Imelda Sánchez, the movie follows a man who decides to follow his dream of becoming a professional soccer commentator after his wife leaves him. Directed by Martin Kraut, “La Dosis” follows Marcos (Carlos Portaluppi), an ICU nurse who begins to suspect his charismatic coworker is murdering patients.

Starz announced that the first three episodes of “Heels” will be available to stream for free on Facebook, YouTube and the Starz app beginning Sept. 17. The episodes will also be available on Amazon, Apple, Att, Century Link, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Dish, Dtv, Google, Roku, Sling, Verizon And Vubiquity. Starring Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig, the series follows two brothers who battle in the ring over their late father’s wrestling promotion, fighting for national attention in small-town Georgia. Alison Luff, Mary McCormack, Kelli Berglund, Allen Maldonado, James Harrison and Chris Bauer also star, with Michael Waldron serving as writer, creator and executive producer. Peter Segal, who directs several episodes, also executive produces alongside Mike O’Malley, LBI Entertainment’s Julie Yorn, Christopher Donnelly and Patrick Walmsley. “Heels” is produced by Lionsgate TV for Starz in association with Paramount Television Studios.

PROGRAMMING

Group Nine Media’s The Dodo animal-centered content brand announced the launch of a scripted digital series for preschoolers, “Families for Furry Friends,” in partnership with Sesame Workshop. The series, sponsored by Target, combines animal stories from The Dodo with beloved Sesame Street Muppets. The first episode premieres Sept. 16, with subsequent episodes dropping on Sept. 30 and Oct. 14. All three will be available on The Dodo’s new family entertainment destination, Family Room, and featured on the YouTube channels of The Dodo, Dodo Kids, and Sesame Street. Sesame Street’s Elmo, Tango and Cookie Monster appear in the series and help a real-life worker at Animal Haven, a New York City-based animal shelter, find forever homes for the shelter’s occupants.

EVENTS

The Paley Center for Media announced that its second annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, A Salute to Hispanic Achievements in Television, will begin on Sept. 15. The virtual month-long event will highlight the icons, programs and moments that have shaped Hispanic representation in our culture, with special guests including Gloria Estefan, Pedro Fernández, Tom Llamas, Jessica Mendoza, Wilmer Valderrama, Marcela Isaza, Ilia Calderón, José Díaz-Balart, Omar Jimenez, María Elena Salinas, Cecilia Vega, Maria Hinojosa and more.

AWARDS

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation announced that the 46th Annual Gracie Awards will now be held virtually on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. Hosted by Lauren Ash, it will feature performances by Jewel and CeCe Winans and honor Taylor Swift, Robin Roberts, Hillary Clinton, Kelly Clarkson and more. The Gracie Awards spotlights women in the entertainment industry who inspire others and break down barriers, creating opportunities for future generations.

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