Lifetime earlier announced that it has given the greenlight to the production of an original movie based on the life of the late actress and R&B artist Aaliyah, who tragically died in 2001 in a plane crash. The film will be based on "Aaliyah: More Than a Woman" by former Time Magazine music editor Christopher Farley, Variety said. Supposedly, working title "Aaliyah:Princess of R&B" is to be produced by Aaliyah Productions, Inc, and has already tapped executive producers Howard Braunstein and Debra Martin Chase and director Bradley Walsh for the movie.
However, plans were put on hold after the actress who has initially agreed to play the diminutive but bigger-than-life recording artist, Zendaya Coleman, had backed out of the movie.
HollywoodLife.com caught up with the 17 year-old, who with the right makeup and wardrobe could very well play a physically-convincing Aaliyah and asked her reasons for dropping out of the Lifetime project. Zendaya was first excited about the role, which probably be her first adult role after a series of Disney Channel productions and a stint in "Dancing with the Stars."
"Basically, I just felt that because I love her, and because I respect her so much as an artist, I don't want to do anything that's half or anything that's less for her. I felt like some things with the production weren't all the way there, the project wasn't all the way there. If I'm going to do something for someone I care about so much, I have to do it the right way," Zendaya said.
Even if Lifetime will be able to find a replacement to play the late singer, Aaliyah's family has already vowed to do anything to stop the film from happening, TMZ reported.
According to Aaliyah's uncle and former manager, Barry Hankerson, the family was not informed about the project and have not been contacted by Lifetime about the film. Moreover, Hankerson revealed that Aaliyah's family has already hired a lawyer to aid them on Lifetime's attempt to use any of the late recording star's music.
