‘RESPECT’: Find Out What It Means To…The Director And Screenwriter Speak Out

Directed by Liesl Tommy and written by Tracey Scott Wilson, Respect is a biopic based on the life of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. The film follows the rise of R&B singer Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church choir to becoming an international musical superstar and legend. Respect, starring Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin, is to be released in theaters on August 13, 2021.  Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Tate Donovan, Heather Headley, Skye Dakota Turner, and Mary J. Blige also star. (Please scroll down to watch the new Respect trailer.)

During the national press conference for Respect on May 6th,  the special conversation revolved around Aretha Franklin and what we can learn from her life and legacy. Franklin received numerous honors such as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. Aretha Franklin was an icon,  singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist who began her music career during the civil rights movement in the 60s and became a powerhouse.

The media event included the managing director of Values Partnerships Nicholas Wiggins, director Liesl Tommy, screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson, and moderator Rev. Joseph A.C. Smith. During this conference call, the audience learned what Respect means to the speakers.

Scott Wilson expressed that the film is intended to be an inspiration to others, stating, “Aretha turned her pain into beautiful joyful art, so we want people to look at that and be inspired.”

Tommy expressed that to her, the purpose of the film is to spread one emotion, stating “I, in the making of this film,  tried to bathe Black people with love.”

Respect is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her personal voice.  Franklin’s creativity, faith, and storytelling ability brought a unique sound to soul music. Tommy and Wilson’s goal is to tell a story that honors the legacy of Aretha Franklin in the film.

Director Liesl Tommy drew the comparison of how Aretha Franklin’s journey to find her personal voice paralleled with her own life.  Tommy shared a personal story about working at KFC and using her voice to ask for a raise that she deserved. Despite being hesitant, Tommy made that leap of faith. Tommy stated, “Just the fact of asking for it, even though I was told no, empowered me, and also empowered the people around me.”

Franklin used her voice to empower others as well, but she did not always have this voice. Tommy explained, “ Aretha was always gifted but she didn’t always have her voice. She had to go on a journey to find her voice.” Tommy continues, “ My tagline for the film when I pitched it was, how does the woman who has the greatest voice on earth not know what her own personal voice is? And that is the journey of the movie.”

The power in Franklin’s art resonates with the creators of the film. Tommy and Scott Wilson shared how Aretha Franklin was a big figure in their lives during childhood, having grown up listening to Franklin’s music. 

Telling the story of Aretha Franklin was important to Scott Wilson because, as she shared, “I grew up listening to Aretha Franklin in my home. I grew up reading about her in Ebony Magazine andJet Magazine.” Wilson continues, “The biggest honor of my career to be asked to write about such a talent figure and such an inspiring figure in my own life and the life of my family”

“As a very young girl, I used to listen to her music. Music was a huge part of our family life. I heard her from a really young age,” Tommy added. “Growing up in South Africa, during apartheid; there was something about the emotionality of her music that I found enormously comforting.”

Tommy continues, “As I became older and got to know her story as a person and not just as a musician, I came to understand what a force for justice she was in her life, and that also was very inspiring to me…as an artist, but also as a woman.”

In addition to being the Queen of Soul,  Franklin was a trailblazer and force for justice. Also, she was a prominent figure in the civil rights and black power movement. In light of the challenges that Franklin faced, she used her voice to uplift and inspire. As a result, her voice empowered people around the world.

Likewise,  the director and screenwriter advocate for themselves as Black women in the film industry. Tommy is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony award for Best Direction of a Play in 2016 for Eclipsed and continues to use her voice as a catalyst of change. 

For more information, please visit www.mgm.com/movies/respect

Watch the ‘Respect’ trailer:

Photos: Quantrell D. Colbert; courtesy of 2020 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.