[Watch Teaser Trailer] “RESPECT” – Jennifer Hudson Stars As Aretha 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.
MGM has moved the release date of the biopic, starring Jennifer Hudson, from October 9th to late in the awards seasons with a limited Christmas Day debut.
Respect, titled after Franklin’s 1967 hit, will expand January 8 and go into wide release Jan. 15 at the start of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. Hudson, who won a supporting actress Oscar for Dreamgirls, was personally selected for the role by Franklin before Franklin died in 2018 at the age of 76.
Franklin won 17 Grammys, starting with Respect in 1968 and “Chain of Fools” in 1969. The film, directed by Liesl Tommy, also stars Forest Whitaker as C.L. Franklin, Marlon Wayans as Ted White, Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington, and Tituss Burgess as Rev. Dr. James Cleveland. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. 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.
With a story by Callie Khouri (Oscar ® winner for Thelma & Louise) and Tracey Scott Wilson, and screenplay written by Tracey Scott Wilson. Wilson and Tommy have worked together creatively since the 2009 play The Good Negro written by Wilson, directed by Tommy at The Public Theatre. Wilson was a writer on FX’s The Americans which garnered her a Peabody Award as well as Emmy and WGA Award nominations.
Watch the teaser trailer for Respect:
Respect starring
Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin
Forest Whitaker as C.L. Franklin
Marlon Wayans as Ted White
Audra McDonald as Barbara Franklin
Tituss Burgess as Reverend Dr. James Cleveland
Marc Maron as Jerry Wexler
Kimberly Scott as Mama Franklin
Saycon Sengbloh as Erma Franklin
Hailey Kilgore as Carolyn Franklin
Heather Headley as Clara Ward
Skye Dakota Turner as Young Aretha Franklin
Tate Donovan as John Hammond
and
Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington