No one expects much from a Lifetime movie. But as the cable network continues to air biopics about celebrities who have experienced tragedy, death, or tragic deaths — Brittany Murphy, Anna Nicole Smith, Elizabeth Taylor, and, next year, Whitney Houston — it's hard not to experience the same sine curve of interest and massive disappointment every time. This weekend's Lifetime movie about the life of Aaliyah was the latest example. It was messy from the get-go: The movie’s original star, singer and Disney star Zendaya, dropped out because she was uncomfortable not having the approval of Aaliyah’s family, which was not happy that the film wasn’t getting “a movie-studio release,” according to Jomo Hankerson, Aaliyah's cousin and president of her label, Blackground Records.Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B was a bland reenactment of the singer’s short life, a soulless retelling of familiar stories that lacked the ability...
- 11/17/2014
- by Lindsey Weber
- Vulture
Just two weeks after the project was revealed, actress Zendaya Coleman has dropped out of Lifetime's biopic about the late R&B singer Aaliyah.
Lifetime posted in a statement on Twitter that Coleman will no longer play the role, and the entire production is currently on hold. No further official information has been released.
"Aaliyah: Princess of R&B" was to be based on Christopher Farley's book "More Than a Woman" and was to shoot this Summer ahead of a Fall premiere. Coleman was to record four of the songs that would've appeared in the movie.
Following the project's announcement, Aaliyah's family were not happy with the news, cousin Jomo Hankerson saying they want a major studio film release rather than a quickly made cable telemovie.
Source: The Live Feed...
Lifetime posted in a statement on Twitter that Coleman will no longer play the role, and the entire production is currently on hold. No further official information has been released.
"Aaliyah: Princess of R&B" was to be based on Christopher Farley's book "More Than a Woman" and was to shoot this Summer ahead of a Fall premiere. Coleman was to record four of the songs that would've appeared in the movie.
Following the project's announcement, Aaliyah's family were not happy with the news, cousin Jomo Hankerson saying they want a major studio film release rather than a quickly made cable telemovie.
Source: The Live Feed...
- 6/30/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Lifetime’s Aaliyah biopic has been put on an indefinite hold after star Zendaya Coleman announced that she was leaving the project. Neither the former Disney star or her camp has made any statement regarding her decision, but Lifetime tweeted vaguely about the matter earlier today, “We are sad Zendaya will no longer portray Aaliyah. Production is currently on hold.”
The project, titled Aaliyah: Princess of R&B, was scheduled to begin filming this summer from a script based on Christopher Farley’s novel, “Aaliyah: More Than A Woman.”
Coleman, who generally goes solely by her first name, was cast as the lead earlier this year. Clearly her abilities as a triple threat made her ideal for the role, as well as her resemblance to the late R&B star (who died in a plane crash in 2001). Zendaya was supposed to record four of the songs from the soundtrack that...
The project, titled Aaliyah: Princess of R&B, was scheduled to begin filming this summer from a script based on Christopher Farley’s novel, “Aaliyah: More Than A Woman.”
Coleman, who generally goes solely by her first name, was cast as the lead earlier this year. Clearly her abilities as a triple threat made her ideal for the role, as well as her resemblance to the late R&B star (who died in a plane crash in 2001). Zendaya was supposed to record four of the songs from the soundtrack that...
- 6/30/2014
- by Lindsay Sperling
- We Got This Covered
Lifetime announced via Twitter that production of Aaliyah: Princess of R&B has halted after its lead, Disney star Zendaya, left, writing, "We are sad Zendaya will no longer portray Aaliyah. Production is currently on hold." Zendaya herself has been tweeting an anonymous source quoted in an E! News exclusive that stated, "If she is going to do it, she wants to do it right." (Sneaky.) The movie has had problems from the get-go with vocal opposition from Aaliyah's family, who wanted the late singer to get the star treatment. Jomo Hankerson, Aaliyah's cousin and president of her label, Blackground Records, told the New York Daily News, "We want a major studio release along the lines of What's Love Got to Do With It, the Tina Turner movie." Your move, Lifetime.
- 6/29/2014
- by E. Alex Jung
- Vulture
One week after the first single leaked from the posthumous Aaliyah album put together by Drake, longtime Aaliyah friend and professional partner Missy Elliott has spoken out about the disc, denying rumors that she and Timbaland have plans to work on the album.
"Although Missy and Timbaland always strive to keep the memory of their close friend alive, we have not been contacted about the project nor are there any plans at this time to participate," Mona Scott-Young, longtime manager for Elliott, said in a press released to Billboard. "We've seen the reports surfacing that they have been confirmed to participate but that is not the case. Both Missy and Timbaland are very sensitive to the loss still being felt by the family so we wanted to clear up any misinformation being circulated."
Elliott spoke personally about her late friend, saying: "Tim and I carry Aaliyah with us everyday, like...
"Although Missy and Timbaland always strive to keep the memory of their close friend alive, we have not been contacted about the project nor are there any plans at this time to participate," Mona Scott-Young, longtime manager for Elliott, said in a press released to Billboard. "We've seen the reports surfacing that they have been confirmed to participate but that is not the case. Both Missy and Timbaland are very sensitive to the loss still being felt by the family so we wanted to clear up any misinformation being circulated."
Elliott spoke personally about her late friend, saying: "Tim and I carry Aaliyah with us everyday, like...
- 8/14/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
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