Jennifer Hudson To Play Aretha Franklin
Jennifer Hudson will be starring in an upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic, according to E! News—and really, it doesn’t get more perfect than that.
Hudson, once a former American Idol contestant, now an Oscar, Golden Globe, and SAG winner for her role as Effie White in 2006’s Dreamgirls, was handpicked by the Queen of Soul herself, Clive Davis confirmed. The music producer made the announcement at his annual pre-Grammy party, which was followed by a medley of Franklin’s greatest hits, like “Respect” and “Rock Steady,” performed by Hudson.
At the party, Davis called Hudson a “transcendent performer,” and told E!, "She stops any and every show she's in. Her voice is truly incredible. When they ask, 'Where's the next Aretha? Where will the next Aretha come from?' I say, 'It's her.'"
Thought the project is still in the early stages, Deadline reports that MGM will distribute the film, with Scott Bernstein (Straight Out Of Compton) and producer/songwriter Harvey Mason Jr. set to produce. The studio is now searching for a director and screenwriter to plot the story of Franklin’s illustrious career.
Hudson Reacts To Casting Announcement
Hudson shared her excitement with a post on Instagram, saying that she was "humbled" by the casting choice and adding, "I don’t even know what to say …. look at God!”