Hollywood Wouldn’t Champion Black Stories—So They Built ABFF | Power Couple Jeff & Nicole Friday

Hollywood wouldn’t make room—so Jeff and Nicole Friday built their own table. The powerhouse couple behind the American Black Film Festival joins Melyssa Ford to unpack 30 years of championing Black storytellers, the industry’s retreat from culturally defining Black films, and ABFF’s major move to Los Angeles in 2027. They also get candid about building a business while sustaining a 24-year marriage, surviving financial crises and the pandemic, and why working with your spouse can either strengthen the partnership—or consume it. Plus: the compliment that changed their relationship, the truth about streaming residuals, and their essential advice for the next generation of Black creatives. Like, comment, subscribe, and ring the notification bell for more honest conversations from Hot & Bothered with Melyssa Ford. Subscribe on YouTube - https://bit.ly/3PVfdBS Watch more Hot & Bothered - https://bit.ly/40TK87U Follow the Podcast: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hotnbotheredpodcast/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hotandbotheredpod/ X - https://x.com/hotnbotheredpod Follow Melyssa: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/melyssaford Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/melyssaford/ X - https://x.com/MissMelyssaFord #hotandbotheredpodcast #melyssaford Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices