Atlanta’s Emmy-Nominated News Reporter Crystal Bui Transitions from Newsroom to Big Screen in “Tyler Perry’s Duplicity”

The film on Amazon Prime Video about a fatal officer-involved shooting resonates with Bui’s real-life career reporting on George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, March 31, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A local news personality is moving from the small screen to the big screen with a major debut performance in Tyler Perry’s latest film, “Tyler Perry’s Duplicity,” which quickly rose to the No. 1 spot worldwide on Amazon Prime Video during its premiere.

Crystal Bui, an Emmy-nominated journalist whose reporting career took her to newsrooms across the country—most recently at the CBS affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia—has taken her talents from broadcast news to acting after being cast by Tyler Perry to play a news reporter.

‘Duplicity,’ which premiered this month, was produced in Georgia, adding to the state’s growing reputation as a hub for major film and television projects, with Bui’s role highlighting local talent in a story filmed close to home.

The film exposes the complexities surrounding a fatal officer-involved shooting, a narrative that resonates with Bui’s professional history. During her time working as a television news reporter in Minneapolis, she extensively covered George Floyd’s death, earning an Edward R. Murrow Award.

“Portraying a news reporter in a film that examines such historically relevant themes felt like a natural extension of my journalism career,” said Bui. “My former life and a make-believe life merged through art.”

Bui shared her experiences living and working in Minneapolis in her memoir “More To Tell,” offering an intimate perspective on frontline journalism during pivotal social justice movements. The book was integrated into an academic course at the University of Alabama and has been adopted as required reading by various high schools and colleges across the U.S.​

Since departing from local news reporting in 2022, Bui is now the CEO of Spotlight Communications Group, a global public relations firm. The company specializes in media strategy, high-impact publicity, public speaking and on-camera coaching. In 2024, she joined the Georgia Entertainment Public Relations Alliance, a network of Georgia-based public relations professionals who collaborate on publicity campaigns for film, TV, music, and entertainment clients around the world.

“I’m proud my cinematic debut came from Atlanta,” said Bui. “‘Duplicity’ put my real-life training to the ultimate test. The pressures of working in the news industry are very real, but so is the pressure of acting for the first time in front of Tyler Perry. It was an amazing honor. I’m grateful Tyler Perry and his team believed in me and helped make it a success.”

Bui also is engaged as a keynote speaker who has addressed Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and universities, most recently engaging a global healthcare corporation’s international audience. Her transition from journalism to acting exemplifies her versatility and commitment to impactful storytelling, whether through factual reporting or cinematic expression.

Crystal Bui is represented by Forward The Agency in Atlanta. ‘Duplicity’ is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.​

Marianna Cabral
Spotlight Communications Group
marianna@spotlightcommunicationsgroup.com
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