Jennifer Hudson Stuns as Aretha Franklin in New Trailer for Upcoming Biopic
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Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson is completely gorgeous as Aretha Franklin in the new trailer for the movie Respect. The MGM film is set to hit theaters on August 13 and details the life of the Queen of Soul.
Jennifer Hudson Stars as Aretha Franklin in ‘Respect’
Hudson was handpicked by Franklin to portray her in this film before she passed away in 2018 at the age of 76. Hudson sang “Amazing Grace” at Franklin’s funeral and led a Grammy’s tribute performance to honor her memory.
“It’s a lot of layers, especially with someone such as Aretha Franklin,” Hudson told Today in February about portraying Franklin. “Where do you even begin? And with the lifespan of a career like that, it’s a lot to take in and detail as much as you can as an actress. Then being a singer and performer myself, to be able to split the difference between the two and do the best as I can to deliver it.”
In the trailer, Hudson sings “Think,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “Respect.” The film follows Franklin’s life growing up in church and transitioning into one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Respect also stars Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, and Marc Maron.
After a year of watching everything at home on multiple streaming platforms, this film was made to be showcased on the big screen.
“I made the film to be seen on the big screen: Lavish locations. The costumes are lush. We labored over the design of the sound,” director Liesl Tommy said. “It all has to live up to Ms. Franklin. She embodied excellence and taste, so our movie has to live in that place.”
After finishing in seventh place on American Idol in 2004, Hudson received critical acclaim for her Oscar-winning role in the movie Dreamgirls. Since then, she has gone on to star in Cats, The Secret Life of Bees, and even landed on a Broadway stage before coaching The Voice.
