Black in Period Films

Watch Jennifer Hudson capture The Queen of Soul's essence in this short trailer for the upcoming 2020 Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect.

Liesl Tommy has been chosen by MGM to direct Respect, the feature film about music icon Aretha Franklin. Oscar winning Dreamgirls star Jennifer Hudson was handpicked by Franklin herself to play her in the role. The film will follow Franklin’s coming of age to icon status, from singing as a child in her father’s church’s choir to becoming an iconic superstar and civil rights activist. Liesl Tommy is best known for her award winning theater direction and is the first black woman to earn a Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of a Play. Some of her work includes a 2012 production of Hamlet at California Shakespeare Theatre and Les Misérables. She will be directing Born A Crime, based on Trevor Noah’s autobiography, starring Lupita Nyong’o as his mother Patricia Noah.  Oscar-winning Thelma & Louise and Nashville creator Callie Khouri is writing. On her involvement with the project Tommy said: “The story of Aretha Franklin’s journey from child prodigy in Detr...