BY MATT BARONE |
WATCH: Kerry Washington, Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige & Ava DuVernay Make a Mixtape Together
"The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity."
If last night's Emmy Awards can be summed up in one line, it's that quote from Best Lead Actress in a Drama winner Viola Davis. The How to Get Away with Murder star owned the night with her brilliant and perfectly on-point acceptance speech, which was engulfed by the power of it being the first time a black woman has ever won the annual television celebration’s Best Actress in a Drama prize.
"You cannot win an Emmy for roles that simply aren’t there," continued Davis. "To the Kerry Washingtons, Taraji P. Hensons, Meagan Goods…thank you for pushing us over that line."
For two of those women, last night was as much of a party as it was a moment in history. Earlier in the evening, a new Apple Music commercial premiered that received a similar amount of social media love as Davis’ speech did. The clip features Henson (Empire, of course) and Washington (Scandal, duh) visiting their pal Mary J. Blige’s home for a girls' night. (Good’s invite got lost in the mail, perhaps.) It quickly turns into a nostalgic trip down a musical memory lane. Blige's playlist includes Slick Rick’s "Children’s Story," Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight," and Busta Rhymes' "Touch It." It's all in the service of promoting Apple’s "For You" personalization capabilities, which Washington equates to having a boyfriend constantly make you mixtapes.
And then the charming threesome dances it out, and you’re powerless against them.
It's a simple commercial that probably wouldn't be much to discuss if not for its three stars. Washington, Henson, and Blige could be silently reading Dostoyevsky for 60 seconds straight and it’d be delightful to witness. The commercial’s added bonus is that Ava DuVernay, who’s the only person you’d ever want to direct such a commercial, directs it. You can imagine her turning the camera off and joining them in bopping to "Touch It." Which seriously needs to be Apple’s next commercial.
Check out the spot below, and try not to smile. We dare you.