Posted by | Cyrena Rose
Is it me or are there a slew of families of late-celebrities (Whitney Houston, Nina Simone, Jimi Hendrix and now Aaliyah) opposed to biopics?
Or are they opposed to: who producers cast, whether the film is made for TV, the actor/actress is of the same race as their late-loved one…who knows?
It was recently announced that Disney alum Zendaya has been cast to play the late R&B singer Aaliyah Dana Houghton. Production is set to begin this summer but reports are surfacing that Houghton’s family is vowing to have it shut down before it starts!
Aaliyah‘s family is on the attack against Lifetime … vowing to stop production on her biopic.
Lifetime plans to start filming this summer … chronicling the R&B singer’s life and tragic death. 17-year-old Disney actress Zendaya has been cast as Aaliyah — who died in 2001 in a plane crash.
Aaliyah’s uncle and former manager, Barry Hankerson, tells us the family is pissed that no one from the network contacted them about the movie.
Hankerson says the family will block any attempt on Lifetime’s part to use any of Aaliyah’s music. He says the family has hired a lawyer and will do everything they can to block release of the flick.
The family is not opposed to a big, theatrical film, but thinks a TV movie is too small for someone as big as Aaliyah.
We called Lifetime … so far no response.
The Lifetime biopic is reportedly titled Aaliyah: Princess of R&B; so what is Zendaya saying about all the backlash from the family?
“I’m just a 17 year old girl who got cast to play one of her biggest inspirations,” she tweeted Monday, as some social media users aired their frustration about the casting choice.
Let me do the math – Aaliyah was born in 1979, Zendaya was born in 1996. Aaliyah died August 25, 2001 when Zendaya was 4 years old; seven days shy of Zendaya’s 5th birthday. So, a 22 year-old Aaliyah was her inspiration in 2001? Perhaps?
RC fans, what are your…
