The Stars of Beyond the Lights
A look at the talent behind the acclaimed film.
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Beyond the Lights - After its premiere at the Urbanworld Film Festival in September, Beyond the Lights has quickly become high on the list of must-see films of the fall. Gina Prince-Bythewood's romantic drama, presented by BET Networks and Relativity Media, tells the story of Noni, a pop star on the verge of a major breakthrough, but whose personal life becomes more complicated than ever when she falls in love with a "regular" guy. Here's a look at the talent behind this acclaimed film... (Photo: Relativity Media)
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Gugu Mbatha-Raw - This British beauty, who lit up the small screen opposite Boris Kodjoe in Undercovers and Kiefer Sutherland in Touch, had a huge year on the big screen with the leading role in Belle. In Beyond the Lights, Mbatha-Raw stars as Noni, a sexy pop star about to hit the big time, but whose insides are filled with discontent and resentment for being treated as a product. Noni's life gets turned upside down when she meets a man who isn't blinded by her fame and beauty, and truly sees her for who she is.(Photo: 2013 Blackbird Productions, Suzanne Tenner)
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Nate Parker - Parker plays Noni's love interest Kaz, a cop and regular guy who is refreshingly unfazed by her fame and beauty. The actor worked with Prince-Bythewood on her 2008 film The Secret Life of Bees, and has since starred in Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer and the George Lucas-produced Red Tails. (Photo: 2013 Blackbird Productions, Suzanne Tenner)
Photo By Photo: Suzanne Tenner/2013 Blackbird Productions
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Minnie Driver - As Noni's overbearing momager Macy, Driver is focused and determined to see her daughter rise to the top. The actress has a filmography that stretches back to the early 1990s, when she charmed audiences with roles in Big Night, Gross Pointe Blank and Good Will Hunting. She currently stars in the sitcom About a Boy, based on the popular Nick Hornby novel and subsequent film.(Photo: 2013 Blackbird Productions, Suzanne Tenner)
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Danny Glover - Glover, who plays Nate Parker's father in Beyond the Lights, needs no introduction. The talented actor began his career in 1979's Escape From Alcatraz and is still best known as one-half of cinema's most popular buddy-cop duo in the Lethal Weapon franchise. Glover has starred in huge commercial franchises, quirky comedies (The Royal Tennenbaums), musical dramas (Dreamgirls) and everything in between. (Photo: 2013 Blackbird Productions, Suzanne Tenner)
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Machine Gun Kelly - The Cleveland rapper also makes his acting debut in the Beyond the Lights, playing Noni's abusive boyfriend and fictional hip hop star Kid Culprit. The couple even make an appearance at the BET Awards in the film! (Photo: 2013 Blackbird Productions, Suzanne Tenner)
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The-Dream - One of the real-life music industry's biggest hitmakers, The-Dream lends his talent to ficticious pop star Noni and composed much of the film's original music. Gugu Mbatha-Raw's convincing portrayal of a pop star on the verge of stardom is superbly complemented by her repertoire of radio-ready hits thanks to this super producer. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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Gina Prince-Bythewood - Prince-Bythewood, whose talent has been evident since her debut feature Love & Basketball, drew from her own biracial childhood as the writer and director of Beyond the Lights. The filmmaker is particularly adept at making romantic dramas that convey honesty and realness. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Relativity Media)