Jennifer Hudson stars as Aretha Franklin in Respect, the biopic about the “The Queen Of Soul” that is directed by Liesl Tommy. This is Tommy’s first feature-length debut, following directing stints on shows such as The Walking Dead, Jessica Jones, and Insecure.
The first full trailer for the biopic was released tonight following Hudson’s performance tonight at the BET Awards.
Respect will chart the high and lows of Franklin’s career and life and those around her. The cast includes Forest Whitaker as her father C.L. Franklin, Audra McDonald as her mother Barbara Frankli, and Marlon Wayans as Aretha Franklin’s first husband Ted White. It also features Mary J. Blige as musician and singer Dinah Washington, Gilbert Glenn Brown as Martin Luther King Jr., Marc Maron as music journalist and producer Jerry Wexler, and Tituss Burgess as Reverend Dr. James Cleveland.
MGM originally planned an October 9th release for the film, but with the pandemic shifting the entire industry around, it’s release date is currently a limited Christmas release date with a bit of an expansion on January 8th followed by a proper wide release on January 15th.
Find the trailer for Respect below.
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