Lifetime’s Aaliyah biopic isn’t getting the smooth start it has been hoping for, as it has been revealed that the film’s lead Zendaya Coleman has dropped out of the project.
The decision to cast 17 year old Coleman in Aaliyah: Princess of R&B had been met with a lot of criticism from Aaliyah fans, but despite the backlash, Coleman seemed to be sticking behind the project. But now she has changed her tune, citing production problems as the reason for her departure:
“Because it’s someone that I honor and I respect so much, it has to be 128 percent, especially for all her fans, including myself. I didn’t feel like it was all the way there, so I didn’t want to do that. And when the time comes when it’s done right and it’s 100 percent, by all means, I will be the first person there ready to go.”
The project had also been met with backlash from Aaliyah’s family. Her cousin Jomo Hankerman stated that Lifetime had not discussed the film with the family and that the family wanted a much bigger platform for her biopic instead of a TV movie:
“We want a major studio release along the lines of ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It,’ the Tina Turner movie. This needs A-list actors, A-list talent that can breathe life into what we think is a phenomenal story.”
Either way – we just hope that her story is portrayed well on screen!
