Mister and Pete’s  Skylan Brooks with Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and George Tillman Jr.

Posted by | Ray Cornelius

Mister & Pete  executive producer Alicia Keys revealed this week that she almost took the role of the mother in the film but decided she would better serve the project as its producer.  According to theGrio, Keys said that she really wanted to work on the film’s score versus acting in it. Her decision not to take the role eventually opened the door for her friend, Jennifer Hudson to star in the film.

“I’m sorry that I’m not in it,” Keys told theGrio.  “There was a time when they talked about me being Gloria, but I really wanted to focus on being the executive producer for this piece. I really also wanted to do the score for this piece.”

As previously reported, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete  follows 14-year-old Mister and nine-year-old Pete who are left to fend for themselves after Mister’s heroine addicted, prostitute mother, Gloria is taken into custody. The two must forage for food while dodging child protective services and the destructive scenarios of the Brooklyn projects.

The cast includes newcomer Skylan Brooks as Mister and Ethan Dizon as Pete along with Idol  alum Jordin Sparks, Jeffrey Wright, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Anthony Mackie. The film is directed by George Tillman Jr.

Check out Keys latest single “Better You, Better Me,” which is off of the Mister and Pete  movie soundtrack.

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The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete  is currently playing in theaters nationwide.

Photo Credit: BlackFilm.com

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