With a story by Callie Khouri (Oscar® winner for Writing, Thelma & Louise ) and Tracey Scott Wilson, and screenplay written by Tracey Scott Wilson. Tommy is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony award for Best Direction of a Play in 2016 for Eclipsed, and is an Associate Artist at the Berkeley Rep and an Artist Trustee with the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees. She’s previously been known for directing plays. Thankfully, the film is finally set to release so we’ll get to see the film that’s been in the works for so long.ĭirector Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. )Īccording to Billboard, the film has had a rough journey, being originally slated for release in the fall of 2020, and has been delayed several times due first to the pandemic and then because of a number of other factors. The film also stars Forest Whitaker ( Star Wars, Black Panther ) and Tituss Burgess ( The Unbreakable Kimmy Shmidt. Given her background as a singer, her acting chops and what we’ve seen of the film so far, I’m certain Hudson will be excellent. This is not her first time acting, and has also been in films like Spike Lee’s Chi-raq and in the first season of the Fox hit series: Empire.
It will star another icon in her own right, Jennifer Hudson, as Franklin. Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, Respect is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice. Respect is a new biopic that covers an iconic female performer, Civil Rights Activist, and Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.