Newcomers Nadia Turner and Joe Clair star in the film
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — “Lord Help Us” is a new urban inspirational romantic comedy written, directed and edited by former child actor, Shavar Ross, who played “Dudley,” Gary Coleman’s best friend for six seasons on the hit 1980’s show “Diff’rent Strokes,” and produced by Tri-Seven Entertainment.
“I credit Image Entertainment in taking a chance in giving me national distribution before I ever had a script written. I didn’t have a big Hollywood budget but I wanted to prove that I could make a movie that was positive, inspirational and had good ‘production value.’ A lot of the actors in my film knew me as a kid actor and wanted to help me and come through for me,” says Ross.
Funding the project himself and with a mere $150,000, Ross managed to garner a unique and colorful cast, opting to go with new and veteran actors. Newcomers Nadia Turner (American Idol Top 10 Finalist) and rising comedian Joe Clair (BET’s Rap City, Def Comedy Jam) star in the film as two best friends who help a recently widowed Baptist minister regain his church and his life as they battle a scandalous rumor.
*(Photo Caption: From left: Actors Marion Ramsey, Bill Toliver, Nadia Turner and Joe Clair.)
The film has a plethora of familiar faces such as Oscar nominee Margaret Avery (The Color Purple), Debra Wilson (Madtv, Scary Movie 4), Johnny Brown (Goodtimes), Grammy Award Winning Singer Al Jarreau, Marion Ramsey (Police Academy Franchise), Omar Gooding (Baby Boy), Deezer D (ER), Sam Sarpong (MTV’s Yo Mama), Tico Wells (The Five Heartbeats) and Aloma Wright (Scrubs, The Gospel) among others.
“The central theme of our movie is universal in that it goes beyond the stereotypes of typical urban films you see out there,” explains Ross, a former pastor himself at one time. “Our movie has comedy, drama, faith, hope and love. It’s got all the things we like seeing in good character-driven movies,” gleams Ross.
With a nationwide DVD release date set for May 8, 2007 through all the major retail chains, Ross’s “Lord Help Us” is already gaining national exposure through various film festivals.
The film’s Los Angeles premiere is set to screen this weekend, February 17th at 1:30 p.m. at the AMC Magic Johnson Theater during the prestigious Pan African Film & Arts Festival, the nation’s largest held African-American event during Black History month.
More information: www.tri7entertainment.com
[tags]Shavar Ross, Tri Seven Entertainment, Lord Help Us movie, Inspirational Film[/tags]
