Source: Courtesy / Disneyland Resort
Black Love, Inc. shared a visual memoir titled Father Noire, celebrating Black fathers in Hollywood last year. The fourth annual celebration aims to dismantle the narrative that Black men aren’t present in their children’s lives. Celebrities like J. Alphonse Nicholson, Lance Gross and Michael Ealy were all captured in candid moments with their little ones. Read and check it out inside.
Father Noire was organized by award-winning filmmaker, producer and photographer Tommy Oliver, who’s the CEO and founder of Confluential Films. He brilliantly captures stars Ealy, Nicholson, Gross and David Oyelowo spending time with their children. The hope for Black Love, Inc.’s Father’s Day visual is to create a new narrative surrounding Black men and their relationship to their children.
“It started a couple of years ago,” Oliver told Blavity in an interview. “It’s weird that today there’s still a lack of appropriate positive representation of Black dads. And there’s still a persisting narrative, even if the facts say something different, about Black dads not being present. I’m somebody who’s a firm believer in the idea of seeing is believing. And so that’s where [Father Noir] came from.
Oliver founded Black Love Inc. with his wife, Codie Elaine Oliver. He shared that the Father Noire project is especially important to him as his dad wasn’t present in his life when he was growing up. As a father to his own children, he’s becoming the father of his dreams and wants to honor and amplify men like himself.
“Being able to see other dads with their kids and their loving relationships, and that was a little [thought] of, ‘I wish I had that.’ But I don’t, I didn’t,” Oliver added. “But now, I have that with my kids. And so, to see those moments and see that love to see the way that my kids look at me, and the way that these kids look at their dad, I can’t help but to get emotional about that.”
Blavity spoke with Nicholson and Gross about their fatherhood journeys, their work and their involvement with projects like Father Noir. Read more on their conversation here.
Nicholson is currently filming Season 3 of “P-Valley,” and reveals that fans can expect “a lot more elevated work performance” from the upcoming season. Gross has finally hit a comfortable stride in his career, telling Blavity that he’s “more comfortable” in his projects and has the flexibility to choose more meaningful work that inspires him.
Be sure to check out more on Black Love’s Father Noire project here.
