{"id":65100,"date":"2013-03-11T08:03:44","date_gmt":"2013-03-11T08:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2013\/03\/11\/vanessa-simmons-cast-in-dominga-martins-my-first-loves\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T09:29:55","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T09:29:55","slug":"vanessa-simmons-cast-in-dominga-martins-my-first-loves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/vanessa-simmons-cast-in-dominga-martins-my-first-loves\/","title":{"rendered":"Vanessa Simmons cast in Dominga Martin’s My First Loves"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vanessa Simmons cast in Dominga Martin’s My First Loves<\/strong>Posted by Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

March 11, 2013<\/p>\n

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Dominga Martin <\/strong>announced Vanessa Simmons<\/strong> as the leading lady, in her upcoming romantic comedy, “My First Loves<\/strong>“.<\/p>\n

Ms. Simmons is no stranger to the big screen but this will be her first leading role in a romantic comedy. Vanessa\u2019s rise to success began on MTV\u2019s hit series \u201cRun\u2019s House<\/strong>\u201d where she was first introduced as the oldest child of Joseph \u201cRev Run\u201d Simmons<\/strong>, a founding member of iconic hip-hop group RUN DMC. Vanessa and her younger sister Angela stepped out of the shadow of their family of Hip Hop Pioneers with their show \u201cDaddy\u2019s Girls<\/strong>\u201d, later launching a multi-million dollar sneaker line Pastry. She is now following her dreams of acting. Ms. Simmons has had stints on CBS soap opera Guiding Light<\/strong> (2007) and MTV\u2019s \u201cWorst Prom Ever<\/strong>\u201d (2011). She was also cast in the ensemble for the 2012 theatrical release of Dysfunctional Friends <\/strong>featuring Meagan Good (Deception)<\/p>\n

House of Ming will introduce Vanessa Simmons in the leading role where she is surrounded by seasoned actors and fresh faces to round out the ensemble.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cI am excited to work with Vanessa Simmons in her first leading role\u201d,<\/strong> says Ms. Martin about her choice of the leading lady. She continues, \u201cI believe she is this generation’s Diahann Caroll or Dorothy Dandridge. She has range; she’s classy, FRESH and has a quiet strength. She is the image of the character I created in my head. I was searching for someone fresh faced and untainted and Vanessa Simmons is everything I was looking for. She’s got next! I can’t wait to see her blossom and bring this role to life.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last month, Martin and her production company, House of Ming, launched the crowd-funding campaign on the funding site IndieGoGo.com to support the production of the film. All donations are tax-deducible through their fiscal sponsor New York Women In Film & Television (NYWIFT).<\/p>\n

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\u201cMy First Loves\u201d<\/strong> is scheduled to begin production Summer 2013 in Atlanta, GA and New York City with hopes to take advantage of NY State and Georgia State Tax Credit benefits as well as support New York City\u2019s Made In NY Reel Jobs opportunities to employ locally.<\/p>\n

Martin has aligned twenty-year production vet Monty Ross<\/strong> as the feature film\u2019s Producer. Ross received numerous credits as Producer on Spike Lee\u2019s acclaimed films from \u201cShe\u2019s Gotta Have it\u201d and \u201cDo The Right Thing\u201d to \u201cMalcolm X\u201d. Martin is the first director that Ross has worked with since Spike Lee.<\/p>\n

About House of Ming<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dominga Martin is an online publisher, writer, director of short films and music videos received (rave) reviews in 2008 after the screening of \u201cYELLOW\u201d at BAM.\u00a0 The following year, a documentary she produced on immigration was invited to screen at the United Nations to open the 11th Annual African American Women in Cinema Festival. Over the last 10 years, Martin has had published articles in Essence, Vibe, Blackfilm.com, Glam.com, Upscale in addition to her co-owned online magazine Cr\u00e8me Magazine.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy First Loves\u201d fundraiser campaign ends April 4th, 2013.\u00a0 To learn more visit:<\/p>\n

www.houseofmingproductions.com<\/a> or the campaign link at https:\/\/igg.me\/at\/myfirstloves<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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