Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty
August 10, 2020, Los Angeles, CA – Academy and Grammy award-winner JAMIE FOXX (Just Mercy, Project Power) Golden Globe, Grammy, Emmy, SAG winning and Oscar nominated actress QUEEN LATIFAH and her partner SHAKIM COMPERE have joined forces with The Clark Sisters Executive Producer HOLLY CARTER, to now Executive Produce the film MAHALIA! The project is based on the life, music and political legacy of Mahalia Jackson, and is being produced in conjunction with TRICIA WOODGETT and RICHARD HOCUTT, who brought the project to Carter. “I am beyond grateful to be able to partner with Latifah and Shakim again and equally excited that Jamie has joined the team. Much like The Clark Sisters, MAHALIA! is another epic story of faith that is driven by powerful and uplifting music. I believe Ms. Scott was a God send and will be absolute perfection in the lead role”, says Carter.
“This is such an incredibly important story to tell and we’re thrilled to work with Jamie on the project. Shakim and I are also looking forward to reteaming with our Clark Sisters producing partner, Holly Carter, to share Mahalia’s inspiring journey to becoming the Queen of Gospel music”, says Queen Latifah.
Three-time Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter, acclaimed actor and multimedia entrepreneur, JILL SCOTT, has signed on to star as Mahalia Jackson. Ms. Scott is globally recognized as one of the most prolific and powerful vocalists of all time. Scott has starred in movies and television series such as Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married, Tate Taylor’s Get On Up, BET’s The First Wives Club and HBO’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.
Mahalia! is the untold story of the life, legacy and incredible musical and political career of the Queen of Gospel music, Mahalia Jackson. During a time when Gospel music was not as mainstream as it is today, Ms. Jackson became one of the wealthiest and most powerful entertainers in the world. Known as the mentor and inspiration behind singing sensation Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, Ms. Jackson rose from brutal poverty in New Orleans to become a platinum selling artist, and was the first gospel singer to perform at Carnegie Hall and would continue to captivate audiences around the world, including presidents, kings, and queens, until her death in 1972. Known as the inspiration behind the “I Have A Dream” speech, she was one of the most instrumental voices and ardent supporters of Martin Luther King, Jr., the father of America’s Civil Rights movement, and a driving force behind John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign, helping him to become the 35th President of the United States. Harry Belafonte once described Ms. Jackson as “the single most powerful Black Woman in the United States” and, unknown to many, she was a formidable activist behind the scenes of some of America’s most influential politicians during one of the most tumultuous periods in our nation’s history, mirroring today’s political and social climate.
The Mahalia! movie production has secured the rights to Ms. Jackson’s entire musical catalog of greatest hits including “How I Got Over”, “His Eyes Are on the Sparrow”, “Move on Up a Little Higher”, “Amazing Grace” and “Go Tell It On the Mountain”.
Foxx will next star in Netflix’s Project Power, coming out August 14th, and Disney/ Pixar’s Soul, set for a November 20th release this year.
Written by Richard Hocutt, Mark Gould and Tricia Woodgett, Mahalia! is based on the novel, Mahalia Jackson, by Darlene Donloe.
Courtesy of www.thebellereport.com
