NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET is celebrating Black History Month in a major way with the highly anticipated return of the #1 new original drama series on all cable among adults 18-49 and women 18-49, “Being Mary Jane,” the epic premiere of the miniseries “The Book of Negroes” and the superstar “The BET Honors” 2015 lineup.
The hit original series “Being Mary Jane,” starring Gabrielle Union, is back bigger than ever with 12 one-hour episodes beginning Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at 10 PM ET/PT. Created and executive produced by Mara Brock Akil, this season of “Being Mary Jane” finds Mary Jane once again juggling more than she can handle between family drama, bold career choices and a budding new relationship - possibly involving a child of her own. Union is accompanied by veteran actors Richard Roundtree and Margaret Avery and a supporting cast that includes Lisa Vidal, Richard Brooks, Raven Goodwin, B.J. Britt, Aaron D. Spears, Latarsha Rose and Stephen Bishop.
BET launches its first-ever event miniseries “The Book of Negroes,” a six-part historical drama in the tradition of Roots based on Lawrence Hill’s award-winning, Oprah Winfrey-listed novel (known in the United States as Someone Knows My Name). The highly anticipated television event will run over the course of three consecutive nights in two-hour installments starting Monday, February 16, 2015 at 8 PM ET/PT. “The Book of Negroes” depicts the extraordinary life journey of Aminata Diallo (Aunjanue Ellis) – an indomitable African woman who cuts a swath through a world that is predisposed to underestimate her. Kidnapped by slave traders in West Africa and subsequently enslaved in South Carolina, Aminata must navigate her way through the American Revolution in New York, the isolated refuge of Nova Scotia and the treacherous jungles of Sierra Leone before ultimately securing her freedom in England at the dawn of the 19th century. Produced by Conquering Lion Pictures, Out of Africa Entertainment, Entertainment One (eOne) and Idelwild Films, the star-studded cast features lead actress Aunjanue Ellis (Ray, The Help), Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire, A Few Good Men), Oscar and Emmy winner Louis Gossett Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots, Boardwalk Empire), Lyriq Bent (Rookie Blue), Oscar nominee Jane Alexander (The Cider House Rules), Ben Chaplin (The Thin Red Line) and Allan Hawco (Republic of Doyle). “The Book of Negroes” is executive produced by Damon D'Oliveira, Clement Virgo, Carrie Stein and Margaret O'Brien.
Rounding out the star-studded month is the year's can’t miss lineup for “The BET Honors” 2015. Dedicated to celebrating black excellence, this year’s show will recognize the achievements of five spectacular African Americans: Kanye West, Phylicia Rashad, Usher Raymond, Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole and John W. Thompson. Hosted by Wayne Brady, “The BET Honors” 2015 premieres on Monday, February 23, 2015 at 9PM ET/PT.
For video sneak peeks and first looks visit the official pages at “Being Mary Jane,” “The Book of Negroes” and “The BET Honors” 2015. Also, join the conversation about the shows on Twitter by using the hashtags: #BeingMaryJane, #BETHonors and #BETBON; follow the shows for all updates and special surprises: @BeingMaryJane and @BET.
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
